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?

I wonder if it translates to children being able to study more foreign languages too, for example. Let’s say for GCSEs the usual maximum is 2 plus Latin. If you don’t have to constrain to 10 or 11 GCSEs can some international kids do 4 modern languages etc. That is what the global elite want. These schools will be setting kids up to go to the best unis worldwide etc for the best jobs, not constrained to the UK uni market and the declining UK economy. This is also why these VAT proposals by the Labour Party are so short sighted. The computer science GCSE is dull for many. These schools may be able to teach tech and coding properly outside the constraints of the GCSE syllabus.

However, parents choosing this have to have cash and options and I suspect many will have several passports/ nationalities too.

@Araminta1003 , I agree, for example if a parent at a session for those with offers asks Godolphin in March 2024 why they should choose Godolphin with GCSE's over Latymer with their own exams, Godolphin and other similar schools will probably come up with something along the lines of the structure of examinations in the U.K. is something all schools are considering in the long term esp with the Govt's intended reform of A levels/T levels etc.

This is really interesting because one of the reasons we chose DD's school was because it was possible for her to do up to four languages if she wanted, out of a choice of six MFLs plus Latin and Greek. Although I am unfortunately not part of the global elite, it would definitely attract me! DD only ended up taking two to GCSE in the end but I really liked the curriculum flexibility and the wider than usual choice. Most of the schools we looked at only offered one or two MFLs at best.

Her school also offers some tech options that sound a lot more interesting than your standard computer science GCSE, with a lot more practical content. I think creative stuff is also really important and that was something that made a big difference to us too.

However, this was/is all delivered within the context of GCSEs, though the creative and tech subjects mostly seem to be school-directed courses that are externally moderated and have a different curriculum from standard GCSEs.

My DC went to this school until recently. As I understand it, other London day schools are also considering (soon to announce?) scrapping of GCSEs, inc SPGS and FHSS. Nothing mentioned at G&L.

Apart from scrapping the exams, what exactly are they doing with the pre GCSEs curriculum? I would still want to run the broad range of subjects even if not relevant for chosen A levels, the early secondary years are about good and broad education too

They'll still teach the usual subjects. They'll have to as the pupils will still be sitting A levels.
From the website...

Students will still follow a scholarly curriculum which will stretch all learners to their full potential and in which traditional subjects such as Science, Geography, History, Classics, Modern Languages, etc are taught to the highest levels in long courses (a little like the time we currently give to a GCSE subject). In addition we will also be developing short courses, like the electives that we currently run in the Sixth Form, which will be interdisciplinary, dynamic and creative.

You'd have to be a certain type of parent to send your child to a school that is highly regarded (as of today) but doesn't offer any widely recognised qualification until the age of 18. That's a huge gamble.

The video and FAQs on the website are worth reading. My children are too old but having just gone through GCSEs with one of them I found the information quite inspiring. I guess if their application numbers plummeted they'd rethink though!

I would be extremely careful in these financially precarious times. Is this a cost saving exercise by them under the guise of “doing the best for the children”.
Also due to the impeding recession if this school runs into trouble and suddenly has to close, you might have a lot of trouble finding another sixth form/school.
Apprenticeships also require minimum number of GCSE eg 5 at C or above.

It won't be a cost-saving exercise - GCSEs are not expensive to deliver and parents are charged for them anyway in the private sector.

I think it is driven by a desire to offer something better than GCSEs. However, it is easy to sound inspirational, but in reality quality control is very hard to secure. It is a massive job to create a whole new curriculum that meets the right standards. Plus there is a kind of exceptionalism about it that makes me uncomfortable. It becomes like the US where the brand name of the school becomes important because there is no universally recognised and accredited curriculum. Fine if you are a big name private school, but most schools can't do that, which means most kids can't then benefit from a bespoke curriculum. I wonder if they have consulted universities too. I have heard that students at these schools can't apply for competitive courses like medicine because the medical schools don't recognise what they do. I'd love to know why more schools don't offer the IB before sixth form as it seems to be the leading light in progressive, internationally-minded, wholistic education and it is properly accredited and quality controlled.

They could very well bring in the IB Middle Years Programme, or IB courses?

Current LU parent here. They've spoken extensively to universities etc. Lots of FAQs on the website covering most of the points raised on here such as switching schools for 6th form, employment, university applications etc.

OP, I would feel uneasy about the change until more schools adopted a similar policy.

What I have noticed is a sudden shift away from U.K. unis to foreign ones and not just to the US but other European countries too as lots of Londoners have dual nationalities and some qualify for free/cheaper elite unis abroad. I have seen this happen after Covid and the word has gotten around regarding quality issues in U.K. unis quite quickly amongst rich private school parents. Interestingly though apparently there are now more rich students coming here for uni from the US in reverse.

I think I understand why - once you have had an elite private education you may seek an even more novel experience as a British town might be rather dull.