UK government U-turns on England school exam grades after uproar

[Surelynot]

He isn't going anywhere...he knows too much and Boris values blind loyalty way above ability.

[Pilotman]

22 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

I'm just curious to see quite how many f&ck ups this lot have to do before even their most ardent fans start questionaing their abilities?

Covid - well that'll be the 2nd highest per capita death in the world thank you very much.

A Level results - a completely useless system that any 12 year old could have told you would cause uproar...................... quickly followed by utter capitulation.

Brexit - watch this (empty) space.

I have been a life long Conservative voter, but I would not waste a vote on this crowd of muppets.  And as the rest are just as bad, I am disenfranchised by politicians collective uselessness.  I will not be voting in a UK election again. They can all continue to go to hell in hand basket for me. 

[7by7]

We used to have a convention in this country called Ministerial Responsibility. Which meant that a Minister would take full responsibility for everything which happened in his department; good or bad.

 

That has disappeared over the last 20 years or so. Now while most Ministers are more than happy to claim responsibility for, and bask in, the successes of their departments, anything bad which happens is never their fault.

 

So much so that we now have right wing loonies claiming that  government department cock ups are in fact deliberate plots by lefty, Remainer civil servants to thwart St. Boris and Brexit!

[Rookiescot]

I dont want him to resign. I want him and all the rest of this incompetent, useless and corrupt government to continue to supply an endless stream of foul ups and shambolic performances. 

The population of the UK need to learn.

You get what you vote for.

So brace yourselves for a Brexit which is a disaster of biblical proportions.   

[RayC]

Ok, hindsight is a wonderful thing - and the government couldn't know when we would come out of lockdown back in March - but couldn't the exams being sat now? I don't have kids directly affected by these events, but if I understand things correctly, the curriculum had largely been completed by lockdown.

 

One scenario might be hold exams in August, results by end October, university year starts January, terms extended so year 2 can start on time next October. Feasible? Look into it (back in March). This fiasco displays a complete lack of planning and forethought.

[tebee]

On 8/18/2020 at 12:12 PM, ukrules said:

...

 

Therein lies the activist civil servants who know that when they get it wrong (deliberately?) the government will be blamed for their actions. The civil service is full of them and they work against central government and ignore their advice.

 

....

Those bloody unelected bureaucrats again, running our lives and making laws we have no say in.....

[Bluespunk]

Uh oh gavin, more bad news for you as truth begins to leak out. 
 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/19/ofqual-was-warned-a-month-ago-that-exams-algorithm-was-volatile?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

”In late March, with schools closed and the pandemic gathering pace, Williamson publicly warned Ofqual it “should ensure, as far as is possible, that qualification standards are maintained and the distribution of grades follows a similar profile to that in previous years”. The demand was made in a letter to the head of Ofqual, Sally Collier, on 31 March, issued as a ministerial direction under the Children and Learning Act of 2009.

 

The diktat from Williamson is understood to have been the overriding concern that led Ofqual to reject warnings from its external advisers before the algorithm was finalised in July.“

Edited August 20, 2020 by Bluespunk

[Rimmer]

Baiting post removed

[Pilotman]

22 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

I dont want him to resign. I want him and all the rest of this incompetent, useless and corrupt government to continue to supply an endless stream of foul ups and shambolic performances. 

The population of the UK need to learn.

You get what you vote for.

So brace yourselves for a Brexit which is a disaster of biblical proportions.   

The big trouble is you can only vote for what the parties put forward as their candidates. As they are all uniformally terrible and incompetent, what can anyone really do; nothing? 

Edited August 20, 2020 by Pilotman

[johnnybangkok]

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

The big trouble is you can only vote for what the parties put forward as their candidates. As they are all unconformaly terrible and incompetent, what can anyone really do; nothing? 

