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Original poster

Paying for GCSE results

110 replies

Lilyargin · 12/08/2021 16:47

Some of my DD's (16) friends' parents are giving their children £50 for each 9 they get, £20 for each 8, £10 for each 7 and £5 for each 6.
Am I alone in feeling that you shouldn't put monetary value on academic success; that it de-values the real joy which is in the pride of the achievement by reducing it to a pay per grade transaction?
Or am I just mean? Grin

OP posts:
Ipanemama · 12/08/2021 16:51

We had gcse results today and I hadn’t considered it tbh. I will get her a little pressie though and we are going out for dinner at the weekend.

Janaih · 12/08/2021 16:55

When I was at school 20 odd years ago a few of my friends had this incentive. I was so envious. I would have got all A*'s if my parents had done this.

TeenMinusTests · 12/08/2021 16:58

No, because what if you have DC of differing abilities?
Or if they worked their socks off but are disappointed?

Reward the effort, then celebrate the success or cradle the disappointment.

Crabsy · 12/08/2021 16:58

Nope, you’re right - there is research evidence to suggest that providing extrinsic motivators (ie cash) reduces the intrinsic value of the thing that’s being rewarded (learning).

So if all you care about is them getting good grades then cash is a good short term incentive. But if you want them to have a life long interest and desire to learn then extrinsic rewards are not the way to go.

MoiraNotRuby · 12/08/2021 16:59

In a very low point of home schooling, classic bad parent moment, I told DS I'd give him £100 for every target grade he achieved. But he replied instantly that isn't what motivates him and he wants to achieve for himself not for cash.

I am REALLY hoping he has forgotten this conversation as he turned a corner, got his act together and I would owe him a fortune...

Crabsy · 12/08/2021 16:59

(I literally teach a whole psychology unit on this subject 😂)

MrsBungle · 12/08/2021 17:00

My friends parents did this 25 years ago. She got loads - £100 for each A. Her dad was an educational psychologist! I was jealous!

nancydroo · 12/08/2021 17:01

Back in the day I was given £15 for every A £10 for every B £5 for a C and minus £5 for a D
Parents used this to try and get me to put more effort in so I knew beforehand
It was a nice extra pat on the back

kaleidoscopeheartless · 12/08/2021 17:03

My parents did this for me!

Hellocatshome · 12/08/2021 17:03

Getting a good grade is the reward for working hard. My kids aren't at GCSE age yet but they won't be getting cash incentives. They will get told well done and I am proud of them.

FTEngineerM · 12/08/2021 17:07

I will 100% be incentivising good academic effort. What that looks like will probably differ per child but on the whole yes absolutely they can have a wad of cash if they do their best

Datsandcogs · 12/08/2021 17:07

Paying for the grades seems wrong to me. But giving a gift as a ‘well done’ seems OK. I think the difference is associating different grades with different amounts.

Years ago, when I got my results, my Mum and my Granny each gave me a cheque and said well done. It was a present not an incentive. I used the money to buy myself a gold ring which I still always wear and remember them.

Sidneysussex · 12/08/2021 17:09

One of my friends ( back in the 90's) was told she would get £100 for every A, £50 for a B and £20 for a C. She got 9 A's . Honestly I think it worked she was capable but lazy and it gave her the motivation she needed, she was determined to get her rather strick father to pay up. He did of course but put it into a fund for her to take to uni Grin She was rather cross at the time as then had to also work hard at her A levels

Doomscrolling · 12/08/2021 17:09

Hell no. It diminishes the intrinsic worth of education.

gogohm · 12/08/2021 17:10

Thus happened at my school 31 years ago! I got a card

Sidneysussex · 12/08/2021 17:11

I should also say her father was in psychology

SuperCaliFragalistic · 12/08/2021 17:12

I got cash for grades at GCSE (not A Level) but I wasn't told in advance so it wasn't linked to my motivation. It was just a nice gift.

Soontobe60 · 12/08/2021 17:13

@Janaih

When I was at school 20 odd years ago a few of my friends had this incentive. I was so envious. I would have got all A*'s if my parents had done this.
What, even if you had had an SEN and had no chance? It’s sad that you’d only do your best if someone paid you.
onelittlefrog · 12/08/2021 17:14

@Lilyargin

Some of my DD's (16) friends' parents are giving their children £50 for each 9 they get, £20 for each 8, £10 for each 7 and £5 for each 6. Am I alone in feeling that you shouldn't put monetary value on academic success; that it de-values the real joy which is in the pride of the achievement by reducing it to a pay per grade transaction? Or am I just mean? Grin
That's a really nice idea, but the reality is that a lot of teenagers will put in the work for cash!

At 15/16, not everyone is mature enough to understand the joy and pride of achievement and the future benefits to them of academic success, etc. etc.

It really depends what kind of kid you have, but this is actually not a bad move for some of them. They'll thank you in the future.

Passthewinebottle · 12/08/2021 17:15

My DD got an unexpected gift from us today, c.£200, but she was getting it no matter what her grades, to say fucking well done you, getting through two GCSE years in this shitshow.

ImNotWhoYouThinkIam · 12/08/2021 17:16

I took DS out for hot chocolate and a cookie to celebrate his grades. He seemed happy with that!

Crimeismymiddlename · 12/08/2021 17:17

My parents did a version of this-a treat if we got the results that they expected, mine were lower than my brothers due to lack of achievement previously! Their reasoning was that you don’t go to work for free, the dangling of reward is motivating:

omgthepain · 12/08/2021 17:17

My parents did this for me and my brother and it made us work hard and we both got good results

It paid off

But it's up to parents what incentives they do it's personal choice

NotSorry · 12/08/2021 17:18

yeah that wouldn't have worked in our family - DS1 got 9 A* an A and a B

DD got 7 Cs and 2 Ds - her grades were just as hard earned as his were - he's just more capable

We rewarded them when they finished their exams (before results) for their hard work, whatever the outcome

onlyconnect · 12/08/2021 17:18

Out of desperation I offered money. My DD was not in the running for 8s and 9s so I set it at a level possible for her.
I don't think it's ideal but really unlikely to cause any harm unless it's part of a bigger picture that's damaging, IMO.