Hi

Just looking at the provisional KS4 measures for 2017 & comparing schools. Can someone in the know explain the E-Bacc to me? Why do some schools have much higher % entering than others? Is it down to choice of subjects that are in the E-Bacc?

Thank you

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-baccalaureate-ebacc/english-baccalaureate-ebacc

EBacc subjects

The EBacc is made up of:

English
mathematics
history or geography
the sciences
a language

English

To pass the English element of the EBacc, pupils need to do 1 of the following:

- get an A* to C in English GCSE
- take both English literature and English language at GCSE, and get an A* to C in at least 1 of them

Science

To pass the science element of the EBacc, pupils need to do 1 of the following:

- get an A* to C in core and additional science GCSE (in core and additional science, pupils take 2 modules in each of the 3 main sciences: biology, chemistry and physics)
- take 3 single sciences at GCSE and get an A* to C in at least 2 of them (the single sciences are biology, chemistry, computer science and physics)
- get A* to C in GCSE science double award (in science double award, pupils take 2 GCSEexams that cover the 3 main sciences: biology, chemistry and physics)


So candidates will not 'achieve' the EBACC if they are at a school which allows them not to a language and they exercise this right; if the school does not make History or Geography a compulsory Humanities subject; if they don't make the grade in a subject area.

It was originally applied retrospectively to the KS4 results back in 2010.

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

It was 'invented' by Mr Gove in August 2010 and is actually not a qualification at all - you don't get a certificate.

Some schools are obsessed by it and force students to chose their GCSE to 'fit' it - some schools, including GS, are more sensible and realise that some students would be better not doing e.g. a MFL because they are dyslexic.

Many teachers hate the Ebacc because it devalues the arts e.g. music and technology.

I would suggest you don't use the Ebacc to compare schools but look at how GCSEs are 'allowed' to be chosen.

Edited for typos.

DDs School make them chose one of history, geog or RS. I believe it was like that before and they didn’t change to bow down to the Ebacc. Any girl choosing RS and neither of the others won’t achieve the EBacc, but the school don’t seem to be bothered enough to change it.
(Until DDs year they also insisted they take one from Food tech, textiles, Product design and ICT, because they felt it was important they have one of those too).

Thank you Toadmum, Guest55 & Tinkers. I know understand why there's a low % compared to other schools - the school in question doesn't make pupils study a language up to GCSE.

Thanks for the speedy response.