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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

iGCSE / Edexcel/ AQA

42 replies

gillybeanz · 16/02/2017 16:59

Are these harder, considered more rigorous than normal GCSE?
Can anyone say how they are different.
Am panicking as whilst not choosing options until next year, have one who isn't the brightest.

Also, what's the difference between IGCSE, Edexcel, or AQA.

OP posts:

Iamastonished · 16/02/2017 23:26

"My dd will freak out she was told that single science was one GCSE a mix of all 3 sciences. Whereas double was 2 GCSE"s covering all 3 sciences."

Currently the single science is called core science and covers unit 1 of all three sciences. Additional science covers unit 2 of all three sciences. Students taking triple science also do unit 3 of all three sciences. I don't think single science was an option at DD's school, but I believe that some students took BTECs instead of GCSEs.

At DD's school they sat unit 1 at the end of year 10 - three exams, and unit 2 at the end of year 11 - three more exams. The triple science students sat 9 science exams (units 1, 2 and 3) at the end of year 11.

DD sat her GCSEs last year, so I don't know if the science exams will be any different now.

Original poster

gillybeanz · 16/02/2017 22:41

What will happen to those who can't do double science?
My dd will freak out she was told that single science was one GCSE a mix of all 3 sciences. Whereas double was 2 GCSE"s covering all 3 sciences.

Iam it offers double but not triple. In fairness it's very narrow for options and you know this from the offset.

Can private schools keep single science or will they have to follow suit.

I promised dd we'd have a chat about school and thoughts for future options, think I'll leave it now
Very interesting posts.
Sorry to be dim, but what does linear mean

OP posts:

titchy · 16/02/2017 22:12

No you can't generalise across exam boards. I was under the impression that iGCSE doesn't count for progress 8 and so state schools don't do them, I may have misunderstood though. GCSE and iGCSE will both be marked on the 9-1 scale by the time your dd takes them. All are linear with no controlled assessment components, except for languages, practical subjects (music, art etc). Single science will no longer exist.

Progress 8 is a measure of how well the school has done in getting their students 8 GCSEs within a basket of subjects at grades that show progress from year 6 SATS.

Clavinova · 16/02/2017 21:31

I understood that a number of state schools were caught out 3/4 years ago because they only entered candidates for the IGCSE English Language exam (considered to be easier/more straightforward than GCSE English Language at the time) but didn't enter the same candidates for the IGCSE English Literature (considered to be harder than GCSE at the time) - the Government thought these schools were 'gaming' the system and refused to count the English Language qualification for the league tables because they hadn't entered both exams.

Original poster

gillybeanz · 16/02/2017 21:22

What's progress 8 score? Is it something about students having reached 8 levels?
It's a long time since my older dc did GCSE"s and they were sink estate state schools, obviously not offering IGCSE's.
I will be talking to school nearer the time and might be jumping the gun a bit, but would certainly like to understand the recent changes and developments, understanding how she will cope.
I'm not worried about the support she'll get, more her capability iyswim.

Question: Can you generalise about boards like AQA tend to do x,y whilst EDexcel do xyz etc or does it really vary depending on subject.

Thanks for all the responses.
I'm glad English is easier and the coursework element sounds better than all exam.

OP posts:

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 16/02/2017 21:13

This year will be the first year with closed book literature @clavinova

Iamastonished · 16/02/2017 21:12

Last year's iGCSE maths was considered to stretch the more able at DD's school. Only the top performers in the top sets took iGCSE maths. Out of 27 students 26 achieved A* and the other student achieved an A.

gillybeanz when you say single science do you mean just one of the science subjects? Doesn't the school offer double and triple science?

Clavinova · 16/02/2017 21:11

How many years has GCSE English Literature been closed book?

poisonedbypen · 16/02/2017 21:06

Sorry i meant to say igcse English easier

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 16/02/2017 21:06

It definitely counted on iGCSE for longer than it did on GCSE. I don't know if it still does though. Most state schools won't touch iGCSE English as it would decimate their progress 8 score.

Clavinova · 16/02/2017 20:57

Cambridge IGCSE English appears to have been updated as well - the new specification is graded 9-1. Contrary to what you read on the other thread I don't think the speaking and listening component has counted towards the final exam mark for several years - it's just recorded on the certificate as pass/merit/distinction.

Original poster

gillybeanz · 16/02/2017 20:50

I was hoping somebody would say they were easier.
Science is not my dd strong point, she will be able to choose single, but even this will worry her if it's really hard.

It's good to hear that English may be easier though, anybody know about the History and Geography Edexcel IGCSE?

OP posts:

Clavinova · 16/02/2017 20:44

Cambridge IGCSE science is considered to be very hard simply because of the sheer volume of material that needs to be learnt for the linear exams; the revision books in WHSmith are noticeably thicker than the rest.

poisonedbypen · 16/02/2017 20:35

Yes, iGCSE is generally thought to be easier. Science harder, i think but maybe not harder than the new GCSEs, I don't know.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 16/02/2017 20:27

English isn't harder. If anything, compared to the new specifications it's easier.

Original poster

gillybeanz · 16/02/2017 17:51

Thanks ATruth

It was another thread that prompted me to ask.
My dd school do a mix of all three so I wondered about the differences.

Science is Cambridge IGCSE
Maths is Edexcel
History and Geography are Edexcel IGCSE
German/French AQA
English Cambridge IGCSE
Drama Edexcel.

I'm worried that for the compulsory English and Science, being IGCSE they may be harder than GCSE.

OP posts:

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 16/02/2017 17:03

Aqa / Edexcel are exam boards. Neither is particularly considered harder than others.

iGCSE is a different qualification to gcse. It's not generally offered by state schools as it doesn't count in league tables.

Unless you're home schooling, you're unlikely to need to choose between exam boards or between iGCSE and gcse. Those are decisions made by the schools on behalf of the whole cohort.

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