Nasty view (From Penarth Times)

Nasty view

I WAS most disappointed by the letter from "name and address supplied" as printed in the Times on August 22 (Exam Farce).

As a former A-level candidate, I agree that a rise in grades does seem incomparable to years ago, but I felt the following points needed to be made.

1 The A grade A-level students are not the ones "hanging around street corners causing trouble".

2 The amount of coursework students have to prepare is incomparably large compared with the absence of coursework some 25 years ago, and the standard of work, and the quantity expected is high.

3 Teachers these days seem to spend more time preparing students for exams, which 'in my day' didn't happen. We were given lessons, but not specific exam-coaching classes as students are today. Today's candidates are more clued up about what examiners are looking for.

As a parent of secondary pupils, I have seen the amount of time spent on school work and extra-curricular activities. When time is spent on work, results are more evident. There are youths in Penarth who do less productive work and they may be the ones who hang around street corners.

We have just had six weeks of school holidays, when all kinds of young people 'hang around' with their friends for a change and only a small number cause real trouble. It's interesting that the author of 'Exam Farce' never had the courage to give their name for their nasty letter.

Mrs June Gould Salisbury Avenue Penarth