This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2006)

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 (A*- C) and Level 1 (D- G) in Key Skills. (In Scotland, the equivalent is the Standard Grade.) Some students may decide to take one or more GCSEs before or afterwards; people may apply for GCSEs at any point either internally through an institution or externally. The education systems of other British territories, such as Gibraltar,^[1] and the former British dominion of South Africa, also use the qualifications, as supplied by the same examination boards. The International version of the GCSE is the IGCSE, which can be taken anywhere in the world, and which includes additional options, for example relating to coursework and the language used. When GCSEs are taken by students in secondary education, they can often be combined with other qualifications, such as the Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC), the Diploma in Digital Applications (DiDA), or diplomas.

Education to GCSE level is often required of students who study for the International Baccalaureate or to GCE Advanced Level (A-level). GCSE exams were introduced as the compulsory school-leavers' examinations in the late 1980s (the first exams being taken in the summer of 1988) by the Conservative Party government, replacing the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) and GCE Ordinary Level (O-Level) examinations.

Structure[link]

In secondary schools, GCSE courses are taken in a variety of subjects, which are usually decided by the students themselves in Year 9 (age 13-14), however, more increasingly students from many schools in England are deciding in Year 8 to study their chosen subjects in Year 9 raising the question as to whether the exams are becoming easier to pass. Typically though, study of chosen subjects begins at the start of Year 10 (age 14-15), although some subjects start earlier, for example Maths, English and Science, mainly because these courses are too long to be taught within the traditional 2 years; final examinations are then taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16). In Northern Ireland, these age groups are designated as one Year higher, so that Year 9 elsewhere is equivalent to Year 10 in Northern Ireland, and so forth. The number of subjects a student studies at GCSE level can vary. Usually somewhere between eight and ten subjects are studied, though it is not uncommon for more, or fewer, subjects to be studied.

In secondary schools, GCSEs are compulsory in the core subjects and are more common qualification taken by 14–16-year-old students. The only requirement is that in state schools English, mathematics, science and physical education are studied during Key Stage 4 (the GCSE years of school). In England and Northern Ireland, students following the national curriculum (compulsory in state schools) must also study some form of information communication technology (ICT), and citizenship. In Wales, Welsh (as a first or second language) must also be studied. These subjects do not have to be taught for any examination (or even be discrete lessons), though it is normal for at least English, mathematics and science to be studied to GCSE level.

For the reasons above, virtually all students take GCSEs in English, mathematics and science. In addition, many schools also require that students take English literature, at least one modern foreign language, at least one design and technology subject, religious education (often a short, or 'half', course), and ICT (though increasingly this is the DiDA or OCR National, rather than the GCSE). Students can then fill the remainder of their timetable (normally totalling ten different subjects) with their own choice of subjects (see list below). Short Course GCSEs (worth half a regular GCSE) or other qualifications, such as BTECs, can also be taken.

Grading[link]

At the end of the two-year GCSE course, candidates receive a grade for each subject that they have sat. The pass grades, from highest to lowest, are: A* (pronounced 'A-star'), A, B, C, D, E, F G and U.

GCSEs are part of the National Qualifications Framework. A GCSE at grades D–G is a Level 1 qualification, while a GCSE at grades A*–C is a Level 2 qualification. As one would expect, GCSEs at A*-C (Level 2) are much more desirable and insisted on by many employers and educational institutions.

Those who fail a course are given a U (unclassified) and the subject is not included on their certificates.

Students can also receive an X grade which signifies that they have only completed part of the course or key elements such as coursework are missing and so an appropriate grade cannot be given. A Q (query) grade means that the clarification is needed by the exam board, whom the school should contact. Both X and Q are normally temporary grades and replaced with a regular grade (A*-G or U) when the situation has been resolved.

Tiers[link]

In many subjects, there are two different 'tiers' of examination offered:

• Higher, where students can achieve grades A*–D
• Foundation, where they can achieve grades C–G^[2]

If a candidate fails to obtain a Grade G on the Foundation tier or a Grade D on the Higher tier they will fail the course and receive a U. Candidates who narrowly miss a Grade D on the Higher tier, however, are awarded a Grade E. In modular subjects, students may mix and match tiers between units. In non-tiered subjects, such as History, the examination paper allows candidates to achieve any grade. Coursework and controlled assessment also always allows candidates to achieve any grade.

In 2006, GCSE Mathematics changed from a 3-tier system — Foundation grades (D–G), Intermediate (grades B–E) and Higher (grades A*–C) — to the standard 2-tier system — Foundation (grades C–G) and Higher (grades A*–D).

