Rodan expresses concern over change to education

The Island will be moving to a new exams system for 14-to-16-year-olds from this September.

The news was confirmed in Tynwald on Tuesday by Minister for Education and Children Tim Crookall.

Island secondary schools will begin a widespread adoption of the International GCSE as set by Cambridge International Examinations, the international examination board of the University of Cambridge.

Pupils who begin Year 10 in September 2015 will be the first to sit IGCSE examinations on a large scale.

Minister Crookall told the court that a public consultation held earlier this year had nearly 800 replies, and the results of the consultation were very clear in  supporting a move towards the IGCSE.

However, several members, led by Garff MHK Steve Rodan, expressed concern on why what he described as "a momentous change to secondary education" was made via a statement: (play audio)

The IGCSE will be the principal examination used in a core group of subjects, including English, maths, sciences, geography, history, art, music and PE.

The exam is not offered for all subjects currently taught at GCSE on the Island, but where the IGCSE is not available, schools will be asked to use a single examination board.