3 CSEs - any good?

[CheckTrousersBlanco]

I was born in 1969 - hence I didn’t do GCSEs. I did all CSEs - no O Levels.

My mum said I did better than my brother a year younger who got no qualifications at all.

So mumsnetters - be honest - do you see 3 CSEs as good ?

FYI I won’t be offended if you say it isn’t!!

No, but at least it's something. it's probably the equivalent of having your English and Maths at grade 4 or whatever it is that they have to get nowadays.

Thanks I’ve not got a clue over current grading systems

Why are wondering now after all these years?

Better than your brother - yes. Good - no given that most kids would have done 8 or more subjects.

Does it matter though given it was 40 years ago?

I think it entirely depends on the person. For someone who struggled academically and hated school, it’s a good achievement. For someone who had the potential to be an A* student but who flaked out and didn’t bother, it isn’t any good.

The relevant thing is, did you do the best you could under the circumstances at the time?

The important thing is, did it hold you back or have you made a life for yourself which you’re happy with?

Ahem…. I still think of myself as very youthful ……..

😂😂 I meant why is it suddenly bothering you now? 😂😂

Honestly doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, it’s so long ago.

CSE’s did have grades. A grade 1 was equivalent to a grade C at O level. Grade 2 was a grade D at O level. Basically they out people in for CSE’s who may have struggled a bit to pass an O level at Grade C.

I still see myself as under 40 - don’t burst my bubble

I’m very proud to say I was still being ID’d for alcohol in supermarkets as late as 2009 …

Not bothering me just interested really in what people thought on MN

I’m not applying for. Russell Group University but may well be getting a Ring doorbell ..

I just want to see how many of the mumsnet criteria I can confirm to ..

If they are grade 1 CSE passes they are equivalent to a GCSE pass. I was the first year of GCSE, the year above had done CSE I had find my GCSE certificates when I applied for a job in a school, despite having a degree and a professional qualification.So they may come in handy if you ever changed jobs.

I got 12 and am not particularly bright so I think three is low. But it was 40 years ago, honestly, no one cares

Depends whst grades you got if they were ones ,they would be equivalent to a grade c olevel
Did you only do three CSE,s ,

No did 7

Only if she got grade 1 in maths and English.

No, it's pretty poor, unless they are all grade 1s.

In those days though a lot of people left with nothing.

I was born before you but remember CSE v GCE and no 3 CSE was not great unless they were all grade 1
Most non manual jobs or college courses wanted a minimum of 5 O levels of which 2 should be English and Maths

Any good for what? Studying astrophysics at Cambridge: maybe not. Brain surgery: again, no. Almost anything else in life: it's not very relevant after all these years, life experience beyond that is the only thing that matters.

I come back to "good for what"? I have 10 gcses at grade A. Bully for me - but do you want me piloting a plane? No, I regularly put my kettle in the fridge by mistake and try and use my car keys to open the front door and we would definitely all die.

I’m born the same year as you. We just did O levels and I’ve got 10 I think but took 8 together and 2 the year after.
It was ages ago though- different times. I did have to dig out all the certificates recently for a job though..

I disagree @GasPanic - I went to a large fairly rough comprehensive before 1980 and less than 10% of children left with no exam passes at all

It's about the minimum accepted education level I think.

Even at the time grades aren't a good reflection of intelligence or ability - years later it really means nothing.

One of my friends, with 1st class degree and MSc is considering resitting some of his GCSEs because he's embarrassed by the grades, he's 48, really measures his worth by this sort of thing though. Madness.

It wasn’t ages ago

im sure we could both walk into a nightclub on a Saturday and successfully attract anyone we wanted 🙌

Someone did say this to me some years ago - I’m sticking by it 🙌

3 grade 1s or just 3 altogether?

Things were different then. I can remember being told that the average 16 year old got a CSE grade 4. A grade 1 was O'level equivalent. Only the top 10-20% did O'levels whereas now at least 50% get a C/4 at GCSE. I know of quite a few people from school who passed no O'levels who have since been to university.

If you did seven and passed three then realistically no it isn't good I'm afraid. However at this stage I doubt it matters.