Forty years of the General Certificate of Secondary Education
Analysing the role of the performing–composing–appraising examination structure in secondary music education in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22414613 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Geetha Beauchamp (0000-0001-7268-5027, Cardiff Metropolitan University), Thomas Breeze (0000-0002-0585-0755, Cardiff Metropolitan University), Vivienne John (0000-0002-6784-8810, Cardiff Metropolitan University), Elizabeth H Macgregor (0000-0002-4026-8816, University of Leeds, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-14 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-27 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Music Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0265-0517 • E-ISSN: 1469-2104 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0265051726100849 |
| OpenAlex | W7141646071 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
The introduction of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in 1986 marked a significant shift in music education practice across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Unlike previous qualifications, the GCSE emphasised a central triumvirate of accessible, practical skills – performing, composing, and appraising – which, forty years later, remain foundational in secondary music education across the three nations. In this article, we therefore analyse how the tripartite performing–composing–appraising structure has shaped the development of the GCSE between 1986 and 2026. Using historical and documentary evidence, we identify four trends of political quiescence, progressive divergence, neoliberal convergence, and neoconservative coalescence, and suggest that across all three nations a subtle shift towards a fourfold performing–composing– knowing –appraising framework is beginning to erode the GCSE as an accessible, practical approach to assessment.
Certificate · Music education · Northern ireland · Politics · School Certificate · Secondary education · Diverse Music Education Insights · Educational Theory and Curriculum Studies · Student Assessment and Feedback
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |