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Original poster

5-yr-old scrapes GCSE maths

89 replies

Ponders · 25/08/2011 10:03

\link{http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8721603/Six-year-old-girl-passes-maths-GCSE.html(she was 5 when she took it)}

'she takes extra lessons on Saturdays and is not allowed to watch television after school from Monday to Thursday so that she concentrates on her studies.
Her father Charles Thorpe, 44, from Chadwell Heath, east London, said: ''We thought we might as well just give it a go. You see young people in the newspapers who have taken exams and you think, why not?
''I wouldn't say maths is her favourite subject, but when she says she wants to be a doctor I tell her that she must be very good at science and maths.
'' We want her to be outstanding and exceptional in every way .'' '

no pressure then Hmm

twat

OP posts:
reallytired · 25/08/2011 10:30

It seems a little pointless making a five year old sit GCSEs. To get a GCSE grade E is about the equivalent of being being level 4/5 national curriculum standard. The little girl has got to a tremenous standard for a five years old, but at what cost?

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 11:49

WHY???????????????? It's not a good grade she is being deprived of playtime and relaxation time. Stupid father, this is her childhood he is ruining.

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 11:51

Did she go to that hothouse place where a number of the other children that take exams early went to?

reallytired · 25/08/2011 11:55

www.rydeteaching.co.uk/updated/default.shtml

Surely if you have a gifted child then its better to develop talents that are not tapped into at school like music or sport.

Fo0ffyShmoofer · 25/08/2011 11:55

"She says she wants to be a doctor"

So they went to these lengths?

What about when she changes her mind and wants to be a power ranger?
Then in 6 months when she wants to be a fighter pilot?

Honestly what an arsehole.

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 12:07

Don't think Daddy dearest will allow her to try to be anything but a doctor-Power ranger will have to be later on as a postgraduate.

2BoysTooLoud · 25/08/2011 12:42

Poor little soul.
Just Daddy's little puppet.
If he does this with maths just think of what a 'hothoused' life that kid leads.

MrsvWoolf · 25/08/2011 12:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lizcat · 25/08/2011 12:56

Like MrsW my gut feeling was she will need to resit if she wants to be a doctor. Personally I feel we should set primary school children up to succeed and I don't really feel this is succeeding.

ripstheirthroatoutliveupstairs · 25/08/2011 13:03

What the actual fuck? Does he think she will be Doogie Houser or however it's spelled.
Childhood is for playing and enjoying yourself. Fair enough if the child expresses an interest, I seriously doubt a five YO would.

2BoysTooLoud · 25/08/2011 13:24

Only a severely pushed 5 year old would 'ask' to do GCSE maths.
At 5 she should not know they exist...

LawrieMarlow · 25/08/2011 13:42

I still don't understand Bonsoir's comment.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 25/08/2011 14:25

Lawrie - Bonsoir is referring to the little girl being black.

Lolol at Doogie Houser Grin

Rather that than Nurse Nancy I suppose.

LawrieMarlow · 25/08/2011 14:44

Thank you - I missed her skin colour being mentioned (and when I looked at Ponder's link there wasn't a photo of her there).

whenIgetto3 · 25/08/2011 16:18

well she will not be able to take an A level with an E at GCSE so I guess if she wants to be a doctor she will have to retake, I also thought if you had any retakes they wouldn't consider you for undergrad med school, or is that just A level resits?

Poor little girl, my DCs all want to be amazing things but I get the idea that they need to be little DCs playing well and sharing first. I wouldn't let my DS7 join a ski racing club this last year as at 7 I thought 10-12 hours training a week was too much, yes he has talent but he also needs time to discover his other skills (like molecular science and microbiology, at least that is what I think he is studying under his bed) Grin

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 16:33

I am sure medical schools will ignore the result and look at any retake. Taken at that age the grade will not represent what the child is capable at a more usual age for taking the exam. They will also realise that it will be parent driven to an extent.

hocuspontas · 25/08/2011 16:42

Charles Thorpe? He's not dadatlarge is he?

hocuspontas · 25/08/2011 16:43

There was supposed to be a Grin at the end...

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 16:43

Hocaspontas, LOL! I saw that thread to.

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 16:44
Biscuit
georgie22 · 25/08/2011 16:46

My first reaction was 'what'?!! It's mad in my opinion. I hope my dd is enjoying imaginative play at 5 and getting to grips with starting school. Our children spend in excess of 30 hours in school weekly from the age of 4 or 5 - is this not enough? I'll encourage dd in all she wants to do but will never force her to do things she would have no interest in. There will be very few 5 year olds who actually want to have extra tuition in maths etc.

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 16:58

I think maths can be fun to some people me, but, in my experience these people also like to learn a lot of it for themselves (with just slight guidance/help when asked for). So would tuition in a classroom setting be enjoyable compared to playing with friends/watching TV? Also not allowing treats TV after a day at school seems harsh. The senario does not seem child lead.

iggly2 · 25/08/2011 19:50

That BBC has to be a piss take- Cambridge would not be interested in a hothoused youngster! It is one GCSE (in a subject easy to coach) the grade is not good either.

saintlyjimjams · 25/08/2011 19:54

What do you actually need to know to get an E? If it's just addition/subtraction with some simple multiplication I'm sure many 6 years olds could get on.

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