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Original poster

GCSE's accumulative or prior knowledge.

28 replies

morethanpotatoprints · 12/09/2013 13:16

Just wondered how many subjects at GCSE are taken with dc having little or no prior knowledge. Or that the GCSE does not depend on knowledge gained throughout the secondary years.

I know Maths and English are because obviously what we learn from a young age has a bearing on these subjects.
But what other subjects are like this and which aren't.
I know and have heard of people gaining a GCSE in Art and Music without having any previous skills. The syllabus seems to support no prior knowledge.

I am interested in others experience and tia.

OP posts:
Original poster
morethanpotatoprints · 12/09/2013 13:46

That's interesting, as you would presume prior knowledge of language if studying at this level.

I wonder about History, Geography, as they are taught throughout school but how much of what they have learned previously at KS1, 2, 3 is relevant and required knowledge for GCSE.

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 12/09/2013 13:45

Well I guess any language can be done (provided you have done a language before)
Media Studies
Business Studies

Define previous skill /knowledge though. For history my DD is doing Medicne through time & American Wild West, neither of which she has any particular knowledge of.

Why are you interested?

Herisson · 12/09/2013 13:40

I think it's perfectly possible to do a language with no prior knowledge. I know plenty of people who did German, Russian or Ancient Greek at O Level with no prior knowledge. It's quite hard, though, and I suppose you'd have had to do at least some language learning before that to know you liked it and had an aptitude for it.