This is English

In the latter part of the summer of 2013, we waited anxiously for the arrival of the new English Language GCSE. Would this newborn be a horror or a joy? Before its birth, we knew that it would come with fresh challenges: no tiers, no coursework and a new grading system, but we were ready and we had braced ourselves for the birth of English Language GCSE 9-1. On analysis of the first specimen paper, we quickly became aware that this baby would prove to be a “tricky little sucker” for our students and teaching them to just use PEE to formulate their analysis would not suffice. This child came with dietary needs: it demanded identification and explanation of technique, and simply PEEing would not gain as much merit. Whereas previously vaguer allusions to techniques would be rewarded by examiners, now analysis needed to be tightly focused, with techniques identified with pin-point accuracy.   True, understanding writers’ methods is the bread and butter of most schemes of work and ...

So, I walked into my local restaurant where I regularly eat, but this time, instead of being offered a menu, I was simply led to my usual table in a quiet corner. ‘There you are Mrs. D, make yourself comfortable and we’ll bring you your meal – the usual vegetarian option, you’ll be pleased to know and not too many potatoes – just the way you like it, madam.   Now enjoy a glass of your favourite red.’   Very nice, you might think, and how thoughtful that the staff had taken note of my preferences.   Except they didn’t know that I was driving and would have preferred mineral water, had become vitamin B deficient, so had reintroduced meat into my diet, added to which, not having eaten all day, I was ravenous! How were they to know that behind the scenes my personal landscape was changing? After all, I’d been coming here for years… And isn’t this the problem with setting? Teachers and pupils make presumptions about pupils’ potential based on their previous performance. Label...