Too much, too soon?

Sir, I write to you as a concerned parent as well as an employee of rmbc, currently working with young people. (please do not print my name and address).

I do not see the point in entering students a year or even two years early for their GCSE exams unless they are high flying a or a* projected grades and are ready then to start their A/S level course.

In my experience, bottom set students who are nowhere near ready are being entered in year 10 and even year 9, when surely they need more time to increase their subject knowledge before sitting their exams.

My worry is that if they only achieve low grades they may become disillusioned and give up.

A student who may be capable of scraping a C grade in year 11 can be entered in year 10 or even year 9 and only get a D- G grade.

This i feel is a dangerous thing to do,bordering on the immoral and certainly not helping the confidence of both the child and the parent.

If children are to achieve their full potential they should be given the time to do it.

There's an old saying in education...'its the stage,not the age'.

In other words, children all develop at different rates. Put them in for their exams when they are prepared and ready, not before.

Name and address supplied.