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

[FunnysInLaJardin]

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.

Thank you! I've aged 20 years in the process...

Well a 7 isn't an old A.

Your limited life experience tells you that because one of your children has worked hard and got good grades, the same must be true of all children everywhere. Listen to the people who spend hours and hours with hundreds of children.

@FunnyNC Yes and No

I think there is too much focus on results. We should focus more on effort and whether a child has achieved their potential

If a child works hard, takes it seriously, does their very best and achieves their potential, then hats off to them. Not every child has potential to achieve the highest grades, and we shouldn't put them down for that

But if kids are messing around and not working, then unconditional "you're amazing, well done" does the child no favours

These kids have been through a lot the past few years and I think all results should be celebrated.

So yes my dd who has always worked hard, never had a detention, never been sent to isolation, read books in the library at lunchtime and went above and beyond all of the time did work harder then those who didn't.

//:

This describes DD who is likely to be predicted to not do very well

7s are the old As.

@Hellenbach that's brilliant. Well done to your son x

Every student that has put the effort in and worked as hard as possible to achieve the best grades they are capable of should be celebrated, whether those grades are 4's or 9's. Some people are naturally academic and others not. When I was at school a friend didn't revise, found it all very easy and came away with straight A*'s. Other people worked much harder for lower grades.

We should celebrate effort, ambition and work ethic just as much as the end result.

@SammySueTwo all I can say is don't give up! It would not be the end of the world if your DS went straight into a job (many don't care about GCSEs at all) and worked for a while. I don't look down on min wage jobs at all, they are the backbone of what we depend on as a society (cleaning, retail) and working can give all teens a sense of purpose and achievement especially if they haven't succeeded through conventional academic means.

I would wait for the dust to settle. I would then take your DS out and have a chat about what he thinks the way forward is, and offer some ideas as well. Working is just fine. Apprenticeship just fine. College will have lots of options for retakes or different Entry Level courses, call them or google the local college, they have multiple courses for students without their 4 GCSEs. Just fine. Sitting in your bedroom, playing computer games and living off parental income, not fine.

If I've misunderstood the situation, sorry, it sounds like there was either school refusal or issue that was preventing studying, so there may be more to it, but in most circumstances (I have a school refuser, so understand) there is always a path ahead, even if it's not clear at the time.

They aren't the old A. The two systems can't be used interchangeably if we're really getting down to the nitty gritty.

You'll convince yourself your right with a single screen shot, just like you've convinced yourself you're right about kids grades and effort with a sample size of 2.

I agree with you to an extent. You don't get a 9 for sitting back and not putting the work in. Congratulations in your DD's results.
But also, getting top grades is the perfect mixture of ability, hard work, excellent teaching, and a supportive household. There are naturally outliers to that, but the reason those students are awed at is because that's not the usual case.
It's harder to get a 9 in a subject when you are dealing with mental health issues, or when you have adhd and paying attention in class is incredibly difficult, or your parents were up half the night arguing so you didn't get much sleep, or your mum spent the money for the electricity meter on wine again so you didn't have lighting to revise, or you need a part time job, or you find a subject really hard. Some of the hardest working students I've taught are the grade 5 students. I remember one student proudly telling me he'd spent 3 hours studying for my test and he still only got about 40%, but it was his highest ever score and I'll never forget how happy he was with that result. And the kids that fail and keep working at it anyway, and keep getting it wrong, and keep going until they make it, they become such resilient adults.

The issue I find with comments like this is it makes the assumption that
A) Everyone learns easily.
B) Everyone has the ability to spend the amount of time your dd did.

In my case I have 2 children who are incredibly dyslexic (1 has 18 markers for education providers to support for exams and learning on her dyslexia report - that's pretty bad) for her to manage a 7 is likely twice the work that your DD did.

It is NOT always because they lack intelligence, time, or support. Sometimes it is other things that come into play.

I work in a secondary school once a week as a counsellor. I see incredibly intelligent students at times who have had utter SHITE happen to them. (obviously can't devolve but bad stuff for some) sometimes mental health takes over the ability to think as all you can concentrate on is how unsafe you feel when you are in school that is not a productive environment to learn and to bring out the best - again doesn't mean the child isn't working hard it means there is shite happening for them.

A friend of one of my children is a young carer. He walked home from school each day to look after his mum. For university, he chose one that was close to home as " mum can't cope alone" he is a clever lad but due to his life, he has not got the time or support to manage to put the " hard work " in your dd did. He likely works twice as hard as your dd to support mum and ensure home life stays afloat for his younger sibling.

