Dorset MP criticises exam board for taking Thomas Hardy off GCSE syllabus
Chris Loder has called the move a 'grave mistake'
Last updated 28th Jun 2022
West Dorset MP Chris Loder has condemned news that examination board OCR has removed works from Dorset writer Thomas Hardy from its syllabus in their desire make the English Literature Syllabus more diverse.
OCR is swapping out one of the author's poems, along with works by other authors, which previously featured on the syllabus with voices from a variety of backgrounds, including six black women, one person of South Asian heritage and disabled and LGBTQ+ voices.
The changes will see one of Thomas Hardy's poems replaced in the board's poetry anthology.
Mr Loder said:
“The recent attempts to erase some of the greatest literary icons of our history is of grave concern, not just in terms of educating our children, but also for maintaining Dorset’s unique cultural heritage that attracts people from all across the world through the literature of Thomas Hardy.”
The writer, who passed away in Dorchester in 1928, is most famous for his novels such as Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Far from the Madding Crowd and Jude the Obscure, many of which were deeply critical of Victorian Society and the perceived decline in the status of rural people, particularly from Dorset.
Mr Loder added:
“While Hardy appears to have been side-lined in the name of diversity, it is important to note that Thomas Hardy himself had to climb a mountain from being the son of a rural builder who could not afford a University Education, to eventually becoming an Order of Merit who now lies in Westminster Abbey buried amongst Kings and the finest poets in history.
"He confronted social taboos, gave strong voices and stories to marginalised groups, and he challenged the conditions of the poorest in society through his work, often incurring the wrath of the establishment. He did at least as much, if not more for social justice in this country during his time, than many of the ‘progressive’ initiatives today.”
Mr Loder is the Member of Parliament for the area of West Dorset including the county town of Dorchester, Hardy’s place of birth and death 87 years apart and the backdrop of Hardy’s novel “The Mayor of Casterbridge”. The town also plays host to the Thomas Hardy Society and the Hardy Players, an amateur dramatics society founded by Hardy himself in the early 1900s.
Jill Duffy, OCR’s Chief Executive, said:
“This is an inspiring set of poems that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to greater diversity in the English literature that students engage with. We’re also bringing in more diverse options for students in other subjects from 2023. Our approach is broad; we want to reflect diversity and inclusivity not just in our qualifications, but in the material we produce to support their delivery, as well as in the assessment of our qualifications.”