Fast-tracking language GCSE

[dollybird]

Have found out that my DS (and probably DD) will be fast-tracked and taking his French GCSE in year 9. Just wondered if many other schools do this and what people's thoughts are on it? I don't think DS would want to continue with French to A-level so I don't think the 'no French for two years' is necessarily a concern, and it would free him up to do another subject in year 10/11. It just all feels a bit soon as he's only just started year 8 and both DC would still be 13 when taking these GCSE's

My sons' school fast tracks gifted linguists who take GCSE in Y9 or Y10. Students taking the exams early all get A*. They then start AS or other development work in Y10/Y11 to ensure that they are well placed to continue with languages in 6th form should they so wish. I can see little point in fast tracking students who are not likely to get high marks, and it seems counter intuitive to fast track students who are good at a subject and then allow them to drop it altogether for two years.

Problem is the dismally low expectations of linguists in the UK educational system. Those with talent - especially those who have started languages in primary school - can easily be at GCSE level by the time they are 13 or 14 (or earlier) ....

DD2s did this and it really annoyed me. She was forced to do Spanish and RS in year 9. She is dyslexic and got a grade B - due to over generous marking by teacher IMO. She had Spanish every day and woke up at 6am to memorise words 4 days a week for the daily test. I hired a tutor for 18 months. All she learned was parroting stuff and very little understanding. DD1 did French at the end of year 11 and could speak it reasonably well after 5 years of secondary learning.

I wish dd's school did this as it will be tricky for her to take 3 languages at GCSE and 2 at A level otherwise. She's already done French for over 6 years.

DD's school (she is now Year 12) didn't fast track for any subject, which I thought was a good thing. I was asked to sign a petition asking for maths to be available to top set pupils at the end of Year 10. I refused.

Have found out that my DS (and probably DD) will be fast-tracked and taking his French GCSE in year 9

If the entire cohort gets Astar at GCSE and those that go on to do A level get Astar as well, then great.

Otherwise, what's the point? There's no such thing as "a B in year 9". There are just Bs.

I don't see the benefit to the child in doing this. There is no reason for them not to continue the language until yr11, the school could broaden their vocabulary & grammar knowledge beyond what is needed for GCSE if they have covered everything to a high standard in 3 years.

Our secondary has all the pupils who are sitting 'home' languages (whether taught in the school, or simply the school agree to enter them) in year 10 (to get them out of the way of the main round, I think).

I think that the best linguists might also do French/Spanish a year early and somehow fit in another language GCSE, but as that doesn't apply to mt DC I don't quite understand how that works.

IIRC nearly all entrants get A*/A.

It is easy with a good teacher and students who do their homework to get an A after 2 years of study - my DS is starting two languages ab initio - Spanish and Russian and the class is expected to get A in the GCSE Based on previous cohorts is perfectly achievable, and the school would not do this if they thought the students would be disadvantaged.

My dd2 didn't start French until y9 and got an A* in y11 - so after 3 years work. BUT it depends what level the teaching and learning is at for those 3 years! I do think that end of y9 is just too young for most kids in most subjects.

DS has done French since year R although admittedly only about half an hour a week, but DD has started German in year 7 and she will still be fast-tracked. They fast-track the top 5 streams. I've been a bit sceptical about the streaming as, just because you're good at maths and english doesn't mean you're good at languages or music for instance. Presumably though, after a year doing secondary level French, the teachers have a better idea if they are reasonably good at it.

Are AS levels continuing? I thought I saw something which suggested they aren't, so could a child who got a good GCSE pass in year 9 still carry on at A-level in years 10/11?

I did German in 3 years, and got an A (no A*'s then!), a better grade than in French which I'd done for longer.

As a languages teacher I would love to have the opportunity to give the Dc a thorough immersion in the language and culture. As time is too limited to do that, I am pleased to see those who are interested being given the opportunity to study languages even for just a short period of time, They can go on to develop these if they wish, or not - far better than not having that opportunity.
And certainly in French, I see no difference in the DC who have studied for years, and those have not.
In fact often the former are bored stiff by endlessly covering the same material.

arent there any less useful gcses he could 'fast track'? like RE? design tech? food tech? art?
there are about 8 i can think of that i would 'fast track' ie do quickly and as if they have no importance

I think it's a shame. My daughter in particular has enjoyed the longer immersion in a language, which has allowed her to take some enjoyable diversions with some enthusastic teachers. It has helped give her an interest in French which may well last a lifetime and has made her good friends across the Channel. That's what language learning should be about, not just exams.

DS did French GCSE in year 10 after starting from scratch in year 7. He got an A*, as did nearly all his set, but that was with the now-abolished modular style GCSE, where they could take some of the sections several times over the year and basically pick their best mark to submit. It also seemed to be possible to basically write some of the material for the oral in advance and learn it by rote to regurgitate in the exam. He did it, but he couldn't speak/read/write French to anything like the level I could for O-level back in the day…

I did Russian O-level from scratch in one year in the 6th form and passed, but forgot it all almost immediately.

I suppose if all you want is another GCSE pass/A*, then fine, but rushing through it was not good in terms of actual language learning, in my opinion.

I can still recite my son's ten topics for the French speaking exam pretty well verbatim.

Actually, I can still 'do' quite a lot of his Latin and Geography GCSEs too. I should have taken the Latin myself.

I wonder how many mothers decide to sit GCSEs because they basically know them inside out having helped offspring revise and feel they might as well get something themselves for their efforts.

I'm good at circle theorems too, as a result of a panic revision session on Youtube.