Hi all, many of you reading this know a little but about me and that I have dedicated much of my career to education within the establishments. I now educate my own four children believing that school was failing all of them for different reasons. However, the fundamental reason was that school fails to create and encourage passion in learning. The government has interferred so much in the organic and creative dynamic of teaching that learning is now stale and teaching deeply compromised. Many of you have e-mailed me to ask whether our children will take GCSEs and I thought it would be easier to enter our thoughts on our blog.
The simple answer is yes - if they need to. I consider GCSEs a necessary evil for some young people who aspire to follow paths that demand a clutch of these dry and rather misplaced qualifications. This is, happily, not the case for all. Our 14 year daughter wants to work in animal conservation and therefore a vocational course in animal care is her first step. For this she needs 4 GCSEs grade C or above. Thus, she will take 5 to ensure success. Is she capable of more - absolutely. However, we can not justify the efforts to take them if they are not required as close examination of the programme specifications reveal dry and tired studies with much of the content very limiting. So when she is not studying her designated GCSEs she will continue with her passions such as paino playing, art history and natural history.
Assuming success she will have the qualifications required to study her course which is the equivalent to 3 A levels - don't get me started on AS and A levels! After careful research we have selected the National Extension College for her GCSE studies and so far they have been very good. She will take her 5 spaced out over the next 2 years so that she starts 2 this June and sits those the following June. She then sits her final 3 the following year. It may be a surprise to some people to learn that GCSEs are designed as a one year study and that it is the timetabling of secondary schools that determine the two year pattern and the ultimate cramming that results. We will have none of that.
For our three boys we will tackle their potential GCSEs as we get closer. I think it is important to think out of the box though on external qualifications. Harry (11) is extremely interested in horticulture and already runs his own plant business locally. He is already showing interest in studying RHS courses and other short courses locally and this pathway is more relevant for him if he continues to lean towards self employment as an option. Distance learning has come a long way in recent years and there are many excellent providers out there to choose from. Harry and I are passionate about herbs and we are looking forward to studying a short course through the Learning Curve entitled 'the healing garden' - lovely!
As a lecturer in a university for over 10 years I interviewed literally thousands of candidates. The vast majority had their very dry list of GCSEs (which we took very little notice of)and A levels or equivalent vocational qualifications. On application we always looked for students who had thought outside their box and acquired additional short course qualifications relevant to their pathway. At interview those that had engaged in these courses had so much to offer in discussion - so never under-rate the short, but focused courses that are out there. They are value-added and set people apart and I can not recommend them highly enough.
So, I do hope my ramblings may be of use to some of you. For those of you who worship GCSEs good luck to you. For those of you who seek alternative pathways with your children good luck to you too!
FX
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