GCSE results

[EastleighSoulBoy]

As far as Im concerned kids are dimmer than they were 10-20-30-years ago. Ask any of them to do some mental arithmatic and they get into a hot sweat.

The government are pulling our plonkers, of course the parents wont have it that the exams are easy and so look favourably on them for that.

 

Ask some of us older ones to spell arithmetic and they fail!

[benjii]

If you do a good degree at a good uni, or a specific degree targeted at a specific career that demands said degree, it will help your career unless you want to do something that doesn't require a degree to do.

 

This is clearly a glib truism but some seem to be struggling with it.

 

Oh, and by the way, even if you don't improve your career with your degree you'll have a ****ing awesome three years and will not spend the rest of your life wishing you had gone to uni.

[benjii]

And a final thought....

 

GCSE are a **** load easier than "O" Levels were. This is FACT.

 

I know it is FACT because I did Additional Mathematics when taking my GCSEs. The Additional Mathematics Paper was an old "O" Level paper and also covered most of the first year of the A-Level Pure Maths course. It is the hardest exam I've done and that includes A-Levels and two degrees.

[Smirking_Saint]

And a final thought....

 

GCSE are a **** load easier than "O" Levels were. This is FACT.

 

I know it is FACT because I did Additional Mathematics when taking my GCSEs. The Additional Mathematics Paper was an old "O" Level paper and also covered most of the first year of the A-Level Pure Maths course. It is the hardest exam I've done and that includes A-Levels and two degrees.

 

Pure maths is a C*nt

[harvey]

Why has it gotta be on the regional news every ****in year?.......so they pass a few exams, and then we've gotta watch em on the news whoopin and hugging eachother.............we got a letter in the post, briefly glanced at it and then got on with our lives :cool:

[rpb]

And a final thought....

 

GCSE are a **** load easier than "O" Levels were. This is FACT.

 

You may well be right but it also worth considering that some of the stuff that I had to study for 'A' Level Physics (1965) can now be found on GCSE papers.

[benjii]

Why has it gotta be on the regional news every ****in year?.......so they pass a few exams, and then we've gotta watch em on the news whoopin and hugging eachother.............we got a letter in the post, briefly glanced at it and then got on with our lives :cool:

 

Good question. It's not really news is it.

 

"There was widespread shock today when exactly the same thing that has happened for the last 30 years occurred on GCSE/A-Level results day."

[Ludwig]

You may well be right but it also worth considering that some of the stuff that I had to study for 'A' Level Physics (1965) can now be found on GCSE papers.

 

I was doing some Maths papers from the 60s and 70s (aimed at top 10% at the time) and they were easier than STEP II and III papers, on par with AEA and STEP I. These are also aimed at the 'top', but tbh, not that much has changed, other than the number of people taking such exams, and as such 'easier' questions to appeal to those of lower ability ought to be included.

[Draino76]

Anyone else get theirs today?

 

7 A*'s, 5 A's and a B, really happy

 

Well done mate. I got 7 A's and a B too back in '94. No A*'s back then which I would of got dough.

[harvey]

Good question. It's not really news is it.

 

"There was widespread shock today when exactly the same thing that has happened for the last 30 years occurred on GCSE/A-Level results day."

 

Exactly!!!!!!!!....(going off topic) the same as when they say "A poll suggests"....to me that's not news!!!, that's ****** :smt045

[Wiltshire Saint]

GCSE's were a piece of ****. I did two of them off my tits ffs. Still got 16 of the fookers though.

 

No you didn't. You didn't do 16 and you certainly didn't do any of them whilst off yout tits. You are an imbecile.

 

Was forced to do that many by the school as I was one of the intelligent ****wits.

 

Of course.

 

Orn', I am actually very intelligent. Maths was my thing, got my lowest grades in English language and lit, which was put down to my poor SPG due to my dyslexia. I had extra time on exams, but did not need to use it, just get letters and stuff like that mixed up.

 

Yes, you certainly come across as very intelligent.

 

Did they do pointless degrees like media studies?

 

No, they worked for their Dad because no one else would employ them because they were such massive ar*eholes.

 

You really are an irksome little tw*t aren't you? I have read your posts and each and every one of them makes me ashamed to be human. Your b*ll**** is incredible. You are a spolit little turd who should just shut up. And you do realise that simply stating, over and over again that you are intelligent, does not make you intelligent.

