Work, work, work after the exams

WORK, WORK, WORK! After the exams: students’ perceptions of study and work-life balance issues under Curriculum 2000 REPORT 2003

– THE SEQUEL

Elseta Elsheikh published by the A s s o c i a t i o n o f Te a c h e r s a n d L e c t u r e r s A S S O C I AT I O N O F T E A C H E R S A N D L E C T U R E R S

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The Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Acknowledgments

exists to promote the cause of education in the UK and elsewhere, to protect and

I should like to acknowledge, with thanks, the teachers

improve the status of teachers, lecturers

in the 11 institutions that have participated in this

and non-teaching professionals directly

research. I would also like to thank those students

involved in the delivery of education, and

who willingly gave their time to contribute their views

to further the legitimate professional

of the Government’s reforms.

interests of all members.

Elsteta Elsheikh For a free copy of the Association of Teachers

and

Lecturers’

publications

catalogue, please call the ATL publications despatch line on 0845 4500 009.

CONTENTS SUMMARY OF FIRST COHORT’S EXPERIENCE OF CURRICULUM 2000

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AFTER THE EXAMS

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MANAGING CURRICULUM 2000

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IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REFORM PROCESS

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SUMMARY OF FIRST COHORT’S EXPERIENCE OF CURRICULUM 2000 In 2001, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) conducted a survey involving 77 students in the first term of Year 13, the first cohort affected by the Curriculum 2000 (C2000) reforms. Findings were described in the publication Work, Work, Work! Students’ perceptions of study and work-life balance under Curriculum 2000.

The students had high expectations of the C2000 reforms and were happy with their choice of subjects, studying between one and two more than their predecessors. With four AS subjects having become the accepted norm, they studied an average of 17 hours per week on timetable, with an additional five hours of private/supported study. The majority of students had found the workload burdensome, and cut back on enrichment activities in their efforts to balance school work, part-time work and social activities. Most students coped by choosing subjects which were complementary to each other. It was noted, however, that the volume of work required for arts and humanities subjects appeared greater than that for mathematics and science.

Key skills were disliked by most students in schools; college students were more accepting. They were frustrated and disappointed to find that many higher education (HE) institutions did not give key skills any weight in the admissions process.

A major complaint of this cohort was that there had been too many exams in a short period of time. Fear of not achieving adequate grades for HE had forced some students to re-sit AS examinations. Students on vocational programmes found AVCE examinations, for which an AS equivalent was absent, extremely difficult.

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AFTER THE EXAMS One-third of the original student respondents returned post-examinations questionnaires.

Interestingly – in the light of the A-level crisis of autumn 2002 – their A2 examination results were mainly impressive and most were as had been predicted. The majority of students sat four subjects at AS, some continuing that number into A2 – a minority picked up a new AS subject in Year 13.

The Government’s review of the key skills qualification after one year had led to diminution of interest and provision, mainly in schools where they were not funded.

The students had experienced unnecessarily high levels of stress as a result of not having past papers to look at, and of poorly defined specifications. Insufficient time to cover each subject, badly spaced examination sessions, insufficient time for revision, and fear of not achieving the required grades all contributed to a sense of pressure. Coping strategies included work, visiting the gym, holidays, social life and paid work.

Students reported spending an average of 17 hours a week outside their programme time on revision in the run-up to the A2 exams. During the revision period for A2, employers had been flexible, but most students did not seek a change to their working hours. One quarter of the students responding to this questionnaire felt that they could have achieved higher grades if they had reduced or dropped their part-time work. The majority of the students had continued with part-time work, socialising and sports activities up to and including the examination period as a ‘release from school work’, out of a ‘desire to earn money’ and ‘keeping the job to earn money over the summer and transferring to a similar employer when away at university’.

The average number of exams taken by these students over 3.6 weeks was 7.6. Badly spaced timetabling of exams led to general fatigue.

Following receipt of their results, students seemed euphoric. The majority were more positive about the reforms than they had been earlier, but were nevertheless able to pinpoint flaws in the system. There were evenly balanced opinions on coursework versus external examinations.

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MANAGING CURRICULUM 2000 The focus group leaders in the institutions reported the following mixed comments drawn from their perceptions of management decisions at their particular institutions.

The advantages of C2000 reforms Greater breadth, wider choice of subjects, greater chances of success and opportunities to review courses. Students’ final A2 choices were made in the light of their experiences in AS studies, the results giving a very clear guide for UCAS applications.

