Leading the education debate

Magnus Bashaarat, Head of Bedales, has once again made the news as a key figure in the growing campaign for the abolition of GCSEs.

In a letter to The Times, he argues that abolishing GCSEs does not mean forsaking meaningful testing or accepting that students will become disengaged. Rather, he says: “Courses designed around more diverse assessment would be more interesting and motivating, and better develop the skills of agility and adaptability that young people need.”  

In an article in TES, Magnus says that he is ready to lead a coalition of schools into innovative non-GCSE courses, and he applauds Jenny Brown, headteacher at the City for London School for Girls (CLSG), for challenging the validity of the current arrangement, describing the GCSE experience as “oppressive and dispiriting”.

He concludes The Times letter with: “School leaders from all sectors can join us in introducing a richer educational experience that will both improve the outcomes that matter and enable young people to flourish and enjoy their teenage years.”

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The Times | TES | Magnus Bashaarat | Bedales Assessed Courses