Grade Rigging for political purposes?

I think it is a really interesting article, Butternet. I have been slightly surprised by some of the comment in the press that suggests that employers are unable to look beyond qualifications for what they want in the workforce.
As you will know, France is obsessed with qualifications (five years training to be a shop assistant or a waiter) and there doesn't seem to be much recognition of other skills / abilities. It would be nice if some of the civil servants here could have a crash course in common sense and empathy, for example. (I know there are some nice, helpful ones, but they have been in a minority in my experience of running a small business here).
Living here has made me aware how flexible working can be in the UK, where you don't necessarily stay in the same metier for life.

I think the cruellest thing is that the goal posts were moved in the course of the year. The difference between a C and a D is crucial for many young people and certainly for schools.

Yes, greatnan. I agree. I hope parent-power will be able to redress this. It is a thoughtless disregard for the youngsters' expectations.

Mamie - that's why many French youngsters go to England to work.

Butternut thanks for this link, a very interesting article. I don't think any more tinkering about with educational qualifications will do the trick, it needs a fundamental re-think about what they're for and that won't happen. It was quite clear when O and A levels came in what they were about as they were a direct refurb of School Cert and Higher School Cert. You needed a clutch of different subjects at both levels to be accepted at university and into some professions and occupations where you didn't need a degree. Once they tried to make them serve also as some kind of high school leaving diploma, it all went horribly wrong. Now nobody knows what they are for other than as a stick to beat teachers with and to generate income for the exam boards!

Actually I thought there was some very good stuff in the Tomlinson report of 2005 on the framework for 14-19.

Key proposals were (courtesy of Wiki):
Provide courses which stretch children.
Ensure that children have basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Raise the status of vocational qualifications.
Reduce the amount of assessment and the number of exams.
Simplify the system - make it easier to carry over achievements from one course of study to the next.
14–19 diploma to replace GCSEs, A- and AS-Levels, BTECs and AVCEs.

It didn't catch on with the politicians though!

David Blunkett, when he was in Education tried very hard to introduce a High School Diploma and I never understood why the plan foundered. Yes, the Tomlinson Report had some good ideas. Typical example of the gov ( take your pick) setting up a committee of inquiry or funding research into education and then ignoring it.