Could someone explain something about tiered GCSEs please?

[WilfShelf]

My DS has just started in Y7. I know I'm thinking ahead here but I want to know what to expect. He is very able in maths and is in the 'fasttrack' set I believe. They take various GCSEs early (I think they do one in Y9, one in Y10 and do some further maths in Y11 - or summat)

What is concerning me here is that someone I know said they do what they called a 'c' paper in one year, a 'b' paper in another year and 'the a' paper in Y11. Is it possible these are different approaches for different students in different sets? Or does it sound like the same thing?

The reason I am asking is I do not particularly want my DS to take a lower tier paper earlier if he has to effectively 'resit' it later or to take a higher tier paper earlier if he's going to get a lower grade than he could achieve later although if he continues current form hopefully this won't be an issue whenever he takes it...

I guess I should go and ask the head of maths but as I don't want to reveal my pushy parent colours too early, I thought I'd ask you lot if this is normal.

It sounds like your friend is talking about the modular GCSeE where they do 3 module exams throughout the course and these count towards their final grade. Some schools do this whereas others still doa traditional GCSe with the exam at the end. There are pros and cons to both and the Maths department will have made careful decision based on what they believe best suits their students. Some schools have some doing one and some the other to maximise grades.

Wait until parents evening and ask the teacher to talk you through it then and it won't seem so pushy.

They may well change what they offer in the next couple of years though, so even knowing what this years year 9, 10 and 11s have done isn't necessarily what they will offer your ds when he gets there.

I do agree with you completely that a top set shouldn't be doing any lower tier papers, even if taken early. Far better for the whole set to wait until they are all more or less guaranteed top grades on the full GCSE.

The lettered paper thing sounds a bit confusing, but the way you described it first sounds likely to be statistics GCSE in yr 9, maths GCSE in year 10 (or vice versa) and AS modules or equivalent level work in year 11 which doesn't sound unlikely (esp if it's a grammar or independent school).

My understanding was that it WAS the latter (maths y9, stats y10, then AS y11) but the comment of other parents has thrown me somewhat. I'm happy with this, as long as he can achieve the best grades he'd be capable of at any point up to y11...

Perhaps the 'a paper' (assuming this is tiered or modular levels) thing is a general approach, not for the G&T group?

Yes, I think best to wait till parents' evening .

He won't be doing lower tiered papers. It sounds like modular - where the highest grade you can get goes up as you do the harder stuff.

It sounds quite feasible that the non fasttrack groups might do modular over the 3 years Wilf, but I'd believe what the school tell you over the parent rumour mill.

My DD is doing a modular maths course but it also has tiers (in case you were all starting to relax!).

The lowere tier is aimed at students who are at the lower ability level in maths. The maximum that students can get on this tier is a grade C. The higher tier allows the full score to be achieved.

DD is listed as G&T for maths and took her first module in year 9.

It is worth asking the school which board(s) the school uses so that you can make yourself fully aware of what your DS will be doing.

I'm gonna have to ask him for a Venn diagram to explain it all aren't I?