Further education[link]

Receiving five or more A*–C grades, including English and Maths, is often a requirement for taking A-levels in the school sixth form, at a sixth form college or at a further education college after leaving secondary school. Where the choice of A level is a subject taken at GCSE level, it is frequently required that the student has received a GCSE C grade minimum. Most universities typically require a C or better in English and Mathematics, regardless of a student's performance in their A-level or Foundation Degree course after leaving school. Many students who fail to get a C in English and Mathematics will retake their GCSEs in those subjects at a later date, in order to take further education (A-levels) at a sixth form college.

Leading universities often take into account performance at GCSE level, sometimes expecting applicants to have a high proportion of A and A* grades.^[3]

Controlled Assessment[link]

In some subjects, one or more controlled assessment assignments may also be completed. Controlled Assessment can contribute to anything from 10–60% of a pupil's final grade, with more practical subjects, such as design and technology (60%), art (60%), ICT (60%) and music (60%), often having a heavier coursework element. The rest of a pupil's grade (normally the majority) is determined by their performance in examinations. These exams may either be terminal exams at the end of Year 11, a series of modular examinations taken throughout the course, or a combination of the two. Pupils can sometimes resit modular examinations later in the course and attempt to improve their grade.

In terms of stress, the upside of controlled assessment is that it can help to ease the stress of examination because students who undertake their coursework with skill and diligence have already achieved around 20% of the marks accounting for their final grade, however the downside is that this means students have a greater workload to complete, sometimes having to produce a large amount of work for a minimal part of the overall grade. For example, in English a student may have to complete 4 pieces of coursework, each over a thousand words long, which individually only account for 5% of the grade. However, this varies between exam boards.

Controlled assessment was usually completed outside of lessons, however concerns about cheating have meant that more and more is now being completed in the classroom, under supervision. For many courses starting in September 2009, including those in Economics, Science and History, a requirement will be that controlled assessment is completed in a controlled environment within schools. Design and Technology subjects also switch to the new, more controlled, environment, with time limits and restrictions on the variety of projects allowed.^[4]

Examination boards[link]

There are now five examination boards offering GCSEs:

• Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)
• Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)
• Edexcel
• Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC)
• Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA)

While all boards are regulated by the Office of the Regulators of Qualifications (Ofqual) – a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Education – the boards are self-sufficient organisations. Traditionally there were a larger number of regional exam boards but changes in legislation allowed schools to use any board before a series of mergers reduced the number to five. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) acts as a single voice for the awarding bodies and assists them to create common standards, regulations and guidance.

Results[link]

Students receive the results of their GCSEs in the fourth week of August (the week after A Level results). CCEA publish their results on the Tuesday and the other examination boards publish theirs on the Thursday, however results will be available on a Tuesday from all examination boards from 2010 onwards. Normally, students have to go to their school to collect their results, although Edexcel allow for the option of an online results service.^[5]

English Baccalaureate[link]

In late 2010 the Government introduced a new performance indicator called the English Baccalaureate which measures the percentage of students in a school who achieve grades A*-C in English, mathematics, two sciences, a foreign language and history or geography.^[6] The reason for its introduction was to combat the perceived fall in the number of students studying foreign languages and science.^[7] The measure has been included in school league tables since January 2011.^[8] The English Baccalaureate is not a standalone qualification in itself although the Government is considering introducing a certificate for pupils who achieve the required grades.^[9][10]

Criticism[link]

There have been comments that the GCSE system is a dumbing down from the old GCE O-level system (as it took the focus away from the theoretical side of many subjects and taught students about real-world implications and issues relating to ICT and citizenship)^{[by whom?]}. In addition, GCSE grades have been rising for many years, which critics attribute to grade inflation. By comparing students scores in the YELLIS ability test with their GCSE results between 1996 and 2006, Robert Coe found a general increase in results which ranges from 0.2 (Science) to 0.8 (Maths) of a GCSE grade.^[11] Only slightly more than half of students sitting GCSE exams achieve the 5 A* to C grades required for most forms of academic further education.^[12]

One of the important differences between O levels (and the earlier grading of A levels) and the later GCSE qualifications was supposed to be a move from norm referenced marking to criterion referenced marking.^[13] On a norm referenced grading system fixed percentages of candidates achieve each grade. With criterion referenced grades in theory all candidates who achieve the criteria can achieve the grade. A comparison of a clearly norm referenced assessment such as the NFER Cognitive Ability Test or CAT, with GCSE grading seems to show an unexpected correlation which challenges the idea that the GCSE is a properly criterion based assessment.^[14]

There have been calls from several MPs for GCSEs to be scrapped in favour of a national Diploma^{[by whom?]}. The Department for Education does not look likely to do this at any time in the near future^{[weasel words]}. Sir Mike Tomlinson, former head of Ofsted, also stated that GCSEs ought to be scrapped and replaced with Diplomas in August 2009^[15].

