Ebacc - Will it make much of a difference?

[Gibs960]

Today, I was told about my options and I've heard about this Ebacc before but toady the headmaster told us it was quite important. I was just wondering if it would be worth getting because it means I've got to take MFL (German for me), which I'm not brilliant at. The teachers today made out that it was so important and employers are looking for it but I've read into it slightly and according to Wikipedia it was only introduced in 2010 because the government wanted to measure the amount of students studying science and MFL. I'm just a bit confused about it to be honest, could anyone enlighten me?

P.S. Anyone who studies Biology, pm me, I need a question answered - it's importanté! ;)

[Kardan]

I was told that I *had* to take a MFL to get into University. Basically, it's all lies... As for the Ebacc, it's just a measure on how many people get a good grade in Maths/English/Language/Science/Humanities. It isn't a qualification, so even if you do get a GCSE above a C in all five, you won't get anything else.

Basically, it's like getting an achievement on your Xbox but for your grades... It's pointless, and is just for the school performance records.

[Gibs960]

I was told that I *had* to take a MFL to get into University. Basically, it's all lies... As for the Ebacc, it's just a measure on how many people get a good grade in Maths/English/Language/Science/Humanities. It isn't a qualification, so even if you do get a GCSE above a C in all five, you won't get anything else.

Basically, it's like getting an achievement on your Xbox but for your grades... It's pointless, and is just for the school performance records.

So you didn't take the Ebacc and still got into University?

[Kardan]

So you didn't take the Ebacc and still got into University?

The Ebacc isn't a qualification, it's a measure on the school's performance. It's basically the % of students that reached the criteria of an Ebacc.

So in a school legaue table you would see, Pass rate %, A*-C %, Ebacc %

I didn't take part in the Ebacc because it wasn't around then but I did get GCSEs above a C in Maths/English/Science/Humanities and Language, so I would have been included in the % for my school :)

[Inseriousity.]

I don't think you can really evaluate how important employers etc will see it because it's so new but the subjects involved are 'traditional' subjects that are respected by universities even if they're not always necessary.

[Chippiewill]

The government have foolishly placed:

Sciences
English
Maths
And a modern foreign language

On an unnecessarily high pedestal of what you should aim for, in league tables those students who gets all of those do better. As a result schools are now focussing on these qualifications for everyone, despite how inappropriate they are for many students. Many other valuable GCSE subjects such as Humanities and Creatives have therefore been ignored by schools despite their value. The only universities who might care about doing a MFL are Oxford and Cambridge, maybe Durham. Almost all the others only want you getting a C in English and Maths in terms of GCSE qualifications.

Basically your headmaster is a **** focussed on league tables pressuring you into **** you probably don't need and your teachers are regurgitating the crap their boss has given them.