Easier exams in private schools counted in the same way as harder state school exams

[greentheme23]

I'm shocked by this

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/aug/24/private-schools-igcse-exams-easier-gcse-university-admissions?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

Yet another example of money triumphing over talent and hard work!

[RevealingIfYouMightBeStalked]

Oh god, Xenia, you kill me ! 😂😂😂

[RevealingIfYouMightBeStalked]

PS Did your ex ever reimburse you the school fees?

[ZandathePanda]

After DD’s primary school, her friends went to different types of school - selective/non-selective/private/comp/academy. I knew them all really well. Their year has just done A Levels. There were no surprises in the results bar a couple of them possibly did worse due to poor family situations. None of the schools did better or worse. The pupils who got good grades in year 6 got good grades in year 13. What is interesting is that A Level was the first year they all did the same qualifications so this comparison could be made.

[Musmerian]

This is nonsense. As an earlier poster said the reason most independents opted for these in the past is because they were more rigorous. My dept made the switch when controlled assessments were introduced as we could see how time consuming and pointless they were. Now we stick with them because they are more interesting educationally and offer a greater range of texts. Gove buggered the whole system- in English the set texts are very old fashioned and the exams are difficult in so far as they are box ticking and cramming too much into two years. Our A level results are outstanding and we think the IGCSE offers much better preparation. Blame Gove for moving the goalposts .

[Musmerian]

IGCSE English does have a coursework option. We do it because we think it’s good training and better reflects what they’ll have to do later on. All English A levels have a coursework component.

[CointreauVersial]

All I can say is....two years ago, DS was in danger of failing English Language GCSE, so his school put him (and other borderline pupils) through the iGCSE is addition to the regular GCSE.

He got an E in the GCSE, and a C in the iGCSE, thus avoiding the dreaded retake. He said it was the easiest exam he's ever taken.

[RevealingIfYouMightBeStalked]

musmerium it does make hard reading, doesn't it? 😉

[Sunndowne]

It has been said: 2 years ago IGCSE was a bit easier. Lots of state schools used it for lower ability. The exam then changed. From what I know both exams are on a par now.
Disclaimer- state school English teacher.

[Sunndowne]

Guardian story is very old news, am a bit surprised by it.

[areyoubeingserviced]

The new style GCSE English is definitely harder than the IGCSE. I don’t know how anyone can actually dispute this

[areyoubeingserviced]

Btw there is still a coursework option in IGCSE English. I know, because my ds will be taking it

[Sunndowne]

Well maybe it is, we don't offer it ( the igcse ) now. I understood they were bringing it to equal level with GCSE.

[fromwesttoeast]

Having analysed the exemplar scripts for AQA GCSE and Edexcel IGCSE English I would say that although the reading tasks appear easier on Edexcel, due to the anthology, the marking expectations are higher than for GCSE. This evens things up. The writing tasks are pretty much identical on the two exams.

[ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave]

The new style GCSE English is definitely harder than the IGCSE. I don’t know how anyone can actually dispute this

How do you know? iGCSE's have been reformed too. Most boards do both, they therefore cover pretty much the same curriculum, ust in a slightly different way. My DC's who have done both over a number of years, didn't do any coursework options (other than the old AQA GCSE English), and now they all seem pretty much the same.

If everyone did the same exams (which wouldn't actually be a bad idea, as it would stop this constant questioning) private schools would, in general and on a percentage basis, still outperform state schools. The grades would be pushed up, and it would be even harder for less able students to get the top grades.

[Pinktulipsarethebest]

I think there should only be one exam for each subject, different privately run boards should not be allowed.

[Namenic]

Agree with pinktulips. I don’t know if other countries have our crazy system of multiple exam boards

[Needmoresleep]

My understanding was that private schools opted for iGCSEs years ago at a point when there was constant chopping and changing, and lots of course work that could be manipulated.

IGCSEs were initially designed for overseas students. There are some quirks - no Shakespeare in the English Lit as it is not very relevant for a kid at an international school in the Gulf. My observation was that schools at the time were mainly interested in finding syllabuses that provided a good preparation for A level study. Some may be easier but I am sure the main attraction is the relative stability. Independent schools are independent and they can choose to stay out of English education politics.

There is now a continuing, slow and steady shift towards pre-U and IB rather than A level. Again because academic private schools are mainly interested in preparing their pupils for University level study. (And before someone whines there is also a continuing trend for those pupils to look outside the UK for University.) With many private schools still insisting that the majority of pupils take four A levels.

I almost feel sorry for state school pupils, having to share lecture rooms with private school pupils who clearly have no right to be there. I hope they float in on their moral high ground and ensure that their superiority is immediately obvious.

[ProfessorLayton1]

Not all private schools pick IGSEs. Dds school did not pick them.

We are friends with a lovely family who home educate their boys and their eldest is the same age as my youngest Dd and he will be doing IGSEs. I only came to know of it as the kids are of same age and we met up for lunch and some play in the park last week...
Just pointing out that most home Ed students do IGSEs apparently..

For the pp who asked about any other country having different exam boards - yes they do.

I was not educated in this country and was surprised to see IB being adopted whole heartedly when I asked about what my nieces and nephews are doing - most of them apply to universities in US, UK, Canada etc., in addition to the universities in their home country.

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

There is Shakespeare in the English lit at IGCSE.

[Drabarni]

Yes, Shakespeare is in English Lit and I think lang too, iirc. Mine is doing Macbeth.

[SalrycLuxx]

The all-new GCSEs are harder than IGCSEs. So I imagine most private schools will stick with the latter.

Doubt it. But independent schools don’t jump onto every new fad and use their students as guinea pigs. If the new GCSEs probe to actually harder, the independents will shift in order to keep being able to say their students perform excellently.

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

I went to state school and teaching was a low standard, kids didn’t care if they learned anything and bullied the kids who were ‘swots’, discipline was non existent, parents treated it as daycare.

It’s not private school kids ‘buying places’ - considering entrance exams can be very competitive that’s hardly correct - it’s slack arsed state schools.

You don’t improve things by pulling things down a level - only by raising it surely.

[SoupDragon]

There are some quirks - no Shakespeare in the English Lit as it is not very relevant for a kid at an international school in the Gulf.

I wonder why both DSs studied Romeo and Juliet then?

[sandybayley]

@SoupDragon - yes odd that both DS1 and DS2 did / are doing English Lit iGCSE and studied Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. How did that happen?