As long as coursework continues to form a part of the examination process (whether at GCSE or A Level) the way is open for questions and accusations to be raised, whether founded or unfounded, whoever the pupil and whichever the school. The line between "helping" and "doing the work for the pupil" could be seen to be a very thin one in these circumstances. The internet is also full of "helpful" coursework scripts for all exam subjects. Although random spot checks are made of all scripts, the general procedure is for coursework to be marked by the teacher at the school, with only sample top, middle and bottom scripts being submitted to the exam boards. Add to this the fact that teachers have been subject to performance-related pay since the "Threshold" was brought in, and have ever-increasing targets set by their departments year by year for the percentage of their pupils gaining Grades A to C, the door is wide open for accusations of cheating, by teacher, pupil or parent, whether or not this happens.

I was very glad to hear in the news this week of a suggested move away from coursework in exams. The only fair way, I feel, to test the standard of teaching and learning is for written work to be done under timed, supervised, silent exam conditions and sent away to be marked externally by the exam board and for practical work (such as language orals, drama and music performance) to be done before an independent external visiting examiner from the exam board.

I think it's a great pity that because Prince Harry and his school are very much in the public eye, inevitably people are going to focus on the royalty and public school factors here, rather than seeing these accusations as a symptom of the crazy coursework system that exists for *all* pupils and in *all* schools at present. The sooner it is abandoned, the better, in my view.

- jeanie