GCSE Content is wayyyyy too much and needs to be reduced.

I hope Labour and schools themselves scrap some of the expectations, content, reduce academic pressure, make GCSE Exams more functional with questions applicable to life and for non-pressurising coursework to return.

Do you agree or disagree, or both?

Reply 1

Ismail.A

The whole point of GCSES is to seperate those that can handle the pressure from those who can't. If you can't handle the pressure, put most of your focus into English, Maths and Sciences and focus less on the others.
As a year 13 student, the pressure from GCSEs is nothing compared to balancing UCAS applications (some people have already sent them off for Oxbridge or Med/Vet/Dentistry) and mocks (where many, including me, are trying to raise predicted grades). Trust me, 3 A levels for most tend to be much harder than GCSES.
If you decide to go onto an apprenticeship/college, I would assume there would be pressure from deadlines and whatnot. They tend to require a little less in terms of GCSES, but 6th form opens up many more choices than alternative pathways.

I guess I've yapped quite a bit, however life is stressful, and year 11 will probably turn out to be one of the less stressful exam years. Remember, you only probably need a couple of 7s to do what you want at sixth form (or an 8/9 in maths to do FM). BTW GCSEs are def functional, they're just broad to open a bunch of pathways for your future level 3 qualification choices

Reply 2

agent_duck343

Study Forum Helper

Original post

by FRW060507

Heyyy
Firstly I have moved your thread to the educational debate forum

Secondly - I completely agree with you.
The majority of what we learnt at GCSE isn't used ever again so it is pointless forcing students to learn about why the poet used a rhyme scheme or how to calculate negative fractional indices or how to say 'i play football everyday' in spanish or parts of a prokaryotic cell. Some of the content is useless unless you study the subject further but even then as you study further the content changes. Eg electron configuration at A Level is completely different to electron configuration at GCSE - so why were we even taught it if it is wrong?
The education system is so flawed in my opinion because it takes all the fun out of learning and forces students to memorise hundreds of useless facts for no reason.
We also don't learn that much useful stuff like life skills (mortgages, taxes, insurance) instead we learn multiple case studies - most of which don't even come up in the exam.

Reply 3

FRW060507

Original post

by agent_duck343

Heyyy
Firstly I have moved your thread to the educational debate forum
Secondly - I completely agree with you.
The majority of what we learnt at GCSE isn't used ever again so it is pointless forcing students to learn about why the poet used a rhyme scheme or how to calculate negative fractional indices or how to say 'i play football everyday' in spanish or parts of a prokaryotic cell. Some of the content is useless unless you study the subject further but even then as you study further the content changes. Eg electron configuration at A Level is completely different to electron configuration at GCSE - so why were we even taught it if it is wrong?
The education system is so flawed in my opinion because it takes all the fun out of learning and forces students to memorise hundreds of useless facts for no reason.
We also don't learn that much useful stuff like life skills (mortgages, taxes, insurance) instead we learn multiple case studies - most of which don't even come up in the exam.

Hello Agnes!

Thank you so so much for forwarding it to the educational debate forum. Is it for young people?

Also, yes, some of the content we have been taught is pretty useless, for example; Maths has most certainly failed us, students. We mainly use Maths for Finance in our daily lives or calculating basic Mathematical problems. I usually use it for multiplying scores in my head. I also feel very illy prepared as for the world of Finance, know so little to nothing about it. I also know someone who is campaigning for financial education and I honestly don't blame them.

Thank you so much for your reply. Could you please take my survey? Thanks! :smile:

https://s.surveyplanet.com/0jjvbyz3

Reply 4

elareare

Original post

by FRW060507

Well I can't agree on the coursework, as an International student, any coursework that needs to be assessed during the year makes the exam immediately inaccessible in most cases for me.
But I get your point. I found that iGCSE maths was insanely difficult. I know I'm not the best at maths, but even my dad (the guy who did maths and further maths at A-level and got all a+s) found the exam weirdly hard for our age group.
After a 6 in maths, I know how to do quadratics and trig, but I don't really know percentages for real-life maths.
I think the exams should be either less difficult, or more applicable to real-life situations... I'd really have liked to know how to deal with taxes, buying houses or cars, dealing with insurances... but no.
Oh, well 🤦*♀️ I finished them all anyway. Enough studying will get you the grades you need. Best of luck.
I also find that the exams are marked really harshly.

Reply 5

agent_duck343

Study Forum Helper

Original post

by FRW060507

Hello Agnes!
Thank you so so much for forwarding it to the educational debate forum. Is it for young people?
Also, yes, some of the content we have been taught is pretty useless, for example; Maths has most certainly failed us, students. We mainly use Maths for Finance in our daily lives or calculating basic Mathematical problems. I usually use it for multiplying scores in my head. I also feel very illy prepared as for the world of Finance, know so little to nothing about it. I also know someone who is campaigning for financial education and I honestly don't blame them.
Thank you so much for your reply. Could you please take my survey? Thanks! :smile:

https://s.surveyplanet.com/0jjvbyz3

I felt that it would be better suited in this forum - it can still be accessed by all users

Reply 6

FRW060507

Original post

by agent_duck343

I felt that it would be better suited in this forum - it can still be accessed by all users

Thank you so much! Sorry, I thought you called yourself Agnes for a sec, my bad! 😅 I think it is really important that our message is spread though! 🩷🩷