Learning from mistakes

You would have thought that the fiasco of this summer’s exams might teach the government a thing or two. No such luck. One of the things Covid did was to demonstrate how vulnerable our current system is, with its heavy dependence on the one-off exam, pupils seated in isolation, writing against the clock. There are lots of other things wrong with that pattern, as professionals can testify, but Michael Gove’s reign as educational supremo has established that as the sacred way of working, which must not be disturbed.

But there are alternatives. A group of Conservative MPs have produced an alternative proposal. They note that the British pattern differs from most other similar countries, and imposes high levels of stress on pupils. They argue that the Covid crisis is a good opportunity to re-evaluate what we do. One of the authors said “ I’m hoping that will be taken seriously and discussed. In the light of Covid, we’ve got an opportunity to look at other countries and ask if what we are doing is working for us and for young people.”

So far, so rational. But no, there’s not a chance. Our leaders like what they’ve got, and they’ll do just what they do at the moment, only with the mock exams instead. Or maybe they’ll do them three weeks later. But seriously question the pattern? Listen to someone else’s ideas? You must be out of your mind. It’s just like test and trace, and closing down towns in the North. Nobody could possibly say anything to which they need to listen. They won an election, so they get to make all the decisions, right?