It does feel like that sometimes and with such a large majority, I'm sure Boris feels fairly bullet-proof right now but if these sort of debackles continue and they don't get on top of Covid and Brexit, I think you'll see a different tone coming from what has up to now been a completely sycophantic and compliant media. Feeling the pressure, Boris wiil then have no choice but to start some culling. He should have done it with Cummings, he certainly should do it with Willamson and since he campaigned and won with a lot of Brexit promises, if they don't turn out as he is predicting (and so far it appears to be a complete sh&t show), maybe he'll do the right thing and resign himself.

[7by7]

24 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

<snip>

maybe he'll do the right thing and resign himself.

If he doesn't, the party will ditch him as soon as possible.

 

My prediction is still early next year; but certainly before the next GE.

 

He's a one trick pony, and the closer we get to the end of the transition period the more it becomes apparent that he can't even get that right!

 

The Tory grandees know this, and know that if he is still leader in 2024 they have no chance of winning.

[tebee]

incidentally, there is another group of A level students still left even worse off from this debacle. 

External students, those not affiliates to a particular college, have no been given any grades whatsoever as it appears that it didn't occur to anybody they had no teachers to give them an estimated grade.   

[johnnybangkok]

50 minutes ago, tebee said:

incidentally, there is another group of A level students still left even worse off from this debacle. 

External students, those not affiliates to a particular college, have no been given any grades whatsoever as it appears that it didn't occur to anybody they had no teachers to give them an estimated grade.   

The Keystone Cops would be jealous Of these antics. 

[teacherclaire]

Some students missed out on university places after they were downgraded several levels by the regulator's initial model.

 

And people critizise Thailand's educational system. 55555

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, teacherclaire said:

Some students missed out on university places after they were downgraded several levels by the regulator's initial model.

 

And people critizise Thailand's educational system. 55555

Did they now...

 

Students to be offered first choice places, says minister https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53850146

[Dumbastheycome]

Damned  inconvenient what  ! How  dare the  rabble  interfere  with  selective  accreditation?  I mean to say....those  in positions  of  influence should  surely  be in a position  to refute any possible  tangible  acquisition of genuine knowledge  that  may threaten the accepted norms as  prescribed?

Such  will undermine  the  social  fabric  of ....erm.... !

 

[Nigel Garvie]

13 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Damned  inconvenient what  ! How  dare the  rabble  interfere  with  selective  accreditation?  I mean to say....those  in positions  of  influence should  surely  be in a position  to refute any possible  tangible  acquisition of genuine knowledge  that  may threaten the accepted norms as  prescribed?

Such  will undermine  the  social  fabric  of ....erm.... !

 

Wonderful phrase.  "tangible  acquisition of genuine knowledge".

It has never been in the interests of the Establishment to educate the aw-ee palaw-ee   (From the Greek,  i polli, the many) - the mass of the people -. The Tabloids job is to focus them on tits, bums, scandal, "scroungers", footie, wicked immigrants, etc and to worship the rich, the famous, the flag, and the dysfunctional royal family.   There is to be no questioning of the Etonians immortal right to rule, or the right of the rich to avoid taxes. The important thing is to learn to look down on and despise those neighbours who are less fortunate than you.  

 

So our education system has utterly failed us already, in that it has failed to teach our kids to see through this sick sheet. When it comes to higher education, what could be more natural for the Tories than to try and limit the number working class kids who can benefit from it.

[Dumbastheycome]

13 minutes ago, Nigel Garvie said:

Wonderful phrase.  "tangible  acquisition of genuine knowledge".

It has never been in the interests of the Establishment to educate the aw-ee palaw-ee   (From the Greek,  i polli, the many) - the mass of the people -. The Tabloids job is to focus them on tits, bums, scandal, "scroungers", footie, wicked immigrants, etc and to worship the rich, the famous, the flag, and the dysfunctional royal family.   There is to be no questioning of the Etonians immortal right to rule, or the right of the rich to avoid taxes. The important thing is to learn to look down on and despise those neighbours who are less fortunate than you.  

 

So our education system has utterly failed us already, in that it has failed to teach our kids to see through this sick sheet. When it comes to higher education, what could be more natural for the Tories than to try and limit the number working class kids who can benefit from it.

