§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give a progress report on the new general certificate of secondary education examinations in respect of (a) teacher training, (b) national criteria, (c) preparation of employers to accept the new certificates, (d) syllabuses and (e) teacher briefings and manuals; and what have been the effects of the teachers' pay dispute on such progress.
§ Mr. Chris PattenOur plans for the introduction of the GCSE are well on course. We have had no reports of significant disruption caused by teacher action in the context of the current pay dispute. The GCSE examining groups and the LEAs are well-advanced in their preparations for the national programme of in-service training. All teachers of the GCSE are to attend preparatory seminars starting in January next year. Common materials for seminars, teachers' guides and videos are being prepared by the Secondary Examinations Council. They will be distributed to schools as early as possible in January next year. The GCSE national criteria were published last March and have been distributed to all seondary schools and colleges. The Department has plans to continue to publicise the GCSE by various means, including the production of material designed for employers. All GCSE syllabuses must be approved and published by May 1986. The Secondary Examinations Council and the GCSE examining groups are taking steps to approve as many as possible well before that date. Draft GCSE syllabuses in many subjects have already been made available to schools and colleges.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the proposed time-table for implementing the new general certificate of secondary education examinations.
§ Mr. Chris PattenMy right hon. Friend announced the Government's decision to introduce the GCSE in June 1984. Since then the Department has received some 35 letters requesting that the examinations be postponed for a year or more. Members of the NUT also raised this question at a meeting with my right hon. Friend in September.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to his Department concerning the number of schools yet to receive copies of the proposed general certificate of secondary education syllabuses; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenDraft GCSE syllabuses in many subjects have already been distributed to schools. The GCSE examining groups will issue all syllabuses in final, approved form as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the progress made in the introduction of the proposed general certificate of secondary education examinations.
§ Mr. Chris PattenYes.
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§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to his Department in respect of the number of areas where subject representatives for the proposed general certificate of secondary education examination system have yet to be appointed.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThis information is not available to the Department.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now drop the proposed merit and distinction certificates from the proposals for the new general certificate of secondary education examination system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenMy right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Wales are now considering their proposals in the light of responses received to the consultation paper issued last December. Decisions will be announced as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many and what proportion of teachers who will be engaged in teaching candidates for the new general certificate of secondary education examinations he expects to have received their in-service training before September 1986.
§ Mr. Chris PattenIt is for LEAs, schools and colleges to ensure that all teachers of the GCSE attend briefing seminars, preferably before September 1986 but in any event before the end of the calendar year.