Have schools stopped pupils taking GCSE's early?

daisiegg

securityguy wrote: »

And then what? So either they do A2 maths in Y12 (which means it may not count for university admission --- presumably, the bright kids are applying to the selective universities) or they have three years between GCSE and A2, which has the same issues. It might work they're doing Further Maths (four modules per year for three years rather than six per year for two years) but a university concerned about seeing demonstration of ability to deal with the workload might still worry.

Yet again: there's a reason why state schools complain about admission rates to selective universities. Their students are doing the wrong subjects at the wrong time and getting the wrong results.

Why do you say an A2 done in Y12 doesn't count for university admissions? I know a number of very bright young people (my brother included) who did maths A Level a year early (getting A*s) and are going to top universities, a few of them Oxbridge. In fact thinking about our A Level students who get into top universities, a lot of them have done an A Level early. It is not something that the Cambridge admissions tutor that our school works closely with has ever said is a problem.

securityguy

daisiegg wrote: »

Why do you say an A2 done in Y12 doesn't count for university admissions? I know a number of very bright young people (my brother included) who did maths A Level a year early (getting A*s) and are going to top universities, a few of them Oxbridge. In fact thinking about our A Level students who get into top universities, a lot of them have done an A Level early. It is not something that the Cambridge admissions tutor that our school works closely with has ever said is a problem.

Oxford appear to disagree.

A-levels taken in or before Year 13
All courses at Oxford are academically rigorous. Tutors need to be convinced of your ability to manage an intense workload, so that you will be able to cope with the demands of studying here. If any student feels that studying three A-Levels (or equivalent qualifications) at the same time would be too much work for them, we would encourage them to consider whether an Oxford degree is really the best choice. Where there are specific requirements for any course – including any requirement for A-Levels to be taken together or at particular times – these will be clearly stated in the entrance requirements listed on the relevant course page.

Courses other than Medicine
The usual expectation is that candidates will complete the A-Levels specified in their applications within a two year period. Where a candidate completes a relevant A-Level before they apply, this will be taken into account.

Medicine
Conditional offers for students applying to study Medicine are usually A*AA in three A-levels which must be completed in the same academic year.

Applicants for Medicine are very welcome to take one or more of their A-Levels early, and their grades will be taken into account along with all other aspects of their application. They will still need to study a further three A-Levels (or equivalent qualifications) in their final year at school or college in order to meet Oxford’s entrance requirements. Any conditional offer will be based upon these final three grades.

mumps

securityguy wrote: »

And then what? So either they do A2 maths in Y12 (which means it may not count for university admission --- presumably, the bright kids are applying to the selective universities) or they have three years between GCSE and A2, which has the same issues. It might work they're doing Further Maths (four modules per year for three years rather than six per year for two years) but a university concerned about seeing demonstration of ability to deal with the workload might still worry.

Yet again: there's a reason why state schools complain about admission rates to selective universities. Their students are doing the wrong subjects at the wrong time and getting the wrong results.

My DD did Maths and Further Maths over three years, two modules in year 11 and I think five in year 12 and five in year 13 but it could have been 6 and 4. The university she went to was in the top five for maths in all the league tables, haven't checked if it still is, they had no problem with how her A levels had been arranged, she graduated last year with a first and I don't know if the admissions policy has changed. People did warn us it would be a problem but it really wasn't.

poet123

I would guess it depends on whether you are evidencing coping with a large workload with the other A levels you are taking.

mumps

securityguy wrote: »

Oxford appear to disagree.

A-levels taken in or before Year 13
All courses at Oxford are academically rigorous. Tutors need to be convinced of your ability to manage an intense workload, so that you will be able to cope with the demands of studying here. If any student feels that studying three A-Levels (or equivalent qualifications) at the same time would be too much work for them, we would encourage them to consider whether an Oxford degree is really the best choice. Where there are specific requirements for any course – including any requirement for A-Levels to be taken together or at particular times – these will be clearly stated in the entrance requirements listed on the relevant course page.

Courses other than Medicine
The usual expectation is that candidates will complete the A-Levels specified in their applications within a two year period. Where a candidate completes a relevant A-Level before they apply, this will be taken into account.

Medicine
Conditional offers for students applying to study Medicine are usually A*AA in three A-levels which must be completed in the same academic year.

Applicants for Medicine are very welcome to take one or more of their A-Levels early, and their grades will be taken into account along with all other aspects of their application. They will still need to study a further three A-Levels (or equivalent qualifications) in their final year at school or college in order to meet Oxford’s entrance requirements. Any conditional offer will be based upon these final three grades.

Maybe this was relevant for DD, she did five A levels and one AS so no reason to suppose she couldn't handle the workload. Might have been different if she only did three and of course it might have changed in the last few years, I know the rules seem to change on a regular basis.

Aimless

securityguy wrote: »

Why not an A*?

Yes, another year might possibly have bumped them up to an A*....on the other hand, they may have got bored with doing work they found relatively easy, or overwhelmed by all the other subjects they're taking and have less time to put in to it. I'm happy, he's happy.

Person_one

thorsoak wrote: »

I certainly didn't take A level maths ...just scraped through O level maths with what would have been a B/C grade (59%) - but remember algebra, trig and calculus as well as geometry playing a large part in the maths syllabus way back in the Dark Ages (1959!)

My maths GCSE was in 2001 and had all of those except calculus (thank god!).

It seems like a lot's changed in 12 years though in the world of GCSEs.

neverdespairgirl

FBaby wrote: »

Unfortunately not very frustrating. We have very good primary schools, good high schools but it is downhill afterwards!

What about sixth forms which are part of schools? Have you considered those?

neverdespairgirl

FBaby wrote: »

From the moment she went to nursery, she was considered the very bright one. She received the pupil of the year award at her primary school. I thought that moving to a secondary school in a new town, she would start mixing with more pupils of her levels, but if anything, it's been the opposite. She is top of her class in all academic subjects. She is aware that they are other pupils as bright as her, but I think it would be a bit of a culture shock to experience it day to day.

I think that's where a very selective, academic sixth form or secondary school can help some pupils who are bright and high-acheiving anyway.

My mother went to a good school, academic and keen but not hugely selective. She has said she found it a shock going to university - she was used to being top in most subjects she took, and then went to Cambridge, and found a whole university of people who'd also been top in most subjects, and it was a bit of a challenge.

My OH was similar - he went to a good comprehensive and sixth form college in a fairly up-market Home Counties town, but was still taken aback in his first year at university (where we met) because he wasn't near the top of the class automatically.

For me, having been to a very highly selective and academic school, it felt normal at uni. Nearly half the girls in my year got all As a A level, and almost all the rest got mostly As and a B or two somewhere. My best mate won a prize for having one of the top A level history papers, and another girl a prize for a top S level in maths.

onlyroz

I was top of my year at school and I thought it was brilliant when I got to university and finally met people cleverer than me - so I wouldn't worry too much about "culture shock".