In 1984 Education Secretary Sir Keith Joseph announces that O-Levels and CSE’s will be replaced with GCSE’s.
In 1947 the school leaving age in England, Wales and Northern-Ireland was increased from 14 – 15 years and with this there was also an increase in subjects studied. In 1951 a new academic qualification was established named the General Certificate of Education or GCE which replaced the School Certificate or SC and the Higher School Certificate or HSC.
Initially the CSE consisted of the O-Level or Ordinary Level qualification with the option to continue with education for a further 2 years and pass another exam to earn an A-Level or Advanced Level qualification. In 1965 the O-Level exam was given to the top 25% of the students with the new CSE available for the less advanced students. In addition to these qualifications there were further options such as the Advanced Ordinary Level or A-O Level, or the S-Level or Scholarship Level qualification for exceptional A-Level students.
On the 20th of June 1984 the Education Secretary Sir Keith Joseph announces that O-Levels and CSE’s will be replaced with a new qualification known as GCSE’s or General Certificate of Secondary Education. The first students will begin studying for the new type of Exam from the Autumn of 1986 in preparation for the exams in 1988. Sir Keith explained that the new exams will be marked based on an absolute standard of Knowledge throughout the country as opposed to the old system that graded students on their knowledge compared to other students taking the exam. The GCSE exam results will be marked from A* - G with anything below an E considered a failing grade. Sir Keith stated that the exams would be tougher but clearer and fairer and instead of the 29 governing bodies that existed there would be only 5 throughout Britain. The exam change was a success and was popular with many teachers, but many people, particularly those that studied under the old system, claimed that the new exams were easier especially with the general increase in higher grades over the years.
In 1948 the Deutsch Mark is introduced to West-Germany.
After World War II tougher restrictions were put on Germany compared with the First World War. Part of the restrictions included the country being put under the control of the major powers of the ‘Allies’ (United Kingdom, United States, France and Russia) with each country controlling a section. Each of the four countries also controlled part of the German capital of Berlin which is situated deep within what was soviet controlled Germany. When the United States, the United Kingdom and France discussed merging their sections to form West Germany, the Soviet Union was outraged. This outrage grew when on the 20th of June 1948 they introduced the deutsche mark to their regions. By the 24th of June 1948 the Soviet Union set up a blockade preventing all supplies to the would be West Berlin. For eleven months the United Kingdom and the United States flew in supplies (mainly fuel). On this day the Soviet blockade was lifted and on the 23rd of May 1949 the Western areas were united as the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or BRD) and shortly after, on the 7th of October 1949, the Soviet controlled side or Eastern side became the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or DDR) with control of the capital city of Berlin was also split accordingly.
On this day in 1812, US President James Madison signed the declaration of War with the United Kingdom. The US began their advance into Upper Canada but suffered defeat on the 16th of August to British forces under the command of Sir Isaac Brock who chased them back over the border and captured Detroit. The United States fought back and had many victories including Naval Victories against the Royal Navy. But when Napoleon was defeated by Nelson on the 17th of June 1814 the United Kingdom was able to free up most of its forces and focus on the US conflict. In response to the US army burning buildings in Canada the British captured Washington DC on the 24th of August 1814 and set alight many of their government buildings. On the 13th of September 1814 the Royal Navy began a 25 hour bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Instead of surrendering, as hoped by the Royal Navy, the troops inside hoisted a large US flag. It was the hoisting of this flag, the morning after the bombardments, that lead to the poem “The Star-Spangled Banner” which became the national anthem of the US.
Britain sought an armistice with the US and peace talks began in Ghent (now Belgium). The Treaty of Ghent was signed on the 24th of December 1814 and resulted in no border change to either territory.