In recent years, concerns about standards has led some public schools to go as far as to remove GCSEs from their curriculum and to take their pupils straight^{[not in citation given]} to A-level or the International Baccalaureate.^[16] Other public schools, such as Manchester Grammar School are replacing the GCSEs with IGCSEs in which there is an option to do no coursework.^[17] The new Science syllabus has led to many public schools switching to the IGCSE Double Award syllabus.^[18]

History and format[link]

GCSEs were introduced for teaching in September 1986 (prior to the first examinations in 1988), and replaced both the GCE O-level (General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level) and the CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education) qualifications, which suffered problems due to the two-tier nature of the system. Grade C of the GCSE was set at equivalent to O-Level Grade C and CSE Grade 1. Thus the final students to sit the former O-Level/CSE examinations were those of May–June 1987 and the subsequent retakes in September 1987.

The table below shows what each GCSE grade is equivalent to:

• Blue background – certificate and qualification awarded.
• Red background – no certificate or qualification awarded.

The format of the GCSE has remained basically the same since its inception, though many minor changes have been made.

The A* grade was introduced to distinguish the very top end of achievement in 1994,^[19] although the threshold for achieving an A* has varied considerably over time, coming down as low as 47% in a 2005 AQA Business Studies GCSE.^[20]

Initially, most exams had two tiers: Higher, offering grades A-E (A*-E from 2002), and Basic, offering Grades F-G. In 1998, the Higher tier was modified to cover grades A*-D, while the Basic tier was renamed Foundation and now covered grades C-G.^[21] In 2004, an 'allowed' Grade E was introduced to the Higher tier for candidates narrowly missing a Grade D.

For many years, Maths was an exception, having three tiers: Higher (grades A*–C), Intermediate (grades B–E) and Basic/Foundation (grades D–G). Maths moved to the standard two tier system in 2006 (for the first examination in 2007 or 2008 depending on whether the modular or linear course was taken).

Introduced in 2000 was the Vocational GCSE (VGCSE), which encouraged students to take the work-related route and included courses such as Engineering and Manufacture, Applied Business, ICT, and Leisure and Tourism. From September 2004, the word 'Vocational' was dropped and a Vocational GCSE is now known simply as a GCSE.

Science GCSEs were overhauled in 2006 (for first examination in 2008). The most popular course, Double Award Science GCSE, where students received two identical grades for a course with twice the content as the Single Award Science GCSE, was terminated. Students studying for two Science GCSEs now study the single Science GCSE (known as core science) and then one of two complementary GCSEs: Additional Science GCSE (which has a more academic focus) or Applied Science GCSE (which has a more vocational focus). Candidates now receive separate grades for each of their Science GCSEs.

GCSE examinations in state education are taken officially in the summer, though many schools take mocks beforehand. GCSE examination results are received on a specified date in the summer, and due to this, the examinations are always taken near the end of the academic year (unless in private education). GCSEs are externally marked examinations, taken between April and July, unless a pupil has specific reasons to be entitled to extension of time.

There were further changes to the English GCSEs from 2010. Instead of the current system where (virtually) all students take English and the vast majority also take English Literature, students will take English Language and English Literature together or just English on its own, which will effectively be a hybrid of the other two GCSEs.^[22]

The youngest student to gain a GCSE is home-educated Arran Fernandez, who took GCSE Mathematics in 2001 at the age of five, gaining grade D, the highest available at Foundation Tier at that time.^[23] In 2003 he became the youngest ever student to gain an A* grade, also for Mathematics.^[24]

Special educational needs[link]

For students with learning difficulties, an injury/repetitive strain injury (RSI) or a disability, there is help offered in these forms:

• Extra time (the amount depends on the severity of the learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, disability or injury)
• Amanuensis (somebody types or handwrites as the student dictates; this is normally used when the student cannot write due to an injury or disability)
• A word processor (without any spell checking tools) can be used by students who have trouble writing legibly or who are unable to write quickly enough to complete the exam
• A different format exam paper (large print, Braille, printed on coloured paper, etc.)
• A 'reader' (a teacher/exam invigilator can read out the words written on the exam, but they cannot explain their meaning)
• A different room (sometimes due to a disability a student can be placed in a room by themselves; this also happens when an amanuensis is used, so as not to disturb the other candidates)

All of the above must be approved by the exam board concerned. There are other forms of help available, but these are the most commonly used.

Students working below GCSE level may take a different qualification altogether in one or more subjects. The Entry Level Certificate, in particular, is designed for this purpose.There are also other qualifications which can be taken such as Btecs at level 1 and above

Subjects[link]

Note: Many of the subjects in this list are not offered by every school.

