GCSE exams at end of year 11

Discussion and advice on GCSEs

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phaedra
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Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 4:18 pm

Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by phaedra »

p.s. I did find an article from the Telegraph saying that 'top" universities wanted GCSEs done in one sitting but I haven't linked to that as the Telegraph writes quite a bit of rubbish about education.
Amber
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Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Amber »

It's hard to separate fact from urban myth here and if a child is rejected by a university, one will never know why. My hunch is that the 'one sitting' thing might reflect a distaste for re-sits of exams - especially modular ones, where in the recent past a student could keep on resitting particular modules to bump up the final grade. Interestingly, and to me, counter-intuitively, one of the highest achieving grammar schools, in Gloucestershire, has decided to stretch KS4 over 3 years, apparently in the interests of broadening the curriculum, which to me sits rather uneasily with the early specialisation inherent in this policy. I can only assume they had researched the possible implications for their students when it comes to university application time - it is unlikely they would have sleepwalked into such a radical decision. Either way, it will be a short-lived burst of liberation/slow burn dragged outness (depending on your point of view) as after this year they will have to do the same as everyone else, I guess.
phaedra
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Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by phaedra »

It seems likely that they will not be allowed to spread exams over three years according to the proposed changes. I agree that there is a touch of urban myth around the "one sitting' issue, however it is clearly mentioned in teh Russell Group information document I linked to andsince it is published by the Russell Group universities, it has to be given credence I think.
Looking for help
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Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Looking for help »

The continual resitting of modules is not really the problem though...if you resit once, the higher of the two marks is awarded, a third time means you take that result whatever it is....so most people would only ever retake once. It is too much of a risk.

I am the proud mother of a child who based on what I've read would probably not have got any offers from any universities due to only mediocre GCSE results with a couple of modules reatken. However she has 5 offers for her chosen course (English) -4 of which are from Russell Group/ 1994 Group.

I'm editing to add that the reason I am posting this is because I fully believe there is far too much scaremongering around - modules are not worse than linear /terminally assessed courses, they are probably not better either, except the ability to resit a particular part of the course has been taken away. Universities generally accept students from our schools and will continue to do so whatever changes each new government brings in. I'm not too worried except it is a shame they keep chopping and changing just for the sake of it.
Last edited by Looking for help on Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Amber »

It is good to know that the system has worked so well for your daughter, LFH, and you are rightly proud. But this is not proof that it is a 'good system'. Whichever system is in place, there will be winners and losers, but the debate is not so much how it affects individual children, but whether it is working overall. I think the fact that on the one hand universities are having to set an extra layer of tests in all manner of subjects in order to discriminate between candidates; and on the other hand that many thousands of able candidates are left without a place each year, illustrates that it is not working and something needs to be changed.
Rob Clark
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Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Rob Clark »

It states that a number of institutions ask for qualifications taken in one sitting but does not name the institutions.
Thanks phaedra. I did wonder if it would be a problem, despite the school’s reassurances, which is why I phoned a handful of universities, including Birmingham, Bath, Exeter and Loughborough. Only the first of these is a RG uni, I believe, but I think most people would accept that the others are highly regarded. I have them on tape saying it wasn’t an issue, though as amber points out, it would be hard to prove that was why a DC had been turned down…
Yes, consultants who don't recommend action often find that they are not consulted again, with attendant implications for their finances.
Show me a consultant who has recommended doing nothing and I’ll show you a consultancy that’s gone out of business. :lol:
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Amber »

Rob Clark wrote:
It states that a number of institutions ask for qualifications taken in one sitting but does not name the institutions.
Thanks phaedra. I did wonder if it would be a problem, despite the school’s reassurances, which is why I phoned a handful of universities, including Birmingham, Bath, Exeter and Loughborough. Only the first of these is a RG uni, I believe, but I think most people would accept that the others are highly regarded. I have them on tape saying it wasn’t an issue
Beware anyone who talks to Rob on the 'phone.... :shock:
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Guest55 »

Phaedra, doing GCSE Maths early is not a good thing unless you get an A* -
Looking for help
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Location: Berkshire

Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Looking for help »

Amber wrote:. I think the fact that on the one hand universities are having to set an extra layer of tests in all manner of subjects in order to discriminate between candidates
Only for Medicine/Vet/Maths (sometimes) - none of these have been for my kids, except Maths and for the chosen universities, offers were based on UCAS form plus interview.
Amber wrote: and on the other hand that many thousands of able candidates are left without a place each year, illustrates that it is not working and something needs to be changed.
Again this is not my experience - there are many able candidates who failed to meet the conditions of their offers - or potentially don't get any, usually because they have been wrongly advised.
There are cases where the best don't get offers, and that's because they went for Oxbridge and then put Durham, Warwick and some other ancient up its own backside place down, and got rejected from them all becuase the runner up universities did not want to take Oxbridge rejects. This isn't the school system that's the problem it is the universities causing the issues
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: GCSE exams at end of year 11

Post by Guest55 »

LFH, universities do not know who else you have applied to so it is a myth that some don't want Oxbridge rejects.
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