Anyone know what the difference should be in expectations for IGCSE's vs GCSE's in terms of 9-1 grades?

[Somerville]

I'm not sure I phrased that title very well - apologies. I've been researching all evening and I've only managed to confuse myself further.

So DD1 is taking GCSE exams in 2018. These seem to mostly be graded 9-1, and I've read a lot on here about how the grading system is changing and understand that.

DS is a year behind her at a different school and will be mostly be taking IGCSE's. Will these be graded according to the same criteria: broadly the same number getting a 4 and above as previously got a c or above, only a tiny percent getting a 9, etc..?

He seems to think not, and that IGCSE will continue to be graded like the a-g exams have been. (So a score for a 9 will be set at, say, 170 marks out of 188, and anyone who achieves that will get a 9, rather than the top 4 percent (or whatever) of pupils getting it regardless of score.) I can't work out from what is available online if he is correct or not.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Do you know which exam boards they will be. Cambridge are sticking with A -C, AQA are not continuing with IGCSE. Edexel will offer a choice but 1-9 will be proportional however boundaries will be set in a similar way as A-G

[Somerville]

Oh lord, no wonder it's so complex to try to work out online. I hadn't realised it would be board-specific; thanks for heads up.

According to his blurb on options booklet it appears that sciences, maths, English are Edexcel IGCSE. Some other subjects are regular GCSE's I think - exam board as yet unconfirmed. There seems to be an element of the school waiting to see what happens with this first 9-1 cogort this summer before they finally decide.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Cambridge iGCSE are grading 9-1 at our school. I seem to remember reading on here elsewhere on Mumsnet that the school can opt for either A*-G or 9-1. As DS is at a superselective I suspet they have gone for 91 as they expect a decent percentage of 9s for their cohorts.

In fact here is their website
www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/whats-new/revised-qualifications/cambridge-igcses/cambridge-igcses-9-1-grading-ukschools/

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Somerville DS is incorrect. The grading will be based on a curve with a certain top percentage (which I believe differs depending on the subject) will get the 9s (eg. top 3% will get 9s, next 15% 8).

They have been designed so that there are fewer children obtaining top grades as there is not enough differentiation at the top end.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

sorry - next 15% will get 8-7s

[lottysmum]

My Dd's school are doing a gradual move over to the new grading system (because they sit both GCSE and iGCSE's) its very much dependent on what board it is and whether its IGCSE or GCSE ...this year Maths and English are the only subjects that are graded 1-9, next year more subjects are graded 1-9 but most of the subjects my DD is taking are mainly IGCSE which will be graded A-G in 2018 (only exception for DD is Computer Science because its GCSE). The following year 2019 ALL subjects will be graded 1-9 because the school is keen to have their results reported and so they need to be on the 1-9 grading system. Complicated - but I think I'm grateful that there are only 4 subjects that DD will sit that will be on the new grading system (Eng Lang/lit, Maths and Computer Sci).