Another question, are IGCSEs more difficult than GCSEs?

[iwanttolearn]

What si the difference between the 2 exams. I know that IGCSE is internationally recognised but it it more or less the same exam?

I think the iGCSEs are 100% exam, while most normal GCSEs have a coursework component.

My son took some IGCSEs last year. They are much nearer the standard of the old O levels and schools feel it means less of a jump from GCSE to AS level. As an aside I believe the grade boundaries are not as 'flexible' as they are in GCSEs.

I believe they are "more highly thought of" than GCSEs. Some private schools have decided to drop GCSEs and do IGCSEs instead, and say that the IGCSE is a more rigorous exam. Many people also do them with the "all exam, no marked coursework" version, which again is a different sort of test of people's ability (to do well in exams ) than GCSEs where you can get good marks for marked coursework and there can be a risk of, well, cheating on that part of the course.

I did IGCSEs, not sure if they are more difficult or not, but there was no coursework, or at least we did not coursework elements.

I thought it was more or less the same exam but with an international slant (e.g a maths problem requiring you to convert money into percentages may have used Dirhums or Liras instread of Pounds in the example).

Thank you for answering.

I'm considering taking German, maths, English, history, business studies, RE and biology. Should I be ok with those? Do the foreign language exams have a speaking part? Also for the German would there be literature or would it be only to test the language?

DS is doing Edexcel IGCSEs at the moment - there are also Cambridge ones which may be different.

He's doing French - there's no literature in it, and the exam has written and listening parts but no speaking test. I assume the German Edexcel GCSE would be the same, but you can find the full details on their website Edexcel IGCSEs

HTH