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iGCSE vs the new 9-1 GCSEs – Are Private Schools gaming the system by opting for the easier IGCSEs?
iGCSE vs the new 9-1 GCSEs – Are Private Schools gaming the system by opting for the easier IGCSEs? There has been a lot of controversy since the new, supposedly tougher, GCSEs were introduced. More recently, the debate has revolved around unfairness on the part of independent schools (fee paying private school), where the iGCSE is more popular than the new GCSE. Many people have raised concerns that the independent schools are playing the system by entering their students […]
Success Tips – Year 11 (final year of GCSE)
Success Tips – Year 11 (final year of GCSE) – key facts and helpful hints Although Year 11 is the final year of GCSE, up to 60% of the GCSE material has already been covered in Year 10 or before. The content of the GCSE material covered in earlier years will not be examined in a formal external examination until the end of Year 11. However, the teachers will do regular internal tests throughout and these will be used […]
Modelling success for high achievement in examinations
The word ‘invention’ is often misused as it is very rare for people to invent things or ideas. There are not many original thoughts and ideas out there and most of what we often call invention is really the notion of developing an idea that already exists and presenting it in a different way. Sometimes a very old concept is presented in a new and innovative way. In most cases, ideas from different places or in fact fields or industries […]
A little helping hand for teenagers during exam time
The purpose of my message is to offer a little helping hand, in terms of sharing thoughts with you as a parent. Although I’m also a teacher, I will be speaking more from a parent’s point of view but also using some of the lessons that I’ve learnt as a teacher and curriculum manager in the secondary education sector since 1993. Most of my message is directed at parents who have children who are taking GCSE or A-level this summer […]
A few thoughts about the parent’s role as the child prepares for examination
A few thoughts about the parent’s role as the child prepares for examination I’m writing to share one or two thoughts with you about your child’s education as I believe that you are one of those parents with high expectations for your offspring. This particular message is not necessarily about the courses we offer or directly related to the message we sent to parents recently about revision for the summer examinations. This conversation is broader, and it’s really about the […]
GCSE – the first major yardstick for measuring success
Some things in life never change as it has always been the case that society makes judgement about people’s intelligence based on how many subjects they do well in at the age of 16. In the modern British education system, it is called GCSE but until the early to mid 1980s, it was called O levels. There are other variations, which I’ll speak about later in this article. The pass rate at GCSE has always featured prominently in the news […]
KS3 is just as important…
Definition of KS3 Officially KS3 is supposed to be the first three years of secondary school – called Y7 to Y9 in all state schools and most independent schools. There used to be an exam in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science at the end of KS3 but that was abandoned in 2008 – leaving the GCSE, which is taken a couple of years after KS3 to be the first and only major examination that teenagers take. Since […]
With all the sacrifices, is A-level worth its weight in gold?
For young people who are taking A-level in the summer, the importance of the next four or so months cannot be overemphasised. The discipline and the focus that has to be assigned to cope with rigour and the academic demand of the A-level, though, is worth its weight in gold. It is common knowledge that not all universities are the same, as employers in particular and the wider society, value academic qualifications from certain universities more than some others. The […]
A conversation with a caring parent – No chance of mucking up the mocks
A conversation with a caring parent – exam success is not everything in life but it’s important … We are now at that time of the year when the results of the mock exams have just been released for those students who are taking either GCSE or A-level exams in the summer. You may be right in thinking that this only applies to 15 to 18 year olds; however, in reality – even for younger children in secondary school, […]
Taking back control of technology
Final thoughts: Taking back control of technology Whilst I embrace technology and appreciate its importance as a vital learning tool; I also think there are aspects of the traditional learning experience that is irreplaceable. One main one is day to day interaction with printed text – usually books, which I can touch, feel and smell. I’m one of those people who do not throw away books or resell them as I’ll rather keep books on the shelf than get rid […]
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