Good news for IGCSEs

21st September 2016

As part of our pre-show marketing, we offer our exhibitors the chance to share news and updates regarding themselves and the sector. With only a week to go until Childcare Expo Midlands kicks off, we are welcoming everyone to contribute stories to our page. Cloudlearn, an online and distance learning provider, shares with us the news of the IGCSEs.

Words from Cloudlearn

CloudLearn have some great news. We have been informed by the Skills Funding Agency that IGCSEs are acceptable for drawing down funding. This, of course, is fantastic news for everyone involved in the childcare sector.

Up till now the funding has been available for GCSEs. As you know, anyone requiring a level 3 qualification needs to have a GCSE in Maths and English at Grade C. IGCSEs are also acceptable for this but up until now, learners had to fund the cost of studying their qualification. With this new development it means that students can follow IGCSE courses and training providers can draw down funding.

The reason why this is so good is that for the next 18 months the IGCSEs are still on the old specifications and are not due to have the first exam on the new specifications until June 2018.

The GCSEs however have changed to the new specifications. Unfortunately, the new specifications have more content and more problem solving. In fact, the exam results for 2016 have shown the biggest year on year decline in passes on record.

So, if you have students that require Maths and English at GCSE level, now is the time to get them onto the IGCSE. It is a golden opportunity.

At CloudLearn, we can facilitate the study of these subjects through our unique Virtual Learning Environment that allows 24/7 study on any device at any location with a bank of expert tutors on hand to ease students through any difficulties!

We will be attending the ChildCare Expo Midlands next week on the 30^th of September and 1^st of October. We will be there to answer any questions you have about our English and Maths IGCSEs for Childcare educators and apprentices! If you’re attending the expo you can find us on stand A22.