Will IGCSEs go ahead

[Summertime2]

Anyone on here with a child taking international GCSEs in the uk and have any info as to whether they will go ahead in June?

We have been told by the school that they are not cancelled. Rather worried about this as it will very much disadvantage these uk kids who've missed so much teaching when they are lumped in with all the many more international students who have been taught as normal - and then examined as if the same...

@Singingrain1223 thank you for that information. My DD has been hanging on in the hope that at least she will be able to sit the igcse exams and have some real grades instead of CAGs. She like many other students have basically self taught themselves the syllabus via youtube/online sources/past papers. How this is all going to play out in 2 years when they apply to University is my main worry.

I really worry that if they do go ahead those taking IGCSEs will have significantly lower grades. They have, as others have said, missed as much school as anyone else. In my view online learning cannot replace quality of face to face particularly in prep for exams- no mocks to tear out how you getting on and if your revision technique works and with may fast approaching I worry my DD who would have done pretty well I think with steady school based learning and home revision, will do now quite badly. Those grades will stay with her..

@Singingrain1223 That sounds hopeful - was that an official message from the school?

We’ve also had a line in our Friday newsletter from school saying that AQA are cancelling iGCSEs and iA-levels. Not that our school does these. The newsletter also implied that they’re waiting for the other exam boards to follow suit.

Yes verbally @Summertime2 , on a online teams talk about the process in the summer term (ie no one knows what the process is) they didn't mention igcse's and in a question afterwards said they were expecting a pearson statement next week. The school is owned by a large private educational group and have often been on target with their communications.

@Muckedip55 I agree with you. The level of on line learning from school is not only patching but poor. That applies to both private and state. Clearly the igcse exams cannot take place with them all missing 2/5 of teaching time. The variance in CAGs is going to be massive. In 2 years time what are the universities going to do, with the gcse grades when making offers?

daydreamer I also wonder what may happen if the A levels get cancelled next year and the current yr12s have CAG GCSEs and CAG A levels.

@NotDonna very good point. I maybe misguided but I am hoping that the vaccinations, even if they become annual like the flu, will allow all of our DC to return to a normal life, by September. The question we need to know ASAP is how are the CAGs going to work this year, so that our DC can focus on that.

Pearson have cancelled iGCSEs

Do you think Cambridge will too?

Just seen that too summertime and came here to spread the news but you beat me to it. I’m pretty sure CIE will given AQA and now Edexcel have.

I'm sure Cambridge will - it would be utterly ridiculous to hold out alone

I can't see that Cambridge won't also cancel now. They were the last to cancel in 2020 as well I think.

Cambridge are currently in talks with an announcement expected imminently

thank you to everyone for the speedy info

@Summertime2 , great news

Great news! Waiting for Cambridge here....

Apparently Cambridge have cancelled some exams and are considering others. Sadly English A level is one that is still being considered!

Agh frodont
I’m hoping you get the news you want.
DD only has one Cambridge IGCSE the others were Pearson or regular ones. She’s not too concerned about doing just one albeit they’ve still a fair bit of content to cover. She and her friends are pleased to know what’s happening with 9 tenths of them. It’s good to know. The limbo wasn’t good. OK so they don’t know what evidence will be required but...

Who is reporting that Cambridge have cancelled some exams? There nothing to say that on their website

I know - its a girl in dds class who's mum is a teacher at the school. She's usually reliable.

I think she must be getting mixed up with Pearson

No.

OK.. But Cambridge literally haven't cancelled any exams yet..

I'm not saying it isn't expected but they haven't cancelled anything.

I'm glad the Pearson's update has stated that they're being "mindful of the needs of private candidates". We'll see how that plays out, The "focused exam series" to "enable students who prefer to take exams" is an interesting part of the arrangements that seem to be being considered listed in the newest update.