Are more of you planning to move your DC from private to state for 6th form now?

[WomensRightsRenegade]

Apologies but just wondering this? My son is going into year 10 at a school he loves, but we are realising that even with a generous bursary, the 20pc VAT will mean it’s impossible for him to stay for 6th form.

I know it’s a transition phase anyway, but he will be very upset to leave as historically not many kids at the school have left then.

Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

Several of my friends dc who were at private 11-16 chose to attend the state sixth form college. Whilst the private school is good educationally, it has a certain ethos and character that means if by 16 you aren't playing rugby or other team sports, maybe you're quirky or just gay, you don't really fit in. The youngsters in the sixth form seem to be all conforming to a certain look etc whereas at college anything goes

Sorry can you just clarify what you mean by spoonfeeding?
DD is Yr 7 in an Indy and already gets 1 hours homework per night x 5 days per week plus 2 independent study periods for wider reading. In Yrs 11 + 13 they break up at Easter for study leave and don't come back to school apart from exams.

At the state school Yr 7 -8 don't have homework, there is no study leave as they have to attend catch up/cramming sessions, breakfast and lunch revision clubs too.

I'm just confused as to what is classed as spoon feeding?

Where is your evidence of this?

Yes, here too - and for exactly that reason. Shockingly selfish motivations on the part of those children's parents who were working the system to their privileged advantage - pay for an exclusive education / small class sizes / better resources snd then swop to a state school for A levels which would be used to enhance their eligibility to be included in the university's state sector quota of incoming students, thus reducing the chances of those that had been state educated throughout.

Mine goes to a state school and years 7 and 8 do get homework, in fact they got more than you are saying. There is plenty of time for independent study. Yes my child has revision sessions in year 11 to get ready for the exams( they where not cramming sessions) but is expected to get grades 7-9 in all subjects due to his amazing teachers and independent revision every single eve since the start of year 10. He is definitely not spoon fed. When he starts college he will 1 day independent study at home plus independent study during college days. I'm sure you are just lost in the private school bubble to realise what state schools bring. Bless you.

well, for a start, a lot of private schools don't even teach proper GCSEs, only iGCSEs

There is no 'only' iGCSEs. It is equivalent and is internationally recognised. It's not lesser in any way.

What is the % because no Indy school around here only teaches iGCSEs, they offer as an alternative. IGCSEs are not lesser, in fact they are internationally accepted which GCSEs aren't
So when you categorically say that teaching in private schools isn't as good as in state, you have made this up?

My DC got the exact same offers for a highly competitive course as the neighbour’s DC who applied for the same courses this year. One state (all the way through secondary), one a top private all the way. The myth that state school kids get lower offers certainly isn’t true for the competitive courses in top universities.
We know a couple of pupils who got contextual offers who deserved these but in their cases will probably achieve the higher grades anyhow.
OP - your child will be fine in state 6th form! Even if you had to tutor for gaps in teaching if needed, it’s still much cheaper!

No need to "bless me". We did state primary and DD has friends at state secondary.
This is the thing, there is no equality in the state sector. So some are great and others are poor. Same as private sector. My experience and knowledge of local state secondary schools is that they teach to the test and spoon feed throughout Yr 11. Your experience may be different but don't gaslight me.

You haven't answered my Q about why you think Indy kids are spoon fed over state kids.

I didn't ask you that question.

It is a lot easier and lesser, hence it is banned in UK state schools. The i stands for international, The iGCSE is meant for schools in poorer countries without resources, and is deliberately made very cheap to run, and easier to pass, as it is for children working in much harder circumstances.

I have taught it in the circumstances in which it is MEANT to be taught, children sitting 3 children to every two stools, one text book between 20, and only every other child can afford a pen Yes, it is right and appropriate for standards to be lowered to compensate for these learning circumstances -as children there are doing brilliantly if they get 15 % lower than a similar child in a UK school

It is a joke that they have been commandeered by the most privileged in our society though. Private schools are businesses first and foremost, and iGCSEs are much cheaper to run, as well as being easier to pass

you have completely misunderstood what iGCSEs mean, and what they are for

Fine, mine won't be sitting iGCSEs but I'm off to learn more about them

Apologies no you didn't. However you did gaslight me.

https://www.kingseducation.com/kings-life/igcse-vs-gcse

This provides a handy guide. iGCSEs are for schools with a global and international outlook. They are equivalent. And if they were not then i would expect that universities would not recognise them. But they do. Funny that.

No I was pointing out that you know nothing about how state secondarys are run. I carnt believe you thought years 7-8 didn't get homework.

So can you clarify the following:
IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It offers the same level of education as a traditional GCSE, but without a UK-centric curriculum or context. The IGSCE was intended to increase the relevance of the GCSE qualification for an international audience.

I believe they are accepted by universities as a GCSE equivalence? So please can you explain how I don't understand about them?

@redskydarknight re the uni offers (couldn't quote your post) - state secondary parent here and wow I had no idea they worked like that. So do they ask for higher grades from private school students compared to state / college students?

And yes, oddly enough alot of private schools focus on them because- surprise surprise they have a large number of international students who wish to get qualifications that are respected, understood and valid that they can carry anywhere in the world. And military families, ditto.

yes universities DO recognise iGCSEs. But not as the equivalent of proper GCSEs. Because they are not. Hance UK state schools are banned from teaching them - they are to a lower standard.

iGCSEs and GCSEs are understood and accepted to exactly the same degree, worldwide. They are from the same exam boards. they are based on the same curriculum. The difference is one is cheaper to run and easier to pass, the iGCSE

This thread is getting silly. I don’t know any indies that teach IGCSEs. I live in a part of London where, within a 2 mile radius, there are several highly competitive private schools and several state schools. With exception of one very selective grammar, the privates outperform the state schools significantly at GCSE. They are miles apart unfortunately in terms of results.

one of those private schools also headed up the first LGBT school society in the UK - point about private schools being difficult if you are gay or not sporty is ridiculous!

They are designed for situations in which students do not have access to the resources you would expect in a UK school. Eg, internet. DT equipment. Chemicals in a science lab. etc.

That is the difference - cheaper and easier to run, you don't need to do practicals, make DT projects, watch videos, etc. You can do, but you don't have to.

And easier to pass

OK thanks for the clarification

However as most Indy schools offer them as an alternative (or don't offer them) then how does this support the claim of teaching being at a lower standard? If kids are sitting the same GCSEs as their state counterparts then how do you evidence your assertion about the standard of teaching?