§ Mrs. Ann TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education how many representations he has received on the subject of the proportion of coursework in the assessment of GCSE English; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robin SquireDuring the past year my right hon. Friend received 76 letters about GCSE coursework in English. The 40 per cent. limit for coursework for English is higher than that for most other GCSE subjects, because we recognise that some aspects of achievement in the subject are better assessed through extended tasks than through a terminal examination. However, there must be a limit on coursework assessment if we are to have confidence in the reliability and consistency of GCSE grades.