One in five new GCSEs and A-levels specifications that schools have to teach from September have still not been signed off with just a few teaching weeks left before the summer. This includes key language qualifications – French, German and Spanish, figures showed.
Science qualifications have only been approved in the last couple of weeks, giving teachers and school leaders very little time to prepare before the summer holidays, campaigners warned."We have been warning for months that the Government is way behind in its timetable for exam specifications, yet this has fallen on deaf ears"he revelation comes as teachers brace themselves for the biggest shake-up to GCSEs and A-Levels as the grading system of A to G is replaced by numbers and a new curriculum.
Ministers had said schools would have approved specifications and assessment materials a full year before teaching began. If the delays continue, schools that may want to start teaching GCSEs at the end of Year 9 will be unable to do so, teachers warned. Slow planning has also meant that teachers are unable to make crucial decisions when it comes to planning lessons and purchasing materials.
Union leaders have said that the reform programme was a "major cause of stress for teachers".However, Nick Gibb, the schools minister, said that content for core subjects has been published as early as April 2014.Lucy Powell, Labour's shadow education secretary, said: "Many parents and businesses will be unaware of the huge shake-up to qualifications."We have been warning for months that the Government is way behind in its timetable for exam specifications, yet this has fallen on deaf ears."
