Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

GCSEs studied for 3 years not 2 - how widespread

48 replies

reup · 13/03/2017 10:50

In lots of the schools near me they are making Y8s do options and studying the new GCSEs over 3 years. My child's school Is still doing them over 2 with options in Y9.

Do you think these children will have an advantage? Or will they just get bored. They mightbe studying more of them whereas my child's school is only doing 9.

I wondered how many schools are doing this and not sure about other pros and cons,.

OP posts:

Original poster

reup · 13/03/2017 13:15

Interesting that not all of the 3 year schools do many more exams than the 2 year schools.

OP posts:

Heifer · 13/03/2017 14:20

DDs school have kept to the 2 yr option. They are now only taking 9 though (some allowed to take 10 and an fast track in own time).

One of the girls grammar here has changed recently to take options in Yr8 but will still be taking 11.

The other local Girls Grammar has kept to Yr9 options.

I am torn as to what is best. Part of me is pleased that DD will be taking options in Yr9 and has to keep a more rounded timetable, as although she doesn't really enjoy Art, Drama or Music I know how important they can be.

She already knows which options she will take, so doesn't need the extra year to work it out though.

I do worry that those taking 3 years will have the advantage over DD but again I guess if they are taking more subjects than DD then not so much time will be gained.

Totally happy with DD taking 9 GCSEs (10 perhaps) I don't see the point in taking more - although am sure it's beneficial for the school.

HPFA · 13/03/2017 14:29

DD's school does 3 years. She's only in Year 8 so too early to say if it will work in her favour. On the plus side, she doesn't much like the practical subjects so I don't think will lose much by dropping them and will have more time to focus on what she's good at. On the minus it's pretty young to be making a big decision (and she's summer birthday too).

She really wants to do GCSE Citizenship which I'm not wild about - but eventually we came to a compromise that she can do it if she commits to working extra hard in Science to get into the Triple group. And a day later she actually brought me her science book and asked me to test her for the forthcoming assessment. So maybe it encourages them to mature?

Frouby · 13/03/2017 14:42

Dds school is a good local comprehensive. They do the 3 year courses. We have a meeting tomorrow night to discuss.

She will be doing 10 gcses. Plus PE btec which I don't want her to do. She isn't good at sports, doesn't enjoy it and she is pretty academic and focused so would rather her spend time on her other subjects.

She only actually gets 1 free choice. She has to take a language, and has to chose either history or geography. She will either do Art or Drama as her 'free' choice (tho it's a pretty limited block), double science, maths, English lit, English lan, RE and IT are compulsory. PE is also compulsory with them either doing a GCSE or BTEC.

The school is rated as Good overall and exceeds national averages but has a new head this year so we will see. Am not sure whether the 3 year course is a new thing or not.

Lonecatwithkitten · 13/03/2017 15:21

DD's school core subjects start in year9, options in year 10. Everyone does 10 GCSEs, pupils on challenge and extension program also do a level 2 EPQ.

Bensyster · 13/03/2017 15:30

All GCSE teaching starts in January Year 9 but they don't drop subjects till the end of year 9.

OverTheHill50 · 13/03/2017 15:54

My DCs school (independent) is doing 3 year GCSEs :
Pros:

can drop subjects they really hate e.g. R.E.
can change subjects right up to Easter of Year 9
finish the course a term early and spend last term before GCSEs doing past papers/ exam technique etc

Cons:

need to make decisions SO early. Some have no idea of their strengths/ weaknesses/interests at age 12
may not have the maturity to cope with 'GCSE' level work in Year 9 (especially those young in year)

In reality it has all been 'smoke and mirrors' anyway, as so many of the GCSE syllabi have changed they couldn't start teaching it a year early anyway!

Witchend · 13/03/2017 17:02

Dc's school does a mixture:
They choose in year 8 and they choose:
one 1 year course: Doing it at the end of year 9. Not always GCSE, they can do other qualifications.
one 3 year course: Tends to be things like modern languages and generally is GCSE.
two 2 year courses. one they do in year 10, the other they take a break in year 9 and pick up again in year 10.

I don't think it's produced boredom-they have much more intensive lessons in the one year, nor does it give them a major advantage.

sassymuffin · 13/03/2017 17:03

DS's school has implemented this and DS took his options in year 8. The school indicated that the primary reason for doing this was the new structure of the GCSE syllabus and its larger content and greater depth. DS is now in year 10 and is enjoying the 3 year key stage 4 as he says there is a more time to go back over and consolidate what he has learnt during school lessons.

