So Gove wants a 2 tier exam system?

My CSE Certificate

Gove wants to bring back a 2 tier exam system, ditiching the GCSE for a return to O Levels and CSEs.

I was "fortunate" enough to be amongst the last pupils to study O Levels and CSEs. I remember the strain of knowing that I absolutely had to get CSE grade 1 for maths or I had failed. Simple as that we were told that anything less than a CSE grade 1 was a waste of time and you had failed. Finito, Schluss, End of.

I was lucky enough to get CSE grade 1 maths and some other CSE grade 1's with a few O Levels so could go on to do A Levels and eventually get to Uni.

BUT the eagled eyed amongst you will note that nestling cheekily amongst the CSE grade 1's I earnt at 16, I also scrapped a grade 2 Chemistry. I effectively failed Chemistry, it was a real shame but a combination of a cock up half way through school, indifferent teaching and a poor attitude meant that I fluffed not only the exam but also the course work. When I fill in forms I don't bother to put this grade on, as it is a fail, it does not recognise that I worked, it does not recognise problems in my school. It simply says fail.

The two tier system had spoken

Emily How did you do in your GCSE's

Well the GSCE results are in and another year of improvement. I imagine that the fact that there has been constant improvement for the last 23 years has not been much of a comfort for the teenagers, and their parents who were waiting biting their nails last year.

I did mine in 1982 and I remember the tension, unbearable, especially as I had just moved to Germany and had to wait another week to get mine as someone had to post them to me. The day they arrived in our letter box, it was a very hot day and I was so excited I rang one of my old teachers to talk about them.

So congratulations to all of you that did your GCSE's I hope that you got the results you were looking for and will get the help you need if they weren't as good as you hoped.

I am very proud of my daughter

My Daughter picked up her GCSE certificates from Maiden Erleigh School this week. The school had arranged a presentation and I was really pleased to see the school making an effort to honour the efforts made by all its pupils.

Seeing her there made me reflect on the changes that have come to Reading in her life time. She started school the year of the Labour Victory and since then in the area we have seen a large extension to her Primary School built, and lots of new building at her Senior School.

Couple this with the hospital that she was born in, the Royal Berks being completely renewed, and still undergoing renewal and huge improvements in Reading, couple this with things like the Family Tax credits and a period of strong employment before the crash and sensible and strong steps taken to prevent the bank collapse becoming a melt down and you see that there is a lot of things that we should be proud of in our country. I think you can truely make the case that Labour has been good for Britain.