[Micky]

Agreed, the NVQ 3 was a bloody knightmare, but when i did my AMA i had to do it, along with key skills (why??) and the BTeC.

 

Now with my new company and doing my degree, i am tied in for 5 years (4 left) and if i leave early i have to pay back 10k, or indeed if i fail the degree i have to pay an amount of costs. I think this is the way things are going and is as expected really.

 

TBH, me and my other mates who did AMA's and even FMA's, or training, basically start of on kak money and do a trade are now doing much better than the ones that went for the higher started wage jobs and pointless degrees. Just hope the youngsters realise that at their age they are better starting on low wage for technical training for the future, as when they are older they prob won't be able to afford the wage drop

 

Because an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship is a Framework qualification, generally consisting of Key Skills, an NVQ, Employment Rights and Responsibilities and a Technical Certificate.

 

Whilst NVQ's are often much mocked, they are not designed to prove academic proficiency - they are tailored by various Sector Skills Councils to prove competence at a certain level in the workplace - which generally speaking they do. As many of them are government funded schemes as well - employers generally will encourage thier staff to enrole on such qualifications.

 

I have worked with people who boast various different Degree qualifications but who bought absolutely nothing to the table in terms of working experience and thier degree subjects helped them little.

[Ash]

No just when they are serving me at Tescos coffee shops etc

Do you ask any young doctors to do any sums in their head? Or are you basing an entire generation on your interaction with the people at Tesco?

[sadoldgit]

To be honest, alot of people aren't that amazing at maths, but your statement 'As far as Im concerned kids are dimmer than they were 10-20-30-years ago. Ask any of them to do some mental arithmatic and they get into a hot sweat' is a bit sweeping and unfair. There have always been people not so good at maths and there is no proof that there are any more these days.

 

If you think that mental arithmatic is dead, take a look at spelling. I did a sift for an interview process yesterday and every application from agraduate had basic spelling mistakes in it. And these people have spellcheck FFS.

 

It is not that people are dimmer, it is because the standard of education has dropped and kids are now just taught how to pass exams, they are not "educated."

[Viking Warrior]

what they don't day is how many have failed and whether the failure rate is getting worse.

 

I bet those that failed are hacked off at the constant record increase headlines spewed out by the various media.

 

Oh and getting an A for a 57% pass is just bizarre. what would they get if they had a 90% plus pass?

[OldNick]

Do you ask any young doctors to do any sums in their head? Or are you basing an entire generation on your interaction with the people at Tesco?

 

if I did it would be down to the education system in Botswana, Zimbabwe, New Zealand etc.

[thesaint sfc]

I got a B when I did my GCSE's and thought I was the dogs ********. This thread has somewhat knocked my confidence

[ChrisPY]

if I did it would be down to the education system in Botswana, Zimbabwe, New Zealand etc.

 

Because 100% of young doctors are foreign?

 

There are plenty of people across all age groups who can't do simple maths. It's ridiculous to make a sweeping generalisation that anyone of a certain age are 'thick' and can't add up a few numbers.

 

Admittedly, some exams have become easier and a good pass can be achieved after a few drinks (Additional Science 2008), however this does not mean the younger generation are unintelligent. If exams are getting easier but kids are getting 'thicker', you would expect pass rates to stay the same. Pass rates are rising which would more or less corrolate with the falling difficulty of exams meaning the intelligence of youngsters in the 21st century is not that different to youngsters in the 20th.

[Thedelldays]

thesaints sfc...you are far from the dogs gonads

[thesaint sfc]

thesaints sfc...you are far from the dogs gonads

 

I'll take that as a compliment.

 

Thank you

[Saint Keith]

whats this obsession people have with going to uni?

 

i didnt do college or uni, certainly hasnt done me any harm

[OldNick]

Because 100% of young doctors are foreign?

 

There are plenty of people across all age groups who can't do simple maths. It's ridiculous to make a sweeping generalisation that anyone of a certain age are 'thick' and can't add up a few numbers.

 

Admittedly, some exams have become easier and a good pass can be achieved after a few drinks (Additional Science 2008), however this does not mean the younger generation are unintelligent. If exams are getting easier but kids are getting 'thicker', you would expect pass rates to stay the same. Pass rates are rising which would more or less corrolate with the falling difficulty of exams meaning the intelligence of youngsters in the 21st century is not that different to youngsters in the 20th.

