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GCSE exams and home schooling

Children who are educated at home are unfairly denied access to examinations, according to a report in today’s Daily Telegraph. This is not really a new story. Some home-schooled candidates have always found it time-consuming and awkward to locate suitable … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, English, GCSE, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE English Literature, IGCSE French, IGCSE Geography, IGCSE History, IGCSE Mathematics, IGCSE Science, Qualification, Science, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Are IGCSEs tougher exams?

A report in the Sunday Times on 29 July was headlined ‘State Schools ditch GCSE for tougher exam’. The exams in question were International GCSEs, or IGCSEs, as set by Edexcel and CIE.  As the report indicated, IGCSEs are being … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, Educational organisations, Examinations, GCSE, Government Policy, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE Mathematics, Maths | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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2011 GCSE Results

2011 was a record-breaking year as the gender gap widened. The performance gap between boys and girls reached its widest ever – 6.7 percentage points – at the top grades of A and A*. More…

Posted in blog, Distance Learning, GCSE, Home Education | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
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Cheating the System: how examiners tip off teachers

The Daily Telegraph’s front page story today carries the lurid headline: Cheating the System: how examiners tip off teachers. Parents and students are right to be worried that some teachers and their students are getting a head start. Michael Gove … More…

Posted in A Level, A level English, Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Educational organisations, Examinations, GCSE, Government Policy, Home Education in the Media, IGCSE English | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Introducing Mathematicians from History 4 : René Descartes

In blog 4 of our famous mathematicians series an Oxford Home Schooling tutor looks at the life and work of René Descartes. Introducing Mathematicians from History 4 : René Descartes When and where did he live? Descartes was born in … More…

Posted in blog, Distance Learning, GCSE, IGCSE, IGCSE Mathematics, KS3 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
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Introducing Mathematicians from History: 3 : Fibonacci – When and where did he live?

In blog 3 in Oxford Home Schooling’s series on famous mathematicians, we look at the life of Fibonacci. Introducing Mathematicians from History: 3 : Fibonacci – When and where did he live? Fibonacci was born in about 1170 and he … More…

Posted in A Level, blog, GCSE, IGCSE, IGCSE Mathematics, KS3 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Introducing Mathematicians from History: 2 : Pythagoras – When and where did he live?

In the second blog in our series of maths blogs on the lives of famous mathematicians, an Oxford Home Schooling tutor considers the life of Pythagoras. Introducing Mathematicians from History: 2 : Pythagoras – When and where did he live? … More…

Posted in A Level, blog, GCSE, IGCSE, IGCSE Mathematics, KS3 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Consultation on GCSE Reform

The government, via OfQual, has invited all interested parties to make comments on the proposed changes to the GCSE system. I think it is in all of our interests to make our views known, even if those views are completely … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, Examinations, GCSE, General Resources, Government Policy, History, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE Geography, IGCSE History, IGCSE Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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Changes to GCSEs in 2014

The government has recently announced that there will be a number of changes to the GCSE system, affecting examinations in 2014 and later years.  What is going on? The main change is that it will no longer be possible to … More…

Posted in Controlled Assessment and Coursework, Distance Learning, Examinations, GCSE, Government Policy, History, Home Education, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE English Literature, IGCSE Geography, IGCSE Mathematics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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IGCSE Courses

As Richard Garner has revealed in the Independent, more than 200 state secondary schools in the UK have ditched the GCSE in favour of IGCSE a more traditional O-level style examination. Interest in International GCSEs has doubled over the past … More…

Posted in Distance Learning, GCSE, General Resources, History, IGCSE, IGCSE English, IGCSE Geography, IGCSE History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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