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My son is sitting 4 GCSE’s this school year. One this Friday and 3 in June/July. He is only 13 yrs old. It is the first time his school is putting this age group in for exams for core subjects. Now whilst I am elated the school is brilliant and has high achievers, is there really a good point to this? He still has to finish school the same time as children from any other school. Having loads of GCSE’s under your belt does not necessarily mean you will go further quicker. Obviously university is the goal for most parents and many many children go to university sitting exams starting from the age of 15/16yrs old.
In one aspect making children focus at a younger age is obviously good, considering the type of society we are breeding. On the other hand, there is always the fear factor of pushing your child too soon too quick and him or her going off the rails completely due to resentment.
Although my son is very happy he is sitting exams this year and feels it a privelage, is it really a good thing?
Wondered what other parents thoughts were please :lol:Well done kenty’s son & Good luck :)
Personally I think it’s a good idea if you have an academically capable child to stagger GCSE’s. If they are capable then let them sit them. It takes the pressure off a bit when it comes to their final yr at school. I can remember sitting cramming for 8 subjects – I am the first to admit that I personally am & get on & do it type person rather than a sit & write about it type. :wink:
The pressure is enormous on kids to do well & get good grades in the hope that they might get decent grades securing a good future. As kenty says that’s not guaranteed these days.
Getting the balance right between studying & having a normal teenage life is difficult enough anyway so I’m all for it. :)
Sitting GCSEs in Year 9 is a good thing IF the child is capable of doing so without causing him or her ‘undue’ stress. The big advantage is that they can stagget their exams by doing some in Year 9, some in Year 10 and the balance in Year 11.
Also if they underperform and don’t get a ‘good’ grade, they can always re-sit the exam in order to improve their grading.
It also offers them an opportunity to take more or additional GCSEs which will greatly assist them when the time comes for them to go on into Tertiary education. Many colleges these days offer places to students with higher grades – those with lower grades often find it difficult to get a place in a ‘good’ college.
I’m all for it – my daughter (year 9) is sitting 5 this year.
Obviously all the schools differ but I’m very pleased that some can get them to GCSE standard in some subject so quickly. It does give them the time to gain more experience on the subjects they’ve picked for their options and in a lot of cases it allows them to start running AS level along side the GCSE level.
Staggering them like this also gives them the chance to do their best, they can resit (but only once as far as I’m aware, then you have to pay).
If the child is able and emotionally ready to cope with the exams at this age then go for it.
I’d have loved to have spread mine out over a couple of years rather than have a 2 week cramming hell…I’m sure I’d have done much, much better.
If a child is capable of passing them at an earlier age then let them do it… that way they have more time to focus on their weaker subjects later without jepordising (spell check) the ones they are good at.
I sat 9 GCSES and I never did a bit of revision lol I went to Florida for a month instead… best revision ever… I passed them all hehe Lucky Guesses no doubt!
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