I do accept that the kids are notthicker and apologise for that statement. They are not brighter and I would say the exams are getting easier to pass IMO or to get a decent grade.

Most of the young are great and I enjoy their banter, I probably should be aiming my ire at the government who take us all as fools trying to make out the system is getting better year on year.

[ben05]

I had my results yesturday.

 

5 A*s

4 A's

3 B's

 

not too shabby

[Ken Tone]

I do accept that the kids are notthicker and apologise for that statement. They are not brighter and I would say the exams are getting easier to pass IMO or to get a decent grade.

Most of the young are great and I enjoy their banter, I probably should be aiming my ire at the government who take us all as fools trying to make out the system is getting better year on year.

 

 

They are not brighter and they are not thicker , but that does not mean exams are easier as such . It means they are working hard and are being better prepared.

 

When Roger Bannister ran the fiorst 4 minute mile it meant he was the best in the world. Now it is almost common place. Does that mean the mile has got shorter? No. It means that modern athletes train better and have better equipment.

 

Ditto students. More of them achieve good grades but it doesn't mean they are inherently more intelligent, nor that exams have got easier

 

Of course that does mean that someone who gets a grade A now might not have done so 20 yearsd ago when students weren't so well 'trained', but then Ussian Bolt might not have run so fast in plimsolls on a cinder track either!

 

K.

[Ash]

if I did it would be down to the education system in Botswana, Zimbabwe, New Zealand etc.

Very clever; what about all those other occupations aside from medicine and retail?

If we just look at one or two people and base our assumptions on them, we could end up looking at people who were schooled in your 'era' and decide that, while apparently excellent at maths, they lack basic logic, reasoning and social skills.

 

whats this obsession people have with going to uni?

 

i didnt do college or uni, certainly hasnt done me any harm

I went to University, it certainly hasn't done me any harm. It hasn't even left me with a ****ing massive chip on my fat shoulder about people who have done something different to me.

Just because you have done alright, doesn't invalidate every other path people have taken in their life does it?

Also, there is a misconception about people who go to University doing it solely to further their career. While that comes into it, some people actually enjoy education.

[Saint Keith]

Just because you have done alright, doesn't invalidate every other path people have taken in their life does it?

 

of course it doesnt, thats not what i meant. its jsut so many people seem to think that having gone to uni gives them a god given right to a succesful career, and it doesn twork like that. it will for some of course, and not for many

[rpb]

whats this obsession people have with going to uni?/QUOTE]

 

I went to university but it was Portsmouth - not too sure whether that counts....

[OldNick]

whats this obsession people have with going to uni?/QUOTE]

 

I went to university but it was Portsmouth - not too sure whether that counts....

 

I assume you got your A* for spelling your name right

[rpb]

 

I assume you got your A* for spelling your name right

 

No, it was for putting a full stop at the end of a sentence.

[badgerx16]

I do not think that it is necessary to denigrate the students for the way the system awards grades, they will feel a sense of acheivement and it serves nobody to knock them. I do, however feel that the system itself is open to question. The greater the proportion of 'good' grades awarded, by whatever means of manipulating the system and twisting the statistics, the less useful a list of exams passed becomes, as it cannot be used as a means of differentiation between students / candidates.

As posted somewhere above, the reality is that in terms of FE / HE and future career development, GCSE passes quickly become an irrelevance, ( and I take that from the standpoint of an interviewer / employer ). I also cannot understand why the Government are so hung-up on university placements; why have a target of 50% of pupils aged 16 going on through FE to Uni, when there is no requirement in the 'real world' of work for 50% of new employees to have a degree ? All the b@@@@@ks about getting a better paid job, and thereby justifying the obscene levels of debt generated by the Student Loans system, is just so much bluster and hot air.

Then again, all the members of the Government and Opposition front benches benefitted from the previous scheme of grants, and didn't pay tuition fees.

 

Anyway, rant over. Well done to all of you getting your exam grades, whether GCSE, 'A' level, or degree, and best of luck in whatever you hope to acheive in the future.

[GenevaSaint]

Good question. It's not really news is it.

"There was widespread shock today when exactly the same thing that has happened for the last 30 years occurred on GCSE/A-Level results day."

 

The pass % has been increasing year on year since 1988, the first year of GCSEs. Says it all to me I'm afraid. I've no doubt the students are studying harder and thinks may have improved in schools, but year on year increases are hard to swallow without thinking things in the background are changing.

