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 3 4

Original poster

Doing additional GCSEs early - anyone here with experience of this?

82 replies

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 14:41

I keep having a recurring argument with DH about DD who is in Y9 and has to choose her GSCE options this year.

Her school has a max limit of 10 GCSEs and she's already looking likely to do one outside of school at the end of Y9 because her school don't offer it as a language and she's already quite fluent.

He thinks she should take another optional subject early because she would probably be able to do it comfortably and because he thinks it'll "stand out on her CV". It's something she could probably do pretty comfortably this year but she doesn't want to do it because it's a subject she really likes and she wants to be part of the GCSE cohort at school.

I'm trying to see it from his perspective but every time we talk about it, it ends in a bit of an argument. He thinks I'm not ambitious enough for DD, that she's overly scared of failure etc And I think he's being pushy and that her reasons for saying no are valid etc. (NB DD doesn't know that DH and I disagree on this, I've tried to be even handed about it when talking about the possibility of doing another one early).

Anyone else have any wisdom to offer? Is it really a big asset having 12 GCSEs? Say she wants to apply to a top uni in years to come, will that extra, early GCSE make her stand out in the way he thinks? Anyone here whose DC have done early GCSEs and how has it worked out for them?

I feel really cross about the whole thing just at the moment but am willing to admit I'm wrong and am genuinely looking for different perspectives rather than people to just tell me I'm right.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:

ChnandlerBong · 07/10/2021 14:59

I don't think that 10 or 11 or 12 will make any difference at all on the CV. No uni will choose a candidate who has 12 or 11 GCSEs in preference to one who has 10?

The key thing is that she does the right range of GCSEs to allow her to do the A levels she wants. AND that she gets good A level grades.

It's quality not quantity that's the key?

randomuseragain · 07/10/2021 15:02

It doesn't look great to do too many early, one in a fluent lang is fine but unis need to see they can handle the pressure of the tight GCSE exam period. I would rather 10 GCSEs at A*s and As rather than 13 with lower grades. As long as its above 9 the number isn't significant, the grades they get are the most important. Work to facilitate the realisation of their academic potential, this doesn't always mean pushing to do the ‘maximum.’ More isn't always better.

SusannaOwens · 07/10/2021 15:05

DD has 13. Please don't go there, it is spreading things too thin and could be a disadvantage. DD got 7 A, but did less well in the other 6, she was adamant she wanted to sit them all, but now wishes she'd concentrated on 9 or 10 and would have had a better chance at getting A in all of them, she had wanted to apply to Oxford. She was also super stressed and bloody awful to live with!
Quality over quantity.

SusannaOwens · 07/10/2021 15:10

Oh and some universities prefer candidates to have sat all their GCSEs at one sitting. DD's school has stopped early entry for this reason.

PlumeMoth · 07/10/2021 15:16

DD did 9 which was the norm at her school (comp). She got 5 offers from top tiers universities.

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:16

Thank you - this is really helpful. I still don't think DH will be convinced but you've helped me to feel a bit less bad about not being ambitious enough for her! He's adamant that she'll regret not seizing the day etc and that we're letting her down by not pushing her to do something she's capable of doing.

@SusannaOwens thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds as if your DD did brilliantly - 13 is a hell of a lot!

OP posts:

CraftyGin · 07/10/2021 15:18

@stuckinaGSCEloop

I keep having a recurring argument with DH about DD who is in Y9 and has to choose her GSCE options this year.

Her school has a max limit of 10 GCSEs and she's already looking likely to do one outside of school at the end of Y9 because her school don't offer it as a language and she's already quite fluent.

I feel really cross about the whole thing just at the moment but am willing to admit I'm wrong and am genuinely looking for different perspectives rather than people to just tell me I'm right.

Thanks in advance

It used to be quite fashionable 6 or 7 years ago to do a GCSE in Y10, but tbh, an awful lot of students did not reach their potential in the subject (eg getting a B, rather than an A in Y11).

Is her language aptitude because it's a native language? If that's the case, it will likely be overlooked.

If she is self studying for this language, it would probably be easier to do it alongside the language at school. This is because the specs are very similar, so she will know which hoops to jump through by waiting until Y10/11 when her teacher can help her.

No one cares about having more than 9 or 10 GCSEs.

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:22

Thanks v much @CraftyGin

Re the early GCSE, it's Mandarin - not her native language (which isn't offered at her comp) and she's quite fluent because we lived in a mandarin-speaking country when she was younger and she's kept it up outside school. So there's no option to take it at the school and we thought it'd be easier for her to get it out of the way in a quieter year i.e. before GCSE study takes off.

