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Is this a crib sheet I see before me? Pupils told which acts from Shakespeare plays will be in their exam

By KIRSTY WALKER

Teenagers are being told in advance which extracts of Shakespeare plays will appear on their GCSE exam papers – prompting accusations of further dumbing-down in our education system.

Exam board Edexcel this year published the details of which acts of famous plays would appear, six months before youngsters sat their English exams.

The move has angered Shakespeare lovers and educationalists who warned that it might encourage teachers to teach the playwright’s most famous works in only ‘bite-sized’ chunks.

The Bard: Students are being told which extracts from Shakespeare's plays will come up in their GCSE English exams

The row comes amid claims teachers are giving students exam questions before they sit GCSEs and A-levels following secret conversations with examiners.

Exam boards have admitted they could now be forced to routinely film seminars following claims examiners were passing on information.

Last week, three examiners from WJEC, the Welsh exam board, and Edexcel were suspended after being caught on film making controversial comments about the exam system. They have all denied any wrongdoing.

Previous studies have found teachers are increasingly opting to teach pupils ‘chunks’ of famous literary works to get them through course work and exams.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has ordered an inquiry into the recent allegations.

Fourteen year-olds across the country were told in January that the ‘extracts’ that would be appearing in the GCSE English exam would include: Romeo and Juliet – Act 3, Macbeth – Act 1 and The Merchant of Venice – Act 1.

Julien Chenery, from the Shakespeare 4 Kidz campaign, said: ‘It seems we are moving towards a Shakespeare-light approach in our education system which goes against what any good education commentator wants to see.

‘Shakespeare was a genius at the structure of story-telling, verse and language. I am deeply worried his influence is being diluted.’

Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg added: ‘The idea that Shakespeare should be taught in bite-size chunks goes against the nature of developing an understanding of the joys of literature.’

Nick Seaton, from the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘This is very wrong and undermines standards of learning in our schools. Certainly, exam boards should not be doing things like this.
‘When it comes to Shakespeare, you have to read the whole play to understand what it is all about and not just learn extracts.’

Tory MP Elizabeth Truss said: ‘It is wrong that pupils are receiving such specific guidance so far in advance of taking the exam. It is yet more evidence the system became utterly discredited under the last Labour government.

‘And it further exposes the truth behind their propaganda of ever-improving exam results. This is not just a case of a few rotten apples – the whole system is broken.’

An Edexcel spokesman said: ‘Students sitting our English GCSE are clearly required to demonstrate an understanding of the whole play or novel they studied.

‘For certain questions, particular acts from individual Shakespeare plays are highlighted in advance. This is entirely proper and within Ofqual’s guidance.’


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ROMEO, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? Well, he'll be in Crawley in January – and Juliet will be there too, for a rather different adaptation of Shakespeare's classic tale.

Shakespeare 4 Kidz is returning to The Hawth with a modern, musical telling of Romeo and Juliet.The theatre company also performs interpretations of Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, The Tempest and Hamlet.

It aims to create shows that children can understand, with complicated stories and complex text simplified and converted into modern language.

There are catchy songs and dances to go with perhaps the world's most famous love story.

Director and Shakespeare 4 Kidz founder Julian Chenery said: "The theatres we have chosen to visit are places there is traditionally a massive demand to see us and where we have been playing to packed houses for years and years.

"Children as young as eight can enjoy this show and adults who have been put off Shakespeare because they remember boring lessons at school will be amazed at how it shakes up Shakespeare to tell the tale clearly and concisely."

The production of Romeo and Juliet comes to Crawley on Friday January 27 with performances at 10.30am and 1.30pm.

Tickets, costing between £10 and £16.50, are available on 01293 553636.

There are four performances of S4K's Romeo & Juliet at the Civic Theatre, Ellesmere Port as part of our mini UK tour in January/February 2012.

These are:

Tuesday 7th February 2012 at 10.30 and 1.30

Wednesday 8th February 2012 at 10.30 and 1.30

Tickets for the first three shows are SOLD OUT.

However there are still tickets available for the 1.30 performance on Wednesday 8th - and these can be booked ONLY via the S4K Production Office. Tickets are £10 and teachers go free (1 teacher for every 10 students). To reserve tickets call Carolyn in the S4K Office on 01342 894548 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

S4K hits the road

Children’s theatre specialist Shakespeare 4 Kidz is to tour the UK with Romeo and Juliet in January and February.

S4K has introduced millions of young people to the works of Shakespeare over the last 15 years with its modern musical adaptations. The complicated stories and complex text are simplified by the use of modern language, linking together the most famous and best-loved lines. It also offers accompanying school drama workshops.

The tour kicks off at the Theatre Royal, Wakefield on the 17th and 18th January, playing at Ulverston, Lincoln, Croydon, Wolverhampton, King’s Lynn, Ipswich, Crawley, Hull, Middlesbrough, Carlisle and Wellingborough, before putting in a last performance at the Assembly Rooms in Tunbridge Wells on the 6th February.

For further information visit
www.shakespeare4kidz.com

See this article on the Trips 4 Schools website