What is A "Foundation" GCSE?

[CDMforever]

DS is in Year 9 and starting to do a few GCSE/Foundation GCSEs. We hardly ever get any communication from his school whatsoever .

Are they like the old CSEs??

They are GCSE courses where the maximum grade is C.

I see, so how do they decide which children do which exam? Is it done on ability?

The teachers decide, I believe. It will be based on how well they do in class work and homework, and in their mocks. The Higher papers only go down to a D or E, so easy for a weak student to miss out on a grade all together.

If you are boarderlin D/C student you're more likely to get a C doing a foundation paper

don't know about GCSE but here in Scotland a foundation "standard Grade" is for less academic students who would struggle to get and a or a b at standard grade.

They as already mentioned just a lower paper with the highest grade that can be achieved is a C. However, on the actual GCSE certificate it just says the grade not that you sat the foundation paper. Odd that the school even mentions it in year 9.

It is important to remember that some sixth forms would want to see a B or above in a subject that may be studied at A level, or certain college courses.

It is a shame that these things are sometimes decided with at least 2 years before the exam is to be sat. A lot can happen in those 2 years and for some students, they can really move forward at a pace and be able to sit the higher paper.

Foundation level is great for some, but everyone shoule be aware of the consequences of doing them and then requiring a higher grade for further ed.

Thanx all. I'm going to see my DS's Head of House this week to have a chat about this and other things.

londonmackem, My DS's school (like many other local schools it seems) allows its students to sit their GCSEs much earlier, because ( I think) they can then re-sit again and again to get the highest grade possible for them and < donning cynical head> the school

The change in the GCSE system means that resits will have all but disappeared. There will be a single opportunity for a November resit in English and Mathematics only.

So adults won't ever be able to sit a GCSE in Maths and English ever again? What about Goves intention that no one gives those subjects up until they pass them or are 18 (whichever comes first?)

They would have to start from scratch and not carry over results from their controlled assessments or other papers.