Paying for GCSE results

[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?

I had this back in school, I got money for each passing grade I got.

My mother has sent my child a monetary gift today.

I'm paying for an event he's wanting to go to.

I have no issue on a 'reward' after the grades are out, I wince slightly at incentives that put pressure on them in the build up.

My DM bought me a pair of Russell & Bromley stilettos before I took my GCSEs. I'd longed for them but they were not handed over until after results! Every grade I met or exceeded was a £ amount she would pay towards the shoes. She paid in full.

@CluelessAt50

I hope this isn't happening everywhere. A lot of parents (especially lone mothers) can't afford it & it'll have a big affect on the self worth of those parents & children. On the bright side though, I'd happily put money on which group (the financially rewarded/motivated vs not) will be the happiest adults.

It's the 'reward' aspect - not necessarily the money. People will always be able to afford things that others can't. But doing something special for your child doesn't have to be expensive.

In any case being from a low income family with parents who value education should be motivation enough to study hard. It certainly was for my parents - the first generation of their families to be able to go to school, let alone read. And that was passed down to me.

*go to school, let alone university!

I don’t think it’s fair only because for some kids, A isnt their best. B or C might be their best- C might be them putting loads of work in to raise their grade from say E to C. So why put A at the higher price, you should be rewarding the achievement of taking the exam, trying hard and passing, regardless of the grade.
I got an A GCSE in English which was totally expected of me. However I got a C in German and my teacher was over the moon because for me that was quite an achievement!

I did give mine money today, but he didn't expect it. He has ASD and has massively struggled with home learning and exams, but he managed to get 5's and 6's and onto the courses he wants to do at college. As far as he knew he was just getting his favourite hot chocolate when we opened them together, and I quietly transferred £100 into his bank for him. He deserves a treat. My younger DS has more profound special needs and won't be sitting more than 4 GCSE's but more entry level exams. He will get the same. As long as they work hard, they will be rewarded. As long as they don't expect it!

Also I wouldn't have done it by amount per grade, there was no way an 8 or 9 was achievable for him and I would never have wanted to make him feel crap about that.

I had this incentive when 16 made no difference to how little a tried!

I never got money as a kid. My mum didn’t have any spare.
But in desperation, in January, I promised my teen money for good grades.

He’s clever and able, but had had such an awful time, like so many kids. Year 10 ended when the first lockdown began, and the home learning provision was pretty crap, but he worked incredibly hard.

Year 11 started well, but after a couple of months one of his friends got Covid, so he had to isolate for 2 weeks. He went back to school for 2 days then another friend got Covid so he isolated again. He worked really hard during the isolations, on his own all day, and managed to get back to school just before Christmas to sit the mocks.
Then came the next lockdown - and he just lost his motivation. He just said he was done with it, couldn’t face more hours in front of mediocre online lessons followed by revision, all day every day.
Like everyone, he missed his hobbies and his friends.
So in a desperate attempt to motivate him, I offered him money for good grades. He still struggled with motivation, but it helped. Today he got good grades, so I had to pay up! Yes it’s hurt my back account but I think it was worth it.

I think this year’s exam kids have had to dig deeper than ever before, so I don’t think it’s a bad thing to reward them if you can afford it.

My parents did this for GCSEs. All of us kids went on to get good a-levels, degrees and professional careers. We have four postgraduate qualifications between three of us. I wouldn't agree it's demotivating if done right - the reward needs to be a celebration of success which is already expected rather than simply a bribe.
I also had an employer who paid £250 bonus every time you passed an exam they wanted you to take. Everyone taking that course was doing it to further their career and make more money, not just for the love of learning.

My ds isn't acedemic hates all learning he's predicted 3s and 4s for next year. His mocks he had 2 failed. Even though he tried his best. One he missed by 1 mark!
Hell still get a meal out and maybe a small gift either way next year. Because I know he tries!

YANBU. We bought dd a present for doing well in her GCSEs but she wasn't expecting a present, so it wasn't a bribe!

My parents did this for me 30 years ago!

And I reminded mum if it 3 years ago when I did another gcse and scored another £20 then.

Happy days!

Totally agree with rewarding the effort not the achievement. If you have one child who is naturally academic but lazy, and one who is not particularly academic but hard working the latter might put in more work but get less high grades.

Maybe some sort of incentive based on achieving or exceeding their predicted grades would be fairer.

My ds got his results today.
We never promised or suggested money per grade but we will be giving him a cash bonus for doing so well. I think promising cash for grades can go the wrong way, if they don't get the grades its a double whammy.
Ds doesn't know about any bonus yet so hopefully will be a nice added surprise for him

I transferred my DS £50 this morning before we collected his results it didn't matter to me what his grades were, I've literally dragged him through every year of school since nursery as he hated it!
The results were great but the reward was more for his determination for the last couple of months!
Some of his mates have had £100's of pounds!

There’s no way ever I would reward grade with differing cash amounts.

Dd1 has just got her results and down very well. Dd2 is able enough, but not as academic as dd1. She already feels like she is living a bit in her shadow going to the same school, so to add monetary value to grade would be awful for her.

Dd1 got some news trainers she’d been eyeing up before results came out, just for working hard and we went out for dinner this evening. I think that’s more than enough tbh.

We have our dd a gift for the amount of effort she put in, not her results!

When DS told us his friends were going to get loads of money for their GCSE results, we told him he could have £1 for every grade (so £9 for a 9 etc). He wasn’t impressed but accepted that it meant he’d be able to have a little to mark the occasion.

We didn’t want it to matter that much what the grade was, as there was only a few pounds in it.

He has worked hard anyway and got great results today so we’ve upped that a bit as a reward, but the extra money is to be used to open a savings account that he will start putting some of his pt job money into. He’s really happy with that bonus.

I see nothing wrong with wanting to reward and celebrate their successes and it’s down to parents to decide what they think will motivate or help their child most.

No I haven't done it for my DD. She did very well today and got a nice takeaway of her choice this evening. She is happy enough with the results there was no need to bribe her. Saying that my lazy DS would probably do better if I paid him (he does his in 2 years) so I won't say never!

My dad did this for my older brother as he wasn't working at all and my dad was terrified he wouldn't get any GCSEs. I don't know if it incentivised him but he passed them all so maybe it did?

Problem was I came a few years behind and expected the same - but was a straight A student ! When I told him my GCSE results I started off with "Sorry dad, you can pay me in installments"

(to be clear, I would never do it for my kids!)

What a great idea. My dd is going into year 10 and has no drive to work towards her academic success. Dancing, that’s a different matter, she will work day and night for the perfect performance. I have explained the importance of her grades, emphasising how important it will be for future decisions on college and career. She has taken this on board and has upped her maths and been moved into the ‘higher’ class (it helped her understand how applying herself, just a little bit more, makes a difference).

Now I’ve read this thread, I’m going to offer financial incentives for higher gcse results. It can’t hurt, so why not? I have a little time to save, and I’ll give her the money (in a savings account to be used sensibly), regardless of what she achieves, as long as she has worked hard.

Thanks @Lilyargin

@CluelessAt50

I hope this isn't happening everywhere. A lot of parents (especially lone mothers) can't afford it & it'll have a big affect on the self worth of those parents & children. On the bright side though, I'd happily put money on which group (the financially rewarded/motivated vs not) will be the happiest adults.

Upto individual parents. No different than bonuses from work.