‘Nobody told George Orwell to hurry up’: Student views on the evolution of GCSE assessment

Assessments for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) are typically taken at the end of compulsory secondary education. They are considered high-stakes examinations because access to further education and employment is often dependent on performance at GCSE. Despite this significance, GCSE students have historically not been given opportunity to share their views on assessments. This UK-based research reports findings from part of a survey that explored the changes students would wish to make to the assessment of GCSE English, Mathematics, and Science. Areas of focus were informed by the researcher’s preliminary research involving a focus group with GCSE students. Three-hundred-and-fifty-one Year 11 students completed an online survey. Open-ended questions were analysed using content analysis. Descriptive statistical analyses were completed on Likert-scale item data. Participants indicated different changes for GCSE English, Mathematics, and Science. The most prevalent desired change was for GCSE English examinations to be open book. The largest proportion of respondents indicated for Mathematics to stay as it is. For GCSE Science, the most prevalent responses were for several ‘smaller’ exams throughout the year and a combination of assessment types (e.g. exams with coursework and ‘controlled assessments’). Frequency and length of survey responses demonstrates students’ motivation to contribute to this area. Grounded in the student experience, this study offers valuable insights that contribute to broader discussions across schools, examination boards, and educational policy.