AIBU to think Bs at GCSE are ok?

[catwalker]

Some issues with DS and GCSEs/6th form. He didn't get the grades he was predicted (As and As) but then I didn't expect him to as he doesn't put much effort into anything apart from his x box. He got mainly Bs, a couple of As, a couple of Cs and a couple of Ds. I was quite happy until I started reading the secondary education forum where people are tearing their hair out because their dc's didn't get straight As and may have blown their oxbridge chances. I get the impression that anything less than an A just isn't worth the paper it's written on. He could have done loads better but Bs are OK aren't they?

My own view, FWIW, is that the History Pre-U looks extremely interesting, a reversion back to the A Level as it was back when I took it decades ago but with an opportunity to do independent work and research too.

On the face of it the Pre-U looks a very attractive option for academic schools and students but I see the need for caution and the wisdom in watching other providers to see how it pans out first.

Yes, that was my sense of it too, Yellowstone. The trouble might be though that if everyone waits too long the fruit might die on the tree. in particular it seems to me that it could suit the academic streams at 6th form colleges, but so far only private schools are even discussing it.

We've lowered our offer on the IB to address the problem you cite.

My parents were panicking when my sister got 6 A and 8 A's, she did really well and now attends Yale medical school so all is well. Employers want 5 A-C, but some universities may pay attention to the D's...

Sometimes women do not outearn men I work as a surgeon at my new job I earn $315,000 but a male co-worker earns $317,500... Sometimes men earn more. To be fair the male co worker is my friend and we went to Harvard together and have the same amount of experience. But in the UK currently I earn £180,000 and another male co worker earns £185,750.

Anyhoo, my dd1 is predicted all A* and a couple of A's. I am hoping she goes to Yale or Harvard like the rest of my family.

Not sure why this thread has suddenly sprung to life, but anyway, to answer the original question, Bs are not bad, I wouldn't say they wer "not worth the paper they are written on" - but they can exclude you from some choices of A level.

it all depends what level ability the student is. To some, a D is an achievement that with help them get to their next step. To others, getting A is vital.

I would say for the averagee student, As and Bs will count towards something Cs not so much, particularly if the C is in English or maths, and Ds are a bad thing, even one D brings your average score down, and it is better not to take a GCSE than to get a D in it.

aproudmummy
Two totally pointless posts on a zombie thread, why?

The only problem with getting a D in a subject is that you may not be allowed to take it up to A-Level. And many universties want at least a C in English and Mathematics. My dd1&ds2&ds1 all want to go into science&medicine that always needs powerful minds and jobs such as surgeons gps and doctors...

You might well not be able to take a subject up to A level if you only have a B. Also, there are other problems with a D. Like I said, it brings down your average score, and that would be enough to prevent you getting onto some courses.

fewer GCSEs and higher scores is better than more GCSEs and lower scores.

Aproudmummy, have you joined MN specifically to bump up zombie threads?

unexpected

aproud is mult tasking, she is bumping zombie threads and boasting about her families brainpower

aproudmummy I'm glad you are proud of your children

Actually all her posts sound the same

I got majority Bs at GCSE and got a very good Oxbridge degree.

"I got majority Bs at GCSE and got a very good Oxbridge degree."

Not these days you wouldn't, korky!

LOL at proudmummy

I have loooooong experience in academia and now the industrial side of my scientific discipline, and my take on it is this.

GCSEs are a key to the next stage. So are a levels, and really, so is a first degree. Some doors will close to you if you've got a 2:2 or a 2:1, for example.

But... What makes people successful, assuming they have a basal level of intelligence, is what I call "stickability." By that I mean the dedication and work ethic to keep working, keep practising etc and to take failure as a lesson, get back up, dust yourself off and keep going. It's not falling down that makes you fail, it's staying down.

I've got multiple degrees and qualifications coming out of my ears. All As, firsts and what have you. That's very nice, but it's really only gotten me onto the entry level of my chosen career. The rest was really hard graft! Long hours, and learning from my many mistakes, and I've had to move countries a few times.ma lot of sacrifice was involved.

I'm not privately educated, I went to one of the roughest comps in Yorkshire. My school was, quite frankly, a pit. No encouragement, poor teaching, basically crowd control rather than education. Parents didn't go to uni, or pressure me, but they did support me and encourage me.

Your sons next challenge is his A levels. If he can take the kick up the arse that are his gcse results, he can do great. GCSEs are really easy (sorry, they are) and I think a lot of bright kids fall into the trap of thinking that they don't need to work to get good grades. That's a dangerous attitude, and hopefully he's learned from this.

If you are bright and work hard throughout year 10 and year 11 you have a very good chance of getting an A at GCSE level.

Anything less suggests that:

you aren't highly intelligent
OR you struggle with that particular subject
OR you haven't worked hard enough
OR you have been poorly taught

or maybe all of them.

My dd's targets for GCSE were initially all A's and A*'s. She will sit them in a few weeks and actually she will be lucky to scrape 5 'C's with maybe the odd 'B' thrown in. That's because she has spent the last three years being disruptive, not working, not doing homework, not revising, and skipping lessons. Her first exam is in a fortnight. She has done no revision at all, including through the whole Easter holidays. Her grades will reflect the fact that she hasn't done the work.

Had she done the basics - kept her head down in lessons, done the homework, done a little bit of revision, she would have come out with all A's and B's. If she'd consistently worked for two years and revised hard she'd get all A's and A*'s. If she wasn't as bright and as able as she is she'd simply fail them all out right.

Skiptonlass
GCSEs are really easy (sorry, they are)

I agree with almost all of your post, apart from this bit. I have noticed in particular that some arty subjects (which may be perceived as easy by some) require a huge amount of additional time/effort. Much more so than some of the core subjects.

Regarding GCSEs, potential and application. For some bright people, the motivation just isn't there at the right time. Like you say, Skiptonlass, it's what you do with the knockbacks that count. Sometimes it takes some 'failure' to find motivation and direction.

Gods ... I really should stay off the education threads - now I'm all depressed. Poor old DS1 is doomed. He got 2 As, a B and 5 Cs and was hoping to go and study history ... None of the university entry requirements mention GCSEs apart from the standard A to C english and maths stuff - it's all UCAS points or A level grades ... Did I miss a memo or something?

The school think he'll be fine and my sister ( A level science teacher ) seemed to think so too - is this just MN Russell Group one-uppyness or an actual real world thing?

My dd is just about to take hers and is working hard.

If she gets the best she can we will be very proud of her be that As or Ds.

Pretty fucking sad if a you care about is your kid getting A*s.

For some children getting a G is an achievement. Because it means that they have turned up when they should have done (incredibly hard for some) and attempted the exam.

Exactly hakluyt

Don't panic. As long as he can do ssomethng he wants in life, it won't matter.

As an aside, couldn't you arrange a little 'accident' for the evil Xbox? Oops! Sorry darling, I dropped the coffee...

I'm starting to consider banning all tech for all under 18s entirely. Nothing but problems!

Don't worry too much about this boy, his school days are LOOOOOOONG behind him!

WTF? This is ancient ... Why bother posting on something from 4 years ago!