Core/Compulsory subjects[link]

• English (students can take one of two 'routes'):
  • Two GCSEs: English Language and English Literature
  • One GCSE: English
• Mathematics

• Welsh or Welsh Second Language (in all schools in Wales)
  • Many Welsh schools offer Welsh Literature along with the language course
• Irish in Irish-medium schools in Northern Ireland

• Science (students can take a number of different 'routes'):
  • One GCSE: Science (which includes elements of biology, chemistry, and physics)
  • Two GCSEs: Science and Additional Science (a more academic course)
  • Two GCSEs: Science and Additional Applied Science (a more vocational course)
  • Two GCSEs: Double Award Applied Science (a very vocational course)
  • Up to three GCSEs: Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate GCSEs (known as a Triple Award or Triple Science)

Several other science based GCSEs are available to pupils in many schools. These include GCSE Astronomy and Geology.

Languages[link]

Modern foreign languages[link]

• Afrikaans
• Arabic
• Bengali
• Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin)
• Dutch
• French
  • Applied French, also known as Business French, a vocational course that aims towards an NVQ
• German
  • Applied German, also known as Business German, a vocational course that aims towards an NVQ
• Modern Greek
• Gujarati
• Modern Hebrew
• Hindi
• Gaeilge as L1 (actually not a foreign language)
• Irish as L2 (actually not a foreign language)
• Italian
• Japanese
• Maltese
• Manx
• Panjabi
• Persian
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Somali
• Spanish
• Tamil
• Turkish
• Urdu
• Welsh
• Yoruba

Classical languages[link]

• Classical Arabic
• Classical Greek
• Biblical Hebrew
• Latin
• Classical Sanskrit

Technology[link]

• Design and Technology
  • Parametric CAD
  • Electronic Products
  • Electronics with Resistant Materials
  • Food Technology
  • Graphic Design/Products
  • Product Design
  • Resistant Materials
  • Textiles
  • Systems and Control
• Catering
• Electronics
• Engineering
• Engineering and Manufacturing (double award)
• Home Economics
  • Food and Nutrition
  • Child Development
  • Textiles
• Manufacturing
• ICT
• Computing (ICT Functional Skills) (Pilot offered by OCR for first teaching September 2010)

Humanities[link]

• Citizenship
• Classical Civilisation
• Economics
• Geography
• History
  • Modern World
  • Economic and Social
  • Schools History Project
• Humanities
• Religious Studies
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
  • Hinduism
  • Islam
  • Judaism
  • Philosophy and Ethics
  • Sikhism

People and society-related subjects[link]

• Business Studies
• Applied Business (double award)
• Business and Economics
• Financial Services (to be withdrawn; last session summer 2010)
• Health and Social Care (double award)
• Hospitality
• Law
• Leisure and Tourism
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Travel and Tourism

Expressive arts[link]

• Animation
• Applied Art and Design (double award)
• Art and Design
• Art and Design: Fine Art
• Art and Design: Graphics
• Art and Design: Photography
• Art and Design: Textiles
• Art and Design: Three-dimensional Design/Studies
• Dance
• Drama
• Digital Photography
• Expressive Arts
• Film Studies
• Media Studies
• Moving Image Arts
• Music
• Performing Arts

Others[link]

• Accounting
• Astronomy
• Construction / Construction and the Built Environment
• Environmental Science
• Geology
• General Studies
• Human Physiology and Health
• IFS Personal Finance
• Journalism
• Learning for Life and Work
• Motor Vehicle and Road User Studies
• Personal and Social Education
• Physical Education (PE)
• Physical Education: Games
• Preparation for Working Life
• Rural and Agricultural Science
• Statistics

See also[link]

• GCE Advanced Level in the United Kingdom. Commonly referred to as "A-Levels", these are the next set of exams that students take.

Education portal

References[link]

Notes[link]

• The Guardian, 25 August 2005, "It really is that bad" – GCSE standards
• The Guardian, 3 September 2005, "Top independent school to ditch GCSE science"

External links[link]

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of Category:General Certificate of Secondary Education

• Directgov: GCSEs
• GCSE Geography

Stephen Twigg MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 October 2011
Leader	Ed Miliband
Preceded by	Andy Burnham
Minister of State for Schools
In office 16 December 2004 – 5 May 2005
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	David Miliband
Succeeded by	Jacqui Smith
Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2010
Preceded by	Bob Wareing
Majority	18,467 (51.6%)
Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate
In office 1 May 1997 – 5 May 2005
Preceded by	Michael Portillo
Succeeded by	David Burrowes
Personal details
Born	(1966-12-25) 25 December 1966 (age 45) Enfield, London, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour Co-operative
Alma mater	Balliol College, Oxford
Website	Stephen Twigg MP

