Pendle MP backs plan for new exams (From Lancashire Telegraph)

He would say that, he's a Conservative MP!

Some children are, always have been and always will be, better suited to studying towards vocational qualifications rather than purely academic study, the outcome of which will be determined by one 2 hour examination for each subject after 2 years of learning.

Mr Stephenson was privileged enough to benefit from a free state secondary education and was required to contribute a maximum of £1,000 per year towards his tuition fees at university. Students today will be asked to fork out up to £9,000 per year towards their education. He was very lucky to receive such support from the state and I find it somewhat regrettable that the proposed change to the way in which pupil achievement is to be measured at the end of Key Stage 4 in future will mean that many students will not be able to make the most of the talents that they have.

Take a look at his parliamentary voting record and it may add some context to this story -

http://www.theyworkf
oryou.com/mp/andrew_
stephenson/pendle#vo
tingrecord

Cue a scene from Yes Minister with Sir Arnold Robinson, Cabinet Secretary and Sir Humphrey Appleby in their Club:

Sir Arnold: I see that your Minister is changing the Stage 4 examination system. Does he know what he’s doing?

Sir Humphrey: No, not really but he has some silly notion that when children leave state school they should be competent in mathematics and English.

Sir Arnold: Well as you know I’m not against novel ideas in principle, but this will mean that ordinary people will be able to progress and enter the highest ranks of the Service. Humphrey you must stop this. The whole point of the education system is to ensure that people are directed towards their rightful place in society. Before we know it ordinary people will be applying to Baillie. It’s unthinkable.

Sir Humphrey: I know.

Sir Arnold: You do realise that once you start educating people properly and developing their abilities to analyse a situation, determine possible outcomes and evaluate potential policies then you undermine the whole basis of society. I mean, we created ITV in 1955 to stop this sort of nonsense. It would be anarchy. We would have a situation where ordinary people would be constantly challenging everything that we do, and the job of a minister would become impossible.

Sir Humphrey: It would indeed.

Sir Arnold: Yes, but I wonder whether your Minister does?