Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

and at least they have gotten rid of key skills, that started in my lower 6th! If you hadnt taken GCSE IT you had to take it and it lasted all of a couple of weeks before abandoned

Well I'm coming round to the idea of doing less GCSEs, I'm just concerned that my daughter doesn't know what she wants to do for a career when she's older, and consequently doesn't know what options to pick. What if she decides in the future what she wants to do and realises she's picked the wrong ones? Can she do A levels in a subject she didn't take for GCSE?

I'm actually all for kids learning keyboard skills (is that sad of me?) I hate seeing people type with two fingers, it can't be good for your fingers - lots of RSI in the future I think! It's so easy to learn to type properly, I think all kids should be taught as part of their ICT lessons, it wouldn't take long at all!

blondie95 wrote:I think its a very sensible idea to reduce the number of GCSE's taken, as i said previously the majority of other schools only do 8-10 subjects. It absolutly should be quality not quantity, given that after gcse's you spend you alevels and then degree focusing on a much narrower range of subjects.

The trouble with doing fewer O levels, is that it might be based on the assumption that O levels are about work and careers. It is far healthier if no attention whatsoever is paid towards jobs and careers, even at university, let alone school and if education is for its own sake, not as a path to some job. However, this isn't entirely practical in the real world, so there has to be a balance drawn somewhere. If the number of O levels is reduced that a child that might like to do arty subjects might be prevented from doing so because a) this won't help towards being a consulant heart surgeon in 2025 and b) they might get slightly lower marks in the other O levels they "need". Perhaps restricting courses at 13 might be a bit early?

ailurophile wrote:To Huggermugger and Lonelymom:

As it happens, I'm partial to cats and garlic. Of course, I reveal this at the risk of blowing my secret identity - now you can look out at parents evening for a frazzled-looking mother with cat hair on her skirt, reeking of garlic...

Shan't bring the dog then...

KenHo wrote

Perhaps restricting courses at 13 might be a bit early?

I still think so, yes. Some of the youngest pupils in the academic year will only reach 13 during the summer vacation, and this does seem terribly young to lose the opportunity to study music, art, a second modern language or any of the other subjects which they may not wish to take to GCSE level. If the number of GSCE choices is to be restricted, perhaps some thought should be given to whether this choice should be made a year later, as it is in most state secondaries.

My older son, who will have to leave CH at the end of his GE year, is looking into studying for the International Baccalaureate at a local sixth form college. I believe this is an option which the Headmaster is keen to introduce to CH at some stage. This course involves studying six subjects; English, maths, a modern language, a science, a humanity and either creative arts or a second lanuage or science, along with core elements of theory of learning and community action. I get exhausted just thinking about it! But DS is hugely enthusiastic; he will be well prepared for the IB by his wide range of GCSEs, and it will enable him not to have to 'narrow down' his options too far even at sixth form. I remain concerned that the fact that my younger son has studied fewer subjects at GSCE may also affect his options for the IB, should he wish to follow this route.

ailurophile wrote: My older son, who will have to leave CH at the end of his GE year, is looking into studying for the International Baccalaureate at a local sixth form college.

Are you definitely going to have to remove both children from CH then?

Lonelymom asked

Are you definitely going to have to remove both children from CH then?

Well we haven't won the Lottery yet... The short answer is that we can't see any way to afford the assessed fees much longer, even for one child once the oldest leaves. The long answer is that we're still doing everything we can to avoid the inevitable.

As I've said elsewhere, our oldest is currently in the UF and I'd take in washing rather than disrupt his education at this stage. Fortunately he is actually quite reconciled to the idea of leaving at the end of his GE next year, largely because he's very keen to study for the IB (and thank heavens that's being introduced at a nearby state sixth form college from this September). For the youngest our local options are less appealing. We've approached the LEA and been advised that moving a child for anything but the most unavoidable reasons is unlikely to be in their best interests (as if we didn't know!). There are only two secondary schools in our town; one, a Voluntary Aided CofE school judged 'outstanding', has a long waiting list - and our children were not offered places at 11 because we don't go to Church, so the chances of getting DS in at this stage are virtually non-existent. Our only 'choice' is likely to be the underperforming single sex comp which we were so keen to avoid in the first instance - the very reason we looked to CH for our exceptionally able boys.

Quite frankly the whole situation is a nightmare and we don't know where to turn. Another parent has kindly sent me a PM suggesting some charities which we can approach for help, so we'll be trying this next. But realistically, if we have to move our youngest it would be better to do so soon rather than let him get too far into his GCSE studies (another reason why I am anxious that he should not restrict his choices too far at this early stage). It breaks my heart.

]Quite frankly the whole situation is a nightmare and we don't know where to turn. Another parent has kindly sent me a PM suggesting some charities which we can approach for help, so we'll be trying this next. But realistically, if we have to move our youngest it would be better to do so soon rather than let him get too far into his GCSE studies (another reason why I am anxious that he should not restrict his choices too far at this early stage). It breaks my heart.[/quote]

I really feel for you, what a heartbreaking decision to have to pull your children out of a school you chose as being the best for them. I can't understand why CH is not trying to help you to keep them where they are. A friend of mine had to remove her daughter from the school at Christmas for the same reasons. It's a very sad, and unfair, situation.

I'm finding it very very hard to 'bite my tongue' !

I am not going to comment on the GCSE changes except to say that as the vast majority of CH pupils go to top universities, the number of GCSEs they take is frankly immaterial. The will only need to pass Maths and English to be admitted to most good universities and Cambridge currently look only at the average number of A* at GCSE as one small factor in the admissions process. No CH pupil will be disadvantaged in any way. To be frank - most CH pupils find GCSE easy and this would explain our move towards the IGCSE rather than the GCSE. This is one advantage of not being state controlled, where the IGCSE is not recognised and funded in state schools, for reasons that are plain stupid. Ed Balls knows nothing about education - but then I am not sure how many ministers of any party ever spent any time in the classroom before entering politics. The only one who did was our current Home Secretary - sadly nothing to shout about!

As a TP teacher I can confirm that TP will still be a subject that all students take post LE but we will only offer the GCSE short course to all. Those wanting to study TP can do the full course as an option. Philosophy at A level is now very popular so I am pretty sure that the subject will thrive in its new structure. IB is on the agenda too, but not likely to be introduced for a few years (if at all).

Interested in your comments about communication. I know that a new email system is under review, so things may get better soon.

Another education oddity from Balls and Brown.

Introduce the new A* at A level to allow universities to discriminate between good and very good candidates. Cambridge (along with other top universities announce they are going to ask students to get the A*). They get lambasted by the same ministers who introduced the A* for unfair discrimination TOP UNIVERSITY DEMANDS TOP GRADES SHOCK in the press.

Madness!

No wonder so many top schools are looking at the new Pre U or IB.

I spend a lot of time talking to top end admissions tutors at our leading universities. All say the same thing - A levels are next to useless when trying to pick the brightest students. Last year 80% of ALL applicants to read English at one leading English univerisity (not Oxbridge) had ALL A grade predictions. They had 900 applicants for 112 places and 800 had three As.

onewestguncopse wrote: No wonder so many top schools are looking at the new Pre U or IB.

Is CH looking at the IB, and if so, any idea when it will be introduced?

lonelymom wrote:

onewestguncopse wrote: No wonder so many top schools are looking at the new Pre U or IB.

Is CH looking at the IB, and if so, any idea when it will be introduced?

Now I'm COMPLETELY lost !