Absolutely ! Proper education ? Where it  can be purchased  is still only a defined  level of indoctrination.

It becomes  dangerous  to permit  knowledge  beyond the  comprehension of the  predecessing authorities unless  they possess the rights  to it .

[johnnybangkok]

15 hours ago, Nigel Garvie said:

Wonderful phrase.  "tangible  acquisition of genuine knowledge".

It has never been in the interests of the Establishment to educate the aw-ee palaw-ee   (From the Greek,  i polli, the many) - the mass of the people -. The Tabloids job is to focus them on tits, bums, scandal, "scroungers", footie, wicked immigrants, etc and to worship the rich, the famous, the flag, and the dysfunctional royal family.   There is to be no questioning of the Etonians immortal right to rule, or the right of the rich to avoid taxes. The important thing is to learn to look down on and despise those neighbours who are less fortunate than you.  

 

So our education system has utterly failed us already, in that it has failed to teach our kids to see through this sick sheet. When it comes to higher education, what could be more natural for the Tories than to try and limit the number working class kids who can benefit from it.

Good insight into UK society but I'm not sure I agree with the premis that the UK education system has 'utterly failed'. Having been brought up on a comprehensive education, I think the opportunities where always there but many don't take them and/or are just too stupid to get the best out of it. 

When I was an impressionable teenager in Scotland, they had a system wherein you would do 2 years at your local secondary and then the 'cream' would be taken and put into an Academy (an English equivalent would probably be grammar schools). The academy would consists of pupils from 4 secondaries with the idea they would be more focused on the academics and others who stayed in the other secondary schools would learn at their own (slower) pace and/or do more vocational subjects (metalwork, woodwork, home economics etc). 

On the whole it worked very well and you were in an environment where academia didn't make you a 'swot' or was 'uncool' as I think this has much to do with the dumbing down of modern eductaion. The belief that ALL pupils are created equal (academically) belies the fact that all that happens is everyone gets dragged down to the lowest common denominator and anyone who shows any promise is quickly assimilated into 'education isn't cool' brigade.

We are talking 40 years now so I'm not sure how things are at present but it's no coincidence that private schools usually achieve better results as the premise is the same; those that want to be educated can be whilst those that want to p&ss around are left behind.

So less the fault of the system and more a fault of motivation.   

[Pilotman]

On 8/18/2020 at 12:07 PM, Chomper Higgot said:

To be fair, this is not a failing of all politicians, it is a failing of the party in power and in particular the Buffoon in No. 10.

 

His life long indolence is being revealed across the whole of his government’s failures.

 

He walks his government and the nation into every mess because he fails to govern.

 

He is However rather good at making hollow announcements.

'That buffoon', has spent the last week or so on holiday in Scotland, that says it all really.  He and they wouldn't know real leadership if it slapped than in the face. Love her or loath her, the last true political leader was Margaret Thatcher, there has not been one since that has got anywhere near her formidable  leadership abilities.  

[Nigel Garvie]

21 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

Good insight into UK society but I'm not sure I agree with the premis that the UK education system has 'utterly failed'. Having been brought up on a comprehensive education, I think the opportunities where always there but many don't take them and/or are just too stupid to get the best out of it. 

When I was an impressionable teenager in Scotland, they had a system wherein you would do 2 years at your local secondary and then the 'cream' would be taken and put into an Academy (an English equivalent would probably be grammar schools). The academy would consists of pupils from 4 secondaries with the idea they would be more focused on the academics and others who stayed in the other secondary schools would learn at their own (slower) pace and/or do more vocational subjects (metalwork, woodwork, home economics etc). 

On the whole it worked very well and you were in an environment where academia didn't make you a 'swot' or was 'uncool' as I think this has much to do with the dumbing down of modern eductaion. The belief that ALL pupils are created equal (academically) belies the fact that all that happens is everyone gets dragged down to the lowest common denominator and anyone who shows any promise is quickly assimilated into 'education isn't cool' brigade.