Then there are the students who simply do not get the support at home to work things out and do not get any quiet time at home to study they may want to put in the effort but there is no support network to do that. Again it doesn't mean they are not clever.

For students like those, I have mentioned. Getting a 4 5 6 can be just as much effort and hard work as your dd put in.

Be proud of your dd for certain. However, do not make the assumption that those she was in cohort with who did " less" did not put in the work or effort. You simply do not know their circumstances.

It is ok to celebrate the good enough too.

Right now we are awaiting to find out if one of my very dyslexic dd's have passed her psychology exam she flourished in university where things are not so specific and set up with regards to how it " has to be" Some students flourish later.

With all the disruptions and vagueries that nearly all school/college students have been through over the past 2.5 years - any result is A Result.

The effects of lockdown on so many children and young people has yet to be accounted for and measured. I like to think that many will come out of it with more resilience and adaptability then the previous 20 years of mediocrity produced from the Education System.

@SammySueTwo Exams are only one measure of success and a blunt tool IMHO

There are many opportunities to shine in life eg successful relationships, good citizenship, being a good role model

I suggest you check out #nowrongpath online. Lots of great stories of people who changed direction and / or had bumps in the road before finding work they enjoyed

Forget a small well done, here's a huge one from me!! There's more to people than their grades. All kids with whatever GCSEs they've gotten are little rock stars if you ask me.

Lovely thread, a shame someone felt the need to knock children down as clearly they didn't work hard enough and less we forget how hard all the children who got the top grades worked 🙄

Such a bullshit attitude.

My dd has had a rough couple of years, she has some SENs plus mental health problems, she massively struggled through the pandemic but she kept going and I am so proud of her. She passed all the exams with grades between 4-6.

She couldn't have worked any harder, it's a fantastic achievement for her.

A 6 is equivalent to an old grade B, right? How is that anything other than a brilliant grade by anyone's standards? A C or B is excellent - they've passed the exams they had to sit, and they've opened the door to the next stage. After a global pandemic. Suffering from covid and long covid. In a turbulent and stressful world and under immense pressure that I couldn't have imagined when I was 16.

This is 100% true... If your data set was 2, as it reflects the situation between your two kids.

But a data set of two is not big enough to generalise to a wider population!

Countless kids won't be able to get high marks no matter how hard they will work - my two are ND and smart but don't gel well with the standard academic way of learning/testing. I wouldn't be that surprised if they do not too well at all grade wise but later in life achieve some amazing things when they can create their own path. They deserve to be as proud as your daughter and if they get the same grades as your son, for example, it's not because they haven't worked damn hard every day, and then some, and at least as hard as your daughter. They have to do extra classes just to do what comes naturally to a lot of kids - (ND related - incidentally they both have a high IQ).

There's so many reasons why a lot of kids will just never get high marks....let's just stop judging and be happy for them, and for those with high marks too and also realise this isn't the only arena to excel academically. There is lifelong learning these days, and the chance for apprenticeships, Masters, PhDs and all sorts. We all suit different paths.

Totally agree OP!
my DD gained 1 GCSE, and a few other level 2 vocational certificates.
College have supported her through her level 3 studies: she was awarded A A A* equivalent to A Levels.
She’s s off to Uni!
There are plenty of alternative routes to HE or employment.

@hedgehogFC I completely agree, my daughter has a spld and no matter how hard she works, would never get 8's or 9's. I celebrate her as I know she has given her best.

All achievements should be celebrated- I'm in wales so we still have letters I've celebrated today and gotten Welldone cards and little gifts for young people who have got A's B's C's D's and E's they all tried their best and achieved their target grades. They all got on to the college course or apprenticeship they wanted with these grades. As long as they are happy and they tried their best that's all we can ask and that should be celebrated x

I’ve taught children who achieved 3s and boy did they work hard for those 3s. It’s brilliant when young folk achieve the highest grades but this shouldn’t detract from those who struggle. Often, the hardest working students are the ones who find it so difficult and will never achieve the higher grades. These tend to be the students I am super proud of.

Many who weren't academic are reeling in fortunes. He deserves a celebration 100%. For effort and success and here's to more success!

But you’ve come along and said “what about the 9’s?” 😳

Academia is NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM a measure of intelligence, effort or discipline.