AN overhaul of GCSE exams in England was announced by the Secretary of State for Education this week - but some of Michael Gove's proposals were criticised by the interim headteacher of Bordon's secondary school as being "a step backward".

The aim of the reforms - which will see the A* to G grades replaced with a numerical eight-to-one marking system - is to "restore public confidence" in the exam system.

The changes - which will come into effect in the autumn 2015 (with first exams sat in the summer 2017) - will initially be for nine core GCSE subjects: English language and literature, maths, physics, chemistry, biology, combined science, history and geography.

They will also see the current modular courses scrapped and be replaced by a final "rigourous" exam after two years.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.