To want 9s not 7s for my child in their GCSEs?

[ZeldaFighter]

Child is a model student and no problems with behaviour or attendance. Definitely seems intelligent and diligently completes homework, often without prompting.

Report is 6s and 7s. Husband is pleased and says they're As and Bs. He thinks only kids in private schools doing extended papers get 9s.

I got As, Bs and Cs many years ago but I always strived for As. AIBU to think they should be getting 9s or at least striving for them?

Let them be proud of what they achieve.

as long as they try their best don’t pressure them to meet an unrealistic expectation

DD gained all 8s and one 9 from our local Northern Comprehensive school. She's predicted all As in her A levels so it can't be that bad to not get all 9s. We were happy with those results, but even if we weren't she would never have known.

Nothing wrong with 7's.
If your child has the potential to get all 9's without them getting too stressed and doing nothing but revision for the next 2 months then fine but if not just chill out.
DD got all 9's and its never been a necessity for her to have them. DS will probably get 7's and a couple of 8's and that fine too

EVERYONE shares Grades 7-9, nobody shares the 1-3s or even 4-6s so the higher grades seem more prevelant than they really are.

Absolutely right to strive for the best you can achieve but don't put undue pressure where it's not needed.

6s and 7s are excellent grades. DS went to a High School that only had 34% of kids pass GCSE English and Maths, so honestly I'd have been more than happy and proud as bloody punch with him just passing everything. I was absolutely over the moon with the grades he actually got, all things considered (and he didn't get all 9s).

These threads never go well.

you get the braggers whose children got all 9s and the unambitious who don’t think it matters at all.

Children should be encouraged and helped to fulfill their potential, regardless of where that is. Year 6 SATS and the Cats most schools offer at entry give a broad idea of potential.

It is as sad for a potential 9 student to get a 7 as for a potential 7 child to get a 5, and some schools do lack ambition for the higher grades. But that has to be balanced with cocurricular and having free time.

Without knowing the child, there is no easy answer!

When I was in school a model child took her own life during A levels. I personally would never ever put pressure on my child.

You're setting your child up to never feel good enough.

My DD got 12 x grade 9’s in a state school, so your DH is wrong.

This.

Yes YABU. It sounds like your child is working hard and they are respectable grades so good for them.

It totally depends what he’s capable of! It may well be that he’s already working hard and a 7 is the best grade he is capable of. If that’s the case, there’s no point putting additional pressure on him.

Equally though, I don’t agree with the lazy attitude that DC should just aim to pass GCSEs. They should be aiming for the best results they are capable of (whether a 5 or a 9) to maximise their future opportunities and also to see the value of hard work.

If he isn’t doing any revision and is getting 7s, he is clearly capable of 9s with more effort and you would have every right to tell him he needs to work harder.

Yikes.

I work in a state school. Anyone can get a 9. Not sure what an extended paper is. There's foundation and higher. The exam is the same whether you're in a state or private school.

GCSEs are bell curved so the number who gets 9 is fairly fixed

that said OP stop you are massively putting pressure on your child 7 is amazing at mocks and frankly this is exactly why the numbering system is so demoralising
A 4 is a C which when we took GCSEs seemed good now a 4 doesn’t

your child isn’t you

If this is real then poor kid being thought of as a disappointment if they don’t get straight 9’s

Can you imagine on results day what OP will be like if there is anything else on the report card. No kid needs that kind of pressure, especially from parents. If they have tried their best and got whatever their best result is then that’s what should be celebrated

Yabu, there's more to life than getting 9s instead of 7s at GCSE and it's unlikely to have any effect whatsoever on their future.

I agree with your last sentence. However, a 6 or 7 would be a disappointment if a child is capable of better.

I have always had the expectation that DCs work as hard as possible in everything they do. For academics, that means they should be striving for the best grades possible for them (whether that is all 9s or all 5s).

Certainly not true if they are set on a competitive uni course.

In any event, if they are capable of 9s, that is what they should be aiming for to keep their future options as open as possible. I don’t think we should be encouraging DC to narrow future opportunities at age 15 due to laziness.

He’s wrong to say only students at private schools get them or that there is such a thing as an extended paper. I’ve taught in both and a very clever student would get a grade 9 regardless of which school type they attended.

However, it’s unreasonable to expect them unless your child is actually capable of them. They not equivalent to As as fewer students get them (grades 7-9 cover A-A)

Also, you don’t say what their 6s and 7s are: current grades; predicted grades; target grades? This makes a big difference.

GCSEs are a stepping stone. Even the top universities look for well rounded people who have other interests and not just 9s in their GCSEs.

My arse you work in a state school with an ignorant comment like that.

Your poor child! Yabu

Nope. Courses like medicine are ultra-competitive and top GCSEs are expected.

Someone can also still be ‘well-rounded’ and get grade 9s. Ime many students who get top grades are usually more driven in other areas like sports than those who get poor grades and sit on their Xbox all night.

What a ridiculous thing to say. Medicine has always attracted top grades. Most of the population aren't doctors though?!

Wow! In my experience applying that level of expectation won't help, encouraging them to do the best they can, providing a suitable, calm place to study, helping with revision planning and tasks, checking in and encouraging breaks is the key to getting the best. Very few students get 9s, it's best to focus on improving grades in the subjects they need for their next step, rather than across all subjects