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AIBU?

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Original poster

to want a little celebration for the lower achievers at GCSE?

216 replies

FunnysInLaJardin · 25/08/2022 21:05

DS1 got three 6's and three 4's at GCSE. He failed history and biology.

He could have done better, but amidst the nine 9's I feel like saying a small well done to the other kids who did well - even if they didn't blow the roof off!

GCSE's are a stepping stone and as long as your DC are happy, any grades are cause for celebration.

DS1 can now move on to college and start the next stage in his life, and for that I am very thankful.

OP posts:
Sideorderofchips · 25/08/2022 21:06

I went to our year 11 results day and spoke to alot of our students. No matter what they got we told them we were proud of them and everything they had achieved

Cathpot · 25/08/2022 21:08

I’m a teacher and some of my best moments today involved 4s and 5s for kids who worked their socks off and really pulled it together in the last few months of year 11, sometimes in properly tricky circumstances.

Keyansier · 25/08/2022 21:08

Not that it matters, but does anyone know why they changed it from A's, B's etc to numbers?

Forconfessingonly · 25/08/2022 21:10

Yes well done all.
For some a 3 or 4 will be an enormous achievement.

And I can't remember what I got in my O levels (that's how old I am) and I don't think anyone has asked me since I was 17!

Good luck to everyone moving on to other things and to those who are going to give them another go.

Camdenish · 25/08/2022 21:11

Well done to your DS.

That’s 6 passes at GCSE. something plenty of my friends who took the first lot of GCSEs didn’t achieve. All of them doing well for themselves.

TiredzzZZ · 25/08/2022 21:12

Well done :) you sound like a lovely mum :)

I got Bs and C's at GCSE. I don't know what numbers that equates to as I'm old, but I remember feeling rubbish when I got my results as everyone else seemed to be getting As and A (I think I was the first year A came in, or it was being trialled or something. I did get two As which I thought was good, but apparently A* was better, so my lowly As weren't so great after all).

Whatever the kids get, it's great if it's what they wanted or what they need for their next ventures.

Well done all you kids that have passed and got what you deserve/want or need 👏👏👏

Chakraleaf · 25/08/2022 21:12

6a are amazing. My daughter got 3 6s after being predicted 1s and 2s in her mocks. She didn't get any 1s or 2s. We are so super proud. Sometimes the lower achiever working hard has much to be proud of.

Anon50000 · 25/08/2022 21:13

Well done to your DS. This is just the start of the next bit. I'm sure he will thrive at college.

TiredzzZZ · 25/08/2022 21:13

Don't know why that's bolded I think it's the a star (*)

LizzieBet14 · 25/08/2022 21:13

Well done to your son! Hope he enjoys his new course.Star

RoyKent · 25/08/2022 21:13

Cathpot · 25/08/2022 21:08

I’m a teacher and some of my best moments today involved 4s and 5s for kids who worked their socks off and really pulled it together in the last few months of year 11, sometimes in properly tricky circumstances.

Same! So proud of the majority of mine.

MerylSqueak · 25/08/2022 21:14

Absolutely. The kid I support in school got three C equivalent grades and I'm ecstatic for him.

Bretonbear · 25/08/2022 21:14

Brilliant results OP! You should be v proud. My daughter got what she needed to get to the next stage and I am so proud. I'm happy she got over the hurdle and not one bit bothered how high.

IaltagDhubh · 25/08/2022 21:15

Who the heck voted yabu?

DD got a 9 for maths and two 3s for English and her other results are all a range in between. She has dyspraxia and autism and has beaten cancer. I couldn’t be prouder of her.

badhappening · 25/08/2022 21:15

Cathpot · Today 21:08
I’m a teacher and some of my best moments today involved 4s and 5s for kids who worked their socks off and really pulled it together in the last few months of year 11, sometimes in properly tricky circumstances.

<<<<<<<THIS>>>>>

Thank you pot - totally agree 😀

OP big well done to your DS.

