Waddell (1978)

Notes on the text

Part I

Preliminary pages Contents, Membership
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Educational matters
Chapter 3 Structure of the examining system
Chapter 4 Cost
Chapter 5 Conclusions
Appendices

Part II

Preliminary pages Contents, Membership

Report of the Education Study Group (ESG)

Glossary, Introduction
Chapter 1 Feasibility of common exam system
Chapter 2 English
Chapter 3 Mathematics
Chapter 4 Science
Chapter 5 History
Chapter 6 Geography
Chapter 7 Modern languages
Chapter 8 Classics
Chapter 9 Commerce
Chapter 10 Social science
Chapter 11 Religious studies
Chapter 12 Craft design and technology
Chapter 13 Technical drawing
Chapter 14 Home economics
Chapter 15 Needlecraft and dress
Chapter 16 Art
Chapter 17 Music
Chapter 18 Further work
Appendix A List of witnesses
Appendix B Questions
Appendix C Statistics
Appendix D Joint examinations

Report of the Cost Study Group (CSG)

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Costs in 1976
Chapter 3 Costing a common system
Chapter 4 Changeover costs
Annexes

Report of the Steering Committee established to consider proposals for replacing the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level and Certificate of Secondary Education examinations by a common system of examining

Chairman: Sir James Waddell CB

Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Wales by Command of Her Majesty July 1978

London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1978
© Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

Part I: Cmnd 7281-I
Part II: Cmnd 7281-II

Part II - ESG Report

Chapter 10 Social science
[pages 55 - 56]

Introduction

176. There is not yet any agreement as to the exact nature and status of social science in secondary schools; it is generally perceived as sociology with smaller amounts of economics, politics and, more rarely, psychology and anthropology. There is also an ill-defined 'social studies' area, usually meaning social sciences for less able pupils. Whilst courses in social science are helpful in enabling young people to gain an objective and serious view of society and social change it may be doubted whether the partial and limited application of the term 'social science' which, for example, omits historical and geographical treatment of social analysis, represents a sufficiently broad view of this comparatively new subject.

The evidence

177. One joint examination only was mounted in social science and operated in 1975 and 1976. From 1977 it was replaced by two Mode II examinations operated separately under the same syllabus by the two boards concerned - the Associated Examining Board and the Metropolitan Regional Examining Board.

Table 9

It will be seen that the joint examination attracted relatively few entries; in particular there was an absence of abler pupils and especially of those within the top ten percentiles of the ability range. This reflects the national pattern at present in O Level and CSE courses in social science.

The syllabus and objectives

178. The aims, objectives and syllabus constitute a useful attempt to help young people to take a serious and analytical view of society. The limitations of this view as expressed in the syllabus, which was newly developed for the purpose of this examination, reflect the uncertain nature of the subject as it stands in the school curriculum. This examination is really concerned with sociology in its traditional sense, with a useful but strictly limited glance at some other social sciences. The aims and objectives state: 'students should have an understanding of certain sociological, psychological, economic and political concepts'. These aims are too imprecise, given the immense range of concepts in these subjects, and further guidance is necessary.

179. Of the ten major areas of study six, or perhaps seven, could be called sociological; two cover economic matters; one is political. Psychology and anthropology have little place. Economic matters are played down or tacked on as a separate component whereas they are fundamental to many social phenomena. Political issues and their resolution have an unimportant place. There is a seeming omission of historical and geographical perspectives and cross reference, although by implication in the examination they suffuse the course; for example, the topics 'technological change and its consequences' and 'the changing role of the family', are matters of historical as well as sociological analysis. These difficulties are not peculiar to this examination but are common to many social science courses and they arise from arbitrary selection of content. This syllabus stands up quite well as an introduction to simple sociology and it would serve as a suitable basis for further work in the social sciences; an economist or psychologist would, however, need more grounding than it offers.

The syllabus and the examination

180. The syllabus envisages a progressive understanding of concepts related to the range of ability. This is a welcome feature, as is the emphasis placed upon developing skills rather than learning about society as a set of objective facts. The syllabus seems to imply that there are certain areas of content essential for a proper understanding of society (industry and the economy, minority groups, government expenditure, housing). It does not make clear that certain basic data are essential. It is to be noted also that the topics mentioned above lie in the non-sociological sections of the syllabus. Nevertheless, the inclusion of the skills described is to be welcomed. In this respect the syllabus is comparable with some O Level and CSE syllabuses; indeed it is more helpful than the traditional sociology syllabus, although less full than current CSE social studies courses. From the papers seen there is no doubt that the examination does, as stated in the syllabus, test knowledge and understanding and the attainment of the declared objectives. The implication in the questions that historical and geographical knowledge will be required of the candidate points to an omission in the syllabus.

The examination and the ability range

181. Less able pupils might find some aspects of the papers daunting: the construction of questionnaires; the complicated design of the question paper (modified in 1976); the wording of some of the questions and the complexity of some of the concepts underlying the economics section. The minor studies section, including a course work element, needs to have clearer definition in terms of aims, appropriate tasks and length, so that teachers and pupils can know what is required and the precise nature of the contribution that this section makes to the total assessment.

Extension

182. The treatment of course work and project assessment (both are included and amount to 40 per cent of the total) is the only aspect which might give rise to difficulties if the examination were to be extended to the numbers at present taking GCE and CSE. Much paperwork is involved and the moderation of course work and of project work might be expensive. But these logistical problems should be capable of solution.

Conclusion

183. It would be rash to base firm or far-reaching conclusions on the results of a single joint examination taken by only a few hundred candidates in which the full ability range was not proportionately represented. But in any case it would not be reasonable to expect more than tentative conclusions in relation to a subject which is still in an early and, in some ways, uncertain stage of development in the schools. What form of common examining system will in future be found to be most appropriate must depend, to an important degree, on the way in which the subject develops in schools, both as taught and as examined.