Middlemarch

“Many schools construct their options blocks to give students a wide range of GCSE subject choices, many of which are “challenging”. However, the EBac may well have the effect of squeezing out some of these excellent subjects, because students who wished to choose music, a second foreign language, Latin, economics, astronomy and so on are forced to choose history or geography.”

MDS1

“Over the last few years, many traditional GCSEs have been scrapped in favour of GNVQs, BTECs and Diplomas. It created the impression that schools were improving dramatically and allowed heads to suggest they were in charge of highly successful institutions. The EBac is not some kind of educational utopia, but I do think it is a reaction to some of the things that have happened.”