Page 5 | 3 CSEs - any good?

Original poster

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:55

howshouldibehave · 29/05/2025 18:53

I did all CSEs - no O Levels.

DH is the same age as you and has 9 O levels.

So mumsnetters - be honest - do you see 3 CSEs as good ?

Not very, no, tbh. You are well into your 50s though so I can't imagine it matters that much to you now, does it?!

As I was still being ID’d for alcohol in supermarkets up til 2009 - I’m having difficulty accepting being in my 50

OP posts:

Injectingalittleluxury · 29/05/2025 18:55

It’s very poor.

RaininSummer · 29/05/2025 18:54

No it's really not great. O levels were very much a thing for people of your age group... I am also 60s born. If you got grade 1s they are considered equivalent to grade c or d o level but only having 3 wouldn't have been considered good when you were young though I doubt anyone cares now

howshouldibehave · 29/05/2025 18:53

I did all CSEs - no O Levels.

DH is the same age as you and has 9 O levels.

So mumsnetters - be honest - do you see 3 CSEs as good ?

Not very, no, tbh. You are well into your 50s though so I can't imagine it matters that much to you now, does it?!

ResumedDeliveryBets · 29/05/2025 18:53

I think people compare this to more modern standards, but the pass rate (O level or CSE grade one for english and maths) was less than half what it is today.

I think a lot of people were split at quite a young high school age putting them onto a pre-determined path - either by not making the grammar system which would expect several good O level passes from those who passed an 11+, or by not entering the top set at age 11 in state school and then having no mobility amongst sets.

I raised at my former local council workplace that asking for 5 gcses above grade 4/c for a number of roles is potentially ageist. A 60 year old landscaper will probably have a lifetime of really valuable experience but could be excluded from applying for a role due to an education system several decades ago.

Lunde · 29/05/2025 18:52

CSE's had a bad reputation for being more "practical" but some of them were stupidly hard

My school wanted to put me in for CSE Physics but I demanded to do O level as CSE was just too hard

For CSE physics - it required

a written paper (2 hours I think)
an observed practical
an oral exam

for O level - just 2x1½ hour written papers one of which was multiple choice

We were a group of 6 (all girls) who the school wanted to sit CSE - I refused and the other 5 were double entered. The ones that did CSE got low grades (3-5) and yet we all passed O level

Original poster

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:49

Lisbeth50 · 29/05/2025 18:49

3 grade 1s or just 3 altogether?

Things were different then. I can remember being told that the average 16 year old got a CSE grade 4. A grade 1 was O'level equivalent. Only the top 10-20% did O'levels whereas now at least 50% get a C/4 at GCSE. I know of quite a few people from school who passed no O'levels who have since been to university.

3 altogether

OP posts:

marsal · 29/05/2025 18:49

If you did seven and passed three then realistically no it isn't good I'm afraid. However at this stage I doubt it matters.

Lisbeth50 · 29/05/2025 18:49

3 grade 1s or just 3 altogether?

Things were different then. I can remember being told that the average 16 year old got a CSE grade 4. A grade 1 was O'level equivalent. Only the top 10-20% did O'levels whereas now at least 50% get a C/4 at GCSE. I know of quite a few people from school who passed no O'levels who have since been to university.

Original poster

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:47

iamjuneosborne · 29/05/2025 18:44

I’m born the same year as you. We just did O levels and I’ve got 10 I think but took 8 together and 2 the year after.
It was ages ago though- different times. I did have to dig out all the certificates recently for a job though..

It wasn’t ages ago

im sure we could both walk into a nightclub on a Saturday and successfully attract anyone we wanted 🙌

Someone did say this to me some years ago - I’m sticking by it 🙌

OP posts:

IReallyLoveItHere · 29/05/2025 18:47

It's about the minimum accepted education level I think.

Even at the time grades aren't a good reflection of intelligence or ability - years later it really means nothing.

One of my friends, with 1st class degree and MSc is considering resitting some of his GCSEs because he's embarrassed by the grades, he's 48, really measures his worth by this sort of thing though. Madness.

JaceLancs · 29/05/2025 18:44

I disagree @GasPanic - I went to a large fairly rough comprehensive before 1980 and less than 10% of children left with no exam passes at all

iamjuneosborne · 29/05/2025 18:44

I’m born the same year as you. We just did O levels and I’ve got 10 I think but took 8 together and 2 the year after.
It was ages ago though- different times. I did have to dig out all the certificates recently for a job though..

ReplacementBusService · 29/05/2025 18:44

Any good for what? Studying astrophysics at Cambridge: maybe not. Brain surgery: again, no. Almost anything else in life: it's not very relevant after all these years, life experience beyond that is the only thing that matters.

I come back to "good for what"? I have 10 gcses at grade A. Bully for me - but do you want me piloting a plane? No, I regularly put my kettle in the fridge by mistake and try and use my car keys to open the front door and we would definitely all die.

JaceLancs · 29/05/2025 18:42

I was born before you but remember CSE v GCE and no 3 CSE was not great unless they were all grade 1
Most non manual jobs or college courses wanted a minimum of 5 O levels of which 2 should be English and Maths

GasPanic · 29/05/2025 18:41

No, it's pretty poor, unless they are all grade 1s.

In those days though a lot of people left with nothing.

x2boys · 29/05/2025 18:39

FloweryCactus · 29/05/2025 18:20

No, but at least it's something. it's probably the equivalent of having your English and Maths at grade 4 or whatever it is that they have to get nowadays.

Only if she got grade 1 in maths and English.

Original poster

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:38

x2boys · 29/05/2025 18:37

Depends whst grades you got if they were ones ,they would be equivalent to a grade c olevel
Did you only do three CSE,s ,

No did 7

OP posts:

x2boys · 29/05/2025 18:37

Depends whst grades you got if they were ones ,they would be equivalent to a grade c olevel
Did you only do three CSE,s ,

Doggymummar · 29/05/2025 18:36

I got 12 and am not particularly bright so I think three is low. But it was 40 years ago, honestly, no one cares

6namechange3 · 29/05/2025 18:34

If they are grade 1 CSE passes they are equivalent to a GCSE pass. I was the first year of GCSE, the year above had done CSE I had find my GCSE certificates when I applied for a job in a school, despite having a degree and a professional qualification.So they may come in handy if you ever changed jobs.

Original poster

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:31

Whattodo1610 · 29/05/2025 18:28

😂😂 I meant why is it suddenly bothering you now? 😂😂

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Not bothering me just interested really in what people thought on MN

I’m not applying for. Russell Group University but may well be getting a Ring doorbell ..

I just want to see how many of the mumsnet criteria I can confirm to ..

OP posts:

Original poster

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:29

titchy · 29/05/2025 18:25

Better than your brother - yes. Good - no given that most kids would have done 8 or more subjects.

Does it matter though given it was 40 years ago?

I still see myself as under 40 - don’t burst my bubble

I’m very proud to say I was still being ID’d for alcohol in supermarkets as late as 2009 …

OP posts:

Lucyccfc68 · 29/05/2025 18:29

Honestly doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, it’s so long ago.

CSE’s did have grades. A grade 1 was equivalent to a grade C at O level. Grade 2 was a grade D at O level. Basically they out people in for CSE’s who may have struggled a bit to pass an O level at Grade C.

Whattodo1610 · 29/05/2025 18:28

CheckTrousersBlanco · 29/05/2025 18:27

Ahem…. I still think of myself as very youthful ……..

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😂😂 I meant why is it suddenly bothering you now? 😂😂