 

As an aside, anyone know why the grade % change year on year? Why isn't it just 75% + for a grade A, 60 for a B, 45 for a C?

[GenevaSaint]

No you didn't. You didn't do 16 and you certainly didn't do any of them whilst off yout tits. You are an imbecile.

Of course.

Yes, you certainly come across as very intelligent.

No, they worked for their Dad because no one else would employ them because they were such massive ar*eholes.

You really are an irksome little tw*t aren't you? I have read your posts and each and every one of them makes me ashamed to be human. Your b*ll**** is incredible. You are a spolit little turd who should just shut up. And you do realise that simply stating, over and over again that you are intelligent, does not make you intelligent.

 

Not only is Bizzle a very intelligent young fella he was also an amazing footballer until injury put paid to his career. Now he turns out for a lowly Wessex League side. He once played against Gillett and can confirm he'e ****. He won't give out the name of the super dooper side he did play for though.

 

In fact Wiltshire, I think I prefer your irksome little **** desciption better.

[badgerx16]

The pass % has been increasing year on year since 1988, the first year of GCSEs. Says it all to me I'm afraid. I've no doubt the students are studying harder and thinks may have improved in schools, but year on year increases are hard to swallow without thinking things in the background are changing.

 

As an aside, anyone know why the grade % change year on year? Why isn't it just 75% + for a grade A, 60 for a B, 45 for a C?

Possibly because it is the % of candidates, not % mark. Therefore you might get an 'A' for a mark of 60% if you are in the top 10% of results gained, ( or whatever threshold is set ).

[Rattlehead]

I had my results yesturday.

 

5 A*s

4 A's

3 B's

 

not too shabby

 

[Smirking_Saint]

Because an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship is a Framework qualification, generally consisting of Key Skills, an NVQ, Employment Rights and Responsibilities and a Technical Certificate.

 

Whilst NVQ's are often much mocked, they are not designed to prove academic proficiency - they are tailored by various Sector Skills Councils to prove competence at a certain level in the workplace - which generally speaking they do. As many of them are government funded schemes as well - employers generally will encourage thier staff to enrole on such qualifications.

 

I have worked with people who boast various different Degree qualifications but who bought absolutely nothing to the table in terms of working experience and thier degree subjects helped them little.

 

I understand why, NVQ's from an academic level however i feel are not really up to scratch however i agree that they show a competence of the bearer towards the given subject of which they are undertaking.

 

The key skills however, as much as i understand the reasons why, in which it shows that the person is competent with communication, mathematics etc etc. However seeing as i held A's in science and B's in maths and english why would i need to prove this any more ??

 

In the degree side of it i agree, many people feel that getting a degree through Uni will allow them instant access, unfortunately this is a little far from the truth, many companies prefering experience of the workplace along with the academics, this is why in my belief (with the exception of doctors etc) taking a job with training on both academic and work levels is arguably the best way to go.

[Saint Keith]

 

As an aside, anyone know why the grade % change year on year? Why isn't it just 75% + for a grade A, 60 for a B, 45 for a C?

 

 

forced ranking possibly

[Torres]

forced ranking possibly

 

I thought that kind of thing only happened in boarding schools?

 

Oh, you said ranking, my mistake.

[Smirking_Saint]

An A and a C mean the same thing anyway. Both is a pass and both counts towards getting you into college.

 

And both will have no place on a CV after a few years

[Saintandy666]

I had my results yesturday.

 

5 A*s

4 A's

3 B's

 

not too shabby

 

That's pretty damn good to be honest.

 

GCSE's aren't easy, you have to know alot on many different subjects to come out with top top marks(lots of A*'s), most people get C's and B's, and theres nothing wrong with that, that's the point of the C grade. When they say 99.7% pass rate or whatever it is(might be a bit lower than that, they are talking about G grade upwards and anyone can get a G grade, it's that easy, but few will be able to get several A*'s.

[RedAndWhite91]

I got 1 A, 2 B's, 4 C's and 2 D's all of 2 years ago... They must be easier nowadays! Having said that I got 4 A-Levels the other week, can't complain.

[ben05]

That's pretty damn good to be honest.

 

GCSE's aren't easy, you have to know alot on many different subjects to come out with top top marks(lots of A*'s), most people get C's and B's, and theres nothing wrong with that, that's the point of the C grade. When they say 99.7% pass rate or whatever it is(might be a bit lower than that, they are talking about G grade upwards and anyone can get a G grade, it's that easy, but few will be able to get several A*'s.

