The new GCSEs have confused and excited students. In this article we will look at the affects that it has on students and teachers and how Burnside plans to adapt to ensure their students continue to thrive.
The new GCSE grading structure will be applied for the GCSEs of 2018 and 2019. The government have defined a good pass as a grade 5. The new GCSEs will be changed from letters to numbers; a student who would have got an A* would be graded at a 9 in the new grading system. The reason why the government has changed the grading system is because it is intended to help provide more differentiation, especially amongst more able and talented students. The grades will be awarded for the first time in August 2017 and by 2019 the all new system will be in place.
Whilst we were researching and finding out facts about the new GCSEs, we interviewed some of the main teachers in the English department, the Maths department and the Assistant Principal in charge of assessments to get their reactions to the new specifications.
Miss McGovern, Assistant Principal for Assessment, believes the new GCSES will prove a challenge for the students.
‘€œIt will be a lot harder for students with the new GCSEs coming in during the middle of key stage 4. However in the long run it could be better for the students. It also can help teachers teach the more able  students work that will help them improve.’€
When asked how it would affect students throughout the school, not just in Year 11, she had a quick response. ‘€œIt will be harder for the year 10/11 to get prepared because they have been in the school since year 7 and have had the old GCSEs so it will be difficult to adapt to it. However, the Year 7s will have the new system from the start so they should find it much easier.’€
The new grading system will apply to English and Maths this year. Mr Henderson, Head of Maths at Burnside, gave us his thoughts on the changes. ‘€œIt is going to be challenging for all the children in the school but most difficult for the year 10’€™s as they will be the first year to do it next year. It will be better for students in the long run.Now in maths we are trying to give students more problem solving questions rather than a list of questions, as they are the types of questions you get in the new  GCSEs, which will help prepare them for it. Although there are positives it also puts a lot of stress and pressure on the year 11’€™s.’€
As well as Maths, English is seeing major changes and  students will face 4 written exams this summer in Language and Literature, scrapping the previous coursework elements. Miss Addison, Head of English put down her copy of Macbeth to tell us how she is preparing Burnside students for the new GCSE demands. ‘€œIt is quite worrying that there is not as many controlled assessments and it is now all exam based. It was a shock for the previous year 10’€™s as they didn’€™t have much time to adapt to the new GCSEs. However, the year 7’€™s, 8’€™s and 9’€™s will have a longer time to prepare the skills needed for the GCSEs. As a department we are confident that our pupils will do well with new 1-9 system’€
Whatever happens in August we  are confident that the students of Burnside will achieve their very best. There have been a plethora of changes ot exams over the years: O’€™levels, SATs, coursework, controlled assessments and now 1-9. Some say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks but Burnside teachers are proving that wrong as they are gearing students up to tackle their exams with confidence and resilience that will only lead to success.
By Burnside School Reporters Murray, Sam, Kyle and Jack
