Victorian Exam System?

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tiffinboys
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Location: Surrey

Victorian Exam System?

Post by tiffinboys »

Views of Eton's Head Master.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-28642510" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by Amber »

Yeah well he's spot on there. Maybe as he's head of the most elitist school in the country someone will actually take notice - members of the 'blob' have been saying the same things for a while but they get dismissed as left-wing pointy-heads.
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by doodles »

Why is education any different from a pair of shoes? One size does NOT fit all........

Maybe somebody will listen now that a member of the perceived "establishment" has stuck their head above the parapet.
magwich2
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Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by magwich2 »

Difficult though to have any alternative - the country is far too crowded, the universities are full of foreign students, a considerable number of people have learnt to play the UCAS system and everyone has realised that calling in favours to get "work experience" and sounding "passionate" (whatever that means) are essential. How would you distinguish between the loudmouth who bangs on about how great they are and the truly hardworking and intelligent without some unseen exams?

DDs have always said that gcses are dreadful and appallingly boring but a good set of results shows you are at least reasonably intelligent and do not have an attitude problem. DD1 says that history at Oxford is not so far removed from gcse and a-level history in many ways. That is, you put in endless amounts of rather pointless reading and hope against hope that some questions come up in finals which you can answer. Very little to do with a genuinely academic course.
mystery
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by mystery »

I would like to read the full content of whatever Tony Little said. I found the quotes in the link rather facile and hope that he has a bit more to say. I would expect Eton to find it easy to prepare children extremely well for a "Victorian" exam system and do a lot more towards a much broader education. Does he have some ideas on how other schools, in all sectors, can do this without the starting advantages that Eton has (highly selected pupils and an overwhelming majority of wealthy parents)? And does he have some ideas on how the exam system for state school children should be improved?
tiffinboys
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Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by tiffinboys »

Isn't entry to Eton itself rather Victorian in nature? It seems almost all comes from 'specialist prep schools', with full grooming for at-least 2 musical instruments to grade 5 or higher and an excellence in sports (more likely elitist sports). All these needs a very wealthy parents or ability to beg (bursaries or relatives' money). One need to a very pushy parent (Child Genius - channel 4) to send one to Eton or probably need baron's connection with the School.
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by Amber »

http://ioelondonblog.wordpress.com/2014 ... aitjacket/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is also worth reading his other blog 'Imagine there's no GCSEs, it's easy if you try...' which is linked from this one.
tiffinboys
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Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by tiffinboys »

Interesting commentary but no feasible alternative proposed.
mystery
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by mystery »

Quite. It's certainly nowhere near perfect but it's better than it used to be when only a small and "privileged" percentage left school with any qualification at all before the introduction of CSEs.

Is there a link anywhere to the full text of the Radio Times article?

Is Tony Little pointing out that there is more to an Eton education than just good results so people should pay for it rather than just go to the best state schools which he thinks are nothing more than league table fodder?
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: Victorian Exam System?

Post by silverysea »

Do other countries do it any better?

Any evidence?
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