Latymer Upper scrapping GCSE

[TheWitchCirce]

Just wondering how parents and potential parents feel about this. Would it put you off applying of your child, knowing that they will only take maths and English GCSE or is it a selling point?

@TheWitchCirce , there was a thread on this is September called Private school scrapping gcses, write their own exam.

Bedales and Teddies in Oxford already do this to some extent.

Thank you - I'll try & find it.

Here it is https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4895557-private-school-to-ditch-gcses-write-own-exams

I see this as a plus. If your kids are planning on taking A-levels or doing IB, what's the point of spending two years obsessing about an additional set of tests? I'd rather my kids be learning the actual subjects from skilled instructors, rather than being forced to adhere to a curriculum that's constantly being changed to suit the political climate of the day. Besides, our kids will be competing on an international stage, and GCSEs are not rated internationally. It's ridiculous how much time students in the UK spend preparing for high stakes exams, rather than just...learning!

Will children stay on there for sixth form and do A-levels?

It means their year 11s cannot go anywhere else in the sixth form, so it is taking away choice, and giving themselves a captive audience

I get that, but why switch? Why put all this energy in applying for a different sixth form when you're already at a great school? Just put your energy into your education, focus on university. If parents care about finding a different sixth form, don't send your kids to LU.

It removes choice and portability of qualifications

If you want to move to state 6th form, need to move abroad or want to take University courses overseas then you may find out that the school exam isn't recognised

It was hard enough getting my UK O and A levels translated abroad in a (then) non-EU country and my O levels had to be counted for University entrance as everyone needs a documented level at science, MFL, a humanity, a social science as well as English, Maths and the home language at A-level - as well as specific A levels depending on the course

Thank you, that was a really interesting read.

I don't think it will affect moving at 6th form in the private sector. My daughter moved from WHS to Kings for 6th form. It all happened before she got her GCSE results and Kings had their own set of stringent exams and an interview that she needed to take.

Bit of a problem with moving to the state sector for sixth form though...

There are lots of reasons people might leave a school after Y11, choice of subjects, preferring vocational courses, preferring an apprenticeship or job, relocating, redundancy, divorce, bereavement, friendship problems, bullying, mental health problems, not getting the grades needed to stay, expulsion, wanting a change, preferring sixth form ethos elsewhere, wanting specialist provision eg music, thinking it improves chances of university admission.

Can they just scrap the exams? I suppose they are still obliged to teach the curriculum?

I don't think private schools have to follow the NC.

@Hughs I can't argue with any of that. I think the exam system does need looking at, but I wouldn't have my child there as a guniea pig.

@TheWitchCirce
I completely agree. Like it or not, GCSEs are a sort of common currency for further education and employers. It's very risky to be one of a handful of people who don't have them I think. And naive to think it's ok because they will just stay on at the school for A levels, anything can happen.

Yes what if the young person is ill in 6th form? They end up with no (well, 2) 'fallback' GCSEs, which I suspect is even fewer than Home Ed pupils.

Isn't this risky? Sure it's fine if the child stays in the school but what happens if they move elsewhere? Will the school exams be valid? Or they apply to universities which look at GCSEs? Isn't the whole point of GCSEs is having a nationally recognised qualification that is accepted everywhere (in the UK) so that schools don't have their own exams with no quality checking or standardisation?

I think it's risky for uni applications? I am no fan of GSCEs but I think going out on a limb like this is potentially doing the kids a disservice. All the kids who didn't do GSCEs (covid) struggled with A levels this year... so additionally putting these kids at a disadvantage vs. their peers at other schools.

exactly, on another thread a poster is having to remove her child from year 11 in a private school because of sudden reversal in financial circumstances - what on earth would happen to an ex -LU child if that happened and they had to apply to state sixth form?

I’m all in favour. It’s not the school my DC are at or would go to (not our neighbourhood) but I rather envy those doing it. Takes away a lot of stress and anxiety from children at age 14-16.

You really would (as PPs have said) have commit to having your child stay there until A Level though!

Latymer have 1 of the biggest bursary funds going so it's unlikely anyone would have to leave for financial reasons.
I think it's more helpful to accept that parents who choose Bedales, Teddies and now Latymer tend to invest in the ethos of the school and won't doubt the school is right.

The co-Ed private sixth forms will be delighted to take bright students who have already been taught to think outside the box and started considering the A level syllabus rather than spent 2 years constrained by the narrow GCSEs curriculums and constant testing.
What will be more interesting will be to see parents next March having to decide between offers from Hampton, Godolphin, Highgate etc v Latymer. It's a much bigger decision than deciding between hockey and football!
Bedales and Teddies don't have the same competition locally. .

That's great if you think the school would fund a child from eg the beginning of Y11 through to the end of A levels.

It doesn't help if A levels, or the subjects offered, are not right for the child. Or if the child has problems with their health, friendships, gets expelled, needs specialist provision that the school can't provide etc. An ethos that suits an 11 year old may not suit the same child at 16, particularly if there are changes in the leadership in the meantime. It seems risky to me to remove options for post-16 education.

Doubt it would be a major issue. The school has links with quite a few state sixth forms anyway. Children join sixth forms in London all the time from abroad or after being home schooled without having the usual set of GCSEs.

They have addressed all these sort of questions in info sent out so parents can make an informed choice.

This kind of move makes them more of an international school as well. It means if there are vacancies in Year 10 and 11 they can easily fill them from people moving in from abroad. So for the school it makes sense, also far less red tape on teachers and less pressure on teachers so could help staff recruitment. However, for British kids wanting a British education - expulsion, financial troubles etc, all a problem. As well as the big one now which is the option for high performers to move into successful state Sixth Forms.

I can see more and more successful London schools going this way. They are setting themselves up for the mobile international elite and want no Government interference.