Sitting maths GCSE early - how to approach

[bekindpls]

With the risk of being shot down, our DC is gifted but is at a school (v academic) where they don't agree with sitting kids early for GCSEs instead encouraging enrichment activities .

I do agree with this in principle, but would be very keen for DC to get ahead with the maths as they're a bit bored and I'd rather they did something useful than spending their time gaming (Minecraft) which is now the case - they race through all their HW usually.

Plus, and this is important, their sports commitments are expected to increase drastically from Y10/11, so we want to get one GCSE out of the way early if we can.

DC is a very fast learner and once told, will remember. Very able mathematician, particularly when it comes to logic/problem solving and usually get 100% or close to 100% in maths tests at school.

So, my question is - what is the best way to quickly (starting perhaps this Summer hols - don't worry, DC will have PLENTY of spare time to chill) to get DC to work through the GCSE curriculum?

I know there is a GCSE spec Someone mentioned Save My Exams?

Ideally I'd like an online resource where you can quickly work through the various topics, ideally AI powered to be able to focus efficiently on weaker areas (but that is probably asking for too much)!

To be clear, I wasn't passing comment on your dc's ability either way. I was merely saying in response to a pp that the fact of doing a GCSE early probably wouldn't be particularly impressive to a university because quite a lot of kids could do this if their schools/parents were inclined to encourage them down that route. There is nothing inherently difficult about math's GCSE in and of itself.

FWIW, I had a dd like yours - very bright and excelling in all areas of the curriculum. She probably could have done any one of her GCSEs a couple of years early, but instead did them alongside her peers while allowing plenty of time for her beloved extracurriculars. If your ds is as bright as you say he is, there is no need to worry about excessive pressure in Year 11 - he will take it all in his stride.

Most universities don't mind if you do your maths GCSE early. It is A levels that usually need to be taken in one sitting (particularly for med, vet, possibly Oxbridge/RG, and over-subscribed courses).

It also doesn't particularly matter if there is a gap between GCSE and A Level maths - this depends on the sixth form / college.

Some schools don't like pupils sitting GCSEs early because of the possible impact on their results/statistics and attainment-8 scores.

You will need to know the exam board and specification (because there are obviously several exam boards and each one has more than one specification).
CGP online videos and physical workbooks are good (if dull) - you will need to know the board & specification in order to purchase the correct ones.
Also do plenty of exam practice - all of the exam boards make their past papers, answers and marking guides available on their website (apart from the most recent sittings - which will be locked as schools use them for mocks). It is definitely worth working through as many as you can and also marking them yourself so that you get to know how the marks are gained.

Good luck with your decision.

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves
I don't think it would be exceptional particularly, I was more responding to the above posters who were saying it's considered as a negative by universities.

DC's sports commitments (sports bit niche and unfortunately not something that can be ramped up now to compensate, as someone suggested on here, it will be full on in Y11).

Intrigued to hear there is a sport even more niche than DD’s! Our’s is about as niche as they come. 😆 She wasn’t able to compete at the level she does now until 14 years old, but that doesn’t mean she was not able to train hard and compete albeit in a slightly different way. I’m quite surprised that there is a sport that can be done in a very intensive way in Yr 11 but not at all sooner. You were asking for advice as to how to keep your bright child from lazing around playing Minecraft, and my advice would still be to crack on with your sport. DD has backed off competition for this year, her GCSE year, because it simply isn’t fair to ask her to compete at her top level whilst also sitting exams. But she has put the work in earlier, so once her exams are finished she intends to get straight back into her sport.

I was just saying that DC is able learn things v quickly and retain it so I thought it would be an easy way to free up time for additional GCSEs

How? They'd still have to go to maths lessons. And if they're amazing at maths, they won't be spending much time on homework or revision.

The school is correct in its approach btw, don't overrule them, you'd be dropping them in a shit situation.

If your DC is also a great mathematician, they'd want to do maths and FM A-level. Doing those early is definitely an issue for universities, starting them in Y12 if you haven't done maths in ages because you sat your GCSE in Y8 would be pretty awful.

Just for clarification the maths GCSE would be sat in Y10, but, it seems it's not a good idea.

Yes DC is spending significant time on the sport already but we have seen, from others further up the years, that the sport is not one where you can tail off slightly during GCSEs (which I have definitely seen with my eldest kid's cohort; quite the opposite.

DC is very bright (naturally, not through us pushing or lots of extra tutoring!), slightly lazy so was just wanting to fill some hours in the Summer. I'd assumed that if DC had completed the core maths GCSE they could still join in the FM/AM classes, but maybe I was just being naive.

Not particularly fussed with 'impressing' unis but just keen to get a nice, relaxing Y11 (as I have an elder child who, although bright, it was still a bit of a slog, and most people didn't go away on hols etc). Just really wanted to capitalise on a summer of not much on, to result in a Y11 that's hopefully fairly straightforward.

