When it comes to choosing the right academic establishment for your child, the questions of which educational path your child should take arises too. This is a crucial decision and requires careful consideration. Alongside traditional exam routes such as IGCSEs, some parents choose to go down a different route and enrol their child onto a 1-year IGCSE course. But is this program the right one for your child to take? Below we discuss some of the benefits and downsides to choosing this option, to help you make an informed decision for your child’s academic future.
What is a 1-year IGCSE programme?
To begin, the IGCSE is based on the traditional GCSEs that are taken in Britain. However, they are focused more on being internationally accepted. The idea is to allow anyone to take these exams, with the program being offered to those from a variety of linguistic backgrounds. A 1-year IGCSE programme is a condensed version of this as the traditional IGCSE course is taken over a period of 2 years. It covers the same materials but is compressed, allowing for students to complete the same studies in half the time. This programme is designed for students who are looking to speed up their academic journey or may have missed out on the traditional 2-year course.
Benefits of a 1-year IGCSE programme
There are several benefits that come with enrolling your child onto this course. Here are some of the most significant ones:
- Advancement in learning: Given that the course is compressed into 1 year, students can gain the same level of qualification in just half the time. This is highly beneficial for students who are looking for a fast track in their education or need to catch up with studies after falling behind.
- Flexibility: This program offers greater flexibility when it comes to learning. Students have the chance to study what interests them rather than following a fixed set of exams.
- Improved chances of acceptance: The 1-year course can improve a student’s chances of getting accepted into higher education programmes. This is because it demonstrates that the student can handle and complete hefty amounts of work in a short amount of time.
Disadvantages of a 1-year IGCSE programme
- Limited time for learning: Whilst many students will find the fast-track aspect appealing, the condensed nature of the programme means that there is less time for students to absorb the content. This can be challenging to students who require more time to understand complex topics.
- Heavy workload: The compressed aspect of the course will lead to heavy workloads. Given that this course is usually offered to young teenagers, they may find it difficult to manage such a demand in studies. This could lead to them feeling overwhelmed and struggling to keep up.