All 9s at GCSE….

[CurlewKate]

Less than 1.5% of candidates get all 9s at GCSE. I wonder why so many of them seem to be Mumsnetter’s children! 🤣

Are you sure? As far as I can see Further Maths "GCSE" doesn't even count for league table measures.

The same happened with Chem at DC's grammar - pupils switching from other boards for 6th form couldn't cope with Edexcel. As PP said, the difficulty varies across exam boards not necessarily gcse vs igcse.

@Ubertomusicfor the avoidance of doubt, I am not seeking lols from children, high achieving or otherwise. I am seeking lols from some adult Munsnetters who tend to be economical with the actualitée…….

Don't forget the six figure salary.

OP is basically saying that Mumsnetters are lying but fails to take into account that the site is popular with a certain demographic of people. By way of example, I was on a thread this morning where someone was asking for a hotel recommendation in a European city. A number of people mentioned the same hotel. I happen to be in that hotel right now. A strange coincidence?! No, it clearly attracts a middle class, well travelled clientele…as does Mumsnet!

But the answer to your OP is pretty obvious - ppl active on Education threads are very much involved in their DC's education hence their DC achieve well if they're able to, as parental input is one of the most important factors?

GCSE are relatively easy qualifications compared to some standards abroad. And grade 8 on instrument is considered intermediate level in the US for example 😁 Having lots of 9s is not something unimaginable - my DC is severely dyspraxic so cannot write at speed required for the tests, but even he achieved 6 A*A so a healthy child can certainly do much better than that.

Exactly
In fact it was Edexcel at my boys school too. So that’s interesting

Boohoo - I’m afraid the certain demographic are probably being economical with the actualitie. 20 years ago Mumsnet might have had a reputation for attracting better educated posters, but you only have to look at the level of SPAG to recognise that is not true anymore, if it ever truly was. And I’m not bashing anyone’s SPAG before anyone jumps up and down - just pointing out that the demographic is more evenly distributed.

What the Devil does the equivalence in GCSE and iGCSE Maths and English as determined through the European Lisbon Recognition Convention, ratified by 50 countries (and mirrored in the UK via ENIC/Ecctis) have to do with UPS teaching stress and the abomination that is the two day visit?

But are the more evenly distributed demographic all commenting on the education threads? I don’t believe that they are. Also, I’m educated to post-grad level with professional qualifications. My SPAG is far from perfect probably because I wasn’t taught much grammar when I was at school! Although, my SPAG is much better than my teacher (and head of year) brother who still struggles with the difference between there and their 🤣

There are also a lot of parents of very selective grammar school DC on MN, and a lot of them are on this thread.

I would like to know what percentage of state educated comprehensive school children achieve all 9s. After all, grammar school children are bound to do well aren't they? Won't the progress 8 scores at grammar schools be lower than those at comprehensive schools?

The same happened with Chem at DC's grammar - pupils switching from other boards for 6th form couldn't cope with Edexcel. As PP said, the difficulty varies across exam boards not necessarily gcse vs igcse.

The same thing happened when DD started her degree. The lecturere assumed that everyone had covered the same topics for A level biology. All her friends had done AQA, her school had done Edexel. DD had a bit of catching up to do.

I would presume that Progress 8 is lower in selective schools although the Progress 8 at my DC’s grammar was 1.1 last year and was - 0.37 for our catchment comp.

My niece got all 9’s at her comp but that was a COVID year so I appreciate that is a little different.

So bloody furriners cannot be "better educated"...
How is your SPAG in Chinese btw?

You're right - GCSE Further Maths isn't included in any Progress Measures. AS would be, though (and the GCSE result would be discounted).

Moot point when there isn't any KS2 data this year and next, though.

Agree with you there boohoo.
Level of education or intellect doesn’t necessarily materialise in one’s SPAG ( not that we had that term when I was at school ).
5 years at Uni including a masters and professional qualifications after hasn’t helped me automatically grasp
the correct use of
where and were……. it does drive me nuts tho.

Something that might work for that is

Where is he? HE's inside the word wHEre.

Where were we? Inside the word WEre.

Where aRE we? We'RE here on Mumsnet talking shop during our few days off (if we'RE lucky).

Which is interesting because I’ve just asked DS as he’s doing a biology related degree at Uni.
He did Edexcel and had no ‘catching up to do’.
He’s at Exeter

He has said the course content is different. So Edexcel is more tech biology akin to medicine related content whereas some other boards are more focused on Environmental or Human use factors.

So guessing it depends what the Uni and the degree is focused on.

Or doing homework since you’ve now given me revision to do 💐
Just getting my head around that

But the vast majority of Mumsnetters have two degrees….

And a partridge in a pear tree 🎼

So - following your logic - I must be lighter in metrics system as I measure at 55 units (kg), vs my weight in imperial measurement is heavier - because I measure 120 units (lbs)....

You do understand that changing measuring system does not change the underlying object being measured????

So - if GCSEs set their measurement such that a sizable chunk gets to 90-100% - that is the way they chose to do calibration.
In iGCSEs - the calibration is different, like a different measuring system I referred to above.

Setting iGCSEs exam papers at higher level of difficulty allows for more differentiation at the top end - and it's especially significant in Sciences and Maths.

For the reference - my DC recently did iGCSEs in sciences and Maths and their score was in 90%+ across the board; and 99% for their core science subject that they hope to study in Uni.

So - of course there are kids who score above 90% in iGCSEs - my kid did, as did others in their school (super-selective and private)

I don't know what subject you mark - it is surprising that you don't seem to comprehend simple mathematics.

But - regardless of that, I don't think we disagree that there is privilege - and kids with more involved parents with more means - do better. Not sure that can be changed by simple change in exams.

what?! That is not logic!
If 60% is a 9 then it could be that the paper is very tricky and the majority of people will struggle to answer 60% of the paper correctly.

Are you really a teacher or are you trolling?
I can’t believe a teacher can cast such aspersions about iGCSE across all subjects when they can only have professional experience of one (perhaps two); be so disparaging of private school pupils whilst slating the state school system; and not understand how 60% maybe a high score in a difficult exam.

This was in response to @Tiredalwaystired 's DD getting 9s in all her GCSEs and then a 7 in Further Maths. She said that it meant that her DD didn't count in the national statistics for 'all 9s at GCSE' but I don't see why the government would entirely discount Further Maths for all other statistics and then suddenly include it when it came to that measure.

My assumption would be that her DD counted in that measure.

Do you also believe that most kids in superselective grammar schools are simply tutored for years and have average innate ability?

London selective private schools, for example, have really selective entry criteria. There is no way that those doing iGCSEs will be going for easy exam boards. As they want to keep most of their intake on, they will be aiming for challenge simply so the DCs are prepared for top A level grades and competitive university entries.

I was agreeing with you. 😁