No student loan for pupils who fail GCSE maths or English

[stregadelcucito]

Above is in a few of the papers this morning, new government proposals to control student numbers

I find this depressing, one of my kids is amazing at maths but dreadful at English (they are ND so no amount of tutoring, even if I had the money, will bring them up to the required level).

All my / DP’s GCSE kids are under such pressure already…

I wanted to ask, do you have a degree, but also failed maths or English?

Thank you

I failed my maths gcse and I have two degrees now.

And yes both have been useful in obtaining a job in a related field where I am currently senior.

I think it’s utter bollocks and should be left to the university in relation to what is and isn’t required not the finance people.

@Roundeartheratchriatmas

I failed my maths gcse and I have two degrees now.

And yes both have been useful in obtaining a job in a related field where I am currently senior.

I think it’s utter bollocks and should be left to the university in relation to what is and isn’t required not the finance people.

Agree with this.

I was excellent at humanities subjects, A*s and As in English, History, Bs in German, Drama and Sociology. I found maths and science so incredibly dull, my brain just doesn't work in that way. Is it not better for someone to do a degree in a subject they really excel in, even if they haven't got a pass in maths for example?

If I were choosing who I would want to accept to study History for example, I would much rather pick the candidate who got A*s and As in History at GCSE and A Level but F in Maths, than the candidate who got Bs/Cs across the board.

I have a degree but failed my maths GCSE four times. I'm not terrible at maths but a combination of low confidence and bad teaching meant I failed (a lot). I passed eventually 8 years after I graduated.

My kids are ND and I was also annoyed to hear this on the radio this morning. Its not fair, you could be shit at maths but amazing at something else valuable. I also heard that there would be a minimum qualification of two Es at A level which seems far more stupid. You would surely need much better than that to get into uni!

Will they take into account learning difficulties, my bright dd1 has dyscalculia and has taken and failed her maths gcse 4 time.

I have a 2:1 in a human science BSc hons. I couldn’t do maths to save my life and wasn’t even entered for the O level.

Every year, they make a comment about the GCSE pass rate being higher or lower this year compared to before.

How does that work if it's on a percentage who will 'pass' based on a normal distribution? Because surely roughly the same percentage will pass every year

Are maths and English grade boundaries set differently from other subjects - because everyone has to take these? If all subjects were on a normal distribution - the proportions at each grade would be the same in each subject.

Did this setting a grade 4 as the 30th percentile start when the converted the grades to numerical?

The percentages are different for different subjects. It works on the principle of 'comparable outcomes' - for each subject the grade distribution for each subject should be about the same as for the year before.

Comparable outcomes was introduced in 2011, so well before the switch to numerical grades.

for each subject the grade distribution for each subject should be about the same as for the year before

Surely that means the percentage getting Grade 4 or above can never change even if teaching in the country never changes with improved methods?

Technically that's what the National Reference Tests (sat by Y11 in March, exact same tests in maths and English every year) are supposed to measure, although they hadn't really bedded in before covid hit.

Yes miserably failed my math gcse twice but got a first in my degree

I agree with it. I failed gcse maths 3 times (hopefully passing it on the 4th ), Theres too many people who let’s be honest, aren’t up to university standard

Anyways a degree doesn’t guarantee you a job anymore, I’d rather get a trade than a 2:1 liberal arts crap degree at [insert place] polytechnic

I got a D in maths at GCSE. I'm currently in year 3 of a PhD so clearly I'm not a total imbecile...

I was alarmingly bad at maths at school but for my 3rd degree has to take statistics which I was surprisingly good at.

@DetailMouse

TBH if someone can't pass maths and English GCSE (with the access arrangements SN will bring) I'm not sure there'd be much value in any degree they achieved.

It feels like false pretences to accept such students onto the course to me.

So do you really think that a student who achieves 8s and 9s in say English Lit and Lang, French, History, Double Science, RE and Fine Art but just a 3 in Maths is not capable of achieving a degree in any subject?

I saw this as 'you can go to to uni without maths and English but you'll need to fund it yourself'. Surely this is about the privileges of wealth?

I didn't get Maths, got a degree in something non Maths related and have a good job. I feel sorry gpr uoung people who are written off because they can't master pythagorus theorem or algebra which are not needed for most jobs!

Well the consultation is out if you all want a day and it isn't as blunt as if you don't have a 4 in maths and English gcse!

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/higher-education-policy-statement-and-reform

No I think they are capable of passing Maths. So they should get on with a resit. Or several.

For what purpose ?

To be fair in Ireland you HAVE to do english, Irish and maths and Pass them to even get into university. I don't think it's much to ask.