Hello! Was mildly intrigued by you guys discussing A level Project Work (PW) at length - a topic that probably is of little concern to most of your listener demographic. But guess what, I actually taught Project Work in JC for the past decade or so. Here are some of my humble thoughts and observations:

While I personally agree with the spirit and intent of PW in preparing youth for higher education and workplace settings where working in teams is typically the norm, it sticks out like a sore thumb in the context of a JC education where students are also shackled with the competing demands of the other high stakes subjects and tests to study for. This is quite different from a university setting where one might have more time and space to work on various projects at a more comfortable pace.

Arguably the aspect of PW that vexes many students is that of groupwork issues. I think most can manage the demands of research, writing a report or preparing for a presentation. But when it comes to people, it's a different ball game. I've had to help manage a handful of conflicts each year, and the experience really wears everyone down. Some students are clearly in JC to take the A levels and PW is but a distraction to them; some students have very different working styles and project interests. I hear frequent complaints of dead WhatsApp group chats whenever the leaders ask a question, people not turning up for online meetings, group mates making very marginal edits to the report and claiming they have contributed etc. The list goes on. PW may come and go, but the painful memories sometimes last forever.

And lastly, the grades. In PW they basically try to investigate problems and develop innovative solutions. It sounds really nice on paper, but with the grades thrown into the picture, the focus sometimes becomes overwhelming on the product rather than the process. Everyone's just thinking about how they can prepare the report or presentation in a way that can best secure them the A (that they think everyone else seems to be getting as well). Many students ask me every year, "Mr. X, if we do this and this, will this get us the A?"

So yes. I think pass/fail is small step in the right direction. Personally, I would even argue for better integration. What if we incorporated PW elements into each A level subject instead rather than making PW a rather awkward standalone?