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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that 70% should not be an A

268 replies

Arealmanithink · 21/09/2020 16:15

Background: I'm American. Grading is different in the US. In the US, the scoring goes , 89-100% = A, 79-89% = B, 69-79% =C anything below 65% is failing. I don't think the school work is that different but I do think that the standards are lower in the UK. I'm amazed.

OP posts:
jessstan2 · 21/09/2020 18:37

@Sparklfairy

When I did GCSE's (15+ years ago), 17% was a C grade in Maths Shock
I never knew that and am appalled!

I am 'old' and did GCE O levels in the 1960s. 40 or 45% was pass, I imagine that would have been called a grade C if we had been graded on our certificates then.

Blimey, by today's standards I'd have got an A* in Maths.

Stripesgalore · 21/09/2020 18:38

It’s not impossible to get over 80. I’ve had over 80 in humanities and DD has had over 80 in arts.

Stripesgalore · 21/09/2020 18:39

‘I am 'old' and did GCE O levels in the 1960s. 40 or 45% was pass, I imagine that would have been called a grade C if we had been graded on our certificates then.

Blimey, by today's standards I'd have got an A* in Maths.’

You have no way of knowing that without sitting the test. They are different questions.

QuestionMarkNow · 21/09/2020 18:45

@Arealmanithink

Sounds like they're not equivalent.. I'll give my kids a break. Thanks all! I've been here 15 yrs and only now is it coming to light.. Wow..
@Arealmanithink, I am not british either and tbh I still don't get it. I am now relying on my (teen) dcs to tell me if its supposed to be good or not. I've learnt that let's say 70% can be excellent in one subjector just OK in another...

At Uni, though, 70% IS good!

Wheresthebeach · 21/09/2020 18:47

If you think the English education system is easier than the States then I doubt you've any direct experience. We don't use multiple choice options constantly, much much harder maths, IMO the US system is much easier compared to UK or Canada. A friend who was looking to move to the States with work was told her daughter would be put up a year as a minimum, maybe 2.

MitziK · 21/09/2020 18:51

@Sparklfairy

When I did GCSE's (15+ years ago), 17% was a C grade in Maths Shock
When I did them (1989), 75% was a C. Higher Tier, if that makes any difference.

14 marks cost me the A. fucking matrices and fucking meningitis meaning I missed the week they did the fucking things

The difference is that it isn't a fixed target - it's adjusted every year to make sure that only the same percentage of kids get the top marks and so on. In one way that's fairer, as you don't suddenly get 47% getting top grades and next to no fails, in others, it isn't, as you could get a top grade one year but the same marks the next would only get you a fair to middling one.

mbosnz · 21/09/2020 18:52

At uni', I went and asked why 80% was just an A in one subject, an Arts subject, and 70% was an A in another. The other subject was a professional subject, and marking was a lot more stringent. I'm glad I went and asked, it was quite enlightening.

CulturallyAppropriatedName · 21/09/2020 18:53

I did o level maths in November 1985 and got 74 percent on 1 paper and 75 percent on the other. I got a B.

Stripesgalore · 21/09/2020 18:55

A is basically meaningless at university.

What matters is the percentage, which is the same across all subjects.

70 or above is a first.

Zoecarter · 21/09/2020 18:55

In America you get points for attending and participating it’s much easier to get an A in america

chomalungma · 21/09/2020 18:55

I never knew that and am appalled! I am 'old' and did GCE O levels in the 1960s. 40 or 45% was pass, I imagine that would have been called a grade C if we had been graded on our certificates then. Blimey, by today's standards I'd have got an A in Maths*

Not really.

Because as has been explained - there are Foundation and Higher Papers.

To get a C on a Higher Paper, it's about 20%.

But it is interesting to compare what a C back in O-Level times is equivalent to nowadays in terms of expectations - when you had the 2 exam systems at 16.

BetterEatCheese · 21/09/2020 18:57

This is such a daft thread. I did OU and 70% is an A. However the criteria are the same as what you would need to get 85% in a brick uni.

StatisticalSense · 21/09/2020 18:57

It's alright to have different standards for marking as long as they are consistent within an institution or at least a degree programme. Unfortunately such consistency was lacking on the course that I did which meant final classifications appeared to be more related to the choice of modules undertaken rather than inherent ability. Some lecturers would include elements such as multiple choice tests and group presentations in which 80 would have been seen as a disappointing mark while others relied heavily on essay based exams for which they would rarely award greater than 65. Despite such differentials being mentioned annually in the external examiners report they did very little if anything to try and improve the consistency.