We are talking 40 years now so I'm not sure how things are at present but it's no coincidence that private schools usually achieve better results as the premise is the same; those that want to be educated can be whilst those that want to p&ss around are left behind.

So less the fault of the system and more a fault of motivation.   

Great post. I should try to be less absolute in my pronouncements. 

 

It has long been a matter of contention in education, which at it's heart is the Nature/Nuture argument. I had to remove my son from a local school where his awful teacher insisted that everyone went at the same pace. She was in fact really lazy, but disguised it by saying "I am not an elitist". She worked for the state, so despite many parents complaining about her she was un-sackable. 

 

People are not born equal in ability, that is a fact which the dafter levellers of the 60s hate, and have tried to ignore. We should do our best to give everyone equal opportunity, and as you say they will reach the level which they are capable of reaching, subject to the amount of effort they put in.  We should also try to build an equal society. Social equality is hard to achieve in a country with a class system like ours, which is almost as bad as the Indian cast system. Putting the monarchy out to grass (They look like horses anyway) would be a good start. If you talk about social mobility in Canada (For example) they look at you as if you are nuts. 

 

I think there is though one aspect of education where we have totally failed, which is called Civics, helping kids get a basic grip on what is good and bad behaviour in society, and how all aspects of our government work. Nowadays we also need classes in questioning the truth of what we all read in the papers and on the internet. 

[from the home of CC]

I thought the U in UK stood for 'U turn'...

[Pilotman]

3 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

I thought the U in UK stood for 'U turn'...

it stands for uninspiring, utterly useless, utterly buggered, take your pick of the many 'u's' it stands for.   

[Bluespunk]

Just gets worse for gavin

 

 https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/aug/21/ofqual-chair-roger-taylor-quit-threat-gavin-williamson-a-levels-gcse-exams?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/18/2020 at 4:53 PM, Pilotman said:

Covid has shown up politicians of every shade, and in almost every country, to be what most of us know that they are; self serving, hypocritical, arrogant, selfish, ego driven idiots, and not that intelligent, despite what education and background they may come from. In the UK, they are also 'supported' by an incompetent  Civil Service and a deplorable rabble at the Bank of England, who constantly talk the UK down.  I would not give you a dollar for any of them. This exams issue is just one of the many idiotic decisions, or none decisions, that the UK Government has made in these Covid times,  The alternative Party is no better. The UK is a basket case and it deserves to be.  

Problem, IMO, with politicians today is that too many of them never had a real job. A life in political circles is no preparation for real life. Hence, they make stupid decisions based on advice from bureaucrats that also never had a real job.

IMO no bureaucrat should be employed that has not worked outside government for at least 10 years previously, and no politician should be allowed to serve more than 2 consecutive terms. If they know they will have to get a real job after 2 terms they are more likely to have some real world experience/ qualifications before trying to be elected.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/21/2020 at 7:15 PM, Nigel Garvie said:

People are not born equal in ability, that is a fact which the dafter levellers of the 60s hate, and have tried to ignore. We should do our best to give everyone equal opportunity, and as you say they will reach the level which they are capable of reaching, subject to the amount of effort they put in.

The most vile, IMO, thing the nutters have done, is to prevent anyone failing. Sports where everyone wins is despicable. If everyone wins, there is no incentive to strive, to succeed, to be a champion. Likewise in academics.

I can't imagine how distressing it must be to leave school and get a real job where people have to strive to be the best they can be. Probably why media studies are so popular now.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/21/2020 at 6:30 PM, Pilotman said:

'That buffoon', has spent the last week or so on holiday in Scotland, that says it all really.  He and they wouldn't know real leadership if it slapped than in the face. Love her or loath her, the last true political leader was Margaret Thatcher, there has not been one since that has got anywhere near her formidable  leadership abilities.  

Indeed. I believe they used to say she was the only one in her government with balls.

Pity that she went power mad and thought the poll tax was a good idea.