Regarding the recent letters comparing the difficulty of GCSEs and IGCSEs, I believe facts are useful (28 August; 4 September). From my own perspective as a maths teacher of 22 years in both the independent sector and more recently the state sector, my experience is that the maths IGCSE requires less preparation.
It is true that difficulty levels are equivalent to ensure parity in academic progression. But using the example of the Pearson Edexcel exam board, the GCSE examination consists of three 80-mark papers, two of which are calculator papers and the other a non-calculator paper. However, for the IGCSE offering from Edexcel, candidates sit only two papers of 100 marks each, with the use of a calculator allowed in both. Both these aspects significantly reduce preparation time and the pressure and anxiety on students and teachers.
