Elliot Goddard

16-year-old-student, aspiring journalist

I was never very good at any of the sciences, but I don't regret taking them as I believe it is important to have a basic understanding of them. In the same way, it is important to have a basic understanding of mathematics as it will prove useful later on in life.

Bansi Kara

A Head of English in Hackney who believes in the possibility of change in education

In saving themselves, AQA and the other major exam boards have damaged students' chances of future success. What's in a C? It's not just a measure by which schools are placed in league tables - it is a passport to further education and higher education.

Alex Dyer

Director of Tutor House, a private tutoring company in Fulham, London, where he works full time. He is still tutoring and gives university and gap year advice

A spokesman from the Department for Education said, "It's right that minimum expectations of schools should continue to rise." In addition Michael Gove, the Education Secretary has said in the past that he wants to abolish GCSE's and introduce 'explicitly harder' O-Levels.

Marie Staunton

Chair of Raleigh International and of the Equality and Diversity Forum

Tomorrow, August 23rd, British girls are likely to yet again outperform boys in GCSE results. So why as I travel around the world am I so often told that girls are either not as bright or not as interested in school as boys? Perhaps because while girls are outperforming girls in the "Global North", in Latin America and in the Caribbean, the opposite is true in many developing countries.

Alex Dyer

Director of Tutor House, a private tutoring company in Fulham, London, where he works full time. He is still tutoring and gives university and gap year advice

Another factor to consider is what specific subjects do universities require for entry? Obvious ones like Medicine require Biology and Chemistry, not so obvious is Mathematics as a pre-requisite for some Psychology courses.

Sakthy Selvakumaran

25-year old female engineer specialising in Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, working for Ramboll UK and Engineers Without Borders UK

For me, being an engineer is about putting science to work for the benefit of society. Being chosen as one of the Make it in Great Britain '30 Under 30' gives me the opportunity to describe what a career in manufacturing is really about. If you want to make society better, you should consider a career in manufacturing as one of the most rewarding ways to do it.

Gordon Sutton

Director and Lead Consultant at WorldClass Education

So, they thought trying to decide what to wear for their Year 11 Prom was stressful?

John Moule

Head Master of Bedford School

Revolutions in education take time. Michael Gove knows that only too well and it is unclear just how long he has to achieve what he wishes to. But to his credit, two years in, we are starting to see some encouraging signs. Last week's marginal decline in the number of A* and A grades at A level compared to 2011 might seem minor, but it is arresting a 21 year trend of suspicious grade inflation.

Robert Downes

Press officer at the Forum of Private Business

Let's be frank, most businesses aren't looking for new starters who have an A* GCSE in 'global citizenship'. They need work ready employees who can write a properly punctuated sentence, free from spelling mistakes, and one who's mentally able to work out a simple maths problem.

Sheila Lawlor

Michael Gove's plans to end GCSEs in maths, English and the sciences in favour of a more rigorous 'O level' system are a casus belli with the diehards of the status quo: unions, educationists, officials and their political allies.