Doing GCSEs early, whats the advantages and disadvantages

[teamcullen]

DD is in year 9 and has just started GCSEs this term. Engish language is to be compleated at the end of Y10 so that they can concentrate on English Lit in Y11. The school said if they get a low grade in English Lan, they can repeat it in Y11 instead of doing Eng Lit.

I can see how this can be helpful and better for children who are not as academic or are likely to score a D grade which could be inproved to a C grade.

But DD is in top set, and I wonder if doing it a year early will mean that she is more likely to acheive a B grade, where as she might have got an A grade if she did the course over the two years as intended.

I might be completly wrong, but its just something Ive been wondering about. Im not apushy mum who thinks that DD should only gain A grades and I would be happy whatever grades she gets as long as she puts the work in (but thats another story) I just wonder if the system is more about getting more students getting grades A*-C more than getting the best out of every student.

English language should be a doddle for dc in the top set and it means they'll have more time to concentrate on Eng lit in Y11, which actually requires more 'teaching' and revision than Eng lang

At my school the top set did Maths and French O-levels (that dates me ) a year early and anyone who was particularly musical or arty did those subjects early too - it freed up time for subjects needing a bit more concentration

I tend to think that it's probably only worth doing early if you are going to get top grades as an extra years maturity (especially in a subject like English) will usually result in a higher grade. Also, with something like English language, I don't see why they can't cover the syllabus in year 10, do the literature in year 11 and take both exams in year 11. I mean there isn't really anything to learn for an English langage exam - it's just essay writting technique which improves with time - leaving it a year won't detract from other subjects in the same way as say French might.

I do think doing a subject early can give some experience and confidence though, but I'd tend to opt for subjects that really do make more time for other things.

I think at our school the top sets do their Eng lang in year 11 and its the more average sets that try it early, with this idea of re-sitting. I do find it a bit odd but my DS isn't affected as he's in top set.

My DD did a foreign language a year early and got an extremely high mark but was then rather bored with the class in year 11. I think the school wasted an opportunity there to do some interesting work with those who were going to continue to AS level.

But it did give her confidence and got one subject out of the way and dusted which was nice as there was a lot to do in year 11

Thanks for all the replies. I think its given me more concerns than I had before now. What if DD gets a good mark in Eng lan, and then sits back in year 11 because she presumes she will get just a good mark in Eng lit She is bright, but shes one of those annoying bright people who doesnt put much effort in. She says the right things about getting her head down and working hard, but in english especially, she does tend to do the bare minimum of whats expected which is enough to get her through.

cat64 your DSs school sound exactly like the school DS is about to start in September. They start the top performing 120 boys on GCSEs in Y9 so they can be finished by the end of Y10 and either resit or start AS levels in Y11. The other boys start Btec courses in Y9 and then GCSEs in Y10. DS will probably do the Btec courses unless something miraculas happens in the next 3 years, which might suit him better anyway.

I think if she's bright she'll work out that Eng Lit needs more work!

I did O-level English language at the end of Y10 (equivalent) with no specific preparation, while I was at a school overseas that didn't do O and A levels at all. I got an A, having finished ages before the end. I think that bright, well-educated children probably don't have to do much at all for Eng Lang...

I think Im just worrying because I had such a crap tory government education. I dont remember ever being shown how to as much as plan an essay once I reached secondary school. PEE chains where something used to flush the toilet.

What I remember of GCSE english, was being given a title and told to write 2 A4 size pages about given topic. IT would be given in to be marked and then written up neat.

There was no guidence on how to improve the essay. We were very much factory fodder and not expected to have any type of aspirations.
I didnt even know what work was for eng lan and what was eng lit.

If it's what the school is doing, then you probably don't have much choice but to go along with it. At least it will give her experience of exams before the main set, and it sounds as though she may need a bit of a shove from you &/or the school to do enough work either way. I did French, Eng. Lang. & maths O level a year early & never regretted it and was also a student of a fairly lazy disposition - I suspect I may have achieved an A instead of a B at Eng. Lang. if I'd done it a year later (I did get an A at Eng. Lit. the following year) but to be honest it was quite nice to get a few out of the way.

