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School wants me to do maths gcse again even though i got an A*

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Be aware they're not doing that to look good on your CV, it's so the school looks better - if the only people that resit are the people that didn't do very well last year, the results aren't going to be brilliant are they...

Reply 21

polysci

I was in your situation. The school are doing it because they haven't got the staff to let you start your AS early.

What I was forced to do: sit in maths class telling everyone the answers to all the questions before they had time to think in a loud voice. After a week of breaking the teaching/learning cycle, I was give " self study time".

Reply 22

dannie.12

Original post by notdyls

nope. its not the schools fault, more the government's, they introduced a new law sometime this year which means that in Year 11, you have to do either the new gcse or AS maths. im in the same situation; got A* last year in y10, but still have to take gcse again as well as further and additional maths. its possible to disregard the new exam and come out with a 3 or something since your A* is still valid and can just put that on your CV, but you still have to take the new one and its not the best idea to deliberately do badly. the other option is to do AS, but i've heard it's too hard for y11 and will just add to the amount of work you have, so wouldn't recommend that.

So what revision resources are you using for the new spec?

Reply 23

ByronicHero

Well, I can tell you that it certainly won't make any meaningful difference to your CV.

If you plan on taking the A level then getting a head start on that material seems far more sensible and certainly well within the capabilities of an able student.

Reply 24

Retired_Messiah

If you're good enough to manage an A* in year 10, ask if you can do the AS level instead of the new GCSE if they're going to insist that you do something maths related. Would be a much better use of your time, 2 different maths GCSEs is completely pointless.

Reply 25

notdyls

Original post by dannie.12

So what revision resources are you using for the new spec?

I'm not a huge fan of revision, I only revised two days for my maths last year, but I do know that there aren't any past papers out yet, which is annoying. You could ask your school to get some sample questions from the exam board though. I guess you can also get one of those revision books, but they're not quite as good as past paper questions

Reply 26

panic!intheexam

I also did the GCSE in year 10 and got an A*, then in year 11 the group that took the GCSE early self taught the AS level, with one taught lesson after school each week. Could you try something like this instead?

Reply 27

markova21

The school cannot force you to take any exams you don't want to. Are your parents expected to pay all over again for you to take these two Maths papers too? That is completely unacceptable. If they insist on sticking to their guns get your parents to write the school a letter telling them they are taking legal advice over it. A solicitors letter should shut them up. Oh, and IF it came down to you actually having to sit the exams, just make sure you don't turn up on the day. That will rightly screw up their League Table standing and serve them right. Or completely, deliberately answer all the questions wrong so you are awarded a U . It will make absolutely no difference to you at all. You have your A*. **** the school.

Reply 28

Clemm101

Unfortunately your school are at fault here. They should not have entered you for the GCSE Maths in year 10 as they should have been aware that it would not count in their progress 8 measures this year. Unfortunately for you they also have no choice but to re-enter you for the new specs this year. Legally they must enter you for Maths, English & Science. The A* you have already achieved doesn't count this year (for them). On the plus side since you already have an A* it shouldn't be too difficult for you to achieve an 8 or 9 with minimum effort.

Reply 29

notdyls

Original post by markova21

Do NOT do this. In this case, although the school are partly responsible for letting you do it in y10 even though it wouldn't count, it's possible they didn't know, as I think my school didn't. It's not the school making you do it again, it's the government. If the school let you skip it, they would technically be breaking the law, which in turn will trigger an ofsted inspection. If you have to take the exam, which is likely, at least try to do well, as it will still count towards your ucas

Reply 30

3121

Hmmm… A* sounds better than 9

Reply 31

3121

Original post by notdyls

He has a general certificate of secondary education in maths, there's no legal requirement for him to do the new specification so he's done with it, if they want him to do another maths it should at least be statistics so it's something new

Reply 32

Compost

I presume that you are at a state school and the reason they are doing this is entirely for league tables as only the new style 9-1 grades will count in those for Maths and English next year. There is no benefit for you doing it.

Reply 33

username1986099

I thought that if you sat the old GCSE in Year 10, you HAD to do the new one else it wouldn't count (even for you)?

Reply 34

Compost

Original post by danielwinstanley

I thought that if you sat the old GCSE in Year 10, you HAD to do the new one else it wouldn't count (even for you)?

It counts for you just not for the school.

Reply 35

Clemm101

Original post by zayn008

Statistics (or something) won't count either. It has to be the new Maths GCSE or AS - there is nothing else that will fill the 'Mathematics' section of Progress 8. If the school don't or won't teach AS it will have to be the new GCSE.

Reply 36

JamesN88

Am I right in thinking that if you just don't turn up to the exam then there's no qualification to declare for UCAS, or would it result in a U grade?

If the answer is the former then just don't turn up.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 37

Clemm101

Original post by JamesN88

Am I right in thinking that if you just don't turn up to the exam then there's no qualification to declare for UCAS, or would it result in a U grade?

Just not turning up will result in a U. Unless you are withdrawn from the qualification you will be given a U, which you are supposed to declare on your UCAS application.

Reply 38

username2057011

Original post by dannie.12

So what revision resources are you using for the new spec?

1) VERY IMPORTANT: NEVER ever EVER listen 100% to what your school does they always want what benefits them not YOU. whatever they say take it with a pinch of salt. Whatever bull-fking-**** they tell you always research!!!!

2) There is not point in doing it again? unless you want two different maths grades. If you fail this new one you still have to put it when you apply on cvs and ucas applications so the grade will stick with you forever.

3) Don't ever ever ever and I can not express this enough fall into pressure by teachers or schools. Always research from multiple resources. ONLY do it if YOU want to do it. the school wants you to do it so they can say that people in there school got high grades as to make it look good.
4) when people tell you to do things always think : how would this benefit them and then you can begin to know why they are telling you to do things. look at contect of the situation.

5) BEST TIP: GET your parents involved in school matters no matter how small it is. When parents are involved the school acts differently and treats you with respect. By bringing in your parents school begins to listen to your demands.

Reply 39

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Original post by dannie.12

I wrote my maths GCSE in year 10 and got an A*. The school said if we are able to get an A* we dont have to do the harder one next year so I worked really hard to get an A* so that I could concentrate on other subjects. But now we were told we still have to do the new GCSE so that we have two maths GCSE qualifications which will 'look good on our CV'. Do you think I should still pay equal attention on the maths despite having done it already and got an A*?

I'm afraid you have to do it. The only maths qualification they are in a position to teach you that counts for school performance tables is the 9-1 GCSE. Your A* in GCSE maths is worth nothing to your school so you will damage their results if you don't do it. You might think "So what?" but there is a massive problem for you too. If you don't have grade 4 or above in the 9-1 GCSE next summer then you won't be allowed to take A Levels because this particular qualification is a requirement of Post-16 funding for every course.