“Avoid” GCSEs for extremely bright DD?

[TeensMom]

DD is extremely bright, but also very driven and cut-throat competitive.

DH was educated overseas and can’t understand why we would drag DD through the mill of GCSEs, originally designed as an exit exam for school leavers, at a time when she could be continuing to learn new topics (rather than spending months rote-learning topics she’s already covered) and developing her critical thinking and debating/essay writing skills.

I devoted Years 8 to 11 to a self-imposed 16 hours a day 365 days a year regime to ace my GCSEs, which paid off in my grades, but took away four of my teenage years and left me entering Year 12 without the social skills or maturity to negotiate my sixth form friendships and settle down to study my ‘A’ level courses.

After an emotionally disastrous 13+ Scholarship term (got one, failed 2, best friend got both she applied for and didn’t fail any), we can see that competition with her school friends over anticipated GCSE grades (all aiming for 10 or 11 grade 9s) will be extremely destructive for her self-esteem and is likely to lead to an eating disorder, self-harm or worse.

We’re considering taking her out of the British system and instead sending her to a well-regarded international school nearby, where her first public exam would be the IB in Year 13.

Any advice from other families who have been in a similar position or anyone involved with university applications in the UK, Europe or USA?

I devoted Years 8 to 11 to a self-imposed 16 hours a day 365 days a year regime to ace my GCSEs, which paid off in my grades, but took away four of my teenage years and left me entering Year 12 without the social skills or maturity to negotiate my sixth form friendships and settle down to study my ‘A’ level courses.

Dear lord why on earth did you do that? And which adults allowed this to happen? I don’t know anyone who gave up sport and socialising for GCSEs.

As long as she’s not planning on working in the U.K…..cos you can’t even get an apprenticeship job without maths and English passes…..but if she plans to work abroad won’t be an issue I guess

That's only Maths and English, not the whole set of 10 GCSEs.

Maths GCSE is very easy and can be done independently, especially if you study for IB.

Not at all true - plenty of people work in this country with alternative qualifications (myself included).

I think your parents failed you by allowing that to happen….mine passed GCSEs and still had great social lives with friends and took part in activities and hobbies….and started yr 12 as well rounded kids with loads of social skills.
someone fucked up with you OP

I devoted Years 8 to 11 to a self-imposed 16 hours a day 365 days a year regime to ace my GCSEs, which paid off in my grades, but took away four of my teenage years and left me entering Year 12 without the social skills or maturity to negotiate my sixth form friendships and settle down to study my ‘A’ level courses.

If she’s extremely bright she won’t need to do any of that. I’m not even extremely bright and got all A*s by working hard in lessons and doing the homework as I went along, had a weekend job in year 11 and a totally normal social life.

Alternative being relevant. Eg functional skills at level 2. Reqs are usually GCSE or equivalent. Some competitive places ask only for GCSEs.

@TeensMom what does your dd want to do?

@Rummikub - are you suggesting some of the most competitive places only hire UK grads if they will only take GCSEs? Walk into any top office and there will be plenty of immigrant workers who can prove otherwise.

Those immigrant workers will have equivalent GCSEs from their home country.

Their HR must be beyond stupid 🤦‍♀️

GCSEs and A levels are fairly easy if you’re bright. IB is actually more of a challenge. She might like the challenge but it’s not an option to take if you want her to work less rather than more. Also bear in mind that U.K. unis are not so well tuned to the IB and set the bar higher comparatively than for A levels.

@Ubertomusic

The IB diploma requires you to take 7 subjects, i think three at higher level.

You also have to do theory of knowledge. Each subject has a piece of coursework as well.

There's a lot of work involved.

maths and a "home" language (usually english french or spanish) are compulsory.

maths is either pure or applied, either of which can be taken at standard level or higher level,

higher level pure maths has more but different content to maths a level. in particular in maths a level you have to study mechanics which the IB put in physics not maths. the IB higher pure is all the pure in maths a level and half of further maths a level.

many people applying for a maths degree in the UK will have done maths and further maths a level which goes a long way beyond IB maths.

i worked at an IB school and we used to run an additional course to top up the missing bits.

OP is just yet another troll 😁

My DC got to a British uni with American SATs, no one was interested in their GCSE 🤷‍♀️

I don’t think it would be a good idea if she only does what is it 3 or 4 A levels - that’s going to be a lot of subjects she’s not going to have any formal qualifications in.

Also she may be extremely bright but so are lots of people who she’ll be competing with for Uni places and with no GCSEs she’ll be less of a good candidate than them.

in addition the exam practice is valuable.

Of course overseas students get into British Unis without GCSEs. They can charge them a lot more.

World of difference between a UK student with no GCSEs and an overseas student with overseas qualifications.

Indeed - but a UK student with IB and a uni degree will be perfectly employable, is our point. GCSEs are no longer the gold standard in our increasingly globalised workforce.

Thanks for your reply - yes, I know IB is much broader education which I personally prefer though DC is not doing IB yet. I was mostly surprised at maths not being suitable for UK uni, I find it hard to believe as IB is popular in Asia and they are much much better at STEM than us.
Got your point about mechanics and pure maths HL overlapping FM A Level.

They cover 6 subjects at IB, not 3. Obviously somebody studying maths as one of six subjects isn’t going to cover as much depth as somebody studying maths and further maths as two of their 3 Alevels (and often physics as their third subject, ie even more maths).

That doesn’t mean it isn’t hard to do well in - one IB subject goes into greater depth than half an Alevel, so over the six subjects it is more work overall.

GCSE or equivalent. The American. SATS are equivalent.

The Ucas form lists many international quals.

We are British and had been resident for three years so home fees with American SAT that DC took with no prep whatsoever at an exam centre in the UK.

NO - very bad idea. GCSEs are the broad basic qualifications always required and not really difficult if in a good school.

You are projecting a lot of stuff onto your daughter. I would suggest supporting her with any actual issues that arise rather than uprooting her in order to prevent imaginary problems.

As PP said, IB pure maths HL covers A Level maths and half of A Level FM so they can in fact cover more in depth even doing wider range of subjects.

I wouldn't be pulling a fragile 16 year old with poor self esteem and MH issues out of a school system and friendship group she's settled in just to avoid exams. It'll look like you don't think she's capable.

I'm assuming the former as doing less well in GCSEs is expected to send her into a mental health crisis of EA / self harm.

I'd leave her where she is, make sure she ISN'T revising how you did and focus on what therapy / support you can put in place to help with her self esteem issues.