Today, Labour outlined its plan to set up a new independent body to oversee exam standards. Is this a solid, long overdue move in the right direction? Is it the government looking to distance itself from further impending embarrassment as scepticism over the quality of the GCE qualification mounts in most quarters? Or will it be business as usual with another layer of bureaucracy?

Interesting..

so what does this mean? that they don't care about the A level results anymore? this is very odd for the govoment.

Nick,

Yes, of course the government cares about standards. However, they have long been accused of permitting standards to drop in order to present a very rosy picture of pre-university level education in the UK (something for which they are responsible.) Some would say that the rosy picture presented by increasing numbers of A passes indicates the contrary. Many schools now offer a European Baccalaurete and the University of Cambridge will soon introduce its own Pre-U qualification due to concerns that results in the A level no longer provide a basis for separating the abler students in any given year.

An independent body, operating outside governmental influence, set up to oversee the standards and results will, hopefully, ensure a broader more objective view on the quality of the exams and re-assure people of their underlying benefit and quality.