Which is easiest - GCSEs or IGCSEs?

our place shifted failing kids from GCSE to igcse in march this year

funnily enough they then all passed

Theres your answer

I only know about IGCSE English. It has coursework, rather than controlled assessment. The students due better in this because they can re draft. In addition, speaking and listening still counts, so many find this an advantage. (It has to be recorded, so can be moderated)
Having looked at the course, I can see that it is less imaginative and more specific, for instance in the writing style expected. I haven't taught it, but would assume it is easier to train students to answer in this way. My guess is, it's not easier but different, and suits some teachers and learners better.

Though linear doesn't necessarily mean iGCSE of course.

Many of the state super selectives have had their candidates sit linear GCSEs...

Friday I an absolutely assure you that the most selective universities know full well which schools in both sectors have been using linear exams rather than modular.

"So how would universities view a candidate with SEN switching from one to another?"

Why would they care? Why would they even know?

It is difficult to judge whether IGCSE 's are more difficult because a significant number of the pupils taking them attend selective schools. Such pupils would achieve high grades irrespective of whether the exam was IGCSE or GCSE.

Universities look at the grade not the exam board.

So how would universities view a candidate with SEN switching from one to another?

I am not down on private schools - I just think children should be given equal opportunities and that despite the bad press most state schools work bloody hard to try and achieve this.

"I'm commenting on how the exams were viewed by the top schools and universities."

Obviously schools will claim that the qualifications they offer are better than the qualifications they don't offer. It is unlikely that any university has ever used the distinction between GCSE and iGCSE in an admission decision, and if a candidate is so borderline that it could make a difference they're hardly a compelling candidate to start with.

Also of course there are different boards offering different iGCSEs, so that makes a (small) difference too!

Purple I said the vast majority of GCSEs were modular. And they were!

I'm not commenting on state versus private (though I could say you seem to have a massive downer on private schools), I'm commenting on how the exams were viewed by the top schools and universities.

Sorry the IGCSE was harder when the gcse had coursework that should have read!

I would say when there was the coursework element to gcse's rather than the controlled assessment, the GCSE was harder. I remember DD doing coursework at home and re-correcting it. Ended up with an A* overall.

The IGCSE which DS did was complegtely different and it was all exam and IMO had to show a greater depth of knowledge.

Not sure about the difference with the controlled assessments, would presume they are more on par now?

GCSE English and Literature are not modular. The IGCSE is more simple. word you (on both threads) seem to be very down on state schools - if you read here you will see many reasons why IGCSE is thought to be easier. The only difference is the controlled assessments. Balia has it spot on - the statistics and details are changed for the market!

I don't think there's that much to choose between the two, in respect of content.

However, they were considered more rigorous because they are linear, when the vast majority of GCSEs taken were modular.

Certainly it was more difficult to achieve well due to no possibility of resitting modules and of course no course work.

For this reason many private schools chose them. Especially boys schools, who are generally considered to thrive in the linear module.

Some schools also chose them as they felt it was easier to ski off piste and cover more material, thus giving better preperation for A level.

Now GCSEs are also going to be modular there may be absolutely nothing to choose between them!

Balia, I think you are spot on.

It depends what kind of school is being discussed. If independent schools use them, they are challenging and indicative of the highest possible standards. If state schools do it, they are game playing by using easier exams to get better results.

HTH

Hismum will pm you.

Crazymum, is it possible to walk directly into IGCSE science exam from a GCSE course?

This probably used to be true when there were modular GCSEs i.e before the recent reforms in GCSE but may not be the case now.
iGCSEs are taken by international students for whom English is a second language, so the questions tend to be written in more straightforward English so that they are easier to understand. Some independent schools have a significant proportion of pupils who have moved to this country from overseas so this could be one reason for using iGCSE.
I have taught iGCSE Science and the syllabus has to be appropriate for pupils who do not live in the UK e.g. in Physics overseas pupils would not know what an Earth wire is in a 3 pin plug as many countries do not use this system. Whereas in GCSE there are some questions that relate Science topics to everyday life in the UK which does require appropriate General knowledge.

The IGCSE science syllabus is broader than the GCSE syllabus. It is also more focused on the science while in GCSE 6 or 10 marks could be gained just by recycling ideas from humanities and RE, without knowing any science.

State schools were not able to include the IGCSE grades in the results under labour, Gove changed this so schools moved towards it, now he is looking to stop them from being used (was in education supplement somewhere).

The new GCSEs are all about the final exam - not sure why you say it is about to lessen unless I am reading incorrectly.

Having taught both at English GCSE the IGCSE is much more straightforward and appears easier to get a higher grade. I have compared data from both as my school was looking at changing, what was an A* at IGCSE would have been an A at GCSE. The biggest difference is the marking of spelling and punctuation - but pupils at that level tend to be pretty good anyway!

"I believe Mr Gove wants to ban them from state schools."

I think you've got that the wrong way round. They were banned ruin the Labour administration, but are beginning to creep in now. The big difference was the emphasis on final exams - this is set to lessen. Which a pupil finds "easiest" depends on the pupil and what they are prepared for.