To wish people would stop with the “grades don’t mean anything” shit

[Rapidmama]

Try getting any job without at least English and maths

Of course they don’t define you and there is always the exceptions to the rule but honestly all these people rolling out the “it doesn’t matter it’s just a piece of paper” excuses are talking shit.

Usual exemptions for SN, extenuating circumstances etc.

I 100% agree with you. I have professional qualifications as didn’t go to college or university and even at 30 I’m considering redoing my maths GCSE to study it at A level to give me some more security in the job market

I get what you're saying but as a retired teacher and current exam invigilator I see students who just aren't cut out for academic exams. Basic English and Maths, of course, but I've seen them sit blankly through geography or history exams and come out feeling a failure when something more practical would have served them better. It is these students who shouldn't be defined by their failure.

I also agree with you. But if I had someone in front of me who was devastated by a set of bad grades I’d probably trot it out as a line because what else do you say? “Well, you’re fucked now mate”?

If someone doesn't achieve in those subjects today, should I then tell them they are screwed and life is ruined for them forever?
If someone does very well, all good. But if someone does 'fail' I know I would tell them not to worry.
I know plenty of successful people who have never graced the inside of higher education halls.
People can indeed return to education later on, make a good career in chosen areas etc.
Life and happiness do not hinge solely on the results you get at GCSE or A Level.

YABU. Re-sits are always available.

It's not that they don't mean anything

They just don't mean everything

Grades in the long term do mean naff all but only once you’ve crossed the hurdle of getting into a sector you want to work in and have experience to life to bigger and better things so I’d say short term tremendously important, long term meaningless. You’re not especially unreasonable but equally those saying it probably in long term camp!

Qualified up to the hilt here and have still struggled massively and did a job that I loved but didnt even require gcses for a long time. I'm now in another one that's the same. Only qualification ive ever used is one I did as an adult. I hope the system changed. Yabu.

Changes *

We are just about to set off to collect my son's results, he's not expecting the greatest of results due to the fact he's not great academically and he was struck down with chicken pox during his exams. My stance as his mum is that as long as he's tried his best that is all that matters as there's no point in kicking him whilst he's already down. I know lots of people who didn't do well but have gone on to achieve and be very successful.

I've taught my kids that GCSEs are a way of buying the chance to do the A levels you want, which are the chance to do the degree you want, which is the step to getting a job you want.

They’re just trying to soften the blow. It doesn’t bother me when people say this after the exams are sat, just when they start saying it in Year 9.

Of course they matter - they’re just not ALL that matter and they don’t tell the full story.

I got pretty much straight As at GCSE and completely tanked my A-Levels.

Laziness? Not bright enough? Hard time at home? Probably a combination of all of three but does it make me unsuitable for work? A profession? Absolutely not.

We need to be better at assessing the whole person generally but exams are very important and embracing them in the right way can give you a solid base knowledge which will see you through adulthood.

I wouldn't want to minimise the achievements of all the kids who have worked hard and achieved good results by saying grades are "nothing". I would say that they aren't the be all and end all. DH left school with no qualifications whatsoever but has worked his way up in his chosen field and now significantly out earns me despite my two degrees and numerous professional qualifications. That doesn't make my grades meaningless but it does mean that it's possible to be successful without them.

I know you said 'SN aside' but young people with SNs live in the world and know fine well they are not going to cut the academic mustard. And the message that they are failures for that is punted out to them relentlessly and aggressively. It's nice that the balance is redressed by all of 1% around results day.

Of course grades matter, but I think someone with good grades who has done everything that society expects of them can cope with one or two comments supporting the young people who don't fit that mould.

Basic English and Maths, of course, but I've seen them sit blankly through geography or history exams and come out feeling a failure when something more practical would have served them better. It is these students who shouldn't be defined by their failure.

Agree. There was a very interesting discussion on mn a while ago about whether it is ethical for students who are pretty much bound to get 1s and 2s to have to take the GCSE in that subject - whether it is really in their interests to do this?

i agree 'grades aren't everything' is a way to make students feel better, which is a nice thing to do when they've just 'failed'.

Academic achievement is not a measure of intellect.

Who decided that an A level defines your ability to think?

It's a flawed system, which has no real benefits.

The idea that an exam a child takes at 17 should define their career path is ludicrous.

Having to list exam grades from a test you took as a child, perhaps 30 or more years ago, is just very very odd.

I don’t think anyone means GCSE’s don’t matter, they just mean you don’t need to kill yourself to get 8s and 9s in everything.

A 4/5 in maths won’t destroy your life if you decide to become an English teacher. I’m an English teacher who sucks at Maths and barely scraped a C, A* in English though...

Grades aren't everything, but I do agree with you OP that English and Maths are essential and it's wreckless to say otherwise.

There is too much emphasis on passing particular subjects some of which are irrelevant to the majority and not enough encouragement to finding out what young people's individual passions are. Exams are only one thing of many that can help you get on in life. So many other ways to achieve. Young people need to be reassured that they haven't failed because of a few poor test grades.
Things that may help them in their future life such as their ability, attitude, personality, interests, resilience, life experience, skills etc can't all be measured in an exam.

Was just going to post a thread about this! Saw a news article about 'more children getting top GCSE grades despite more stringent testing' and thought, not again!!! Kids work incredibly hard studying for exams and doing coursework and every bloody year without fail they say this. Can't help but think they just want to demoralise everyone, starting with kids!

*Reckless. Oops.

Just realised we're talking about a different thing! I think that qualifications are becoming less valuable in certain subjects where more students are studying them and there are less jobs in that field. That being said, some people are more kinaesthetic and so would prefer a more physical job. However, most job nowadays seem to require qualifications of some sort (even if not a degree) to gain specialist knowledge.

For some jobs they still matter at graduate level. I get so many applications with straight a a-levels, 2:1/1st plus great extra ciriculars that gcse’s become an extra filter. I don’t think it does anyone any favours to just say their only value is as a gateway to A-levels. At the other end of the spectrum, people without the C in maths and English will struggle. That’s not to say they won’t be successful but they’ll have to work harder and will have more doors closed to them.