School's out

So, A Level results are out. As I read a newspaper (The Times, don't kill me - there were no copies of The Guardian in the cafe for some odd reason) and listened to the conversation of the baristas, I realised that Britain was going through its seasonal bout of hand-wringing about whether the A Levels have become too easy. (In Australia, we do our own version of this, with added 'Isn't it time for the exam system to be uniform throughout the country?', in November and December.)

I don't pretend to have any great knowledge of the UK system, but I know some people who have been, or are, going through it right now. I have first-hand experience of the ACT system and the International Baccalaureate, and good second-hand understanding of the NSW system, having coached my sister through it for four years. It is on the basis of this experience and knowledge that I make the following remarks.

( It's been a long time since I soapboxed )

School's out

So, A Level results are out. As I read a newspaper (The Times, don't kill me - there were no copies of The Guardian in the cafe for some odd reason) and listened to the conversation of the baristas, I realised that Britain was going through its seasonal bout of hand-wringing about whether the A Levels have become too easy. (In Australia, we do our own version of this, with added 'Isn't it time for the exam system to be uniform throughout the country?', in November and December.)

I don't pretend to have any great knowledge of the UK system, but I know some people who have been, or are, going through it right now. I have first-hand experience of the ACT system and the International Baccalaureate, and good second-hand understanding of the NSW system, having coached my sister through it for four years. It is on the basis of this experience and knowledge that I make the following remarks.

( It's been a long time since I soapboxed )