GCSE in year 9
- Thread starter mouse
- Start date
So is this the norm now?
When I was at school (over a decade ago now!), we picked our GCSE subjects in year 9 and studied them in years 10 & 11.
Year 9 was Key Stage Three in English, Maths & Science which helped determine which set you were in for GCSEs.
But yeah, to answer the question, having a head start in any form of education can only be beneficial.
When I was at school (over a decade ago now!), we picked our GCSE subjects in year 9 and studied them in years 10 & 11.
Year 9 was Key Stage Three in English, Maths & Science which helped determine which set you were in for GCSEs.
But yeah, to answer the question, having a head start in any form of education can only be beneficial.
alexr
Hyper Poster
I think it's a good idea, We never had the choice to do it in Scotland with Standard Grade so in S1&S2 (Year 8 & Year 9 I think) we didn't really do much for those 2 years.
We picked ours before the start of S3 (Year 10) and it sort of depended on how you did in your S1/2 classes and exams.
I think it's a good idea though, would have saved me a lot of time.
We picked ours before the start of S3 (Year 10) and it sort of depended on how you did in your S1/2 classes and exams.
I think it's a good idea though, would have saved me a lot of time.
Thekingin64
Strata Poster
Does this mean your doing this through all 3 years or just 2 still?
I personally think it's too early but if it's over the three years it is good for relieving students of some stress. I didn't do anything in year 9 anyway.
I personally think it's too early but if it's over the three years it is good for relieving students of some stress. I didn't do anything in year 9 anyway.
I think it depends on the subject really. I'd never put any of my kids in that early, but it's English and they need as much time as possible to gain and practise the skills they'll need to get a decent grade.
If it's more of a "fact" based subject, where you're essentially just rehashing facts and figures, then it makes more sense.
I know of schools who get younger kids to do GCSEs in pretty crap subjects just to basically get the number of GSCEs they leave with up, regardless of whether the grades will be as good as they would for older pupils.
It's quite common practice as well to stick younger foreign kids in for a GCSE in their native language, so you'll get 12-13 year olds with GCSE Polish or Portuguese for example.
I entered my current Year 11 group for one of the papers in the summer (so they were Year 10). Basically, it was to get one of them out of the way and do the exam while the work for that paper (novel and unseen poetry) was fresh in their minds. It means that we don't have to find time later to review the work, and they can forget about poetry and Of Mice and Men now and focus on the newer work.
But yeah, not a **** ing chance I'd do that with a Year 9 group. For my subject, they just don't have the skill sets at that age.
If it's more of a "fact" based subject, where you're essentially just rehashing facts and figures, then it makes more sense.
I know of schools who get younger kids to do GCSEs in pretty crap subjects just to basically get the number of GSCEs they leave with up, regardless of whether the grades will be as good as they would for older pupils.
It's quite common practice as well to stick younger foreign kids in for a GCSE in their native language, so you'll get 12-13 year olds with GCSE Polish or Portuguese for example.
I entered my current Year 11 group for one of the papers in the summer (so they were Year 10). Basically, it was to get one of them out of the way and do the exam while the work for that paper (novel and unseen poetry) was fresh in their minds. It means that we don't have to find time later to review the work, and they can forget about poetry and Of Mice and Men now and focus on the newer work.
But yeah, not a **** ing chance I'd do that with a Year 9 group. For my subject, they just don't have the skill sets at that age.
SaiyanHajime
CF Legend
Sigh. It's just qualification grabbing... And it misses the point. I agree with your point about English. Should be learning skills for life not to pass a **** exam. What's the point...
My dad's GF's kids took Italian and Iranian, which they've spoken all their life, GCSEs.
I hated school and don't remember much from it. I tried in subjects I liked, wound teachers up in subjects I was good at and drew, drew and drew some more in the books for all the other classes.