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.

I know both of mine did iGCSEs for the three sciences. Both went on to do at least one science at A level. They both said that the students that joined their 6th forms from state schools had not studied stuff for GCSE that they had, and they had to redo the stuff to catch them up.

Many of the (standard) A levels have a large chunk of coursework forming a significant part of the final grade.
Should probably stop that.

My kids did a mix of standard and iGCSEs. Their exam timetables were the same as their state school friends.
There are two main providers of iGCSEs -: Cambridge and Edexcel ((Pearson), so maybe that makes a difference. Mine did Edexcel.

From what I’ve seen IGCSE has two 2 hour papers, both calculator allowed where GCSE has three 1.5 hour papers, one non-calc and two calc. So for students who struggle with the non-calc stuff, IGCSE would be easier in that respect.

There are slight differences in syllabus but only in topics that would be taught in Y10/11 anyway, so your DC won’t have missed out on any teaching there.

I think with with AI coursework will surely be dead in the water anyway.

You are extremely aggressive Izzy suggest you get yourself a coffee! Dont see why I am a hypocrite particularly for daring to question the differences I have anecdotally observed between state and private gcses!

I think with with AI coursework will surely be dead in the water anyway.

While I agree AI brings issues, I think it vanishingly unlikely that CW will disappear as an option. Some uni degrees can be completed without a single exam and to remove that offer would seriously disadvantage many students. My dd loves a long challenging essay assignment; otoh ds2 performs much better in a pressurised exam situation.

CW was controversial at GCSE bc it was abused by some teachers and I think removing some of it was a good idea, tho I don’t think it was well thought out and I agree with posters on another thread who say that GCSE exams fail to consider Sen such as ND. I don’t know enough about how it works in IGCSE to give a considered opinion. There isn’t any in a lot of subjects inc mine (MFL).

OP - my dd moved in Year 10 from a state comp doing Edexcel GCSE to an indie doing Edexcel IGCSE. She was/is top set in both, and her grandmother who is a secondary maths teacher supported her with the transition.

Specifically for maths (and I don't disagree that some other IGCSEs do seem to have a smaller content set) her grandmother says the IGCSE goes VERY slightly further and is more 'pure maths' and fewer word problems. It was her hardest transition subject, because the syllabus did contain different things, and actually I think the state school teaching was better (she didn't move because of that!) Also the calc/non calc thing as others have noted, but it doesn't really make it easier as there are lots of questions where it really isn't about having a calculator.

I would suggest that you identify what bits of the syllabus have already been taught in your Ds's current school and ask in which order they are taught in the indie. But year 9 is a much easier transition than year 10 on this so I doubt there will be an issue.

Only weighing in here because we have experienced this particular difference first-hand - DD1 did the Edexcel GCSE two years before DD2 and DD2 is taking hers now. Easier/harder is a moot point on this stuff. Mainly they are just different.

Good luck

Thank you for all the messsges, I am reassured that my DC will be fine with the transition in y9 from State to Private with regard to iGCSE maths and that as he and all DCs start at y9 / 13+ there will be no obvious difference. With languages (German for him) I’m not concerned as it’s GCSE and not iGCSE and he’s been following this for the last 2 years and at current school he’s on higher paper trajectory.

I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever tbh. I didn't even know that my kids had studied 'ICGSEs' at their (very academic) private school until recently. The school/pupils/parents just called them 'GCSEs' and it had no bearing on university applications or anything. Really nothing to worry about!