to think that old people

[ethanchristopher]

should not bang on about how gcse's are getting easier (and as/a2/degrees)

1. kids take about 11-12 gcse's now istead of the 6-7 o levels
   
2. they sit exams year round from the start of year 10/4th year
   
3. they do exams in year 10 which means less time to prepare and learn the topics
   
4. coursework isnt written for you by your teachers and you cant get much help off them
   
5. it is moderated so thoroughly it is impossible for teachers to bump your grade
   
6. the percentage of A/A* students might be rising but so is the percentage of U/G/F/E/D students
   
   and im working my poor little arse off trying to pass them and my bloody grandfather (and other family members) keep telling me that they are really really easy
   
   bet he wont be saying that down the golf club if i get straight A's, he'll be like "my granddaughter got straight A's"
   
   idiots
   
   sorry this is more about my grandad than old people in general lol
   
   i just needed a rant

[charchargabor]

YANBU. Taking exams is very stressful, well done you for sticking with it.

[noonki]

oh I hate this too... I was one of the first to do GCSEs and it start way back then ...oh there not like o-levels

good on you and good luck... when do you have your exams?

[forevercleaning]

YANBU

AND THEY SHOULD NOT SMELL OF PISS

[S1ur]

Yes it isn't fair.

Take him one of your mock maths gcse papers and let him see just how easy it is.

And good luck with exams.

[ethanchristopher]

im taking french, triple science, pe(which is 60% theory grr), english lit, english lang, maths, history and geography

although english lit, lang, maths and double science are compusory, i just chose triple as well because its not an awful lot of extra work and its an extra gcse

im hoping to be a primary school teacher when im all big and grown up lol

[ethanchristopher]

pmsl at forevercleaning

piss/that universal oap perfume that so many of them have perfected

bless em

[noonki]

you go -

concentrate most on maths and english

so many of my mates had to retake on or the other as you can;'t train to be a teacher without both of them

[ethanchristopher]

im fine with maths as dad (was) a maths teacher (has now stopped teaching and become a head teacher ) and i just seem to get it

but i cant do english!!! does anyone live in the cambridge area and know of any good english tutors, or somewhere i can pose this question in another topic that is more relevant lol

[ethanchristopher]

sorry thats the wrong way round

i get english

i cant do maths

maths tutors please

[OrmIrian]

How old is old

[ethanchristopher]

lol grandad is about 75 and up his own arse a bit grouchy

although the other "oldies" in my family are like 45+

i dont see them as old people they are just much older than me hehe

[poshtottie]

DH says this too. Lol at old people. He is 38.

[RustyBear]

What makes you think it's just old people who think so? - I remember a large number of people on here saying exactly that - average age on here is probably around 35.

And judging by the number of times people PTSL, some of them probably smell of piss too....

[OrmIrian]

Oh I see. What you really meant to say is 'very early middle-age to mature' obviously!

[melpomene]

I'm not sure if it's true that most people used to do 6 or 7 O Levels. I did 11 O Levels and I think most people at my school did at least 8 O Levels or GCSEs.

Interesting that the percentage of U/G/F/E/D students is increasing, though - I hadn't heard that before.

[melpomene]

I meant 'at least 8 O Levels or CSEs', of course.

[ethanchristopher]

oh right, im sure i got told average was 6 or 7

i take that point back then

rustybear - im suprised people have arses in that case, many MNers have laughed there's off! LOL

[platypussy]

Mp I agree - nobody did as few as 6-7 o-levels when I was at school (well not at my school anyway!)

[handlemecarefully]

Well actually gcse's and other exams (A levels, degrees) do appear to be getting easier (or at least that appears to be the balance of opinion when this is reported in the media). It's like a lot of the Universities that call themselves universities these days just aren't 'proper' universities (half baked poly's more like)

...goes off scrathing thinning hair contemplatively whilst simultaneously adjusting support tights

[zippitippitoes]

i think they are definitely easier o levels and a levels were harder in the seventies for sure

as was getting into uni and getting a degree

[ethanchristopher]

hmc. you bugger

i agree that we get more choices now e.g. drama, media, psycology, photography e.t.c

but for example i'm doing PE, and its dam difficult to get an A, you have to get 88% practical and theory combined and 94% to get an A*

for drama you have to get 98% to get an A* and 90% to get an A e.t.c

its getting easier for less able kids to get GCSE's but not easier for able kids to get A's e.t.c which is where the confusion from the media comes in when they say its getting easier

[ChasingSquirrels]

where in cambs are you? my mate is a maths teacher and is looking to do some tutoring in the evenings. We are in one of the north east villages, N'market way.

[ethanchristopher]

Chasing Squirrels - I live in oakington

and FYI good universities dont take students who dont have a GCSE in a language nowadays

how many of you did a language and got into somewhere good?

[Sidge]

I don't think he should belittle your efforts, as doing any sort of studying is worth a big pat on the back in my opinion.

But I do think GCSEs are easier than GCEs were - sorry

[ChasingSquirrels]

probably too far for her then, sorry.