A spectacular boost in the number of independent schools ditching GCSEs is disclosed today in numbers displaying their written test outcomes.
They display a 33 per increase increase in the number of entries for the competitor IGCSE - founded on customary O-level lines and advised by many heads to offer a better groundwork for undertaking A-levels in the sixth-form.
The numbers increased by 33 per cent this summer to 129,288 - thus accounting for 32 per cent of year 11 written test applications. GCSEs, in comparison, fell from 293,335 to 274,183.
Barnaby Lenon, head person of the unaligned Schools assembly, said he could glimpse "no signs" of the switch in the direction of the IGCSE abating, supplementing: "I don't think there is any evidence that it has come to its peak."
Nationally, this year's IGCSE figures were inflated because a number of schools - both state and personal - ditched GCSE English in the awaken of last year's argument when the grade boundaries were increased between sittings. A number of state schools hedged their wagers by putting their students in for both groups of written tests in alignment to stand a better possibility of obtaining C degree passes to increase their league table rankings.
Mr Lenon said the wander in the direction of the IGCSE started with maths "because of sadness with GCSE coursework" and the moved to research.
"It was felt that the IGCSE was a better preparation for A-level," he added. "The syllabuses had a bit more content and were somewhat more requiring. Those arguments still apply."
primarily, he added, some schools were reluctant to enter their lower groups for the IGCSE on the surrounds that it might be too demanding for them - but that concern emerged to be disappearing.
"It will be intriguing to compare the outcomes of those who opted for their students to take both exams," he supplemented. "That could work out what they do in the future."
Some personal schools have opted to devise their own exams as an alternate to the GCSE - such as Bedales, an independent co-educational day and boarding school in Petersfield, Hampshire - where the major two avenues at 16 for pupils are the IGCSE and its own assessed courses.
From this September, it will be possible for the first time for students to leave GCSEs altogether as they will take written tests in the core topics of English, numbers, science and a dialect in IGCSEs while they can opt for the school's considered techniques in subjects like English publications, Ancient Civilisation, history, geography and outdoor work - such as assembling a Land Rover.
This year's cohort was split nearly identically between taking the GCSE, IGCSE and considered techniques Next year, though, it is expected around 55 per cent will take IGCSEs, 40 per cent Bedales considered techniques and just five per cent GCSEs.
Keith Budge, its headteacher, said: "Bedales has a history of informative discovery. The replacement of some GCSEs with our own Bedales considered Coursers has, I accept as true, not only created a better platform for A-level success but also commanded to more achievement with boasts from prestigious universities as these courses are not only more imaginative and inspiring but furthermore offer a more academically stretching curriculum."
general, this year's unaligned school year 11 written test results - blending GCSE and IGCSEs - show the proportion of A* degrees bestowed has risen from 31 per cent last year to 32 per cent in 2013 at a time when the national outcomes displayed a decline from 8.3 per cent to 8.2 per cent.
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