IGCSE English 0500: Summarising Reasons For and Against

Greenfield Secondary School will begin a one-term trial of a four-day timetable in September, compressing the usual five days of lessons into four longer days and giving students Friday off completely. The proposal has divided opinion among staff, parents and students since it was announced at the end of last term.

The headteacher argues that longer lesson blocks would allow subjects such as science and art to run practical work without the interruption of a bell every fifty minutes, and cites a pilot at a school in a neighbouring authority where exam results in practical subjects rose modestly during a similar trial. Several parents who work irregular shifts have also written in support, saying a predictable day off would make it easier to arrange family time and medical appointments without missing lessons.

Other parents are far less convinced. A survey carried out over the summer found that many families rely on the current five-day pattern for childcare, since not all parents can take Fridays off work, and after-school clubs currently held on Fridays would have nowhere to move to in a shorter week. The school counsellor has raised a further concern: longer days, some running until half past four, could leave younger students overtired and struggling to concentrate by the final lesson, particularly during the darker winter months.

Teachers' union representatives have pointed out that marking and planning time would not increase overall, since the same number of teaching hours is simply rearranged, meaning staff workload is unlikely to fall despite the shorter week. The school has promised to publish attendance and exam data at the end of the trial before deciding whether to continue.

In your own words, write a summary of no more than 90 words explaining the reasons for and against Greenfield Secondary School's four-day week trial. (Up to 6 marks for relevant content, balancing both sides; up to 2 marks for a concise, well-organised summary in your own words.) [8]

Creditable content points (up to 6 marks, one per point)

Reasons in favour:

Longer, uninterrupted lesson blocks suit practical subjects; a comparable trial elsewhere saw a modest improvement in practical-subject results.
A predictable day off helps parents with irregular shifts arrange family time and appointments.

Reasons against: 3. Not all parents can take Fridays off, creating a childcare problem under the new pattern. 4. Friday after-school clubs would have nowhere to move to in a four-day week. 5. Longer, later days could leave younger students overtired and less able to concentrate, especially in winter. 6. Teacher workload is unlikely to fall, since the same total teaching hours are simply rearranged.

Writing marks (up to 2)

Award marks for a summary that:

stays within the 90-word limit
reports both sides of the debate in the student’s own words, not lifted phrasing
groups related ideas and links them with connectives (e.g. “however,” “although,” “meanwhile”) rather than listing six disconnected sentences

Points that should NOT be credited

The one-term length of the trial or its September start date, background, not an argument for or against.
The promise to publish data at the end of the trial, this describes a future review process, not a reason for or against the change itself.

Model summary (81 words)

“Supporters believe longer, uninterrupted lessons suit practical subjects, noting that a nearby trial saw results improve slightly, and argue a fixed day off helps parents with irregular shifts manage appointments and family time. Critics disagree: many families cannot arrange childcare when parents cannot take Fridays off, and Friday clubs would lose their slot. Younger pupils might also become overtired on longer, later days, especially in winter, while teachers argue their workload will not fall, since the same hours are merely rearranged.”

Final answer

A strong response reports at least one point in favour and several points against, in connected own-words prose within the word limit, without mentioning the trial length or start date.