Independent school 'pleased' with alternative exams
BBCTwenty years ago an independent school made headlines when it launched its own exam system as an alternative to GCSEs.
Two decades on and the headteacher of Bedales School in Petersfield, Hampshire, said the Bedales Assessed Course (BAC) system is working and its students are "thriving".
It comes as a review into the current exam system, that took place in November, recommended that students study a greater breadth of subjects alongside the core academic ones.
The government's Curriculum and Assessment Review also advised that overall exam time be reduced by about two-and-a-half to three hours for an average student taking eight or nine GCSEs.
Bedales' curriculum, introduced in 2006, means that students take a combination of the school's own BACs combined with GCSEs in five core subjects.
The qualifications are moderated by independent assesors and recognised by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
The school maintains they involve a broader range of content, choice and assessment methods than the traditional GCSE, enabling students to pursue their interests and talents.
Bedales School headteacher Will Goldsmith said: "We are really pleased with where we have got to."
He said he believes they now have a "balanced curriculum suitable for 14 to 16 year olds, which stretches and challenges them," but also allows the school to "tailor" how they are doing things and for "students to have more agency in what they're doing".
Goldsmith explained that the school's assessments are more coursework-based than GCSEs with less emphasis on learning by memory and more on verbal and practical skills.
Independent schools can set their own curriculum and assessments.
In the state system doing that is harder as schools would need to find extra funding to make any changes.
Bohunt School in Liphook, Hampshire, is one state school where teachers would like to see changes to the exam system.
Director of education Phil Avery said: "GCSEs have taken over too much of our exam system, they've taken over too much of the education we offer young people."
He said he believed students should have more freedom to study a broader range of subjects.
Ecctis, the provider of international qualification evaluation, benchmarking and recognition services looked at the BAC in English Literature and concluded that it "demonstrates comparability to GCSE standard", while also "developing a broader range of skills than those typically emphasised in GCSE English Literature".
The government commissioned a review of the national curriculum and assessments in England in 2024 in the hope of developing a "cutting edge" curriculum.
The Department for Education (DfE) said: "Our national curriculum hasn't been updated in 10 years, which is why we've set out plans to not only bring it into the modern day, but help young people step into the future.
"A review of GCSE content and assessment will ensure these bedrock qualifications remain relevant and continue to command high levels of trust and recognition," it added.