Accelerated Learning - pros and cons

[sherry_d]

I too have been corncerned about AL because my local grammar is very HOT on AL and ALL the girls go GCSE early from Y9 and the Head says the school's improved results are because of AL.

Last weekend a Headteacher for a school which achieves some good results was asked why the school didnt do AL. Her reply was they want the pupils to have a more rounded education and do other things BUT she has very good evidence from working with other top partner schools that universities are now looking more favourably at those who do sit their GCSE in one sitting. They occassionally let students do a GCSE early like those who are bilingual for example and want to take French early.

I was suprised when I visited one grammar in June and the Y7 were already Y8 and I really dont understand why the rush. Simply because the girls are able shouldnt be the reason to do it, my feeling its the league tables this school is worried about and it doesnt suprise me universities are beginning to frown at AL. I am sure in the days before most schools started doing AL it was seen as the thing to do GCSE early but not anymore. I was also reading one criticism on AL which is that these kids are just given more work and its not as if you do them early and chill out, they just start working on AS

[lorrainey]

Where did you get your information from about RGS accelerated learning? My dd is in year 8 at RGS, and at a recent meeting we discovered that they take their GCSE options to begin in Year 9 (2 year course), but from the three core subjects of Maths, English and Science can only take 2 out of the 3 if assessed suitable. That would mean they took most subjects in Year 10, with only a couple of subjects held over to Year 11, where they go on to take either extra GCSEs of their own choice or AS levels.
Additionally, each child is individually assessed and their subject choice is tailored to them, particularly further up the school, so fulfilling the needs of each individual. They don't start their A levels until Year 12, where they usually take 3 or 4 as I understand it, but also offer the IB, which is becoming increasingly popular. RGS always say they do not have a system as such when it comes to subject choices, they believe in individuals rather than systems.
By the way, I don't work for them, I am just speaking as a parent, and of what I have observed!

My husband asked one of the maths teachers when we visited on Sat morning. I did wonder how correct the info was as it was quite surprising to me. Wonder if my husband understood correctly now...
So, it sounds like from your experience, RGS has the same system as Chatham Grammar, where they take most of their GCSEs early, not all (Fort Pitt).

[tiredmum]

So, it sounds like from your experience, RGS has the same system as Chatham Grammar, where they take most of their GCSEs early, not all (Fort Pitt).

I have a daughter at RGS and that was my understanding of it - a girl i know from where i live is exceptionally bright. from RGS, and last year she only sat 5 GCSE's early. I am hoping this stays the same for my dd or they just give up on AL all together - i agree with sherry in that nowadays it is not the way to go.

And yes FP do sit them all early - although i believe they may pull back on MFL - for those girls who are new to the language in year7, it just dosnt give tham enough time to get confident in a new language.

[Pashmina]

My daughter is in Year 9 at FP and is thoroughly enjoying herself, experiencing a wide ranging curriculum and having lots of fun with the choir and sports teams.

Every time I visit the school, I am greeted as a long lost friend with every member of staff focussed on their 'girls'. I am so pleased that we chose the school.

That's not to say the other two aren't as good - if either of them was the only grammar school to go to then I wouldn't be unhappy sending my daughter there. However the visit to RGS was not very inspiring - the teachers did not seem to make the same effort as Chatham or FP.

If your child works hard enough and obviously has the intelligence then she will do well wherever she goes. We are lucky to have such a choice in Medway.

I believe the best school for her should be HER choice, after all they have to spend the next seven years there!

[tiredmum]

I have just had a very comprehensive letter home regarding the curriculum at RGS for dd2 who is in yr7. All I can say is I am very impressed, it is very well thought out and sets out how in the future it will be tailored to your child’s talents and needs.

Last year dd1 took all her GSCE’s at fort pitt in year 10- there was no option to do some and not others. She was lucky and did relatively well. A’s in all important subjects - English’s , sciences and maths as well as one of her option subjects. She was not so lucky with her second option a MFL. In her yr group at FP they took one lang up in yr 7 then added another in yr 8. They could then choose at end of yr 8 to take one on to GCSE in year10. As MFL are so new to some kids they could really do with waiting till yr 11 - DD1 had to take it in yr 10 and didn’t do so well.

At RGS the girls start both MFL in yr 7. Then, as I understand it, towards the end of yr 7 they/we are advised which one they are stronger at. At this point they drop the other and continue into yr 8 and on till yr 11 with one lang - at which time they are very ready to take the GCSE. Of course if a dd is talented in MFL they may make an exception.

Options are chosen at the end of year 8 and these are accelerated and the GCSE taken at the end of yr 10. However, with the important core’s - English, maths and the sciences the school assesses dd’s progress and only lets her accelerate if they are confident she will do well. Even then only 1 or 2 cores can be accelerated the other(s) is/are taken at normal time(yr11).

The other problem I saw at FP was starting 2 AS’s in yr 11. At RGS The actual AS courses are started at the normal time. In yr 11 they do an extra English course and extra gcse’s. (plus other bits to add to CV)

I know this year FP may have changed their policies but for some of dd1;s friends it is too late and for my dd to get a good lang grade. The uni’s do not like retakes now and they are not keen on 4 A levels taken over 3 years, they prefer 3or4 good ones over 2 years.

I am not saying FP isn’t a very good school, but some of dd1’s friends appear to have been guinea pigs to some extent.

[medwaymum]

My dd is at FP (y9) and is of course following AL - apart from MFL which is now taken over 3 full years as it is recognised that it is needed. At a recent GCSE meeting the HT made it clear that if the students aren't ready to take any GCSE's at the end of Y10, they can extend it to Y11. And I'm sure they said Y11 was only one AS level to start, and pick up extra GCSE's etc.

[tiredmum]

My dd is at FP (y9) and is of course following AL - apart from MFL which is now taken over 3 full years as it is recognised that it is needed. At a recent GCSE meeting the HT made it clear that if the students aren't ready to take any GCSE's at the end of Y10, they can extend it to Y11. And I'm sure they said Y11 was only one AS level to start, and pick up extra GCSE's etc.

Hi medwaymum
I am glad FP have sorted out the lengh of the MFL course and hopefully will give those that need it extra time with other subjects. Dont get me wrong my dd did well on the accelarated learning, apart from MFL -
2 A*
3 A
3 B
1 C
all a year early.
(only found out about the A*'s few weeks ago when we received her certificates - they were listed as A on the summary?? nice surprise though)
But many of her friends are having to do some retakes this year - which is a shame. It appears FP are sorting it now but i feel this has been at the expence of other girls who have gone before them.
What I would say is when your dd takes the mocks in a bit over a year - take note of her results as this was a good indication of how my dd was going to do - up a grade on many but you would see if dd was really down in a subject,

[moved]

I was suprised when I visited one grammar in June and the Y7 were already Y8.

This is such an unusual thing to do now. It means that when year 9 have selected options and year 11 have finished their GCSEs then all year groups can work on an appropriate curriculum. Otherwise there is the issue that year 9 pupils are going to lessons in which they are no longer motivated to achieve good results rather than lessons that interest them.

Regarding AL, in general, I am not convinced aside from the obvious MFL with bilingual children and I think there is a case for maths as some pupils are bored and an extra maths A level taken early just means that the ordinary maths A level can be replaced by Further maths.

[hilltop]

[quote="medwaymum"]And I'm sure they said Y11 was only one AS level to start, and pick up extra GCSE's etc.[/quote]

So in year 12 they may be taking subjects for AS that they hadn't studied since year 10?

[tiredmum]

yes thats right hilltop, my dd was nervous of this as she was worried she may get out of the "zone"