To all those 'if DC is as bright as you say, they'll find it a breeze', don't realise that GCSEs regardless are quite full on from a school perspective. DC definitely never spends much time on HW or exam revision and does amazingly which is exactly why I thought we could get one 'out of the way' to chill a bit in Y11. I'm not looking to accelerate, DC will still socialise etc with their own year group.

Not particularly fussed with 'impressing' unis but just keen to get a nice, relaxing Y11

While I understand that desire, a slightly stressful year 11 isn't a bad thing you know. Developing resilience, and a sense of achievement from having a tough few months followed by a great set of results is quite empowering. Unless your kid has serious MH issues I wouldn't worry about a bit of exam stress.

I agree, I am not convinced that a relaxing Year 11 is particularly desirable. The jump from GCSEs to A-level is not insignificant, so coasting through Y11 without having to put too much effort in wouldn't really be a great thing.

I'd assumed that if DC had completed the core maths GCSE they could still join in the FM/AM classes, but maybe I was just being naive.
This relies on the Y12 maths lessons being on at the same time as Y11 maths lessons. This is extremely unlikely.

dont do it , it is stupid and pointless - very easy to get a high grade in maths GCSE if you sit it on its own, which is why it will be totally disregarded when GCSEs are looked at in applications later on in life

it is supposed to be full on, he is being assessed on how he copes with it being full on, taking GCSEs early to avoid a "full on" year 11 will count against him and make him look like he cant cope.

You are also likely to cut out a lot of options for him in year 12, as having a long gap with no maths will likely debar him from maths based A levels

DH is a private tutor in Maths and has a year 7 on a grade 9. He is very against him sitting early. There’s myriad of reasons but ultimately it’s bad for the school and for the child. Best to play the game.

Similar to @thesugarbumfairy, 30 years ago my top set maths class did GCSE maths in year 10 (4th year seniors in old money!). It was intermediate level and the highest grade we could achieve was C (everyone in the class bar one poor lad achieved the C).
Then, in year 11, we did higher level which gave us the opportunity to get grades A, B etc. I got a C in both papers, albeit one was at the higher level.
On my CV, I count them as 2 separate GCSEs.

On my CV, I count them as 2 separate GCSEs.

You can't do that!

I'd choose a different subject other than maths.

yes, you might, but no one else does

Both my DDs did gcse maths in year 10 (the top 2 sets did I think). Then in year 11 they did an algebra qualification (which was much better preparation for A level). But the school stopped doing this after DD2 did hers - I think the rules were changed over the way GCSEs were counted for the league tables so it disadvantaged the school if maths was not sat in year 11.

Your DS will still have to attend their Maths lessons with their class - schools don’t in general have facilities fir a single child to ‘be supervised somewhere else’ during a core subject (A levels are different but at GCSE in-school independent study sessions are not the norm). Just think how boring it would be.

I see a lot of value in bright DC having a more relaxed, discursive and exploratory KS3, where they aren’t pushed to their max in everything and they have time to mess around a bit. It gives them a chance to find out, from the wider possibilities at secondary, what they enjoy in terms of clubs, sport, music, socialising etc.

I have DC at a similar school, and I would suggest instead chatting to the Maths teacher about extension work. But it may be that your DC is happy doing little in Maths and the teacher sees no need to push them if their natural interest isn’t there. If you do want to push, then you would need to get your DC on board.

Exactly - a non-school subject or s new language or a musical instrument or a drama course leading to a play or even a practical skill would be a much more productive way of studying during the 6 week holiday than getting ‘ahead’ in Maths.

exactly, something based on what you DC would enjoy - any of these, or here are some more ideas - coding, cookery, astronomy, a new sport, outdoor education courses - eg shelter building, fire building, etc, voluntary work, join a choir, conservation, local politics, etc

another major disadvantage to doing maths early is that what if he doesn't get the 9? He will have to declare his grade on every application for the rest of forever. It looks pretty poor on a UCAS application to have early GCSEs with low grades, even worse than with high grades, which still dont look great, tbh

even if he resits it later and does better, he will still always have to declare that as resit

@Nimbostratus100 @TeenDivided I have two separate certificates from two separate years in two separate subjects of Higher Maths and Intermediate Maths 🤷🏽‍♀️ I’m in my mid 40s so I doubt anyone gives a flying either way at this stage lol.

but it s not two GCSEs, it is one, which was retaken, but it doesn't matter, if you are saying what it is - it only matters if you are giving a number, and count this twice, ie 10 GCSEs instead of 9. which would be fraud, obviously,

Higher and intermediate maths aren’t different subjects, they are the same subject with different tiers of entry. Your GCSE certificate won’t say what tier you entered, just the grade.