Stephen Twigg (born 25 December 1966) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament (MP) for Liverpool West Derby since 2010. He previously served as the Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005, when he lost his seat. He came to national prominence in 1997 by winning the seat of then-Defence Secretary Michael Portillo. Twigg was made the Minister of State for School Standards in 2004, a job he held until he lost his seat in 2005.^[1] He returned to parliament in 2010, after he was elected Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby. Following Ed Miliband's election to the Labour leadership, he made Twigg a Shadow Foreign Office Minister. In his October 2011 reshuffle, Miliband promoted Twigg to the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Education.^[2][3]

Early life[link]

Twigg was educated at Grange Park Primary School and Southgate Secondary School, a comprehensive school, and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

He became the youngest and first openly gay president of the National Union of Students in 1990^[4] representing the National Organisation of Labour Students (NOLS). He was re-elected in 1991.

On leaving the NUS he became a councillor in the London Borough of Islington, and was also Chief Whip, and briefly Deputy Leader. He worked for the UK section of Amnesty International and then for the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

MP for Enfield Southgate: 1997-2005[link]

In the 1997 election he was elected to Parliament for Enfield Southgate, the constituency in which he had been born and raised, with a majority of 1,433. There had been a large 17.4% swing to him from his Conservative opponent, Michael Portillo. For many, Portillo (widely tipped to be the next Tory leader^[5]) losing his seat was the most iconic moment of the election; a book of the election by Brian Cathcart was titled Were You Still Up for Portillo? In the Royal Festival Hall in London, the scene of the party celebrations that evening, the result elicited a massive cheer, as Portillo was not only a cabinet minister, but also was widely tipped as a future leader of the Conservative Party. Twigg was forced to give up his role as general secretary of the Fabian Society following this unexpected victory in what had been regarded as a safe Conservative seat. Twigg was the first man to be openly gay at the time of his election to the House of Commons when he was elected at the 1997 general election: it was a close contest for this record, as just 21 minutes later Ben Bradshaw, also openly gay, was elected for Exeter.

In the 2001 election Twigg held the seat with an increased majority of 5,546 over Conservative John Flack. Following the 2001 election, Twigg was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the House of Commons, Robin Cook, and in 2002 became a junior minister in the Department for Education and Skills. In 2004, in the government changes following the resignation of David Blunkett, he was promoted to Minister of State for school standards.

Whilst an MP he served as chairman of two All Party Parliamentary Groups - on epilepsy and on youth issues. He is a former chairman of Labour Friends of Israel.

In the 2005 election, Twigg lost his seat to the Conservative Party candidate, David Burrowes, by a margin of 1,747 votes (a swing of 8.7%).^[6] During his concession speech, Twigg claimed that he would not be the last Labour MP for Enfield Southgate.

Non-parliamentary career: 2005-2010[link]

On 12 December 2005, Twigg was arrested in central London for being drunk and incapable in a public place and taken to Marylebone police station. He was fined £50. Twigg commented "I had had a lot to drink and I think it [the police action] was sensible. I have no complaints whatsoever. I take full responsibility for my actions." ^[7]

Twigg became chairman of Progress, an independent organisation for Labour party members, and director of the Foreign Policy Centre, a think tank which develops long-term multilateral approaches to global problems. Twigg is the campaigns director of the Aegis Trust, in their educational and campaigning work against genocide. He is also a patron of the Workers Educational Association. He is a trustee of the Liverpool-based domestic violence charity Chrysalis.

MP for Liverpool West Derby: 2010-present[link]

Twigg was selected as the Labour Co-operative candidate for the Liverpool West Derby constituency at the 2010 general election.^[8] He was elected with a majority of 18,467, garnering 64.1% of the vote.^[9]

In October 2010 he unsuccessfully contested the election for the Shadow Cabinet, coming in 36th out of the 49 candidates and winning 55 votes.^[10] He was subsequently appointed to the Labour front bench as a shadow minister in the Foreign Affairs team.^[11]

On 7 October 2011 he was appointed to the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Education, following the Shadow Cabinet reshuffle.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Stephen Twigg MP official constituency website
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
• Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
• Voting record at PublicWhip.org
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
• Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
• Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
• Column archive at The Guardian
• Foreign Policy Centre
• Stephen Twigg at The Knitting Circle
• Television coverage of Twigg's defeat of Portillo in the 1997 general election

The Right Honourable Michael Gove MP
Gove speaking at the Big Society policy launch, March 2010
Secretary of State for Education
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 May 2010
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Ed Balls (Children, Schools and Families)
Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
In office 2 July 2007 – 11 May 2010
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	David Willetts
Succeeded by	Ed Balls (Education)
Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 May 2005
Preceded by	Nick Hawkins
Majority	17,289 (31.8%)
Personal details
Born	(1967-08-26) 26 August 1967 (age 44) Edinburgh, Scotland
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Sarah Vine
Children	2
Alma mater	Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Journalist
Religion	Anglican

Michael Andrew Gove (born 26 August 1967) is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also an author and former Times journalist who remains on friendly terms with proprietor Rupert Murdoch.^[1]

Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen and made an early career as a journalist. He was first elected to parliament in the 2005 general election, as the MP for the safe Conservative seat of Surrey Heath in South East England. He was first promoted to the shadow cabinet in 2007 under David Cameron, as the Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

After the formation of the coalition government in 2010, Gove was appointed the Secretary of State for Education.

