HC Deb 14 February 1990 vol 167 cc229-30W
Mr. Peter Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received from schools complaining about the dates of the GCSE examinations in 1989 and 1990.

Mrs. Rumbold

We have received about 25 representations on this issue.

Mr. Peter Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the first and last dates of GCSE examinations in 1989 and in 1990 together with similar information for GCE O-levels in 1987.

Mrs. Rumbold

In 1989, the first GCSE examination was on 15 May, the last on 23 June. In 1990, the first examination will be on 14 May, the last on 22 June.

In 1987 the GCE O-level examinations of most of the boards ran from the beginning to the end of June.

Since GCSE replaced GCE O-level and CSE, any comparison must also take into account the dates of the CSE examinations: in 1987, these generally ran from the end of April or the beginning of May to mid-June.

Mr. Peter Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements exist for his Department to make representations to the GCSE examination boards about the dates of examinations.

Mrs. Rumbold

Officials are in regular contact with the examining groups about this issue.

Mr. Peter Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the policy of his Department about the proportion of the summer term which should be regarded as available for GCSE examinations and the relation of this to the spring bank holiday.

Mrs. Rumbold

The GCSE examining groups are independent bodies, wholly responsible for the administration of their own examinations. Ministers have no powers to intervene directly in their day-to-day affairs. Nevertheless, I am concerned that the examination season should not encroach unnecessarily on the summer term. I am assured that the groups are aware of the anxiety which has been expressed on this issue, and that although it is now too late to change the timetable for 1990, the groups are looking very carefully at the position for 1991 and beyond.