Does anyone else's child has this many GCSEs?

[Murdochmysteries]

My db has a habit of exaggerating the truth, to the point of incredulity, supposedly my dn at a below average comp, is leaving the school with 18 GCSEs, 1 B all the rest As.

18?!?!?

Mutter. In my day (1980) only the cleverest girls got 8 + O levels, and A's were rare enough to be really impressed by. I got 6 and was pleased to have got B's. This is all so wrong

I think they are moderated Maryz. So the children with the top 15% of marks will get A* (or something like that) regardless of what percentage they actually get on the paper.

Op, aren't you even a bit proud that your nephew has achieved so much? I don't understand why you seem to want to take him down a peg or two

'Does anyone in England fail GCSE's?'

Of course not. That would be cruel. Everyone must end up the same, regardless of IQ, hard work, good teaching.

What slightly strikes me is that there are 17 A. Not A... I would have thought with that number she could have managed A on a few. It sounds a little like someone who doesn't know what he's talking about (ie that A*s exist) trying to sound impressive.

Maybe you should react with saying "What a pity, if she hadn't taken so many she might have got A* rather than A."

Personally I don't like the fashion for trying to cram in as many as possible over several years. I don't really see the point, how many employers of someone who's got a degree (which I assume they'll be wanting if that's their results) look at GCSE result except possibly maths and English?

I dunno. If I was employing someone who had a dodgy-sounding degree from an unknown university, you bet I'd be checking their GCSEs. Very carefully.

I'm not sure of the exact percentages Maryz. Dd thinks it also varies according to subject but generally top 90% of marks will be A*, 80% could be an A depending on the subject.

70% would probably be a B
60% a D
and 50% would be a fail (but graded at E)

They do give out F and G grades too. Anything D or above is a pass but her peer group consider they really need a minimum of a C to call it a pass.

Fairenuff. Your % are a bit misleading.
Grade boundaries change year to year but not by much.
Someone with 50% certainly doesn't get as low as an 'E'

Each subject and exam board has a different grade boundary also.

Kitty yes I know, sorry. It was a 'rough guide' to try and explain how it works. Tbh dd knows more about it than I do.

I do think the schools should offer parents 'training' in how GCSE's are set and marked but I think it changes year on year as the government decide.

From what I gather, they are going back to the old way of studying for two years then taking all GCSEs at the end of those two years. This will probably be how my ds (now year 8) does them, but I have heard nothing official from the school yet.

I think it would be far better if we had a similar situation to that in Ireland. Which is what we had years back.

Or harder GCSEs. My children are sitting IGCSEs, which are supposed to be harder in some cases. The idea is that the children who want to do, say Maths, for A level don't have the huge jump they currently experience between GCSE Maths and A level Maths.

But who knows? It's very difficult to know what to believe: you read such different and opposing views.

The French exchange student we had here last week is at lycee in Aix and she certainly seems to be working at a higher level than most 15-year-olds i know in either state or private schools.

The truth is Maryz that whatever is said on Mumsnet many many kids don't get 10 or 12 A in fact the number that get a full set of A is very small. I have seen the actual % but can't find it now - obviously they all have mumsnetters as parents

Faire I teach GCSE and only know how my subject is marked. Others can be quite complicated with different exams at different times and a whole range of grade boundaries! :)
New Osted criteria is heavy on assessment and pupil tracking. Hopefully the systems schools put in place will keep parents better informed too. I do think it's important that parents know what's going on.

Ofsted not Osted

I know of a boy who got 17 A*, he's at Oxford now.

When I applied for a university place I was told my A Levels were worth fuck all because I had sat them one at a time and got 4 A* but because I hadn't managed my work load and balanced 4 subjects at once nobody was interested :-(

boring exam statistics

Oh and I got an E at A Level in Chemistry in 1994 and an A* in 2009, I do not believe I have made that much progress believe me.

The reason I ask now is, I'm sure that when my dn's results came out, I was told about them at the time, and although I was very pleased for him, I don't recall being "Wowed" by them.

Which believe me if I'd been told x got 18 GCSEs 17 As and 1 B I would have been.

They were in the photo for them, but as a back of a head shot, hugging a girl outside his school, and I've found this photo on paper's website, but no blurb on him.

Anyway was chatting yesterday about 'A' levels, and db was saying he's turned down an Oxbridge place to go and study at Exeter. And I said is he mad, why's he done that. And thought it was Oxbridge part that was rubbish, and I said I didn't recall his GCSEs being that outstanding (I was less blunt than that), and he said 'he got 18 GCSEs...', and then conversation was cut short, and that was the end of that.

But I've come away thinking, Oxbridge and 18 GCSEs, this is my db's fantasy land again isn't it!

He sounds a bit odd your DB Murdochmysteries he isn't called Walter Mitty by any chance

OK so 18 GCSEs is possible, but I have to agree with Dewe very strange to get As and a B and no As. I am sure the school were happy that their statistics had been enhanced by these results but how sad they didn't emphasise the importance of quality rather than just mere quantity!
In my opinion results are about realising your potential. I am not sure that these results do but of course I dont know the full back story. It is difficult when people say are these GCSEs good enough. Of course one needs the maths and English minimum C grade but apart from that it depends on the DC. I have a DC with 8 A and 2As and another with 3As, 3Bs and 2Cs. Both were great achievements to us but I know many might look down on the second results.

Well, I do know several people who turned down Oxbridge, and SIL who often claims she did, but DH and I like to snigger and think she didn't.

It sounds like your DB is BSisng, but really, who cares!