DS moving state to private Y9 this September - how different is Maths iGCSE syllabus to Math GCSE

[Floatingthrough]

Insight from parents who have moved DC from state to private in Y9 with regard to maths going from Key Stage 3/GCSE syllabus to a iGCSE syllabus. Is there anything to be worried about given that DS is on a higher level maths trajectory of at least a grade 7 in his state setting.

Wow well you had better tell all the T Levels, EPQs, V Certs and vocational qualifications that they shouldn't be doing NEAs then. I mean just because you think that obviously has a greater weight than all the professionals employed to write, assess, mark and assure qualifications etc. As for dissertations, that's just coursework too you know. Don't see any universities scrapping those!
Like I said, Labour are proposing to bring in more coursework too with the curriculum changes.

So it would be an issue if a child did bog standard GCSEs and moved abroad ? Can’t be right. Surely the whole point of public exams is that everyone is tested to the same standard whether you’re at Eton or Bash Street comp? Otherwise what is the point?

our DS is doing IGCSE maths and no sign of any coursework.
You won't have any problems in maths joining in year 9. You may find a gap in languages.

" IGCSEs are subject-based qualifications,
usually taken over a two-year period and assessment
takes place at the end of the course. Schools worldwide
have been involved in the development of Cambridge
IGCSE. The syllabuses are international in outlook, but
retain a local relevance. They have been created
specifically for international students avoiding cultural
bias"

Sorry but my eyes are being opened have a teen doing GCSEs right now and it’s baffling how different her private school friends timetables are to hers. We’ve been arranging holiday dates with other families hence the comparison and Dd has WAY more exams than their daughters!

They are the same standard as GCSEs.

The majority of independent schools mix and match IGCSEs with GCSEs though. Very few exclusively do iGCSEs

Hmmm. Surely it undermines the standardisation of everyone being tested to the same standard having this pick and mix approach by some schools.

Not really when they are equivalent standard. It's just they writing of them differs slightly. They are still regulated same as GCSEs

Talk of iGCSEs being easier and used by private schools to increase grades is ridiculous. They are the exact same standard as regular GCSEs and are moderated accordingly.

My DD does iGCSE maths (higher) and the only real difference is that it includes calculus whereas “normal” GCSEs do not. The school doesn’t offer further maths at GCSE maths so they chose the syllabus to give those hoping to study at A-level a bit of a head start in its absence.

Sounds like igcses are harder for maths then good Dd needs all the help she can get with maths we do not need calculus in
our lives.

So it's OK for iGCSEs to be harder, but not easier?
How is that OK when you said "Surely the whole point of public exams is that everyone is tested to the same standard whether you’re at Eton or Bash Street comp?"
So if they are harder surely you wouldn't support that because it's not the same standard?

Well if they are the same as you say there’s no issue is there?! I still think it adds confusion and potential inequality to have different exams. Undermines the whole point of “all in the same boat” public exams.

You spent 4 posts claiming it was all "unfair" because 1 uninformed poster claimed they were easier, but now a PP has said they could be harder your answer is "good". At least be consistent.

I am consistent in that it sows confusion and potential inequality to have pick and mix exams. I don’t like it and would not allow it but it’s not up to me. But if it benefits my kid - great I guess.

So you're happy with inequality if it benefits your kid? But not if it benefits other kids?
It really doesn't sow confusion if you take 5 mins to research IGCSEs.

In any case @TheaBrandt1 there is already a pick and mix approach with GCSEs – there are several different boards whose specs differ slightly; within (for example) English lit there is a range of texts – some of which are seen as easier, some may be chosen bc a teacher has extra knowledge of that text – J&H for example is a challenging text IMHO tho it is shorter so that may be helpful. A student in MFL AQA can pick the first topic they talk about. In history there is a huge choice of topics. In most exams there will be choices for the students to make as to which questions they choose to answer. It’s to give schools and students some options to achieve the best results for students.

IGCSEs as already said by me and others are not “easier” – how could that be in blanket terms anyway? They are different specs and as such differ to some degree from GCSEs. For some subjects there are large differences, for others not so much.

what are you on about? Did you read my last post? I support a standardised exam for everyone where is that supporting inequality?

I didn’t research was told by a teacher teaching both how much easier the igcse eng lit course is.

We need all the help we can get with maths !

Anyway chemistry today good luck everyone whatever the exam board 💪

All regulated exams are already standardised! Get rid of different exam boards, options of texts then too within GCSEs!

You were kicking off earlier because you thought that iGCSEs were easier ie others had advantage over your child as you compared her exam timetable. As soon as it was made clear that iGCSE maths could be harder than GCSE because of calculus, your response was "good". So you are against advantage when you feel other kids get it but not when your own child gets it.

But that’s bollocks. State schools can choose GCSEs from two or more exam boards - most commonly AQA or Edexcel. Therefore there already is no standardisation. Also some pupils live and work in countries other than the UK and iGCSE is helpful to them. Just because it doesn’t ’sound right to you’ means fuck all.

They are the same level of ‘hardness’. IGCSE content tends to remove UK bias (prob not important for maths) and usually has less or zero coursework making it reliant on the final exam so potentially more difficult anyway for those who don’t do well in exams and prefer coursework.

State schools have to choose GCSEs. Independent schools have greater flexibility and tend to go for the exams where the teacher prefers that syllabus.

Our local private school do IGCSE and WJEC depending on the abilities of the individual child.

Yes of course I am for advantaging my own child?! Who isn’t?! Presumably anyone shelling out for private school has no difficulty with that concept ! Of course exam boards are different but having entirely different GCSEs entirely seems odd to me for what is supposed to be generalised public exam. Is it like the baccalaureate is for A level?

Ds is doing igcse maths higher at the moment, he's done paper 1 already. It's harder than standard GCSE maths according to his maths tutor (who teaches in a state school). The first few questions are fine then there is a sudden leap up to much harder questions. But transferring over at year wouldn't be an issue.

Difference is I'm not a hyocrite about it