11 Plus Exams Forum

Doesn't time fly! Now find myself back and in the GCSE section!!!

Our DD has just made her GCSE choices but we have been informed by the school they are dropping GCSE Maths and instead will be teaching Certificate In Mathematics. A side-effect of this is that previously my DD would have taken GCSE Statistics but now this is dropped.

Is the "Certificate In Mathematics" a worthwhile qualification and is it's prestige sufficient to offset the loss of the GCSE Stats?

Thanks in advance,
SVE

Could you be a bit more specific? What's the awarding body?

xyzzy wrote:What's the awarding body?

No idea. Will check.

GCSE choices are like a maze of twisty passages all alike as far as I'm concerned.

Regards
SVE

I think Guest55 is a maths teacher, so she/he might be along soon and usually has very sensible advice. It sounds a bit odd to me

This may be it:

http://www.edexcel.com/quals/igcse/edex ... fault.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

just a new name for the IGCSE

It's caled this instead of iGCSE so it can be included in the 5 A* to C inc En/Ma measure - iGCSE was not allowed to be included.

It's disappointing if they have dropped Stats for just this ... what is the reason?


(I am female btw )

I am female btw

It was a last minute edit just in case

Thanks. Yes the iGCSE for State Schools is how it is being presented.

I will make my feelings known to the school, TGS, as I too find this a retrograde step. I'm not against the iGCSE but I am against the dropping a stats qualification.

Thanks
SVE

Orginally DS is supposed to take iGCSE maths in November this year. We got the letter from Tiffin School back in June that they have to change back to normal GCSE. Althought the exam has been accredited by QCA for state school, there is an important difference - the qualification would appear on GCSE certificate as "Level 2 certificate in Maths", rather than using the term "GCSE" or "iGCSE". School feel that this is unacceptable - it is a confusing message for future employers. DS will take the normal one instead. Level 2 certifcate in Maths doesn't sound appealing!

I would certainly complain - for anyone even slightly good at maths the GCSE system enabled them to bag 2 A*s. You could always do the GCSE maths as a private candidate but the GCSE statistics involves pesky "controlled assessment" and so needs a bit more planning.