I have lived abroad for too long to fully understand how GCSEs work and would be grateful if those of you who have children going through the system and/or teach it could answer a few questions.

For various reasons I would like my daughter to take an iGCSE in English and to obtain a grade C.

Looking at the website it says that Foundation level can give grades C to G and Higher level grades A to C and what I wanted to know is how easy is it to get a grade C if you do the Foundation level. My daughter has never had any formal schooling in English and, looking at the papers, the Foundation level is much more straightforward than the higher level but on the other hand, if the answers need to be perfect to get a C, maybe she would be better off doing the higher level where she could presumably lose a lot more marks and still get a C.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I don't know much about the iGCSE, but certainly how you have explained the differences between the papers fits with what I know about GCSE.

It might be possible, if you haven't already done so, to get hold of the mark schemes and examiners reports from past papers to see how the marks were allocated. This would allow you to see if she would get more credit for her work on the foundation or higher paper. I know for GCSEs that this information is usually available from the exam board, but I can't say for certain that it is for iGCSEs.

Good luck with finding out more information.

It's slightly swings and roundabouts.

The Foundation paper would be 'easier' but most of the questions will have to be correct. Also, the curriculum should be 'easier'.

However, the Higher paper could have a 'hard' question but your daughter may be able to do that question (therefore getting more marks).

It really depends where her strengths are.
Is she doing it 'for fun' (as in, something isn't depending on it)?

I, personally, would probably go for the Higher paper BUT if your daughter is a perfectionist/feels she needs to do the best, the Foundation paper may be better as she would probably be more comfortabe.

Is it language or literature?

EDIT: I'm assuming you're talking about AQA or something like it?
Edit again (sorry!) : Is it worth getting her to do a Foundation past paper, seeing how she does - if she gets a high mark, work towards the Higher and if she struggles, work towards the Foundation?

It wouldn't matter if she didn't get it but it would make things easier if she did. Not a very clear answer, I'm afraid but I don't want to give all the details here.


She's not a perfectionist and we really would be just aiming for a C grade.


It's language and both Cambridge and Edexcel offer iGCSEs.


I had thought of this - I just wondered if there was some obvious logic that I was missing.

Not only is the foundation easier (and as I said, she has never been to school in England and although I do intend to coach her beforehand this is obviously not going to replace ten years of school in England) but the foundation questions are similar to the sort of things she is asked to do in French whereas she has no experience of the sort of questions asked in the Higher in either language.

There's many many reasons!
It's a handy qualification to have!


It's a pass!



I don't think there's any logic missing!
The same way a music teacher may want a grade 8 student to take grade 5 as a first exam - you know what you're up against!
If she hasn't come across the same sort of questions in French, I'd go with the Foundation as that'll push her enough?

Wow I'm in a ! mood today!