Decoupling lower & upper secondary curricula

The demands of the GCSE exams determine much of the school's organisation. A viable school in this environment achieves adequate grades. Those that don't are forced to change their organisation by the inspection body.

On the other hand, lower secondary school in England (KS3) and has no standardised exams at all. What must it adapt to, to remain viable? Unfortunately, the pressures of the GCSEs often couple lower secondary strongly with upper secondary. So tightly, in some cases, that we could rename the phase pre-KS4, or foundation-KS4.

In the worst case, it could become a stifling five-year preparation for a single exam. Past-paper questions from GCSE exams permeate the barrier to the detriment of KS3's autonomy. Slowly, it becomes a vassal stage; equally accountable for KS4's GCSE results, yet unable to fully adapt to its own needs.

Systems theory clarifies the problem and solution

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