BetterEatCheese · 21/09/2020 18:57

Sorry 85% is an A and 70% is an A in brick uni. Still irrelevant

Toptotoeunicolour · 21/09/2020 18:58

My kids are educated in UK and two EU countries. UK one is by far the best educated. Can't compare to American schools though.

Stripesgalore · 21/09/2020 19:00

‘This is such a daft thread. I did OU and 70% is an A. However the criteria are the same as what you would need to get 85% in a brick uni.’

What a ridiculous thing to say. Work is checked by external examiners. Of course the OU doesn’t award lower marks.

TableFlowerss · 21/09/2020 19:00

PinkLegoBrick
YABU. Standards are not lower in UK

Yeah right. I'll have some of what you've been drinking

@user1497207191

And the rest of us will have whatever you’ve been on! 🤪

Peregrina · 21/09/2020 19:02

I did some maths at university and there were two people who did manage to get 90% in exams. They were both brilliant mathematicians and they also worked extremely hard - they didn't just do enough to get the mark, but really understood the principles behind the maths. Good students usually managed in the 60- 69% range.

YouokHun · 21/09/2020 19:02

*Sparklfairy;
When I did GCSE's (15+ years ago), 17% was a C grade in Maths

shock
I never knew that and am appalled!

I am 'old' and did GCE O levels in the 1960s. 40 or 45% was pass, I imagine that would have been called a grade C if we had been graded on our certificates then.

Blimey, by today's standards I'd have got an A in Maths

Actually it’s not a good comparison. I got an A in the old O Level but recently (2 or 3 year ago) the GCSE was toughened up and a friend of mine said that some things came into the new GCSE that were previously in the A Level (she’s head of Maths at a grammar school). I am not bad at maths but I found it pretty tough when working through papers with my DD. I don’t know if it is harder than the old O Level but it seemed broader and it certainly wasn’t easier. I think the year I had the discussion (I think it was just before numbered grades came in) was the year a C grade pass started at 18% and this was a decision based upon the cohort and other present factors, but not indicative of it being easy or comparable to our 50% pass mark in the O Level.

chomalungma · 21/09/2020 19:03

was the year a C grade pass started at 18% and this was a decision based upon the cohort and other present factors, but not indicative of it being easy or comparable to our 50% pass mark in the O Leve

Bangs head repeatedly against wall.

HoldMyLobster · 21/09/2020 19:05

This thread is like a competition to demonstrate how poorly informed most poster are.

I give you all a C-.

Stripesgalore · 21/09/2020 19:06

And how very few people understand maths.

MitziK · 21/09/2020 19:07

@chomalungma

I never knew that and am appalled! I am 'old' and did GCE O levels in the 1960s. 40 or 45% was pass, I imagine that would have been called a grade C if we had been graded on our certificates then. Blimey, by today's standards I'd have got an A in Maths*

Not really.

Because as has been explained - there are Foundation and Higher Papers.

To get a C on a Higher Paper, it's about 20%.

But it is interesting to compare what a C back in O-Level times is equivalent to nowadays in terms of expectations - when you had the 2 exam systems at 16.

The Foundation tier had a ceiling grade of C - if you got 100% on the Foundation Tier, you got a C, because the questions were written in a way that they were accessible and only tested skills up to a C standard.

The skill of the teacher was in knowing whether to put somebody in for Foundation or Higher when they were borderline, as although they were capable of a C, they had to either blast through the Foundation and get a huge percentage or hit a relatively low percentage on the Higher - but if they tended to panic, became disillusioned and give up quickly or struggle with the comprehension needed to be able to decipher the questions on the higher paper, the Higher Paper would have been too much for them.

Naturally, some people would think if their child was capable of a C, they should always be put forward for the Higher Tier exam in case they managed a B on the day - but the reality was that the more likely outcome of doing that for some kids was U. And coming out of it with a C on the Foundation paper is a whole load better than a U on the Higher, obviously.

Same principles apply to the new grading system. I haven't worked in Maths for a year and a bit, though, so I don't need to know the precise boundaries for a 4/5 (which covers, more or less, a range of what could be termed C-, C and C+)

chomalungma · 21/09/2020 19:07

If people are interested, these are the grade boundaries and marks you need to get certain grades

filestore.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/AQA-GCSE-GDE-BDY-JUN-2019.PDF

From June 2019 for AQA

To get a 5, you need 157/240 on Foundation
or 74/240 on the Higher

Donelurking · 21/09/2020 19:07

Bizarrely ill informed post OP, revealing utter lack of thought.