Simon Thomas AM
Responding to the news that fee-paying schools in Wales say they will follow the new GCSE courses for England rather than those set in Wales, the Party of Wales Shadow Education Minister Simon Thomas said:
“It’s disappointing that some independent schools feel that they do not have confidence in the GCSE system. However, the Welsh Government should not decide its exam system based on what independent schools want. It is for the Welsh Government to do what is best for Welsh students.
“What this matter shows is that we need to take action to ensure credibility in the Welsh system. Over recent years the Education Minister has twice stepped in to interfere with grading, and this has clearly damaged confidence in the system.
“Plaid Cymru has long-argued for the creation of an independent exams regulator to ensure that employers, teachers, parents and students can have confidence in the system, and that we can ensure that the Welsh Government is not able to influence the standard of marking.
“The Welsh Government promised a marketing campaign to persuade people about the quality of Welsh GCSEs, but this is yet to happen.”
