Private schools and GCSE'S

[Tolstoy]

DS did a year of IGCSEs and then had to switch to GCSE. We checked the syllabus of the subjects he was doing with the GCSE equivalents he was swapping to and there was very little difference to be honest.

I do agree with G55 about the English Language though as yes it was intended for International students many who would be ESL. I have no proof for this but my other DS got a B at IGCSE and I always suspected he was more C level in E.Language.

[Daogroupie]

Edexcel IGCSE English Language has a different paper for ESL. DG

[Yamin151]

Yes, I've just been getting the timetable for Edexcel IGCSEs and the EFL English paper is different from the normal one.

Cannot see IGCSEs ever 'withering on the vine' as there is a HUGE call for non state school sitters, by which I mean those that study abroad, so unless the standard GCSE is made available to self funders I cannot see how it would wither, though it seems silly to have both systems if papers are the same standard

[Guest55]

Edexcel IGCSE English Language has a different paper for ESL. DG

Yes there is but the old iGCSE was still easier than GCSE - state schools could not use it because of the performance tables.

[Amber]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2 ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting. Acknowledgement that iGCSE is easier; and a call for it to be more widely available. From Fiona Millar, of all people. But worth a read.

[Loopyloulou]

Acknowledgement that iGCSE is easier

Really? I don't read that in the article. (Which anyway, as you say, was written by Alastair Campbell's wife). To quote from the article:

If you feel you need lie down in a darkened room to work out what this all means, save yourself the bother. It is quite simple. The government doesn’t want any competitors to its new (relatively untested) flagship qualification.

[Amber]

Acknowledgement that iGCSE is easier

Really? I don't read that in the article. (Which anyway, as you say, was written by Alastair Campbell's wife).

Fast forward eight years, and that same IGCSE has been removed from the list of qualifications approved for state schools by Gibb’s government. Why? Because it is apparently now not rigorous enough, at least when compared with the new government-created GCSEs.

Meanwhile, the independent sector continues to use IGCSEs, reigniting concerns among some heads that the state-private divide will widen – only this time because private schools will apparently be doing easier exams to boost their chances of top grades and places at the best universities.

Ok it is opinion, as is the entire piece of course.
And while Millar is indeed married to Alistair Campbell, I am not sure that is especially relevant here (I do not necessarily consider myself to be a clone of my OH and his views, nor to speak for him any more than he does for me). The key issue regarding the author is more her involvement with the Local Schools Network. That is why I flagged her as the author, not because of who she is married to. It is a great organisation imho but I am not sure you will share that view LLL.
http://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Loopyloulou]

I suspect Fiona Millar's views are closer to her OH's than they are to my OH's Amber!
And I know nothing of the Local Schools Network, but in my ignorance I am prepared to give it the benefit of my doubt and declare it to be a fine organisation!