At this time of year pupils are put under ever-increasing stress as they compete for university places in September. Their success is based in part on the professionalism with which their schools, teachers, parents and their own efforts have shown towards examination preparation. If only such professionalism was shown by examination boards!
Already this year we have had a pre-issued case study (Cambridge Business Studies) with errors in the appendix, a case study involving interviewing a person who, on careful reading of the case study, was actually dead (Cambridge Business Studies - erratum only announced on the day of the examination); apparent errors in the mathematics exam (London Board), which has led to teachers writing letters of protest; answers printed in the examination paper (LSE); marking guidelines in which the mistakes in the business studies case study have been revealed . . .
Given that question papers are set at least one year in advance, is it really too much to ask that care is taken by these prestigious boards ?
TOM LONGTON Co-director of studies Oxford School of Learning 66 Sunderland Avenue, Oxford
