Cambridge International said there is “no evidence” that IGCSEs are graded more leniently than GCSEs, as they dismiss such claims as mere “rumours”.

The exam board said it is expected that a higher proportion of top grades are awarded to students who sit IGCSEs since the vast majority of entries are from private schools where “attainment tends to be higher”.

Cambridge International has written to the chair and chief regulator at Ofqual to rebut claims that IGCSEs are “easier or less robust” than GCSEs.

 "Independent schools took Cambridge IGCSE when there was a rumour that they were 'harder’ than GCSEs," Mr Parker said in the letter. 

"Those same schools continue to take Cambridge IGCSE when there is a rumour they are ‘easier’. Importantly, schools can trust that neither of these rumours is true, as we align our awarding standard with England’s GCSE."

Read more at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2019/03/18/igcse-exam-board-denies-tests-easier-gcses-say-private-school/

'Let's replace GCSEs and A levels with a diploma' says head of Bedales

The truth is that GCSEs do not prepare students for work and further study. In fact, the opposite is the case writes Magnus Bashaarat.

The problem is that secondary-level vocational education has not kept pace with the vision and ambition of universities such as these. Partly because of GCSEs, and the absence of any really meaningful alternative to traditional knowledge-based education post-16, vocational education has been seriously neglected.

For a reminder of what education might, and I would say should, look like in our schools and colleges, we need look no further than the 2004 Tomlinson Report.  The report recommended replacing GCSEs and A levels with a diploma covering both academic and vocational pathways, and so allowing for their combination. Crucially, the authors favoured diverse assessment methodologies, and encouraged the starting of vocational work early – at 14.

Such an approach would bring the opportunity to properly embed vocational education in our schools, and help to eliminate some of the distortions implicit in current measures of school performance – especially if policy makers were to adopt Mr Halfon’s proposal that it be measured on baccalaureate results at 18 and the destination of leavers, rather than the current unsatisfactory arrangements. And if such an arrangement were to push schools and colleges into working properly as partners, then so much the better.

Read more at: https://www.tes.com/news/lets-replace-gcses-and-levels-diploma