Do Russell Group Unis not count GCSE Maths if taken early?

[basilbrush]

Does anyone have experience of their DC successfully getting a place at a good uni when they took their GCSE Maths early?

DS school (state) would like to put him in for GCSE Maths and Numeracy this summer at end of Year 9. They moved him up to take classes with the Year 11s in Sept and he got 9 / A* in the mocks before Christmas.

Plan was for him then to do AS in Year 10. We were reluctant at first but then saw how much happier he was with the harder work.

However, recently lots of people have been telling us we could seriously jepordise his future as top unis discount any GCSEs taken early. And as this is Maths he won't have a core subject needed to apply.

The school are not sure themselves and don't have much experience in this sort of thing.

Can anyone advise?

Many thanks!

Ring the unis he is interested to make sure, but I would expect them to be fine with it as it is because he is very able. Friend of dd took GCSE when he was just 8 years old, and age 9 won Gold medal in senior math olympiad- I would seriously doubt that Russel Group is turning him down because he took 1 GCSE early.

Dd did GCSE and A level maths early. She has now gone on to FM in 6th form. So there has been no gap in her maths learning. We are aware though that she will have to sit 3 a levels in one sitting at the end of year 13. I am failing to see the problem with your ds sitting GCSE early. I would not bother with at AS in year 10. It will not count towards his A level grade any more. Also I would not do A level in year 11 as he needs good GCSE grades for top universities.

If you are having difficulty getting a tutor, CGP books are excellent for self teaching. On You Tube there is 3blue1brown. Most are quite advanced, but he has done an "Essence of Calculus" series which is very good. And, as ever, Khan Academy videos are well worth a look at.

Thanks, JustRichmal - I will look into these resources!

Useful to know about the AS too.