Pearson modular iGCSE exams

[SlowlyForward]

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask whether anyone knows what's going on with the Pearson modular iGCSE exams?

We are home schooling at the end of year 9 and working out exam dates so we have no clashes in two years' time.

The modular exams look ideal, as we have to travel some distance to the exam centre and it would allow us to spread the exam dates out.

Tutors and Exams told me that they will definitely run these exams. But two of the tutors that are providing tuition told me that Pearson are definitely not offering these exams in the UK.

I just wondered if anybody might know what's actually going on with these exams?

Thanks!

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-international-gcses/about-international-gcses.html

Not available for achools in the UK, at least? Possibly contact Pearson for confirmation as to whether this includes those who are home educated?

I have tried contacting them before but it often takes months to respond.

UK schools definitely do Pearson IGCSEs (private schools). Never heard of modular so not sure what that is?

Yeh UK schools offer Pearson IGCSEs, and lots of HE students take them. I have worked with many students sitting these exams in my subject.

A student for whom I conducted speaking exams this year was taking the international A level as a modular qualification - in other words they had sat the AS level and were now taking the A level element. So that's possible. I have not come across anyone taking the IGCSE as a modular qual tho.

<researches rapidly> hmm looks as tho the modular IGCSEs are aimed at international students only - so I assume not UK nationals. Tbh T&E do work with students coming from overseas to sit their exams, so they may be offering these quals for that group, but not be offering them to UK students? I might contact them and ask them that specific question @SlowlyForward.

This is English for example - clearly says designed for international students. Is this the qual you are looking at @SlowlyForward ?

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-international-gcses/english-language-a-2023-modular.html

@clary

yes that's right. The spec says they are not accredited by any uk exam agency or something like that, so I think it means that they are not taken seriously as a qualification here.

The problem is that we have to travel quite far to a private exam centre and it would be really helpful to be able to spread the exams over two years, purely to reduce the amount of travel at the end of year 11.

HE people say that we need to sit 4 in year 10 and 4 in year 11, but it seems a bit of a stretch to finish four by the end of year 10 and then we wouldn't be studying those at all in year 11, so those that we want to carry on to A level would be having a whole year in which to forget the material.

It's all a bit complicated.

Could you not choose to do the A level choices in the second year - if they were linear? If it was things like Eng lit or history it wouldn't matter so much tbh. YY if we are talking maths or MFL you need to keep the study going.

Which subjects for A level?

Thanks for trying to help. That wouldn't work for us. I think we will just have to do linear and do a few 1-year GCSEs in each of year 10 and 11.

Hi,

It turns out that Tutors and Exams do offer these. I just needed to hunt harded on the booking form.

Ahh happy days - best of luck to your dc. It’s a bit harder I think when you don’t have a teacher used to the spec (tho you may!) so I encourage you to master well what your dc needs to do so that they know what to expect.

I have seen too many candidates esp HE sadly, struggle as they clearly didn’t know the basics of what they needed to do in the exam.

Equally I should add, I have worked with some absolutely amazing HE students too.

Hi,

Yes it's quite fiddly work. I am good at exams though, so I think it will be okay.

We are also looking at taking some GCSE in 2025 modular, are they definitely open to home educated uk students at tutors and exams?