Exams

The A level results came out last Thursday. My eldest daughter has enough points to go to her chosen university. Phew. In last week's Sunday Times, I read an article about how essays, modules and exams are marked and I know you can take nothing for granted with A levels. Imogen Stubbs' daughter took her A levels this year and being an actress and married to Trevor Nunn, they helped her with a Shakespeare essay. She did not get a good mark. It turns out that there was too much detail, too much extra knowledge, too much flair. Too good. The examiners only give marks when you tick a given box with a statement they have allocated marks for. You don't have to read the play or the book, just understand how to pass an exam and get on and do it. Could be any subject. Their daughter said she didn't want any help from Shakespeare experts in future.

So the exams. I'm going to talk about Music now. My daughter takes music. She got a high enough grade to gain her place at university, but not as high as we'd expected. Take nothing for granted. However, so many didn't get the grades that they expected in her year at college that the papers have gone back to AQA to be remarked. One girl, who everyone considers the most talented in composition, got a U for her composition which means she loses her place to study music at Salford University. This girl's composition was the one chosen to be performed at the summer music concert. She recorded it, even though she didn't need to. She got a U. Why? Too much work, too advanced, too much effort and skill and flair? Or did she not tick the boxes? Were her chords too creative? Was her melody too lyrical? Was she better than was required? My daughter told me that another student, several years ago, got a U for his composition. He went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. They obviously saw something else in this student than the examiners saw.

So, the system. Does it work? What calibre of student is passing these A levels? Bright, creative young minds or those who know how to play the game? Having the mix of the two would be best in this world.
But do we want our future generations not to be able to think for themselves? Do we want to quell all creativity and free thinking? Am I over reacting? Is it too late?
One thing is, when times our bad, what helps us through? The Arts. Nature. The kindness of people. The answer isn't a flip, more money. It's something inside us. And don't get me started on how an English student doesn't need to read the entire book to get an A*. For one, how insulting is that to an author? And what does that teach someone about reading, learning, education, life? Discuss.