Create A Test Blog

GCSE vs IGCSE: The debate starts again

The IGCSE (international GCSE)
Some schools in the UK have now moved fully or at least partly over the IGCSE based qualifications. These qualifications now come by several names but the essence of them is the same. They offer a more “traditional” teaching with more emphasis on final exams and less time spent doing coursework and controlled assessment. Some highly regarded educators see this as beneficial to their school and pupils.

“… Controlled assessments are cumbersome and time-consuming and restrict the ability of schools like [ours] to provide inspirational teaching for the most able pupils… “
 Head Teacher, UK

Another facto... [More]

Tags: Government Policy, IGCSE, Teaching Maths

What do the football league tables show? I would suggest that the league tables show which team has the best players not which team produces the best players. If I get a foreign billionaire (possibly Russian) to buy my local team and then use his money to buy the world’s best players and finally win every league and cup available I have not produced the best team, I have bought it.

Now let’s look at schools. If I take over my local school and only take the brightest pupils and come at the top of the league tables haven’t I just done the same as the Russian Billionaire?

We have two very different situations here. I think that though it is ok to rank football teams on how good t... [More]

Tags: League Tables, Government Policy, Schools, Russian Billionaires, Football