1. Question 1:
What the EBC'S possible has to offer that the current GCSE's do not offer is that is offers
more riggerand perhaps stretches more academic students, which is something that the
teachers and the NUT'Swant to see happen. Erm, it focuses on a small group of subjects so
that perhaps means that they canbe more in depth study of those subjects and perhaps
push students to, erm, work moreindependently that they might do currently and this may
well prepare students for AS level courses,particularly in the science and maths.
Question 2:
Erm, in response to the comment that the press reporting that the school leavers are less
likely to get jobs with GCSE's and more likely to get jobs with the EBC's in terms of it
providing a better careerpath I suppose also it goes back to this point it provides more rigger
for particular subjects also thereis a group of universities called the Russle Group Of
University's who want to know that A levelstudents are been studding a particular small
group of subjects that they regard more challengingand facilitating which include maths and
sciences, history , geography English literature, modernlanguages so in that way i would
provide a better career path because you would be more likely tobe accepted at Russell
Group University.
Erm, obviously the focus of the EBC is over all examassessment and less coursework,
because coursework had a reputation for being a softer option andchildren have been
helped with it too much with it, so in that way themore focus on examassessment might
provide a better career path because you have been through a tougherassessment that
certainly are the views of the government anyway. Erm, so in that way if you gotthe EBC you
might be on the road to a better career path if you have studied a fewer subjects in amore
rigorous way but that not really a view shared by teachers or the NUT that really more
thegovernment view.
Question 3:
So yes the EBC's it was proposed that in 2015 so that's sort of two years on from now
studentswould study English language and literature, maths applied and pure and 3 sciences
separately andthen in 2016 history, geography languages will be bought in as part of the
EBC as well, erm, soobviously this narrows down allot of students in terms of their potential
and,erm, an underattainment so I think the idea that some GCSE'S would still be kept on,
erm, but really the examoption are limited there and alot of students wouldn't achieve very
well the government's idea wasthat if they not sacked the exams they would be provided
with detail breakdown of what they havedone at school to offer to employers, erm, but
really the teachers and the NUT's that isn’t really going to convince people and that the
current range of doing different options offered atschools,erm, which facilitate a lot of
learning and achievement from students would not really becarried on their seen by the
government as a soft option erm whereas obviously some teachers andalot of students
come to this college see them as offering more opportunities for students so theyreally
wouldn't have other exams options the idea is really that the EBAC is the only thing
worthhaving really.

2. Question 4:
In response to Anthony Sheldon the master ofWellington College his comment is that the
GCSE's arepacked out and they shouldn't have been allowed to continue, erm, and the
question would the EBCaccount/assist students better with learning difficulties I think
certainly the view is that no that theywouldn't –erm - there has been discussion,
government Nick Cleg has accused that less able studentswould be thrown on the scrap
heap because the EBC would be too difficult for them and they arenot really bothered about
what's available for them, erm and that the EBAC is rather like the oldGCSE which well alot
of teachers my age certainly went through themselves where you did O level ordid CSC or
then two tear system erm so it wouldn't really help students with learning difficulties erm,
and again the options which currently run for students with more practical/ vocational
skillswouldn't be there so, opposite the NUT the teachers see that as a very bad thing.
Question 5:
Yeah I mean the next question you asked about how will students who are more vocational/
practical minded how will they achieve, er it’s going to be difficult as there will be less
option forthem and,erm, I think we would be creating a two tear system and alot of the
current qualificationsthat are offered to these students probably wouldn't be available any
more they would,erm, thegovernment’s view is that uno know even know there are
students who are not up to doing GCSE'sso there would be still options available for them
but I don't think they will be as valued as they arenow,erm, the EBC the certificate and the
concept of the English Baccalaureate with the smaller groupof subjects that are studied in
depth is certainly geared more to towards the more academic andthe government giving
their views thatthat’sthe only group of students their interested in really,erm, because their
obsessed with the idea that the rigger must come back in GCSE, they have beentoo easy,
erm and one thing that's been very important and manifested itself to me particularly
anEnglish teacher is hiking the pass rate for GCSE English in summer which has affected lots
of studentsachievement and opportunities to progress so the NUT are opposed to EBAC
proposals and to theEBC's erm it’s not a catering for students for all abilities and the other
subjects which are notincluded in either the initial group of subjects, maths and science and
then the history, geographylanguages the group of subjects will just be pushed to the side
and undervalued such things likemusic, um,religious education, design and technology, art
erm those have been pushed to thesideand there was a sense of this happening erm in the
early 1990's the adventof the nationalcurriculum, erm, so that why NUT are opposed to the
changes.