A BOLTON peer has branded the Michael Gove’s decision not to scrap GCSEs as “humiliating”.

The Education Secretary announced last week that he was reversing plans to scrap the qualifications in favour of a new Baccalaureate Certificate.

But he said GCSEs would still undergo significant reform.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Labour peer Baroness Taylor of Bolton said: “While there may be rejoicing about this U-turn, it is particularly humiliating for the Secretary of State because of the bravado with which he announced his original plans.

“Many of us still worry that he does not understand the basic problem of trying to be too prescriptive about the national curriculum or an examination system, or the difficulties of not having a proper, coherent examination system in this country.

“Whatever the questions are, the answer is surely not to have a 19th century model of education, as the Secretary of State suggests.”

Baroness Taylor, a former MP for Bolton West and Shadow Education Secretary, added that one of the lessons that the Secretary of State should learn from this experience is the need to consult with head teachers, teachers, employers and parents before coming to a decision, not after the decision has been made.