They have also changed the end of year exams into year 10 'mock' GCSE's were they have to complete an 8 week comprehensive revision planner and follow it after it has been signed off.

cricketballs · 13/03/2017 17:05

We started a 3 year KS4 this year and as many posters have said I was very concerned about such an important decision having to be made at this young age, but having taught year 9 GCSE this year has been a revelation in terms of their attitude and enthusiasm compared to previous years. As a teacher given the far more content to cover I'd doubt I would be able to deliver in depth in 2 years

Bloosh · 13/03/2017 18:27

I'm so glad that PE isn't compulsory in our school!

booellesmum · 13/03/2017 18:32

Our local comp starts gcse's in year 9.
DD's school (grammar) still starts in year 10.
However for the core subjects that everyone does ( english, maths, 3 sciences) the gcse syllabus is started in year 9.
They also all take RE and do the gcse a year early in year 10.

pointythings · 13/03/2017 19:18

Our school does this. I think with the schools funding crisis which the government likes to deny is happening it is inevitable that this will now become the norm.

For the pp who complained about not doing science post 13 - that won't happen, some form of science GCSE is compulsory.

For my DDs the 3 year GCSE is ideal - they got to drop subjects they hated, like ICT and DT, and got more time for the things they liked, like History, Geography, MFL and in DD2's case Drama. Obviously it isn't going to suit everyone to specialise. I'd like to see a flexible system that lets people decide if they want to, or wait if they want to, but I don't see it working in the current system,

AlexanderHamilton · 13/03/2017 19:47

Pointy - do you think the system at my son's school is more flexible perhaps. The ability to drop some subjects at the end of year 8 but not having to drop too many until the end of year 9.

pointythings · 13/03/2017 20:35

Possibly. Mind you, both my DDs would have happily run towards full options. They're both nerds who would far rather do History than spend another hour in DT learning to make really crap curry from a really crap recipe when they can already do so much better at home.

To be fair they kind of enjoyed art.

MillicentMargaretAmanda · 13/03/2017 22:51

I've seen several schools doing this and frankly I hate it. I think we specialise far too early in this country anyway and asking children to make these sort of decisions when they are in some cases not much more that 12.5 is dreadful. Fine if the school enforces a broad curriculum (sciences, two humanities, a language and an arts subject minimum) but some kids are being asked to make a decision on dropping either geography or history at 12!

TheSecondOfHerName · 13/03/2017 22:56

My eldest did a two-year KS4 and my second child is half-way through a three-year KS4 (at the same school).

I prefer the three-year course because it means that they are more focused in Y9, rather than disengaging with subjects they know they are going to be giving up.

My next two children are twins at different schools. One will be doing a two-year KS4 and the other will be doing three-year courses.

TeenAndTween · 14/03/2017 13:17

I guess there are two separate choices schools are making here:

when to start the syllabus
when pupils drop subjects via the options process

In extremis, there presumably is nothing to stop schools starting the GCSE syllabus in y9 (so every child starts every GCSE subject), and then drop subjects at the end of y9.

I can see that starting the formal science syllabus in y9 would work very well for science, maths is on a continuum anyway, presumably a lot of the skills for English are also being constantly developed?

I think choosing and dropping at the end of y8 is too early. My DD didn't really start enjoying French until the end of y8 - she ended up doing 2 languages for GCSE.

Badbadbunny · 14/03/2017 14:01

there presumably is nothing to stop schools starting the GCSE syllabus in y9 (so every child starts every GCSE subject), and then drop subjects at the end of y9.

That's exactly what my DS's school do and it seems to work well. In fact, works better because the kids can experience the real GCSE work before they choose their options.

Back in the day, I thought years 2 and 3 as they were then (now years 8 and 9) were pretty much treading water anyway and not really much use. The first year was always the transition year and then you had to wait for 2 years until you got on the proper work, during which time, teachers weren't really engaged as they were concentrating on the latest new intake or the exam years. My son certainly thought the same and was glad to get onto some proper work that meant something in year 9.

omnishambles · 14/03/2017 14:05

My ds' (superselective)school does this and we have just chosen his options. At first I was pleased as I thought it would give him more time but now I am annoyed that he will be dropping subjects that I feel are important early plus he has been rushed into some decisions that were very difficult.

I think he will be doing 10 plus advanced or further maths.

iseenodust · 14/03/2017 14:10

Our nearest comp does all GCSEs over 3 years. Claims leads to better results and 1 more GCSE than would otherwise be able to do.
DS's school does them over 2 years so choose in year 9 except at the start of year 9 go down to two languages from three.

MirandaWest · 14/03/2017 14:13

DS is in year 8 and recently chose his options. They have 4 choices and are strongly encouraged to do history or geography and a language (although can do both history and geography) and then two other subjects. They also do maths, English, science, RE (still not sure whether full or half course) PE (non GCSE although can take it as an option).
Means he'll stop history at the end of year 8 and also won't do any more art, DT or drama but seems happy with the choices he's made. Will have to see how it goes I suppose.

portico · 14/03/2017 20:34

Interesting the very high performing Reading Boys Grammar School has chosen 3 years GCSEs because of the rigour. My so so grammar school for my sons, only does Sciences from Year 9. I would prefer a 3 year GCSE for my kids.

Flip

1 2