The improved clarity in ‘specifications’ allowed better focus for teaching and for student learning than previously.

Short modules provided incentives and allowed the students to bank ‘good’ results.

‘Modular courses gave me a good idea as to how I was doing throughout the course.’

Students choosing to leave school at the end of Year 12 are now able to hold AS level qualifications in subjects that they can use in the future; others can choose to drop some subjects in Year 13.

‘Having done AS levels the year before there was less stress for the A2s.’

The two-stage examination allowed students time to clarify their thoughts on subjects and the re-sit facility for modules helped to reduce the ‘lottery’ element of the former ‘one-sit’ A-level examination.

‘I think that I may have done more work over the two years than the old A-level system but because it was broken up and we had two lots of short exams rather than having to learn all the two years’ work for one exam at the end. I think it was easier.’

The disadvantages of the C2000 reforms ‘Assembly-line’ teaching has been widely used.

The implementation of key skills – that had been introduced to provide breadth – has had a setback. Very little interest has been received from students despite encouragement. In their present formulation, key skills would not seem, for students, to have a useful function.

‘Key skills are valuable but until a suitable infrastructure is in place for them to be taught properly, they do not serve a purpose.’

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‘Key Skills may become more useful as people become more aware of it, but it was no use to me.’

There was insufficient time to teach and enjoy the subject – too much subject content to teach in two terms of AS. In some cases, this led to loss of confidence when teaching two separate years of A-level.

‘We suffered because we were the first year to go through the AS system.’

‘January exams should be abolished.’

Enrichment activities, ie community work, Duke of Edinburgh, Youth Enterprise, mentoring etc have been squeezed out of programmes.

Students have lost the opportunity to settle and mature that the old Year 12 programme gave them – some Year 11 behaviour patterns continued.

‘I felt the jump between Y12 and Y13 was too great, as Y12 was too much like GCSEs.’ The loss of the different/alternative approach of the Advanced GNVQ was exacerbated by the AVCE students having to face assessment at full A2 level in Year 12. These students made a hesitant start caused by centres’ late receipt of information from awarding bodies.

‘I was very disappointed to receive my graphics textbook only two weeks before my exams. Some of the questions required answers to which the exam board said we should have researched these unknown materials on the Internet, without knowing what I was supposed to be researching.’

‘I felt that not enough was done in the run-up to the exams to relieve student stress (e.g. student enrichment activities) and at times my friends and I felt quite isolated.’

Unhelpful press comments, suggested a ‘dumbing down’ of the exams.

‘Although greatly criticised by others/ newspapers, I was happy with the AS/A2 system. With all subjects modular, it gave me a good idea as to how I was doing throughout the course. With most modules taken before the final June examination period, stress was reduced. By continuing with social activities, it reduced focus on exams – this was an important relaxation and reduced stress.’

An additional tier of formal examinations in Year 12 in an already overloaded assessment framework was seen as a disadvantage. The stress of facing the unknown and the reduced time available to cover the specifications has been faced by both staff and students.

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‘Our year group has been treated appallingly. We have become known as the ‘guinea pig year’. If ever a major or minor change in the education system has happened in the last 14 years, it has happened to us. Future employers/universities will not remember this in time and we will suffer – especially what with the way boards are playing with our grades. This put huge pressure on us as it always looks as if it is our fault we have done so badly when it is not our fault at all!’

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of C200 was the lost opportunity to overhaul Alevels radically. Instead, although there was tinkering with the internal structure, the model was essentially left unchanged. Some institutions were enthusiastic to take key skills on board and found themselves up ‘a garden path’. Students following four AS, key skills and personal and social education (PSE) were left with just five hours’ private study time and therefore curriculum extension went by the board.

Institutions’ provisions for next time Revising the curriculum shape to encourage general education, including a sport and language option and potential for community service.

Continuing to accept students into AS courses who are borderline – because the school will receive funding.

Key skills Making key skills compulsory once again for all Tertiary I students.

Abandoning key skills and incorporating them into a broader extension programme.

The first cohort’s experience with key skills (examination coursework portfolio etc) was very negative. One consequence has been the end of A-level general studies, but we are now having a major review of the extension provision to incorporate broader key skills, citizenship etc. Subjects that have benefited include English language, history, maths, biology – all traditionally strong – and media studies and psychology, only offered at AS, which will have to become full A-levels as soon as the staffing is available.

A focus on ICT key skill with wider key skills via general education rather than designated teaching for key skills.

AVCEs AVCE subjects have become more difficult than the old GNVQ. Our option structure is very open.

