GCSE new levels 1-9

[var123]

I found this online about the new GCSE levels and thought others might be interested:-
grade 9 will be highest, at a standard equivalent to the current top half of A*
grade 7 will be equivalent to the current grade A
grade 5 will be linked to international Pisa tests
grade 4 will be equivalent to the current C grade
grade 1 will roughly cover current F and G grades

Here's the link:www.aqa.org.uk/resources/mathematics/gcse/mathematics-8300/plan/changes-to-grades

Blueemerald
That's good to hear they still have some options, especially with the L1 FE courses :-)

Let's not forget that for English there will be no Higher and Foundation paper and they've done away with single science GCSE...

Blueemerald

Have they done away with entry level certificates? The special school I used to work at entered children in for entry level certificates as getting a grade g was beyond many kids with learning difficulties.

www.gatewayqualifications.org.uk/qualifications/ocn_eastern_region_qualifications/suite_of_entry_level_qualifications

They do and we use them reasonably often in year 9 and 10 but there is a huge social stigma around them (our boys are already very angry and unhappy about being in a "special needs school"). Also a lot of our students' needs really kick in after year 6 so they all have lovely GCSE target grades based on their batshit SATs results so it is very hard for us to withdraw them from GCSEs.
And entry levels don't really help them with regards to college courses.

The year 7s were I worked were all on their p scales so didn't have the problem of bat shit targets. Most of them were born with medical issues that made their development extremely slow. Some of them got GCSEs and it was deemed truely amazing progress. They were in special school because they learnt very slowly rather than because they had behavioural problems. (MLD rather than EBD)

"And entry levels don't really help them with regards to college courses."

Does having a grade G or F really help? The kids from where I used to to work used to do a transition course and then move on to a level 1 course if they had no GCSEs.

What is tough about the new GCSEs is that there is no coursework.

True, I suppose in terms of college it doesn't help much but I think they do gain emotionally from being on a GCSE course.

Our current year 10 are particularly weak academically so we are coming up with new ideas. The current year 11 are all between D and F and I think all could make it to a high E or a D (or higher) by spring. Our year 9 are similar. Our year 10 really are the worst year possible to experience these changes....

The only reason they are doing this is so they can very sneakily fit in an extra grade (8 being the lower half of A and 9 being the upper half of A).