How many GCSEs and A levels do your dcs have to do in their secondary schools?

[comfortseeker]

Just that.

DD's only Yr7 so no direct experience yet, but the notable results at GCSE for last year (some of which are for beating targets, btw, not all just for loads of A*s) all have 10 GCSEs. A-levels are three or four, dropping one at the end of Yr12 is the norm, but some keep up all four.

Very high achieving, including high value-added, state comp.

Some of these numbers are bonkers. DH has a princely 7 GCSEs, from a grammar school, and a first class degree. 13/14/15 GCSEs seems crazy.

Mine do 10 GCSEs and start off with 5 A-levels.

I have to disagree with TalkinPeace on early entry. I got maths and music out of the way in year 4 and it was rather less of a burden revising for 8 rather than 10 in fifth form. Universities, contrary to some views, are actually impressed to see GCSEs taken at an earlier age. The mistake is when kids who are not ready are put in. I'd look much less favourably on a school that did not allow it, or indeed on one who positively stopped kids doing more than three A levels.

Roguedad Although universities might have been impressed in the past they aren't now and prefer at least 8 exams taken at the same time to show breadth and ability to study a range of different subjects at the same time. Doing French, maths & English early (as I did in the 80s) is no longer considered to be of benefit. Dcs go to schools with very high outcomes and don't take any subjects early. Students can be stretched laterally rather than just doing exams early.

Lateral stretching is fine Eastpoint. Taking 2 early from 10 still leaves your 8 and relieves some revision stress. It does no harm at all.

But where did you get the notion that now it is "8 at the same time" from anyway? Which universities state this? I just looked the four unis where I have worked, and been involved at various times in admissions:

Cambridge: GCSE requirements. Apart from Med and Vet there are none, though they say that 4/5 As or A*s is the norm. No restrictions on early entry.

Oxford: "We do not have any specific requirements for GCSE grades, though higher grades can help to make your application more competitive. Successful applicants typically have a high proportion of A and A* grades."

UCL: No comments on early entry.

King's London: Does comment, but only to the effect that a grade from a year early is treated in the same way as one take normally.

For A levels if you take one a year early then I know some Departments may ask for grades on 3 more to ensure workload management OK, e.g Imperial Physics, but at GCSE there's no evidence among the top group that they care much about GCSE timings. It's also of note that they are more interested in a good handful of top grades at GCSE than doing 12 or 14.

The prejudice against early entry I think comes from schools' obsession with performance tables, where only the first entry counts. Schools who have kids who are judged to be capable of achieving A* a year or more early should allow them to do it if they want to and get it out of the way.

DD's school does 10 GCSEs or 11 if you do one of the subjects that is taught as a twilight option.

A few years ago, I looked at our local (OFSTED Outstanding, challenging intake) comp's stats and their high achiever group were doing 17 (seventeen!) "GCSE equivalents" which is fucking nuts and clearly gaming the system by picking overvalued BTECs for children who were entirely capable of taking a standard academic route. There in a nutshell is why Gove went for the EBAC backlash.

Ds did 9 GCSEs, dd will do 11. At the moment 4 a/as levels in l6 and 3/4 in u6.

Older 3 at 3 different selective grammars. Maximum 10 at GCSE no early entry.
At 2 there are no AS courses, if child gets more than 7 A* they can apply to take 4 to A Level. Haven't looked at the other school's criteria - ds is only yr7 :)