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?

My father offered £1 for every O level pass & £5 for maths pass

It made no difference to how or why I learnt, because I enjoyed my education

9 passes

A family friend was incentivised with the promise of a cat (him and his sister had wanted one for ages) if he got an A or above. He got a A so they had a cat (even though their dad was allergic!). My sister still jokes 11 years later about all of the cats that we could have had between us if we ahd the same deal with our parents.

I'm 43 and my dad paid me £100 for each A and £50 for a B all those years ago. Pretty normal to me.

@gogohm

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

Could we have that again in English please :)

Ohh sorry that was meant for another poster
Dang!

It's a good incentive my mum did this for me and my husband was told if he got straight As he could get a snowboard.

Hell no. It diminishes the intrinsic worth of education.

This one

All teenagers are different and motivated by different things. My DS is motivated by earning and saving money for a once in a lifetime holiday next November time. I gave him money as an incentive in terms of the effort he put into getting certain grades in his GCSE’s. He would not have got the amazing grades he did, without a huge amount of effort and hard work (despite struggling during periods of lockdown).

I got paid today and transferred a nice amount of money into his account and he is delighted to be 1 step closer to having the money for his trip next year.

My mum promised to buy me a clarinet of my own if I did "well" in my GCSEs. Looking back, I realise she knew I had worked really hard, and I was always going to get the clarinet, but at the time I was really hoping I had done well enough!

@iloverunningslow

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.

Agree with this. My sibling and I both got cash for grades. Both of us now degree educated and in professions. We were both clever though and parents knew would do well. However my sibling revised sooo much more and did better so money was unequal. It didnt make me more motivated - but now I am being referred for possible ADHD so that may be why I procrastinate so much and always struggled revising. I went on to do more qualifications and have the higher paying job but both high achievers. They are also now being assessed for SEN.

I dont think I would pay for specific grades, even though logically I see you get pay in the world of work and bonuses so monetary reward for output is realistic in life. I would give reward for effort.