My Little 2.0 Project

The Launch Event left me feeling more motivated than ever. However, in the department meeting following the event, the vast majority of the team were reluctant. They argued being brand new, it was too soon- we didn’t know how the exams would go or how it would develop. Others said it felt too much like Functional Skills- they could not see how it was possible to achieve the higher grades. Some said they did not know how students would take to it or even how to start teaching it. I had to jump in with my views. I talked about my wish list: the clear questions being a huge advantage, the more interesting 19th Century texts, the change to the comparison question. Finally I talked about my favourite part- the writing sections and the huge advantage it gave students. Everyone was in agreement with me, but there was only two of us prepared to take a chance on it.

Sadly, my colleague suffered prolonged bouts of illness not long after this, leaving just me to take up the gauntlet.

Many emails and discussions bounced back and forth from myself to my Head of Department, to her Head of Department, (2021 post lockdown everyone was scared of everything and everyone!) I voiced as loudly and persistently as I could, that I had to try 2.0. I was prepared to do anything, everything rested on this! My little squeak had out of nowhere become a mighty roar. This whole different person was pleading their case more eloquently than they’d voiced anything before! Who was I becoming? If agreed, this would be my journey, not just the students. It would not be as my mother would say: ‘just another string to my bow.’ This could make or break me. Normally I would have run for the hills, but here I was fighting my corner and winning!? 

 It worked! My persistence paid off, it was agreed I could trial 2.0 with a small selection of my students. I would need a whole new scheme of work, new resources, new trackers, new everything! It was to become my Action Research project: How do the results compare from our existing exam board to the new Pearson EdExcel English Language 2.0 Lift? 

I had done the unimaginable: I convinced the right people that I was the right person for the job, and they put their trust in me! I can’t remember the last time that happened. The weight of responsibility started to weigh heavy, however I was not going to let it suffocate me. I had to deliver on those promises, I was not letting these students down. They didn’t know it yet, but they needed Pearson 2.0 in their lives. 

I needed Pearson 2.0 too! I was becoming a completely different person and Pearson was going to see me through the transformation.