Crunched · 25/08/2022 21:17

Many congrats to your DS, I hope you are celebrating tonight.
I find, as a parent to 20 somethings, that it is only on MN that anything less than A* and Oxbridge (or Russell group Uni at a pinch) means DC is destined for minimum wage jobs and a life of misery. Just so untrue!

Hesleepswiththefishes · 25/08/2022 21:19

Absolutely agree, all achievements should be celebrated
our first child recently
got Alevel results, an A in maths and a b and c in Sciences and the reaction from most people has been pursed lips and a hmm well what they going to do now?… and I’m like….are you shitting me???? Seems only A* and 9/8 are worth trumpeting

TattiePants · 25/08/2022 21:21

One of DS's friends got all 9s which is an amazing achievement and he worked incredibly hard but he was always going to at the top of his cohort. DS got two 4s, a 5 and the rest were 6s. I am so incredibly proud that he achieved 4s for English lit and language because I know how hard he tried.

Very well done to your DS (and all our DCs, no matter what their grades).

MrsWhites · 25/08/2022 21:21

That’s for this thread. Of course it’s lovely for children who get grade 9’s but that shouldn’t be the only marker of success, for a child starting at a lower base level or with other contributory factors, achieving a 5 might be huge but in the era of 8’s and 9’s it’s made to feel like failure!

My DD got 5’s and 4’s, with a couple of 3’s but she got into the college of her choice and is delighted after not dealing well with lockdown and struggling to get back into school. She had several panic attacks during the exams so it was lovely to see that she can still move onto her next step.

FunnyNC · 25/08/2022 21:28

The issue I find with this OP is that the ones with 8s and 9s did put more time and effort over the years than the 4s and 5s. My dd got 8s and 9s. She worked so hard to get those results, when her friends were down the park or pretending to work online during covid my dd was actually doing her school work. Yes it's great for everyone who passed but lets not do participation awards/celebrations and take away the hard work over the years of the high achievers. I say that as a parent of a yr 11 this year and a parent of another going into yr 11 in September who's predicted 4s and 5s - his dedication to school work is not the same as my eldests so no his achievement won't be so great. That's life, you put in what you get out!

Chakraleaf · 25/08/2022 21:30

Of course a 9 doesn't automatically mean someone worked harder than a 5 at all.

Chakraleaf · 25/08/2022 21:30

MrsWhites · 25/08/2022 21:21

That’s for this thread. Of course it’s lovely for children who get grade 9’s but that shouldn’t be the only marker of success, for a child starting at a lower base level or with other contributory factors, achieving a 5 might be huge but in the era of 8’s and 9’s it’s made to feel like failure!

My DD got 5’s and 4’s, with a couple of 3’s but she got into the college of her choice and is delighted after not dealing well with lockdown and struggling to get back into school. She had several panic attacks during the exams so it was lovely to see that she can still move onto her next step.

Us too. :-)

Tupperwarelid · 25/08/2022 21:31

My son got 2x5 a 7 and the rest were 6s. I’m so proud as his mocks were 4s and 5s. He’s got enough to get into 6th form and do the subjects he wants and that’s all I wanted for him. Well done to all of them.

WhiteFire · 25/08/2022 21:33

Well Done to all the poster's DCs.

hedgehogFC · 25/08/2022 21:34

FunnyNC · 25/08/2022 21:28

The issue I find with this OP is that the ones with 8s and 9s did put more time and effort over the years than the 4s and 5s. My dd got 8s and 9s. She worked so hard to get those results, when her friends were down the park or pretending to work online during covid my dd was actually doing her school work. Yes it's great for everyone who passed but lets not do participation awards/celebrations and take away the hard work over the years of the high achievers. I say that as a parent of a yr 11 this year and a parent of another going into yr 11 in September who's predicted 4s and 5s - his dedication to school work is not the same as my eldests so no his achievement won't be so great. That's life, you put in what you get out!

And then there are the kids who no matter how hard they work wouldn't get 7-9's.
Well done to your daughter, but getting 9s does not always equate to working harder, and it's very naive and shortsighted to think that it does.