Early life and career outside Parliament[link]

Gove was born in Edinburgh. At four months old, he was adopted by a Labour-supporting family in Aberdeen, where he was brought up.^[2] His father ran a fish processing business; his mother was a lab assistant at the University of Aberdeen before working at the Aberdeen School for the Deaf.^[3]

He was initially state school educated in Aberdeen, later attending the independent Robert Gordon's College, to which he won a scholarship.^[2] From 1985 to 1988 he studied English at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford,^[4] where he served as President of the Oxford Union.

Gove was a trainee reporter at the Press and Journal in Aberdeen, where he spent several months on strike in a dispute over union recognition and representation.^[5] He joined The Times in 1996 as a leader writer and has been its comment editor, news editor, Saturday editor and assistant editor. He has also written a weekly column on politics and current affairs for The Times and contributed to the Times Literary Supplement, Prospect magazine and The Spectator. He has also written a sympathetic biography of Michael Portillo and a critical study of the Northern Ireland peace process, The Price of Peace, for which he won the Charles Douglas-Home Prize.^[4] Gove was instrumental in the launch of the new centre-right magazine Standpoint, and serves on its advisory board.^{[citation needed]}

He has worked for the BBC's Today programme, On The Record, Scottish Television and the Channel 4 monologue programme A Stab In The Dark, alongside David Baddiel and Tracey MacLeod, and was a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze and Newsnight Review on BBC Two.^[3]

Gove was a member of the winning team in Grampian Television's quiz show Top Club,^{[citation needed]} and played the school chaplain in the 1995 family comedy A Feast at Midnight.^[6]

Political career[link]

Gove joined the Conservative Party at university and was secretary of Aberdeen South Young Conservatives.^{[citation needed]} He has helped to write speeches for Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet ministers, including Peter Lilley and Michael Howard.^{[citation needed]} When applying for a job at the Conservative Research Department he was told he was "insufficiently political" and "insufficiently Conservative", consequently he turned to journalism.^{[citation needed]}

Gove was previously chairman of Policy Exchange, a conservative think tank launched in 2002.^{[citation needed]}

Member of Parliament[link]

Gove entered Parliament in the 2005 general election as Conservative member for the safe seat of Surrey Heath.^{[citation needed]}

On 2 July 2007, he was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (a new department set up by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown) shadowing Ed Balls, a key supporter of Brown^{[citation needed]}. Prior to the 2010 general election, most of his questions in House of Commons debates concerned children, schools and families, education, local government, Council Tax, Foreign Affairs, and the environment.^[7]

In 2008, in an attempt to split the Labour Party, Gove suggested that senior Blairites who might become isolated should their party move to the left following a general election defeat, could be offered a role in a future Conservative government.^[8]

Gove is seen as part of an influential set of young up-and-coming Tories, sometimes referred to as the 'Notting Hill Set', which includes David Cameron, George Osborne, Edward Vaizey, Nicholas Boles and Rachel Whetstone.^{[citation needed]} They are perceived as modernisers on social issues, and humanitarian interventionists in foreign policy. When Cameron was elected leader in December 2005, he appointed Gove the housing spokesman shadowing the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.^{[citation needed]} Michael Portillo predicted that Gove will one day lead the Conservative party.^{[citation needed]}

Secretary of State for Education[link]

Gove is the current Secretary of State for Education. Following his appointment in May 2010, he rebranded his department,^[9] announced plans to convert schools rated as 'outstanding' by Ofsted into academies,^[10] and cut the previous Government's school building programme.^[11] He was forced to apologise, however, when the list of terminated school building projects he had released was found to be inaccurate.^[12]

In July 2010, Gove said that Labour had failed in its attempt to break the link between social class and school achievement despite spending billions of pounds. Quoting research, he indicated that by the age of 6, children of low ability from affluent homes were still out-performing brighter children from poor backgrounds. In a Commons Education Select Committee he said that this separation of achievement grew larger throughout pupils' school careers, stating, "In effect, rich thick kids do better than poor clever children when they arrive at school [and] the situation as they go through gets worse,".^[13]