 

Thanks,

 

Im a little disappointed i was banking on anly 1 B, but you cant win them all !

 

Roll on AS Levels :S

[Saintandy666]

Thanks,

 

Im a little disappointed i was banking on anly 1 B, but you cant win them all !

 

Roll on AS Levels :S

 

Well, you were never going to get all your predicted grades, espcially if you are predicted highly like you were I assume. Everyone seems to always drop one or two by a grade or so.

[Saint Keith]

Well, you were never going to get all your predicted grades, espcially if you are predicted highly like you were I assume. Everyone seems to always drop one or two by a grade or so.

 

 

well my daughter was predicted an F in maths, and got a B, so **** them!

[RedAndWhite91]

well my daughter was predicted an F in maths, and got a B, so **** them!

 

Good on her! For 2 years my geography teacher told me I'd never get a C and even laughed at me when I said I was taking the higher paper. I got a C. **** them indeed!

[Clapham Saint]

I remember my Chemistry teacher (back in the day) saying that she "hoped I got a better grade than I deserved". A* - f**k you b****.

 

And my History teacher saying in a report that I'd be "luck to pass". To be fair my B was very lucky but **** you all the same. :-)

[Ludwig]

Following Clapham Saint's sentiments, this year for AS I received an 'E' grade in my 'end of year report' from my Philosophy & Ethics teacher, yet received 200/200 in the actual thing. Yeah, mother****er.

[Saintandy666]

well my daughter was predicted an F in maths, and got a B, so **** them!

 

Some teachers are stupid and get it wrong as well. She obviously worked really hard. Well done to her. Alot of the time it can be because you don't particulally get on with the teacher they predict you low, unprofessional, but it happens.

[Wiltshire Saint]

well my daughter was predicted an F in maths, and got a B, so **** them!

 

Following Clapham Saint's sentiments' date=' this year for AS I received an 'E' grade in my 'end of year report' from my Philosophy & Ethics teacher, yet received 200/200 in the actual thing. Yeah, mother****er.[/quote']

 

May I be as bold as to suggest that your daughters efforts in her Maths lessons and Buzzin Orns efforts in his lesson indicated that they were not that able. Maybe they were lazy. In fact, Buzzin Orn quite often takes pride in leaving his work till the last minute and being lazy in his approach. They probably didn't show the ability they had. I don't think that teachers are predicting low grades in order to destroy people's self esteem. Both of your aggressive responses say more about you than it does the education system. There is such a tendency in this country to knock these services that are provided for us, whether it is education, health, police or whatever.

 

I remember my Chemistry teacher (back in the day) saying that she "hoped I got a better grade than I deserved". A* - f**k you b****.

 

And my History teacher saying in a report that I'd be "luck to pass". To be fair my B was very lucky but **** you all the same. :-)

 

I don't understand this post. Your teacher hoped that you would get a better grade than you deserved and you respond by saying "f you b*itch"? Either I haven't understood, you haven't understood or you're a tw*t. If your command of English is up to scratch and you have expressed yourself properly, your teacher said a nice thing to you, hoping that you did better than desrved to do and rather than saying "yes, I did do well, thank you for wishing me well2 you come out with a range of expletives. What a pleasant young man you are.

 

And then your History teacher correctly assesses your chances ("lucky to pass) and you then admit to passing through luck and still don't have the maturity to step back and say "I got away with that despite the warning, maybe I should learn something from this experience".

[Micky]

I understand why, NVQ's from an academic level however i feel are not really up to scratch however i agree that they show a competence of the bearer towards the given subject of which they are undertaking.

 

The key skills however, as much as i understand the reasons why, in which it shows that the person is competent with communication, mathematics etc etc. However seeing as i held A's in science and B's in maths and english why would i need to prove this any more ??

 

In the degree side of it i agree, many people feel that getting a degree through Uni will allow them instant access, unfortunately this is a little far from the truth, many companies prefering experience of the workplace along with the academics, this is why in my belief (with the exception of doctors etc) taking a job with training on both academic and work levels is arguably the best way to go.

 

You shouldn't. Proof of certification at the level you claim should have resulted in a 'proxy claim' (at least up to level 3 I think) negating the need for you to prove competence in those subjects again. That said, there is a limit of time (3 years I think) between you gaining your original grades and then registering them for proxy against relevant KS subjects.