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Original poster

To only now now realise that iGCSEs are harder than GCSEs...

34 replies

dontgetmestartedwillu · 02/06/2025 08:30

So, around the time when the new, reformed GCSEs were introduced in state schools there was lots of discussion about this and the conclusion from Mumsnetters was that the GCSEs were harder (no coursework).

Quite a few heated discussions on here on the topic a while back! But now I have heard from friends who work as a tutor (ex teacher) hat that isn't strictly true.

Yes, in some subjects there is typically coursework elements for the iGCSE but the exam questions are much less scaffolded for the iGCSEs and so require more breadth, depth and problem solving. She said there may be one really tough (impossible) question in the GCSE but, overall, the questions are requiring higher level problem solving skills in the iGCSEs.

My tutor (ex teacher) friend says the iGCSE actually prepares kids better for A-levels particularly in maths/STEM.

I didn't have a clue this was the case.

All this time I've just assumed that private school kids had all the advantage and that the state school kids had a much tougher ride to get good GCSEs versus their private school counterparts (who already benefit from smaller class sizes and more resources).

OP posts:
Newbutoldfather · 02/06/2025 08:57

@Spirallingdownwards ,

I haven’t seen that at all. Which boards have harder IGCSEs? I don’t know any.

To stretch students in STEM and prepare them for A levels, they just show them things beyond the syllabus and attempt Olympiad (junior challenge) papers.

Spirallingdownwards · 02/06/2025 08:54

TheaBrandt1 · 02/06/2025 08:33

My friends tutor said the opposite for English. The course the state kids were doing was far harder than the course she taught in her day job.

I think it’s wrong there is a different exam at all surely the whole point of a public exam is it’s the same for everyone?

But even gcses aren't the same as there are different exam boards.

Again there are some igcses which are specifically used by selective schools to stretch the students.

Private schools are able to use them to do this and better prepare for A levels because they don't feature in the ridiculous league tables.

Lifesaidyes · 02/06/2025 08:52

Each board has always had different exams.

IGCSE has its place - especially for those who are home educated, educated in smaller settings without lab or tech resources, and those educated out of country, as they rely almost solely on the exam rather than practicals which form part of the end result (GCSE science for example)

The IGCSE is just a different format and layout

Newbutoldfather · 02/06/2025 08:52

I don’t know what kind of teachers you have been talking to but the general conclusion, especially in STEM, is that GCSEs are now harder.

For instance, in Physics, subjects that GCSE has but IGCSE doesn’t include F=BIL and adding non colinear vectors using scale diagrams. In general, there are also more long wordy hard 6 markers.

When IGCSEs were introduced they were just the same as GCSEs but, over time, they made GCSEs easier and kept IGCSEs more rigorous, so private schools tended to choose IGCSEs.

But that trend reversed about a decade ago and now the reverse is true. A lot of private schools talk about migrating back to GCSEs but most haven’t yet, both due to laziness and not wanting to see a dip in their results.

TheaBrandt1 · 02/06/2025 08:51

Also op you are about to get annihilated as I said it wasn’t right as my dds private school mates had far fewer exams than her and the private school parent lobby on here went crazy! The party line is they are Exactly The Same.

Seeline · 02/06/2025 08:48

TheaBrandt1 · 02/06/2025 08:33

My friends tutor said the opposite for English. The course the state kids were doing was far harder than the course she taught in her day job.

I think it’s wrong there is a different exam at all surely the whole point of a public exam is it’s the same for everyone?

But even for GCSEs it isn't the same exam for everyone!
Each board sets it's own exams.
And within certain subjects there are foundation and higher papers

Original poster
dontgetmestartedwillu · 02/06/2025 08:43

TheaBrandt1 · 02/06/2025 08:33

My friends tutor said the opposite for English. The course the state kids were doing was far harder than the course she taught in her day job.

I think it’s wrong there is a different exam at all surely the whole point of a public exam is it’s the same for everyone?

Yes, actually she did say English was harder.

OP posts:
fffiona · 02/06/2025 08:43

My DD went to a school where they did IGCSE in maths as there were a high proportion of children with SEN / dyslexia etc. and the questions were better suited for those who struggled with extensive text rather than just numeric format. There was no suggestion it was either easier or harder - just different question presentation.

TheaBrandt1 · 02/06/2025 08:33

My friends tutor said the opposite for English. The course the state kids were doing was far harder than the course she taught in her day job.

I think it’s wrong there is a different exam at all surely the whole point of a public exam is it’s the same for everyone?

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