During the 2010 Conservative Party Conference, Gove announced that school curriculum would be restructured, and that study of authors such as Byron, Keats, Jane Austen, Dickens and Thomas Hardy would be reintroduced to English lessons as part of a plan to improve children’s grasp of English literature and language. Children who fail to write coherently and grammatically, and who are weak in spelling, would be penalised under new examinations. Historian Simon Schama would give advice to government to ensure that pupils learnt Britain’s "island story". Standards in mathematics and science would also be strengthened. He explained that this was needed because left-wing ideologues had undermined education. Theirs was the view, he thought, that schools "shouldn’t be doing anything so old-fashioned as passing on knowledge, requiring children to work hard, or immersing them in anything like dates in history or times tables in mathematics. These ideologues may have been inspired by generous ideals but the result of their approach has been countless children condemned to a prison house of ignorance."^[14]

In a November 2010 White paper, Gove declared reforms would include the compulsory study of foreign languages up to the age of 16, and a shake-up of league tables in which schools are ranked higher for the number of pupils taking GCSEs in five core subjects: English; mathematics; science; a language; and one of the humanities. He also announced that experts such as historian Simon Schama will be brought in to review the curriculum, and that targets are to be introduced for primary schools for the first time. Additionally, trainee teachers will spend more time in the classroom, there would be more assessment of teacher training applicants—including tests of character and emotional intelligence—and former troops will be offered sponsorship to retrain as teachers to improve discipline. Teachers are also expected to receive guidance on how to search pupils for more items, including mobile phones and pornography, and when they can use force.^[15]

In December 2010, in an article in the Daily Telegraph, he claimed that "Like Chairman Mao, we’ve embarked on a Long March to reform our education system", apparently unaware that Mao's cultural revolution closed China's education system for ten years and led to the deaths of many teachers.^[16][17][18]

In February 2011 a judicial review deemed his decision to axe Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects in six local authority areas was unlawful as he had failed to consult before imposing the cuts.^[19] The judge also said that in five of the cases, the failure was "so unfair as to amount to an abuse of power" and that "however pressing the economic problems, there was no overriding public interest which precluded consultation or justifies the lack of any consultation".^[19] The Government will have to reconsider but it said it had won the case on substantial issues.^[19]

In March 2011 Gove was criticised for not understanding the importance of school architecture and having previously misrepresented the cost.^[20] In February 2011, he gave "not-quite-true information to Parliament" by saying that one individual made £1m in one year when the true figure was £700k for 5 advisers at different times over a 4 year period.^[20] He told a Free Schools conference that 'no one in this room is here to make architects richer' and specifically mentioned architect Richard Rogers.^[21]

In April 2011 Gove criticised schools for not studying pre-20th century classics and blamed “England’s constricted and unreformed exam system” for failing to encourage children to read. Gove also blamed an “anti knowledge culture” for reducing achievement and said children benefited when expectations were set higher.^[22] In June 2011 his "ignorance of science" was criticised after he called for students to have "a rooting in the basic scientific principles" and by way of example assigned Lord Kelvin's laws of thermodynamics to Sir Isaac Newton.^[23]

In 2011 Gove planned to provide each school in the United Kingdom with a copy of the King James Bible, personally inscribed by him, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of its translation into English.^[24][25] The project ran into difficulty when the education secretary was required to find private funding to complete it.^[24][25] The cost of the project was reported as being £337,000.^[25] It was reported that the Bibles were to remain in overseas storage until private funding was found to support the books' distribution.^[24][25]

In May 2012 Gove, giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry warned Lord Justice Leveson "the cure might be worse than the disease", advising the judge against too much extra regulation on the press. The former journalist, added that some cases of press misbehaviour were “deplorable” but argued that these could be punished under existing laws, such as defamation.^[26]

Expenses claims[link]

Michael Gove claimed £7,000 for furnishing a London property before reportedly 'flipping' his designated second home to a house in his constituency, a property for which he claimed around £13,000 to cover stamp duty.^[27] Gove also claimed for a cot mattress, despite children's items being banned under the Commons rule. Gove said he would repay the claim for the cot mattress, but maintained that his other claims were "below the acceptable threshold costs for furniture" and that moving house was necessary "to effectively discharge my parliamentary duties".^[27] While he was moving between homes, on one occasion he stayed at the Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa following a constituency engagement, charging the taxpayer more than £500 per night's stay.^[27]

Political views[link]

Unionism[link]

Michael Gove is a Scot who believes that Scotland should remain part of the United Kingdom because Scotland's strengths complement those of other parts of the UK.^[28]

Liberty[link]

