GCSE exams

[birgittej]

Does anyone know if it is true that Private school children do not have to follow the new GCSE system?

Do you mean the new 1-9 grading system? If so, I'm afraid they do. GCSE exams are administered by Exam Boards that are external to the school system. Schools can pick which board to use for individual exams but the grading system is common across all of them.

Schools, state or private can choose to put their students through alternative assessments e.g. the international baccaluarate, which may have a different grading system.

They do have to follow the new system, but depending on which board they use, the syllabus can overlap for a while.
I know that ours have still been offering AS level where it was available and also A- E in some GCSE's.
So the dc had a mix of grades A-E and 9-1 in other subjects.
I'm sure most boards have swapped over for next year though.

Some private schools enter for iGCSE and some iGCSEs are continuing with A to U as their gradings. iGCSE is a different qualification to GCSE and is taken internationally hence retaining the grading. For some iGCSEs they are giving a 9-1 and a A* -U grade.

Have just checked the syllabus for igcse English / Lang Lit
Both are graded 9-1.
Not sure about other igcse's.

My DS is doing iGCEs ATM - 2 x English and maths are 1-9 this year, along with a few others. Some are changing next year, and the final lot the year after. I think that is the same with mainstream GCSEs too though?

No almost all GCSEs have changed this year except I think for textiles. They are having to do the new system with very little preparation.

As PPs have said, sometimes UK private (day and boarding) schools use IGCSEs, but I think even CIE are changing the grading system in the future for new specification. This year, my DD is doing a mix of IGCSE and GCSE (EdExcel) courses so will have some letter grades and some numbers.

Some international schools do not offer any 'British curriculum' exams, so an IB school has other markers for the end of MYP and US curriculum/Australian curriculum do not use GCSEs either.