OP posts:

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:25

For context, DH does a lot of recruiting for work and claims that when he's looking at CVs extra / early GCSEs really stand out. But I feel quite strongly that looking ahead to the workplace shouldn't be the primary focus right now. Anyhow, we can't seem to have a constructive conversation about it without falling out each time!

OP posts:

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:28

@PlumeMoth thanks for your post and congrats to your DD

OP posts:

titchy · 07/10/2021 15:36

Dear god it will make fuck all difference to her CV. Honestly how does he think a future employer is going to know that 12 isn't the normal for her school. And does he really think that GCSEs will be her highest qualifications and therefore what she's assessed on?

Being fluent in a language though is a stand out thing - but why bother taking a GCSE to prove that? What looks better: 'GCSE French grade Astar' or 'Fluent French speaker'?

titchy · 07/10/2021 15:38

And if he rates early GCSEs in his recruitment strategy he's likely missing a lot of high calibre applicants who didn't have pushy parents.... fortunately most employers aren't dinosaurs any more.

CraftyGin · 07/10/2021 15:39

It would good if a MFL teacher came along to comment.

IME, when a student has done a GCSE/A-level in their native language (not taught by the school), they have not aced it.

Without formal teaching, they don't necessarily have the more formal register required for the writing exam, or the spoken exam. They often use a lot of slang.

They may be good at some speaking and listening, but less good at reading and writing.

When you say your DD has kept up Chinese, has she had lessons where she has worked on reading and writing?

Obviously, I know nothing about your DD, but I think she will have a better chance of reaching her potential if she does the exam in Y11, assuming she is studying another MFL at school.

She can also do it in sixth form. My DD crashed Italian in sixth form - two lessons a week - and got a 9. It was so straightforward having done French and Spanish in Y11.

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:40

@titchy Well, he reckons 12 is a standout number and why wouldn't she if she can etc But I also find it really hard to believe it'll make a difference. Re GCSE I guess it's just an independent marker rather than 'self-certifying' so to speak.

OP posts:

DaisyChain16 · 07/10/2021 15:41

It will not make any difference to her life, uni or career whatsoever. Tell your DH to give his head a wobble.

Some employers still struggle with the new 9-1 grading system...
They will not work out that your DD did anything early nor will they care.

CraftyGin · 07/10/2021 15:41

I also think that when your DH is looking at CVs, he might be reviewing them of candidates who did early GCSEs when it was fashionable. DS1 did early French and RS and he is 29 now.

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:43

Thanks @CraftyGin that's really helpful. Great idea to do an Italian GCSE alongside A-levels!

And yes, she's kept up reading and writing (though the latter is probably her weak point). But just logistically it'll be harder for her to be studying for / sitting her Mandarin GCSE at the same time as all her others as it'll be in a different place.

OP posts:

CraftyGin · 07/10/2021 15:45

@stuckinaGSCEloop

Thanks *@CraftyGin* that's really helpful. Great idea to do an Italian GCSE alongside A-levels!

She should be able to do her exams at school. The only thing you would need to organise is for someone to do the speaking exam.

Namenic · 07/10/2021 15:45

I think she should do what she is comfortable with. I really don’t think it’s gonna make a difference to have 12 or 11 or 10. Better to make sure she is less stressed and able to prepare adequately and do the best she can in the ones she does do. I did 1 early and 9 at normal time.

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:45

lol @DaisyChain16 thanks. He seems to feel oddly strongly about the whole thing but perhaps only because I"m pushing back in the other direction and therefore we're kind of egging each other on.

OP posts:

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:49

@CraftyGin I'm pretty sure (from what I've seen of DD's school thus far) that they won't help facilitate her doing it at the school. A friend whose DC did a native language GCSE early there said it was tough just getting the candidate number from them, which apparently was needed to do the exam elsewhere. But it's definitely worth an ask!

OP posts:

clary · 07/10/2021 15:54

MFL is my subject and I agree with @CraftyGin. Will post a bit more later but I agree with you op FWIW.

What's the other subject btw?

CraftyGin · 07/10/2021 15:55

They are fobbing you off. Getting candidate numbers are easy. It is all done through their management software.

They will do candidate numbers for younger (eg Y10) students, if they do BTECs.

But she shouldn't need to do the exams elsewhere.

There is no advantage for the school to be difficult here.

Original poster

stuckinaGSCEloop · 07/10/2021 15:57

@CraftyGin that's v useful to know. I'll have a chat with the school and see what they say

@clary thanks for your thoughts. Other subject is music

OP posts:

CraftyGin · 07/10/2021 16:00

What's her instrument in music?

Flip

1 2 3 4