CALLS for GCSE exams to be scrapped have been described as "a step too far" by grammar school head Alistair Brien.

Chairman of the Education Select Committee, Robert Halfon, suggested they be replaced by a baccalaureate at the age of 18, to recognise academic and technical skills.

Mr Brien, head of Bournemouth School for Girls, said he recognises that it is important to prepare students for the world of work and that school is about more than just exams.

But he added: "To do away with all exams at 16 is perhaps a step too far.

"Having exams at 16 gives young people a midpoint to work towards and can be a useful way of helping them choose their further qualifications suited to their aptitudes and interests."