GCSE and A/L Exam boards at Guildford High, Tormead and St Cats

[respParent]

Hi,

We are trying to find the GCSE and A/L exam boards the above schools use. Can any parents have children in these senior schools help on this?

Thanks.

Hi OP, I know that the GHS options booklet (on their website) lists the exam boards. I haven't checked the other two but suspect they probably will as I know that at least one of the other schools I've looked at online recently also listed the boards for its A levels.

What stage are your children at, OP? There is no guarantee that the boards the schools use now will still be the ones they use in a couple of years.

My girls were at GHS and they regularly reviewed the boards the exams. The younger one did different boards from the older one for GCSE French and music, and possibly also other subjects that I don't remember.

They'll change according to subject surely? And probably from one year to the next - not sure many will want to do Edexcel Maths A level again...

Out of curiosity... why OP?

Thank you for your tip, GU24Mum. I can see the exam board details in the Options Booklet for both GCSE and A/L (GHS). Apparently the exam formats and topic coverage differs between exam boards. We are trying to get some past papers to practice.

Thank you for your info, Fifthtimelucky. Good to know that the schools review/change the board time to time. We got three more years before the exams.

Piggywaspushed, this is my believe, I am sure universities have different perceptions of different exam boards. I am sure OCR is more respected than AQA, Edexcel and AQA is more respected that Edexcel. Problem is that once we got our children in a school, we just have to go with whatever the board they choose. No choice.

That really is not so OP. Not any more. OCR have been abandoned by many schools because of issues over support, question setting,and marking. It's the last thing a university look at!

Plus as PPs said, the schools could change board!

Definitely not true that some boards are more highly thought of. For example almost every school I have talked to (State or Private) did Edexcel A'level Maths - that might change.

I am sure universities have different perceptions of different exam boards.

Wow! That is totally untrue!!! The exam board will make absolutely no difference whatsoever.

yeah that's just not true OP. For example, my dd did OCR French GCSE... that's so "highly thought of" that they totally backed out of committing to the new spec GCSE and don't even offer it now, so it's AQA for all!

Just to add that GHS mixes and matches (or at least did). They dont use on board for everything. So as an example for GCSE my older daughter did:

AQA for both Englishes, French and music
OCR for Latin
Edexcel for history and RE
Edexcel iGCSEs in maths, biology, chemistry and physics.

All her A levels were Edexcel, and the AS she didn't take to A level was OCR

My younger daughter did:

AQA for double science, drama, geography and D&T
OCR for nothing
Edexcel for music and RE
Edexcel iGCSEs for both Englishes, maths and French

Her A levels were one AQA, one Edexcel and one WJEC. Can't find the info about her AS.

Tormead is the same. A mix of GCSE's, iGCSE's, and lots of different boards. It's one of the benefits of being in an independent school, that the departments tend to choose which board they feel is the best/most appropriate and which is a good preparation for the ALevel.

A question, why are you wanting to practice past papers so early?? Much better to do them as a revision aide in year 11. Also if they are too old, all the specs have changed recently, so not terribly relevant to your DC in three years time.

It's one of the benefits of being in an independent school, that the departments tend to choose which board they feel is the best/most appropriate

State schools do this as well y know! My DC have got GCSEs from a range of boards. I used to teach MFL and we did AQA as we found it the best, but other depts used different boards. All state schools.

I agree with all the comments above about exam boards being of equal stature in the eyes of universities. When GCSEs last changed, we spent ages looking at the different specifications. We had previously been with OCR (Music) but did not like the new spec very much. I had also taught Edexcel, and we liked that even less. In the end, we went with Eduqas as it offered the best mix for our students and we were most confident delivering the specific content. Having made the move, we've been delighted by so many things; the support has been rapid and thorough, the course materials are great and the marking has been fair and in line with our predictions.

Universities cannot have fixed ideas about it, as the first cohort to sit it have just completed year 12. Their grades were good and they have found the transition to A level to be fine. OfQual would not allow any course to be significantly "easier", so the OP should not worry. Oh, and my high-achieving selective grammar school doesn't do Edexcel Maths - we seem to have no issue getting students onto competitive Maths, Science and Engineering degrees.

I am sure OCR is more respected than AQA, Edexcel and AQA is more respected that Edexcel.
You have been misinformed. When the pupil is applying for the next stage of their education, the admissions team will be looking at the grades (and checking that the subjects taken meet the entry requirements). They will not pay any attention to which exam board was used.

Most schools use a combination of different exam boards for different subjects.

A school may be using a particular exam board for a particular subject now, but there is no guarantee they will be using the same exam board in two or three years time.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a school. This should not be one of them.

Finding past papers to practise is admirable, but I'd suggest holding off until Y11 /Y13. There are a finite number of past papers available, and it makes sense to save these resources until you've completed most of the course.

If you want comparison of the three schools (on characteristics which actually matter, as PP have said somewhere someone has misguided you on exam boards):

GHS is probably the most 'academic', gets the highest results and has the reputation as being repeatedly in the top 10 girls' schools in the UK for GCSE or A Level. It is very driven to let girls achieve and encourage them to be strong, dynamic women in whatever field. Lots of fun and care too though and the girls are full of character. It had had some great building work done recently and is up to date in terms of wellbeing offering.

St Cats is the next most academic. Much more a country school (with lots of girls boarding in sixth form). It more pushes young ladies, manners and is a bit more jolly hockey sticks, house spirit and traditional. But it is still up there in terms of academics. Equally, has had some impressive building work done pushes sciences and stem recently.

Tormead is a bit of both. Town school but the head there is quite old fashioned. Results aren't as strong but it provides a nurturing sixth form.

My DDs, back in the day, were at GHS. I would strongly consider st cats over it now but unsure what I'd eventually pick. Both my dds loved it up until sixth form where they just muddled through to the end to be honest. They gained a lot from GHS' proximity to RGS boys' though!! My dds have very solid friends from GHS which they still see as they enter their 30s! Most of them live in London and work in the city. All fairly career orientated types balancing marriage and children with their ambitions. A few of their friends are quite insecure, high-maintenance anxious types but that is more personality and true of any school (also they went through ghs years ago when there was less focus on the whole person and encouraging resilience and confidence etc). I've heard similar of girls from all sorts of schools though so probably shouldn't link it to GHS. Both schools are wonderful and offer a lot. I would imagine your dd would get the same results and uni offers from either. It comes down to what environment you want- town or country.

Town school but the head there is quite old fashioned

How so? In fact I would say Tormead is the most progressive in terms of tech and encouraging the girls to consider all sorts of new industries. They are very strong on STEM in general, and Engineering & Tech in particular.

SilentSister, I agree. I also disagree that they are weaker academically. They take a broader cohort so yes they get slightly lower results but that does not mean the same bright girl wouldn't achieve the same top result any any of these schools. Schools like GHS get top results because they select the brightest girls. Not because they teach better!! In any case, turners frequenters you surpasses GHS and st cats in their maths results. And that is with a broader cohort. Which suggests that their teaching is in fact superior.