Compulsory Education?

[Mathew]

Hi,
Okay so the current Year 9's will apparently have to continue their compulsory education until they're 18 (up until Year 13).

I'm a tad confused - will GCSE's still happen in Year 11?.. and will people then go on to do A-Levels in Year 12 and 13?

If that's the case, doesn't it totally defeat the object of GCSE's and it means everyone and their cousins will have A-Levels?.. hence making them worthless :S

Thanks xo

[chantellehugs]

It depends on what grade you get in your A Levels though, just because someone has to be in education doesn't mean they're going to work hard. And I think it means you can go to colleges as well, so not everyone will be getting A Levels, some might get diplomas or the other qualifications.

[Conservative,]

No, current year 9s are being forced to year 12. Current year 8s are being forced to year 13.

And yes it DOES make them worthless and pointless, but the Labour Government who introduced this doesn't understand anything about qualifications (considering it thinks everyone should get a degree...lol).

It's stupid. Some people don't WANT to carry on at school. Some people NEED to get a job to support their family. It's unfair and not necessary.

I'm so glad it's not my year though. My year will be the last year where AS's are actually worth something, because everyone will have them. Although as Chantelle has said, not everyone will get decent grades, it still makes them worth a lot less.

Stupid idea imo.

[Blue]

It was all a ploy to make unemployment figures look lower!!
But yeah, it's a stupid idea. People who actually want to learn, will probably just get distracted, by those who are forced there. Though there are BTEC's and other qualifications, they should only be undertaken if someone actually wants the experience.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Could large-scale comprehensives be made much worse than they already are? yet again they've [the political class] proved that yes, they can. The sheer amount of pupils attending large comprehensives is overwhelming as it is, these schools (mine included) are just too big to have any degree of control over. A number that stands at 1,200 now will now increase to around 1,500+ which is ridiculous.

How can teachers cope with that amount of work, how can already vast comprehensives accomodate that number?

[AgnesIO]

The whole stay until your 18 thing doesn't really bother me. I will be going to university before all the kids who have to stay to do A Levels even start the new compulsory bit.

All it means, is if you want the extra step you need to hand the government more money.. and get a degree.

[Deak]

I heard that some people depending on the choices they pick will be given the option of college for them extra couple of years rather than doing y12 and y13 within school...

That could be totally wrong or have changed but im 90% sure thats what i heard not so long ago

[Hayleigh]

It's my year yeah we have to continue to 6th form but also from our year onwards we HAVE to take a language GCSE, but I don't personally mind.

[AgnesIO]

It's my year yeah we have to continue to 6th form but also from our year onwards we HAVE to take a language GCSE, but I don't personally mind.

My school has done that for at least 10 years. With the option to replace technology with a second language (german/french), and another option to use oe of your other options (pe/business/music etc etc) with a third (Spanish).

But you have to take at least one.

[Conservative,]

My school has done that for at least 10 years. With the option to replace technology with a second language (german/french), and another option to use oe of your other options (pe/business/music etc etc) with a third (Spanish).

But you have to take at least one.

Lots of schools do that now, so more people get English Bacc's. But my school only forces us to take I.T because it's a computing school, and then the obvious essentials (Science, English, Maths).