This page has been produced in response to the decision of AQA and QCA* to discontinue GCSE Agriculture and Horticulture without consulting the people who matter - the teachers, the pupils and their parents. Many centres have a huge investment in this subject and every effort must be made to turn this decision around.  Please write to AQA and QCA to express your views.  Explain all that will be lost if the subject goes.  Also write to HMI's, MP's and any other person who can help to turn this decision around. This page has been produced in haste and will be updated on a regular basis - so watch this space frequently.  Must addresses to write to will follow this paragraph, with possible paragraphs for your letter. Please write to the e-mail address below to let us know your feelings. They are very important and valued.

saveagriculture@yahoo.co.uk

Do not believe anyone who says that it is too late to do anything, the future of the GCSE is STILL subject to consultation.  Here is a quote from Nick Tate made on 14th March  (Chief executive, QCR) in a letter to a National Agricultural Organisation:

"We are keen to ensure that an appropriate qualification in agriculture and horticulture is available for pupils pre-16 attending rural schools or schools with farm units. However, whether this should be a GCSE or a vocationally related qualification, will not be decided until we have completed our consultation."

Similar comments to the one above have been received in the past few days in letters dated April 2000, with the actual day written in. The letters have also stated quite clearly that the consultation is

" . . . over the next two months."

Two important addresses to write to:

Mr. J. Mitchell,    (Responsible for the decision at AQA)

Director of Education and Research, 

AQA,

Stag Hill House, 

Guildford, GU2 7XJ 

Surrey, GU2 7XJ

Dr. Nicholas Tate, (Responsible for National Decisions) 

Chief Executive,

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 

29 Bolton Street,

London,

W1Y 7PD

Here are some possible paragraphs for your letters:

• I am writing to draw your attention to the fact that the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority have strongly recommended the discontinuing of the only remaining Agriculture and Horticulture GCSE syllabus from 2002 onwards. Although there are similarities the with Rural Science GCSE, (a rather theoretical course based on the Science criteria), the agriculture and horticulture GCSE is of a much more practical and applied nature.
• Countryside and rural issues are under pressure from a variety of quarters. When a subject in education loses its examination, it also loses its credibility and status. If this proposal goes through it will be seen as a further erosion of the status of Rural issues in the curriculum.
• The  Agriculture and Horticulture GCSE has something different to offer by way of scientific study. Examples include the opportunities to study animal behaviour on a quite different scale to that usually possible in the laboratories, and the study of plant and animal physiology and biochemistry by observation and experimentation on a whole organism with a view to maximising its health, well being and profitability, instead of a very academic approach from a cellular or even a molecular level. At the same time there is much intrinsic scientific interest and there is no need to justify its existence by reference to traditional aspects of school science which too often have caused students to reject science. (There is clear evidence of this now in the lack of students following scientific courses in higher education).      
• Students following this GCSE course are given the opportunity for original research as a group exercise or as individuals, the communication and interaction within these groups being very important. There is a body of informed opinion that acquisition of these skills is easier through practical tasks.
• This course with its humanitarian base line provides many openings for developing social consciousness and offers outlets for creative thinking, aesthetic appreciation and linguistic effectiveness and sensitivity. Many of these will occur through the care of living things which offer an emotional experience many young people need. Many also need to work out ambivalent feelings with the guidance of a sensitive adult. The loss of the GCSE will take away these opportunities from schools.
• The rural economy is clearly a technology and one which unlike some others students find relatively easy to understand and accept.  Agriculture decisions often involve choosing the lesser of two evils, weighing advantages against the disadvantages, thinking of financial and social implications on one's actions. Fertilisers, pesticides, plant hormones, anabolic steroids intensive agriculture, GMO's, are neither wholly right nor wholly wrong; they can be used wisely or irresponsibly. Through Agriculture and Horticulture GCSE students have the opportunity to look at such issues objectively.
• Many students find the traditional approach to science education little suited to their aptitudes and abilities and consequently find little to suit them in subject areas that they consider to be remote from the realities of life as they know it to be lived. This Agriculture and Horticulture GCSE stemming from the TVEI initiative offers a direct experience of the environment. Thus whether the pupil is involved some practical field work or classroom research work can be related to some environmental experience.
• Most important of all write about the effect on your school. What will be missed? 
• Also talk about the investment in the resource at your centre.
• More advice will follow as time permits and hopefully more pictures to make the site more interesting. The most important thing now is to write to express your views and keep the subject for our future students.

One other address to write to is:

Mr. Dick Winterton,

Lantra Policy Director,

National Agricultural Centre,

Stoneleigh,

Warwickshire CV8 2LG 

Don't forget to write to MP's and HMI's.

The story will continue. A second page has now been added to aid browsing.

These Web Pages were updated on April 14th 2000. Next update may not be until after the Easter Holidays. In the mean time keep up the pressure.

Take action now and continue to watch this web site for the latest information.

A paper for presentation to QCA and AQA has now being prepared by the Moderators, Examiners and their Chairman. See the next page for further information

Please tell everyone who can help about this site and give them its web address.

Make sure all schools who teach GCSE Agriculture and Horticulture know about this site.

Two very useful articles have appeared in The Daily Telegraph (27/3/00) and the TES (31/3/00). There will be an article in The Times soon, possibly as this page is published. Many articles have appeared in local Newspapers. There has also been an item on the BBC early evening news. QCA still say a decision has to be made. Do not accept it is too late to do anything from anyone.

*Stop Press - There is important information to be found at the bottom of the next page page. Please respond to it NOW.

To go to the next page click Here.

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