English Baccalaureate

[littlebillie]

Please tell me about it and is it if any value

[clary]

It was invented as an extra measure for schools which is why some push it.

It's a good idea to do a spread of subjects so a humanity, language, creative etc, but apart from that, doing the ebacc has no benefit to the student.

If they like the subjects involved, great. If they hate MFL then don't do it. And I say that as an MFL teacher.

[littlebillie]

Thanks you

[roguedad]

Good answer clary. It's league table nonsense IMHO. DS wanted to do German, Chinese and Music and not History, Geography or RS. So he will not get EB and I could not care less. In fact I worry about schools that try to enforce kids doing a combination that gets it as it makes me wonder if the school is more concerned about league tables than kids being allowed to focus on their strengths and interests.

[Brighteyes27]

DS’s school are pushing it saying if you want a place at a top Uni EBAC is the only way to go.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

It doesn't allow a creative subject, that is not part of the Ebacc, which is just total crap.

Drama, music, art, dt are not part of it, as obviously this country requires no musicians, actors, or designers. 🙄

It's shit

[metalmum15]

Same here brighteyes . It's compulsory for those in the top groups. Unfortunately it means they have less options of subjects they'd actually like to study than other kids.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

It's becoming law next year, I think.

[DinkyDaisy]

Law? Really?
Not impression I got at options evening tonight.
My ds a child that school would like to do MFL but he has other ideas...
All in a quandary at the moment as option blocks not confirmed...

[clary]

No, it's not going to be law to do it, thank goodness!

Mate of DS's at a different school; what options did you pick? I asked. PE was the answer. That's it - he had to do French, he had to do history or geography, they only do eight subjects so he had one choice.

This is one reason why DT, music, RE, Food tech etc are dropping in numbers :(

[noblegiraffe]

The government has a target of 75% sitting the Ebacc by 2022 and 90% by 2025.

Or at least that was in their manifesto. They'll need to hire a few more language teachers to actually manage it, and that's a problem.

[DinkyDaisy]

Music is what my ds wants to do instead of MFL.
We shall see! Not only issue with options but time will tell how flexible school will be...
Lots of stropping going on in our house at the moment - I am beginning to strop myself- politely, and by email!
School says they will try to be flexible so- we shall see...

[titchy]

DS’s school are pushing it saying if you want a place at a top Uni EBAC is the only way to go.

School are telling porkies!

[Brighteyes27]

Yes I thought that fortunately DS is ok with languages but next year DD who loves arty creative subjects would struggle if pushed to do a language.

[neverundersold]

DD just chosen options, they get to choose four, the school stipulate that at least one must be languages or humanities . School said this was a government directive.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

It's not inevitable that it pushes out creative options. DD1 is doing EBacc subjects plus another humanity and music. But that's because her school still believes in letting students do a wide range of subjects at GCSE. If you are at one of those schools that is limiting students to eight subjects, it is indeed very restrictive.

[roguedad]

EBAC needed for top uni is indeed utter rubbish. If you have a kid at a school peddling that drivel call them out on it.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

I think some schools may be getting confused between the concept of "facilitating subjects" and the EBacc. There are similarities between the subjects, but facilitating subjects is about keeping your options open at A-level, not about ticking some sort of academic performance box.

The Russell Group website says: "The English Baccalaureate includes academic subjects highly valued by the Russell Group but it is not required for entry to any Russell Group university. With the exception of English and Maths, and in a few cases a Modern Foreign Language, most universities have no universal entry requirements in terms of specific GCSE subjects. Subject choice is ultimately much more important at the post-16 or A-level stage.

However, entrance requirements do vary between universities and courses (for example Medicine courses sometimes require certain subjects and grades at GCSE). Therefore, we strongly encourage students to check universities’ websites for further information published by individual institutions."

[BubblesBuddy]

The Ebac keeps options open at A level though. It is largely facilitating subjects (but at GCSE level) which are a good springboard for a wide variety of A level choices. We know that 2 facilitating subjects at A level are preferred to one or none. If you have not done a humanity or an MFL, your options are, by definition, narrower than those who have done the Ebac.

I do not think parents choose schools on Ebac passes and neither does Ofsted bother than much! Even the outstanding grammar schools around do not get anywhere near 100% Ebac. However, it cannot be denied that it is the gold standard of GCSEs for most academically bright children.

[TalkinPeace]

EBacc was invented by Michael Gove to beat teachers over the head and push the academy system

it has no academic worth

[yodaforpresident]

We had to do what was effectively it, 28 years ago at school, though not called the bacc. We were allowed to choose geology as a science though which I don't think is possible now? We then had 2/3 free choices to supplement. Personally, I think it's a good idea as it means a broader education.

[LynetteScavo]

My DCs school don't insist in it, even for the most able.

It's a relief for me as all my DC are terrible at languages, and they can do something else which they will get a much better grade in.

[BringOnTheScience]

Many parents don't realise that the EBacc is not an actual qualification. It's simply a way of saying that you kept doing a range of useful subjects.

If a DC will do better in other subjects, then that's what that DC should do.

[ReelingLush18]

EBacc - DS's school scores really highly in league tables for this. I do think it is a good thing for students to study academically robust subjects and demonstrate ability across the board. However, DS got his Ebacc at the expense of some top grades, so I'm not convinced it did him any favours, TBQH. Do employers/universities care that candidates have the EBacc (or not)?

[Iprefercoffeetotea]

I think it's a good thing. I've never understood why everyone gets pushed into double or triple science, yet there's no requirement to do a humanity or language.

Those of you who say thank goodness languages are not compulsory because dc doesn't like them - spare a thought for those of us with dc's who don't like/are not good at science subjects.

I do agree with a spread of subjects but I think one science is enough.

[ReelingLush18]

spare a thought for those of us with dc's who don't like/are not good at science subjects Precisely Iprefercoffeetotea DS really wasted a huge amount of revision time on triple science which he had no intention of continuing into the sixth form.