Changing schools halfway through GCSES...

I'm year 10 and currently I'm at boarding school, and I don't really like it. I've come to a deal with my parents that if I have a decent year, I can do Year 11 at a normal state school in my town. Which I've accepted as the best offer I'm going to get. I don't like boarding for 2 weeks at a time (getting 2 weekends off a month), nor do I like the fact that there wasn't many options on GCSES.

Anyway, is it possible to change schools halfway through GCSES? I'm prepaired to work hard to fill in the bits on the other sylabus that isn't included, I imagine it's possible to change, but is it practical?

I imagine the course difference in Maths, Science, ICT, etc, are too different. But I suspect things like Art, English, DT, are where the problems will lie.

Also, I wanted to do GCSE Textiles, but at my boarding school they only did Art and Design which is in general and doesn't go into much depth in a certain area. Is there anyway I could pick Textiles up at Year 11?

Reply 1

*Princess*

Why don't u try n move schools as soon as possible during yr 10, as that way u can catch up a month or sos work rather than fillin the gaps of a whole yr
although i can understand that it may be difficult if uve already paid the full yr

Reply 2

Excalibur

15

burninginme

I'm year 10 and currently I'm at boarding school, and I don't really like it. I've come to a deal with my parents that if I have a decent year, I can do Year 11 at a normal state school in my town. Which I've accepted as the best offer I'm going to get. I don't like boarding for 2 weeks at a time (getting 2 weekends off a month), nor do I like the fact that there wasn't many options on GCSES.

Anyway, is it possible to change schools halfway through GCSES? I'm prepaired to work hard to fill in the bits on the other sylabus that isn't included, I imagine it's possible to change, but is it practical?

I imagine the course difference in Maths, Science, ICT, etc, are too different. But I suspect things like Art, English, DT, are where the problems will lie.

Also, I wanted to do GCSE Textiles, but at my boarding school they only did Art and Design which is in general and doesn't go into much depth in a certain area. Is there anyway I could pick Textiles up at Year 11?

Hmm, difficult situation. I would say the best possibility would be to change schools as soon as possible, this year, so that you will only have a few months work to catch up should the subject content be different. Changing mid-way through GCSEs would be hard because....

Different schools use different exam boards, so that the content can be drastically different. For example, you may study different texts for English Lit or different periods for History, which would be hard to catch up with. It would be less of a problem with science (although there are small differences according to exam boards... and I'm not sure how the new Science/Additional Science system works), languages and maths because most exam boards do the same thing. Which subjects are you doing/thinking of doing if you change schools?

Also, any coursework you did over Year 10 may not count if the exam board change, meaning that for coursework-heavy subjects like DT, Art, even English, it would be a lot of work if you have to do it all over again.

But if you think you will be able to do it, then I don't think it will be impossible. It would just mean that your year spent at your current school may turn out to be a waste if you have to start over again, but it's only for subjects like History which would cause most problems. I really think the best way is to change schools NOW, or at least this year!

Reply 3

burninginme

OP

2

Changing this year wouldn't really be possible. I'm obviously taking the core subjects as well as DT Resistant Materials, Art and Design, ICT, Leisure and Tourism, PE (which I'd likely drop). As you can see, there wasn't a huge amount of choice at the school (that's every GCSE they offer).

Which subjects are likely to cause most catch-up work and which ones would be easiest to switch boards?

Reply 4

twinkle.twinkle

Can I just say I tried to move school when I was on year 10 and found it impossible, if you do decide to change school it will have to be now or you really have no other choice but to stay at the school you are at.

I know two people who did change and this was Easter time in Year 10 and they were very limited to what they could do at their new school, one was only able to do English while the other was only allowed to do maths and english. Also someone who changed at the beginning of ywear 11, she wasn't allowed to do any subjects, just for the fact that they were on different exam boards and it was too much to make up in the time available, this was last year. She is now in Year 11 for the second time, as when she changed school she had to re-do year 10.

Reply 5

Excalibur

15

burninginme

Changing this year wouldn't really be possible. I'm obviously taking the core subjects as well as DT Resistant Materials, Art and Design, ICT, Leisure and Tourism, PE (which I'd likely drop). As you can see, there wasn't a huge amount of choice at the school (that's every GCSE they offer).

Which subjects are likely to cause most catch-up work and which ones would be easiest to switch boards?

The thing is, most of your GCSEs are coursework-heavy, and the coursework requirements could be really different from board to board. For example, different exam boards may require different kind of coursework/sketchbooks etc for Art & Design; some boards for ICT require different amount/type of coursework, and so forth.

Reply 6

becky.fm

18

A girl has juts moved into my Year 11 and she is finding it very difficult. She is having to redo a lot of her coursework, as she is sitting different exam boards and it is a lot of hard work for her. It is not advised to do really. I think your options seem quite good actually apart from the Leisure & Tourism [[you might like it, but i do it and dont! grrr]] :p:

Reply 7

burninginme

OP

2

Thanks for all your imput. I've gathered it would be pretty hard to do so. So, say I did change, what should I expect and how would I fit in doing the course work on top of the current Year 11 stuff?

Reply 8

burninginme

OP

2

Also, if I could find out the exact GCSE courses that the school use and examination board, would it be possible to just self-study the material and do the course work self study. Obviously, it would be very difficult on things such as Science, DT, Art, etc, but I don't see why I couldn't on English, Maths, ICT, and maybe the theory side of science?

Reply 9

Blondehatter

I just came across this thread and I find myself in the same situation. Out of interest how did things work out for you?

Reply 10

mugheera

I,m in year 10 know and i am been having some fighting and bullying problem in school and i want to move school and i will be in year 11 in 2 months can i move to other school

Reply 11

mugheera

Can I move to different school???

Reply 12

Blondehatter

My daughter moved school at the beginning of year 11. It took virtually the whole of the summer term in year 10 to organise it. Firstly we found a better school then identified if they had spaces in the correct year groups (we also moved a younger sister). Then we applied to the new school for places which is the bit which took the time to organise as the old school dragged their heels in providing information to the new school in order for them to make a decision to accept the girls. It all came through in the final week of the summer term. Too late for any sort of induction. Through meetings at the new school I was able to establish which exam boards they used and out of all the subjects only 3 were different. Fortunately 2 of these were very strong subjects for her. But none of the old exam board coursework was reusable so with support from the new school she worked the entire summer holidays to create her music compositions, and work through English and RE. she didn't have any breaks whatsoever. When she started the new school she stayed behind after school nearly every night for about an hour with different subject leaders. They gave her additional work. For the first term she worked incredibly hard and this was with their support and gradually she caught up. She is now 3 weeks off her first exam and I'm hopeful that she will do well. One thing I would say though is that be wary even where the exam board is the same as we had a situation where the coursework had been completed in a different order, so she suddenly found herself with a lot more unexpected catching up to do. She also found she had huge gaps in knowledge in one subject due to inadequate teaching in that subject in the previous school.
I hope this gives you insight. It is possible but there is a phenomenal amount of extra work to do, and we were lucky the teachers offered their help but they don't have to. If I can help further just ask.

Changing schools halfway through GCSES...

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