Public schools to 'drop' IGCSEs and IBAC- apparently?!

[LittenTree]

Someone posted something about this on another thread, but it was on the Times subscription so she couldn't link, but what was the gist of it? Why? What are they doing instead?

AS far as I'm aware my DS's school is not dropping the IGCSE and we don't do the IBAC but I understand from my SIL that Kings Wimbledon is dropping the IBAC.

Someone mentioned that to me, too. I doubt the article announced that 'all public schools, forthwith, are dropping IGCEs or IBACs' though, do you?

I was interested too, if only because 'a friend' was spouting to me a month or so ago how 'extraordinarily fantastic' it was that her DS's private only did IGCSEs, not those nasty, common GCSEs , but her DH butted in and said no, seeing as the school had just dropped their Entrance exam (for financial reasons) they said they would be offering 'a broader range of qualifications' for the subsequent 'less able'. Maybe that's what the article's gist was about?

Really? My DS school does IGCSE and I wasn't aware that they were dropping it.
A friend has just accepted a place at Kings Wimbledon for her DS purely because they do the IBAC, so they haven't told prospective parents of this change!

I don't think Kings College is dropping the IB, I think they are going to be offering both A levels and IB

They're not dropping the IB at KCS, but they are going to reintroduce A-levels alongside it, so students will have a choice.

Why? I thought the IB was considered a vastly superior qualification that unis were falling over?

IB does not suit everyone , eg one cannot do 3 sciences under IB .

My DD's indie school does iGCSE sciences and then IBAC in the VI form- as far as I know they are not dropping these- in fact they have had more pupils apply for their IBAC programme than ever before so I doubt they are thinking of dropping it.

As a KCS parent, I can safely say they aren't dropping the IBAC, just re-introducing A'levels as an alternative.

IB is great for all rounders but not so suitable for specialists. If a child is gifted at , say, Maths but not so hot at English then A levels would be a better option.

I hope my school aren't dropping IGCSE. If they are they haven't told me, and I'm the one teaching it.....

We do not teach IB, just A levels. For the reason squirrels said. Personally, I would have not enjoyed IB. I wanted to drop everything that wasn't science as soon as I could!

I'm not sure about dropping iGCSEs, but I think that now that GCSEs have gone linear, the reasons for choosing IGCSEs are less compelling. I imagine that teachers will be happy not to do controlled assessments as long as not detrimental to their students.

I must admit I thought the point of IGCSEs was that they aren't GCSEs! They allowed private schools to put clear water between themselves and the state schools.

Litten we swapped to IGCSE because the science GCSEs at one stage were so dumbed down it was getting silly. At that point state schools did not have the option. Now they can.

I don't think there is a big of a difference (or any) between GCSE and IGCSE in Science subjects as IGCSE proponents would make out.

The big distinction was modular vs linear, and that is now gone. Now the main difference is that the IGCSE does not have a controlled assessment based on a practical. Their equivalent is to have SC1 questions on the final exam paper.

MrsMeaner there was at the point we changed over. It wasn't just the modular nature, or the assessment, but the actual content.

This may have changed since, as I think the GCSEs are on their second tweak since we swapped.