The number of new students entering the sixth form and the extra subjects being taken might force us to make the structure more restrictive.

Offer of more GNVQs in the future.

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Advice and guidance Change the focus and timing of advice to students and timing of reporting and parents’ evenings in order to support progression of Year 12 to Year 13, (AS to A2).

Give more time for staff-student discussion, post-results. This is a logical consequence of the benefits of the AS/A2 structure but the significant implications for staff time in providing guidance have been recognised and noted.

Design structured blocks on application form so that students can see what subjects will be possible whereas in previous years we have offered a list of subjects and asked students to indicate their preferences in priority order and then constructed the blocks.

Earlier guidance to be given on AS course content and assessment.

Provision of more careful on-course support advice on choice of subjects.

Continue advice given via tutors, subject teachers, pastoral staff for strong retention of students.

Coursework assessment Most institutions felt that the amount of coursework at present is about right. Many students already find coursework a burden, however. Staff feel they are completing ‘free’ assessment for the examining boards.

A few institutions have opted for more coursework in their approach to delivering English literature. These institutions would agree to more coursework, as long as it is assessed/guided through ‘light touch’ and accurate external verification (or even externally marked!).

Other institutions felt that marking the work and administering the moderation procedures have become increasingly burdensome – with no financial reward.

Examination results Examination results were considered by the majority of institutions to be in line with their expectations. One institution reported ‘a little worse than expected’, one ‘better than expected’.

Where the students did well, they were often engaged in complementary rather than contrasting programmes of study.

More contrasting subjects were shown for AS, but the majority of students opted for largely similar subjects when it came to the final A2 choice. Students were encouraged to take subjects that were complementary and supportive, with the aim of broadening understanding within areas of interest.

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What institutions would do differently next time One institution commented that initially, no modules were sat in January – ‘there is now a free for all.’

‘Use aggregate GCSE points scores as a guide to likely success with four AS and not encouraging all students to take on a 4-subject programme.’

‘Revise blocking systems to enable more students in Y13 to pick up AS subjects in Y12.’

‘Four subjects at AS or equivalent to be the norm (although some students, for whom it is unsuitable, insist on five).’

‘Prevent students from ‘cashing in’ AS levels initially.’

‘Adopt a more open policy towards students retaking some AS modules in order to improve marks for the final overall total at A2 stage.’

‘Discourage students from retaking modules in January/February.’

‘Charge for re-sits!’

One institution is adapting to the initiative by treating it as much like the former Alevel pattern as possible: ‘minimal substantive change.’

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I M P L I C AT I O N S F O R T H E R E F O R M P R O C E S S ATL’s response to the Government’s proposals in the 14-19 Green Paper has highlighted weaknesses in the Curriculum 2000 reforms. It is hoped that these weaknesses will be taken into account in future reforms.

Future reforms must be adequately piloted and evaluated before implementation with teachers receiving thorough preparation and training. Teacher uncertainty transfers negatively to students and undermines the entire system.

Any new initiative must be preceded by early receipt of specifications and timetabling of examinations.

For the time being, there should not be dramatic changes to the AS/A2 programmes. Any necessary change should be only to make the programmes easier to manage for both teachers and students.

AS level examinations were introduced to broaden the range of subjects in the first year of the sixth form, but the unintended result has been decreased participation in enrichment activities.

The assessment system has become dangerously overloaded and is impeding student learning. The confidence of students has been shaken and must be restored. Assessment needs to be reviewed to ensure that it is fit-for-purpose, manageable, and reliable.

To mark the end of the 14-19 phase, a broader curriculum of a Baccalaureate type, with more structured choice, might well be acceptable to students. This implies a ten-year programme of reforms.

Given that the overwhelming majority of students are likely to engage in part-time employment, greater coherence in the learning programme may only be achievable if wider aspects of experience are incorporated into a certification. Present patterns of study which assume full-time commitment to study may need adjustments.

Policy-makers must take account of students’ rejection of key skills in their present form. More consideration should be given to students’ preference for integrating key skills into the curriculum rather than as a stand-alone qualification.

The academic/vocational divide persists as students have found AVCE courses difficult. Qualification and learning pathways that are suitable for schools, colleges, workplace and higher education should be created to help overcome this divide.

Any reform should involve careful consideration of the provision of adequate resources as well as the training and workload implications for teachers and lecturers.

Learners are expected to work harder than ever before and due consideration must be given to their entitlement to a healthy work-life balance.

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