The man that hath no music in himself

I wonder if like Jessica, Shylock's daughter,  Michael Gove's children think this of him after today's announcement over the GCSE's.

You see with the announcement of a return to a single examination at the end of a course he has clearly signaled that he does not care about education. Or rather that he cares about some children but certainly not all.

One swallow does not a summer make yet one result may a child's life break

Education should be inclusive and Gove's attempt to bring about an English Baccalaureate is another example of how he has no understanding of diversity in our society.

http://www.mydaughter.co.uk/educating-your-daughter/11-16/education-choices/english-baccalaureate/

It is reprehensible to this commentator that a man, who owes his good start in life to a State Education system,  is trying to take us back to a time of elitism. From a psychological perspective alone the idea of a system that ends in a single exam is horrendous. Even my son who is studying at my University, Liverpool, is no longer saddled with a series of all consuming examinations at the end of a year. Now they undergo module examinations throughout the year, a system which rewards consistent application not a one off hit. For true educational prowess there needs to be a clear combination of formative and summative assessment so that a true picture of a learner's ability can be built up. Relying on one exam in summer can have devastating results.

For example a child suffering from hayfever, asthma or allergic rhinitis can find themselves in a terrible position during the pollen season and that can ultimately lead to bad examination marks. I remember doing one paper at sixth form so doused up on drugs to combat my allergies that I could hardly keep awake.

The ongoing assessment that formative methods bring to the table means that a child has a fairer chance of reaching a better standard. That means a child has a better chance of a better future. 

I urge every parent of a child entering secondary school this year, like my son has, to oppose the plans of a return to sleepless nights and high pressure. For if a child thinks they cannot achieve then they are likely to look for other outlets in their life to get ahead. That could mean many things including the horrific spectacle of the gang colours. We have spent years attempting to include all children in learning and with this decision we may end up with an even more unfair society.

I regularly come across middle aged adults who can neither read nor write properly and when I work with them the common theme running through their life has been one of a feeling of not being good enough. Are we going to destroy more children by this?

We don't need to dumb down we need to work smarter. Use divergent thinking to solve the problems of poor assessment don't return to the depths of despair of an outdated system.

Make sure that our children have the best chance and that we can all grow together. Make sure that all children have the music inside them.