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Original poster

GCSE results are upon us

252 replies

Remotew · 23/08/2010 14:47

Anyone else suffering from the jitters? DD has been for a couple of days now and now me. Coping strategies welcome. Grin

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MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 23/08/2010 16:45

I'll admit to being nervous for my DS2. He follows a brother who got 8A* and 2A grades, and he simply will not do anywhere near this well.

He is very bright, but his brain is just not wired to dance to the exam tune. I am just looking at next steps, where he needs an A and 5Bs to stay in his school.

I am under no illusion that he will not have carte blanche with universities next year as his brother has had. His choices will be limited and he will need to rely on transferrable skills as much as mediocre academics to date. I do believe that he will rise to the occasion with his A-levels and should come out with very respectable grades, but he has done himself no favours to date.

Original poster
Remotew · 23/08/2010 16:47

I got that 90% wrong. It will be awarded to a certain %.

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JaneS · 23/08/2010 16:47

thelastresort - yes, they will matter. But there is no truth in this idea that you need 6 A* grades for a good Russell group. I've been to both Oxford and Cambridge and there are plenty of students there without those grades, and plenty more who have Bs or even Cs at GCSE. Admissions tutors look at the whole profile, they don't just tick boxes and I'd really hate to see a good student think they've written themselves off at age 16.

MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 23/08/2010 16:50

Cortina, 90% is the grade boundary when looking at UMS points, not actual % on the papers.

Hard subjects (or papers) get more UMS points than easier ones. As I said, in my subject, they only have to score 70% on the higher paper to get an A%.

At A2, the UMS boundary for A% is also 90%, with a further restriction of needing 80% on every module. But A2 is generally harder, so I would say that it is harded to get an A8 at A2.

Cortina · 23/08/2010 16:52

Thanks. Just learning about all the differences :). Mme you mean A* at A2, it's a typo not something else for me to learn about? :)

DandyDan · 23/08/2010 16:55

Yes, this talk of needing 6 A*'s for university is more stressful than just waiting for the results. I got a B in Eng Lit O level back in the day and got an A at A level, and I'm sure today's GCSE students can hoick up their grades too.

My daughter is relaxed, even though she won't get all A*s, and might get a couple of B's, but she is irritated by clever friends who are going on about fretting over their results, when they're going to be just as fine as she is.

JaneS · 23/08/2010 16:58

Dandy, I'm sure your daughter will be fine! My brother got a B in his GCSEs ten years ago; he's got a double first from Cambridge and is an academic now. And I remember how stressed and upset he was at the time, too. Sad. Good for your girl that she is managing to relax.

snorkie · 23/08/2010 17:20

7.1% of parers were graded A last year, so more or less the same as A2s this year, except that more children sit GCSEs than GCEs, so arguably it's easier to get A at GCSE.

Ds has just been phoned by the school to ask if the paper can take his photo tomorrow (gulp).

He's planning to get up at 7am to get some of his results online - is anyone else doing that?

I think it's only a very few courses weed out applicants on A GCSE numbers - I heard Bristol medicine is one, but really if they don't get a whole host of As it's not the end of the world at all. The extract below from Queens' College Cambridge FAQ seems to back this up (and that they give more weight to AS results)...

"Do I need 10 A*s at GCSE to even think about applying?

No. Every year we will turn down some applicants with very good GCSE profiles and will make offers to others whose GCSE profile appears weaker. The reason for this is twofold. First, we make our decisions based on academic potential, which is different from previous achievements (that is, who is going to make the most of the opportunities offered to them once they get to Cambridge) and so we look to see where applicants are on a learning curve. Secondly, we think that AS module scores are likely to be a better predictor of how people will do in Cambridge exams than GCSEs (which is why we ask you to provide us with information about how you've done in AS modules)."

firegarden · 23/08/2010 17:22

Good to find this thread - I'm getting twitchy now although ds seems fine at the moment. Interesting opinions on importance of A grades etc for competitive courses/universities. Some people I know are saying you need 8A to stand a chance on some courses Shock. Ds was given a totally ridiculous prediction of 10A*s which he's never going to make in a million years and has only set him up for disappointment Sad. Anyway not long to wait now. Are you dcs going to school to get results and are you hoping they're not going to take too long to let you know the news....?

