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Original poster

Reducing KS3 to 2 years - what do you think?

32 replies

ptangyangkipperbang · 20/05/2010 23:02

DS's school has announced that they are moving to a 2 year KS3 and a 3 year KS4 to "maximise the learning opportunities for our students and fully embrace the personalising learning agenda to meet our students' needs".

This means that at least one GCSE will be taken in Year 9. It means that students going into 6th form will have external exams for 5 years in a row.

It also means that options will be chosen in Year 8. DS had a careers session today and he was only 12 last week!

I don't really see what the thinking behind it is and suspect it could be to boost league table results but am prepared to be corrected on that!

What do you think?

OP posts:
Tanga · 20/05/2010 23:21

There have been massive changes to core subjects to open up education to offer all kinds of 'pathways' to qualifications - 1, 2, and 3 year courses, early entry, modular courses...

Starting KS4 early means more opportunities to do the best you can, as students can redo controlled assessment and modular units. Major exams taken this way would be staggered, hopefully reducing the massively stressful all or nothing exam period.

TBH can't really see how parents who choose schools on the basis of league tables can then complain about schools seeking to maximise their league table status...

The subject skills are the same; in many ways this simply means that good work achieved in Year 9 can 'count' towards final results.

But obviously bow to Eviltwins superior and in-depth analysis of eduactional polcy as 'bullshit'

Original poster
ptangyangkipperbang · 20/05/2010 23:20

It just seems to devalue GCSE's even more. Soon it will be the norm to have at least 12. The goalposts always seem to be moving.

One good thing I can see is that "...students will be entered (for exams) when they are ready, rather than when they reach a particular age".

OP posts:
EvilTwins · 20/05/2010 23:17

I would be wary of it. Taking GCSEs in Yr 9 is a lot of pressure, and also the amount of academic development, let alone emotional development, between Yr 9 and Yr 11 is immense. Would students be allowed to retake exams taken in Yr 9, for example, if they got C or B grades in Yr 9 but would be capable of getting As or A*s in Yr 11? And why does anyone need three year's worth of GCSEs? Getting 15 GCSEs really isn't necessary.

Sounds like a lot of pressure on the DCs, IMO.

timeforaholiday · 20/05/2010 23:14

Some friends have children doing this, and they seem to be thriving - will come out with a packet of GCSEs and can drop subjects they really don't like a bit sooner. May lead to some choices that they will later regret however....

Original poster
ptangyangkipperbang · 20/05/2010 23:14

Just more waffle:

"Students will have a much wider choice of subjects that suit their ability and interests, and we hope to provide a curriculum that is even more engaging and motivating, leading to improved enjoyment and achievement at all levels".

OP posts:
EvilTwins · 20/05/2010 23:11

I mean, other than the bullshit about maximising stuff and fully embracing other stuff?

EvilTwins · 20/05/2010 23:10

Sounds like utter madness. Have they exaplained why?