Cambridge IGCSE English Language - different papers

[Amber]

GCSE English is regarded as 'harder' than iGCSE to get a grade C because there is more (creative) writing.

I respectfully have to differ with you on this G55. DD's GCSE English was very 'media' centric and required less creative writing than DS1's iGCSE, which required him to not only do comprehension passages but to produce two pieces of extended writing based on those passages. Likewise when I was working 1-1 with students in a school English department doing (a different) GCSE, I found it to be rather media based again, with lots of stuff about persuasive techniques (an eye to marketing in future) and superficial analysis of things like leaflets and holiday brochures. At the same time I was working privately with a student on (another!) iGCSE course and it was way harder - complex and even arcane language, some properly difficult questions and a real headache for a child like I was working with who was not a reader at all. I am not sure who is doing the 'regarding' here, but suggest that a good grade at GCSE or iGCSE English is pretty well essential for most higher study, and no one really cares much which board or which sub-division of the qualification one has done.

[Guest55]

GCSE English is regarded as 'harder' than iGCSE to get a grade C because there is more (creative) writing.

I respectfully have to differ with you on this G55. DD's GCSE English was very 'media' centric and required less creative writing than DS1's iGCSE, which required him to not only do comprehension passages but to produce two pieces of extended writing based on those passages. Likewise when I was working 1-1 with students in a school English department doing (a different) GCSE, I found it to be rather media based again, with lots of stuff about persuasive techniques (an eye to marketing in future) and superficial analysis of things like leaflets and holiday brochures. At the same time I was working privately with a student on (another!) iGCSE course and it was way harder - complex and even arcane language, some properly difficult questions and a real headache for a child like I was working with who was not a reader at all. I am not sure who is doing the 'regarding' here, but suggest that a good grade at GCSE or iGCSE English is pretty well essential for most higher study, and no one really cares much which board or which sub-division of the qualification one has done.

Amber, it's not my opinion, its the opinion of a friend who is a chief examiner for English.

[Amber]

Fair enough. Though I assume that's for a non- iGCSEboard.

I was chatting to the chief executive of an exam board who definitely felt the iGCSE in general was 'harder'; though qualified that straight away by saying often the GCSE was 'more relevant'. And I guess I broadly agree with that.

[Azure]

Thank you both G55 and Amber

I think IGCSE might be better for sons? I looked at all the local schools here last night - some private boarding grammar comprehensive. Private boys and grammar boys did IGCSE, girls did different boards no matter private grammar or boarding. I wish I know what my DS new school do after 2017 if government don't like IGCSE. And what new government might do

[Catseye]

It seems not fair that your son get A* with one paper and not with another. Do unis take look at exam boards when looking how well DC do with GCSE to see if one a* is better than another a*?

I would not of minded if he wanted to do A level Spanish but I think he would rather have his rt arm cut off!

for universities all gcse/igcse are equal irrespective of board ect plus they are more interested in predicted A level results and for Cambridge AS results ( not relevant to your son since by that time AS exam will most likely be phased out, I cannot understand how it could survive as a stand alone qualification)

The only advantage of going igces is, it prepares students better for the big step up to advanced study imo.

[Catseye]

"IGCSE simply did not suit me. It was incredibly detailed, and meant for those with a huge capacity for learning names, theories and diagrams off by heart. Whereas, when I look at GCSE higher science past papers, the questions make perfect sense to me. Most are multiple choice, and they ask questions that are relevant to everyday life. The subject matter is still challenging, but the multiple choice gives students so much more chance of achieving marks."

This certainly chimes with my sons' experience and having looked at igcse and gcse maths papers I would say latter questions of igcse are quite close to the early AS questions in terms of difficulty and similar to"O" level standard most of us did and gsce similar to the old CSE papers.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/mo ... one-igcses" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Catseye]

DS has finally hit 94 UMS points in his Spanish IGCSE in his last assessment.
About time , he has had enough practice

but one swallow does not make a summer!

I really hope he gets it ,the poor boy has worked soooo hard it .