PLANS to scrap GCSEs have had a mixed reaction among headteachers in Hammersmith and Fulham.

The government this week announced it intended to replace qualifications in English, science and maths with an English Baccalaureate Certificate in a radical shake-up of the education system.

It would mean modular exams, in which students pass part of a course at a time, are scrapped in favour of one final exam and a move away from traditional coursework.

Pupils starting secondary school this year are expected to be the first to take the new exams in 2017.

Education Secretary Michael Gove, announcing the plans in parliament, said: “The GCSE was conceived – and designed – for a different age and a different world.

"We want to ensure that modules – which encourage bite-size learning and spoon-feeding, teaching to the test and gaming of the system – go, once and for all. We want to remove controlled assessment and coursework from core subjects. These assessment methods have, in all too many cases, corrupted the fair testing of students.

"We want to ensure that children are tested transparently on what they and they alone can do at the end of years of deep learning.”

GCSE grades fell this year for the first time since they were introduced in 1988 and Sally Coates, headteacher of Burlington Danes Academy, in Shepherd’s Bush, is backing the changes, which will go out to consultation.

She said: "Assessment has been in the national spotlight since mid-August. Whilst the proposed new examinations are a separate issue to the English GCSE results this year, I welcome the debate about terminal examinations.

"GCSEs were a product of the 1980s, before the internet age and a review is overdue. Good schools have become adept at preparing students for examinations; the tail is wagging the dog. Any exam that reduces modular assessment and controlled assessments frees up time for more teaching and that will serve our students well."

But David Goodhew, headteacher of independent Latymer Upper School, remains sceptical and said: “I applaud some of the sentiments behind these changes, which mirror many of the reasons why independent schools like ours have moved towards the international GCSE.

“However, I wonder why the government is focusing on an examination for 16-year-olds when it plans to raise the school leaving age to 18 in 2015, the very same year that these reforms are due to start.”