Gove has expressed views that the state should not generally interfere in domestic affairs. He purported to campaign for personal freedom in certain matters, opposing the introduction of ID cards under the Identity Cards Act 2006, and wrote that "Section 28 is a nonsense", a reference to an enactment that prevented local authorities from providing funding for the positive portrayal of homosexuality, indicating a willingness to permit the expansion of the role of the state.^[29] He shared a flat with Conservative Ivan Massow who later defected to Labour over Section 28 and Nicholas Boles, and said "The only sustainable ethical foundation for society is a belief in the innate worth and dignity of every individual."^[30]

Giving evidence before the Leveson Inquiry in May 2012, Gove said he was "unashamedly on the side of those who say that we should think very carefully before legislation and regulation because the cry 'Something must be done' often leads to people doing something which isn't always wise."^[31]

Education[link]

As Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, he advocated the introduction of a Swedish-style voucher system, whereby parents can choose where their child should be educated, with the state paying what they would have cost in a state-school. He has also advocated Swedish style "free schools", to be managed by parents and funded by the state,^[32] with the possibility that such schools may be allowed to be run on a for-profit model.^[33]

Foreign policy[link]

Considered by some to be a British neo-conservative,^[34] he called for early intervention against Saddam Hussein and stated in October 2004 of Tony Blair: "I can't hold it back any more; I love Tony!" He is a signatory of the Henry Jackson Society, which advocates an active approach to the spread of democracy, and an adviser to the Atlantic Bridge, which works to affirm the Transatlantic alliance.

He was a proponent of the view that the invasion of Iraq would bring peace and democracy both to Iraq and the wider Middle East. In December 2008 Gove wrote that declarations of either victory or defeat in Iraq in 2003 were premature, and with the benefit of hindsight "The liberation of Iraq has actually been that rarest of things – a proper British foreign policy success. Next year, while the world goes into recession, Iraq is likely to enjoy 10% GDP growth. Alone in the Arab Middle East, it is now a fully functioning democracy with a free press, properly contested elections and an independent judiciary ... Sunni and Shia contend for power in parliament, not in street battles. The ingenuity, idealism and intelligence of the Iraqi people can now find an outlet in a free society rather than being deployed, as they were for decades, simply to ensure survival in a fascist republic that stank of fear."^[35] Michael Gove has described himself as "a proud Zionist", ^[36] and supports the United Jewish Israel Appeal's fundraising activities.^[37]

He has been accused of harbouring hostile attitude towards Islam and Muslims after his book Celsius 7/7,^[38] despite distinguishing between 'the great historical faith' of Islam which he claims has 'brought spiritual nourishment to millions', and Islamism, a 'totalitarian ideolog[y]' which turns to 'hellish violence and oppression' like the 20th century ideologies of National Socialism and Communism.^[39]

He has mourned the First World War as a great tragedy, in which not only did millions die, but the old, largely liberal, tolerant and materially progressive order perished.^[40]

Political philosophy[link]

During the 2008 Conservative Party Conference, he argued that Edmund Burke (a philosopher who commented on organic society and the French Revolution) was the greatest conservative ever.

Asked about those who believe 'Marx was right all along', he argued that Marxists were guilty of ignoring the systematic abuses and poverty of centrally planned economies, and criticised Eric Hobsbawm, saying that "only when Hobsbawm weeps hot tears for a life spent serving an ideology of wickedness will he ever be worth listening to."^[41]

Haves and have yachts[link]

In January 2012, Mr Gove's ideas for a new Royal Yacht costing £60m were made public.^[42] Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg called the idea “a case of the haves and the have yachts".^[43]

Personal life[link]

Gove is married to Sarah Vine, a writer on The Times;^[44] they have a daughter and son.^[45] Having been raised in the Church of Scotland, he now worships in the Church of England, and regularly attends St Mary Abbots^[46] church, Kensington, London.

His wealth is estimated at £1 million.^[47][48] Gove is a Queens Park Rangers F.C supporter.^[49]

Bibliography[link]

• Michael Portillo: The Future of the Right (1995) ISBN 1-85702-335-8
• The Price of Peace (2000) ISBN 1-903219-15-9
• A Blue Tomorrow – New Visions for Modern Conservatives (2001) (ed. with Edward Vaizey and Nicholas Boles) ISBN 1-84275-027-5
• Celsius 7/7 (2006) ISBN 0-297-85146-2

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Michael Gove MP Official Website
• Profile at the Conservative Party
• Column archives in The Times
• Profile from The Economist
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
• Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
• Voting record at PublicWhip.org
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
• Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
• Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
• Articles authored at Journalisted

v t e Cameron cabinet (list) Cameron · Clegg Alexander · Cable · Clarke · Davey · Duncan Smith · Gillan · Gove · Greening · Hague · Hammond · Hunt · Lansley · May · Mitchell · Moore · Osborne · Paterson · Pickles · Spelman · Strathclyde · Warsi Also attending: Letwin · Maude · McLoughlin · Willetts · Young When on agenda: Grieve Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement · Coalition government