GCSE English language is very different to the old O level and, imo anyway, harder.

The other thing that will need to be discovered is how the new English GCSE specifications will affect early entry, as they are designed to enable modular work etc, rather than being ended loaded like a traditional GCSE. No C/wk either.

The other problem is that, again ime only, a lot of pupils get their 'pass' grade early and then can't really be bothered to try anymore to get a higher pass in Yr 11.

If government and parents are going to judge schools on pass rates (particularly without any reference to the levels of the students on intake) then sorry, you can't blame schools for then doing everything they can to up that rate.

However, if I were you I would be very worried and would be asking some very pointed questions because what they are suggesting is no longer possible.

The English qualifications are changing as of 2010 - instead of just English Language and English Literature there is now a third option, just called English, that combines the two. However the earliest you can get one of these new GCSE's is in 2012. If your child is being told they are doing English Language in a year, they must be doing the old specifications (now being called the 'legacy' specifications.)

All well and good if your DD is bright and can cope with doing a two year course in a year. However - and this is the important bit - you can't take the new GCSE English Literature on its own, you have to take Lit AND Language. And the old Literature will no longer be available after this year. So she cannot do English Lit the year after; she'll either have to do both, repeating a lot of work she has already done, or she'll have to do something else, like Media Studies.

I think you are right to be concerned.

Top universities like to see a good block of GCSEs taken together in year eleven and often judge candidates on the percentage of A* grades when it comes to popular courses. A 'B' grade in maths or English could be a bit of a problem.

So my advice for what it is worth (as the school has its reasons as indicated in other posts) would be to keep the number of GCSEs taken down to ten taken at the end of year 11 and concentrate on getting the maximum number of A* grades. If that means your DD has less stress and more time to develop her interests then that will no doubt be good for her and help with her personal statement.

I am about to discuss with the school whether my son needs to do a technology subject at all as he does not want to follow any of the choices offered and is already going to do 10 subjects anyway.

It is an interesting challenge to get what you think is best for your son/daughter when the school may have other concerns.

One way to get some good independent advice would be to contact a sixth form college as they are focussed on university entrance.

Tanga- thats really interesting. Is that across the board with all examination boards?
I will definatly be asking questions to DDs school.

PeterT- DD is taking 10 GCSEs one of which is a technology subject (school has technology status) Im not too worried about the technology subject as it gives a good insight into marketing, which is very important to many careers these days.

On her electives she chose subjects which she really enjoys and excels at, (music and drama) as I wanted her to have subjects which she would enjoy studying rather than going for subjects such as history, which would require a lot of research into subjects she has no interest in. She doesnt have a career path as of yet and I feel her core subjects are wide ranging for further study options.

AQA at least still seem to have a separate English Literature syllabus (and also English language and English and Functional English) from 2010 teamcullen here

Actually, scratch that! The new English lit can't be taken alone, it has to be taken with the new English language - or, if you only want one English GCSE you take English.

Aargh! Sorry, just to add to your confusion, I rang AQA today to clarify this issue (not for this thread, I hasten to add, but for work).

In complete contradiction to what I was told last week at the training, they are now saying you CAN, for one year only, take the old spec English Language in a year and then the new Spec Literature without taking Language as well. Apparently this is so students are not disadvantaged.

It will still be a lot of work and she will have to do 4 pieces of coursework in year 10 and then the controlled assessments for Lit in year 11 (normally two pieces cross-over)plus two units taken as exams - but at least it now seems to be possible.

Have to say, am not wildly impressed by AQA ATM.

My DS's school is a grammar school and none of teh kids take GCSEs early and they all take 10 or 11.They say 10 A/A* GCSE grades passed in one sitting is best for universities.

Ds2 has took his maths already will start science this year 9 no idea where he has got his ablity to juggle numbers from but least in Art he takes after his mum

but now school are unsure what to do with him .obviously he does not want to go into normal maths lessons but there not to keen on him joing year 12 for As levels so there is that to bare in mind it does and. Will seperate them away from there friends ifthey get high grade and not resitting