Original poster
Remotew · 23/08/2010 17:24

snorkie, I think congratulations to DS are already in order seeing as the paper want his photo. Great news.

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spanieleyes · 23/08/2010 17:24

Son wants to go collect his results on his own, I'm thinking of parking round the cornerGrin

Original poster
Remotew · 23/08/2010 17:26

Are they available to everyone on-line tomorrow or just those who have registered? I'm driving DD to school in the morning to get hers so no waiting for a phone call for me.

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firegarden · 23/08/2010 17:27

Ds is going on his own but I'm going to ask him to ring or send me a text. Hope he remembers and doesn't leave me waiting for ages!

eatyourveg · 23/08/2010 17:29

Getting rather hacked off with all this stuff in the news that seems to imply if you are not a straight A* student you are a complete nobody. What poppycock.

Some of these kids have worked dam hard to achieve what they have achieved be it A* or Cs or Gs for that matter.

I my ds comes home tomorrow with a string of Bs and Cs I know he won't have fulfilled his potential but I'll still be proud that he's got a handful of results that will open doors for him.

Not everyone wants to be a high flyer in the city and I'd rather a happy well adjusted son who earns a modest wage and gets home to his family every night than a stressed out city high flyer who works late every night and never has quality time with the family because he's too busy earning his millions.

firegarden · 23/08/2010 17:32

Totally agree eatyourveg. It's really sad how A* at A2 has somehow made those who 'just' got As feel as though they haven't done so well when all these grades are really fantastic. I feel really sorry sometimes for these kids - they have so much more pressure than I did when I was doing all this.

FunnyLittleFrog · 23/08/2010 17:34

As a teacher I get the A2/AS/GCSE jitters every year!

I know plenty of pupils who got a mix of A*s, As, Bs, Cs and even the odd D who went on to get straights As at A level and entry to a Russell Group Uni. It's more common among boys who seem to grow up a lot over the two years from GCSE to A Level.

mrswoodentop · 23/08/2010 17:36

Thank goodness for a voice of sense eatyourveg(geat namt by the way)that's not to take anything away from the high fliers but a lot of us just won't be in that ball park but that doesn't mean our dc are any less successful.

JaneS · 23/08/2010 17:37

Agree, eatyourveg. I think it's so sad when these children's achievements are talked about as if they've written themselves off already, or already limited their horizons in a way that can never be changed. It's just not true and too much pressure to put on a 16 year old.

snorkie · 23/08/2010 17:39

I hope so abouteve, but apparently the paper were interested in the fact he has a couple of AS results as well (from last week), so I'm not sure we can read too much else into it.

Ds has registered to receive Edexcel results online. I assume you do need to register, but as far as I know Edexcel is the only board offering it.

I will drive him in, so hopefully won't have to wait too long to know.

spanieleyes · 23/08/2010 17:41

Unfortunately I'm never likely to have a happy, well-adjusted son so I'll just have to make do with an academic geniusGrin

cleverlyconcealed · 23/08/2010 17:52

eatyourveg - absolutely. Neither of my sons got any As at GCSE. Both are doing fine thank you very much - ds2 pulled his grades up to ABB at A-level and is about to start his second year at one of the top 10 universities (well actually he's off to do a year studying abroad).

If dd comes home with a smile on her face then I'll have one on mine.

twopeople · 23/08/2010 18:06

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twopeople · 23/08/2010 18:07

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BigBadMummy · 23/08/2010 20:03

I am beside myself with worry over them.

DD1 needs at least a B in biology to do the A level and go on to do a paramedic degree and science teaching since Christmas was a disaster so we hired a tutor. So much pressure on her for this one exam.

She has gone out with mates so they can all try and divert their feelings of dread and DH has sodded off to a blokes poker night.

I am alone and can't even drink as I have to pick them up.

Aaaaaaaah

At least I get to play with my new iPad!!!!

Original poster
Remotew · 23/08/2010 20:08

We are just having a look at the entry requirements for the course/unis that DD is interested in and can see that she does need certain grades at GCSE. So fingers crossed all round.

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