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.

Disagree. Grades mean little. So long as you get the minimum of maths and English pass.

@jellycatspyjamas why not keep redoing coursework? 'If at first you do not succeed, try and try again'. That's my motto anyway!

Because the assessed coursework is supposed to be a measure of your progress and learning, which it isn’t if you can just keep resitting it until you get the desired result. Or, yes Friday it by all means but the first grade stands as an accurate reflection of your actual learning. And honestly, if students have the option of bringing study aids and chose not to, like hell would I be providing them for the assessment.

It’s all aimed at gaming the system for Ofsted and fuck all to go with accurately assessing learning and progress.

friday I mean repeat - bloody auto correct

Grades don't mean anything if you're self employed.

I do think some people just aren't academic and, as long as they try their best, I would prefer my DC to be happy and confident than end up with MH issues over exams.

On the flip side was it Edexcel who recently said a top grade pass in Mathematics was achieved by getting a 50% mark? That makes me think it would take a lot to fail that exam and that maybe something needs to be done about raising standards. In that respect I think the grades don't mean anything.

You are right though, Maths and English are basic requirements we need and lots of youngsters are fairly lacking in basic maths these days. Only recently we use trigonometry to work out how far to build up the brickwork to put a new roof on a downstairs extension at the correct angle for the tiles. These things do come in useful sometimes.