A pass is a pass? GCSE

[Rumplestiltz]

At GCSE, a 4 is a pass. When employers/apprenticeships/further and higher education institutes ask for a pass in maths and English, it’s a 4.

So why the fuss about “strong” passes, which is a 5? Why does the Government organise its data on the proportion who get “strong” passes in English and Maths? Bridget Phillipson saying it’s a travesty that white, working class boys aren’t getting “strong” passes in English and Maths and their life chances are affected as a result. It kind of undermines those who work very hard to get to that pass line of a 4 (teachers and students) to be told it’s not good enough.

I am sure I will be told it’s very easy to get a 4 etc etc, but for some kids in these subjects, it isn’t.

So my AIBU is - a pass is a pass.

And at the Russell Group uni I work at.

It sounds mad.

Why have a grade 4 if it's like the old D- under a C (which was a pass.)

<sigh> Of course it’s a pass. Many institutions want higher - that doesn’t mean it therefore isn’t a pass. I know several colleges where you need at least 7s. Does that therefore mean 6 is a fail? Grade 4s will enable students to progress to something. Probably not A levels unless the 4s are outliers is a raft of 7s, but vocational qualifications or apprenticeships (which ask for 4s in E and M).

And entry level jobs tend to ask for 4s as well. Heck to teach you only need G4 passes in E, M and science.

IT ISNT!!!!! An old D is a grade 3.

I think it’s awful that the C GCSE’s grade was split in to 4 and 5. Some subjects like Maths can prove to be so difficult for some to pass.

A C was good enough before and now there’s all the sniping about the 4 not being good enough. Obviously no-one with a 4 would be planning to take the subject further. It is possible particularly with maths to get a 4 in that yet much higher grades in every other subject.

Sigh

Our local 6th form college asks for 5 GCSE’s at grade 4 or above for Arts and Humanities courses. They do get great results and send lots to Oxbridge/medicine, but are inclusive and will take any child able to study.

Then I should probably add 49% A / A / B and 29% A / A: my point being that this is a large, highly rated college with good results that admits students to A levels with 4s.

I live in Scotland, but my understanding is that while 4 might be seen as passing, if the student wants to do A Level then it's not really considered good enough by many institutions who offer A levels.

4 is a pass.

Because its not despite what some posters insist it's good enough to get onto many level three courses
It probably isn't good enough to do Alevels ,but ALevels are not the Be all and end all

Yes a 4 is a pass and should be celebrated!!!
They'll be forgotten in a few years any way. Xx

This chart is helpful. I’m in wales and we still use the letters so I’m always confusing reading posts with grade numbers in. I think it’s odd there is a strong pass and a weak pass. Bit of a kick in the teeth to read that you’ve passed but weakly.

I agree with your general argument, that kids shouldn’t be made to feel inadequate or failures, if they get 1, 2 and 3, but looking at it objectively, if they don’t achieve a level 4 at Maths and English, then they have to re-take them, so 1,2 and 3 are not considered passes, even though they are real achievements for many.

Of course you can do A-levels with 4s! I got B/C/D in my GCSEs (so possibly 4-5 in new money) I got an ACC in my As, a decent degree and I’ve got level 7 qualifications. Some of the kids taking GCSEs are not quite 16 yet, plenty of people successfully study at university level after getting low grade GCSEs.

Yes but there are many options other than Alevels, and they are still passe,s .

Depends on the college

That's a very limited way to look at it. My daughter missed out on a grade 5 in English by a point. She was accepted into 6th form and has just come out with a distinction in level 3 BTEC Psychology and Business Studies with the same UCAS points as a grade A. She also passed A Level Geography with a C. She's thinking about university now and lots of Uni's accept a grade 4 in Englis.

Lots of colleges offer lots of Level 3 courses for varying needs. Not all Students can get the higher grades anyway due to exams being marked on the curve.

Did I suggest otherwise? 🫣

Depends on the courses they want to do. Many "academic" a levels prefer 5+ but others don't

Absolutely this.

There will be kids out there that have worked so hard to get a 4, they don't need their chips pissing on 🤨

They are passes. They are level one passes and you do have to continue with English and maths until you get a level 2 pass or reach 18. But they are a pass and some children will be working towards a level 1, or possibly even an entry level qualification at post 16.

What is a fail in the new system? Surely any mark which isn’t a fail is a pass? Of course, there are varying levels of a pass but a pass is a pass and the only real alternative is a fail.

What is a fail in the new system? Surely any mark which isn’t a fail is a pass? Of course, there are varying levels of a pass but a pass is a pass and the only real alternative is a fail.

Below a grade 4 ,well it's not a fail but it's akin to getting grades D , E,F,G

You can’t make it up! What is an actual fail, I’m not asking what you personally think is classed as a poor mark.