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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

can you pretend you didn't do a GCSE?

23 replies

lainiekazan · 02/09/2013 10:01

Ds was very disappointed with the result of a GCSE he took early. It was Business & Communication which was compulsory for all a year early. He is hoping to do well overall and feels that having a duff grade may cause him to be sifted out by universities when the time comes. In fact he is now saying there is no point in bothering any more as he has blown it. There is also a prize giving for all students with A*/As and already he's eliminated from that. It seems tough and he's very downhearted.

The only comfort I can offer is that he may be able to "forget" it on applications, given that it's not a core GCSE. Can one do this?

OP posts:

SugarMiceInTheRain · 02/09/2013 10:04

I usually omit my Drama GCSE which I took outside of school. I got a C mainly due to the fact that the whole performance element was judged on one play we did, which, due to the number of people involved, meant I only had one line!!! I never put it on CVs or applications as the rest of my grades were A*-B

GobblersKnob · 02/09/2013 10:06

I never put French down, got an 'F', everything else was an 'A' it just looks odd [grin[

BeenFluffy · 02/09/2013 10:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheContrastofWhiteonWhite · 02/09/2013 10:43

Bear in mind that, if it is the same as when I applied you fill in the year you took the exam. Therefore it will be very clear that it was taken a year early. His grade could also presumably be covered in his own personal statement or that the school give for him?

Not sure about the legalities of leaving it off, but I don't think he's stuffed just because the grade isn't good.

Once he's into applying for jobs, etc then of course you can ditch anything you don't think is relevant.

What grade was it?

Spindelina · 02/09/2013 10:50

On my CV/application forms I've always said I got "Ten GCSEs at grades A* to B, including English literature and language".

Which is true. I've also got an 11th D (in CDT) which I choose not to mention.

It would be harder to forget it on a form where you were specifically asked to list all your exam results, though.

TheContrastofWhiteonWhite · 02/09/2013 11:00

Spindelina - Were you that ill fated single year where CDT GCSE was mandatory? It was sooo stupid. By the time we were in year 11 the policy had been changed and everyone sat an exam which would never again exist (because the curriculum was different from the 'proper' GCSE that people chose)

Hassled · 02/09/2013 11:03

I never speak of that E in O Level Art - it has been erased from history.

I can't see any reason why your DS can't just fail to mention what sounds like a bit of a Mickey Mouse exam he was forced to take early. It didn't happen - he wasn't there.

TheContrastofWhiteonWhite · 02/09/2013 11:09

This link suggests that it is mandatory to include all examinations, though I don't know how reliable a source this site is.

I still don't think it's the end of the world. Early exams often result in duff grades and I think universities probably recognise this.

What subjects does he think he wants to study? If it's business related perhaps he should sit the exam again? Or a higher level course?

Svrider · 02/09/2013 11:20

What was the grade op?
Most people over 40 see grade c and above as a pass

If less than a c yes, leave it off the firm

friday16 · 02/09/2013 11:20

"He is hoping to do well overall and feels that having a duff grade may cause him to be sifted out by universities when the time comes."

Unlikely. Even the most selective only look at the best eight.

SlowlorisIncognito · 02/09/2013 14:20

It should cause him a problem with university applications, so long as his other GCSEs are good. What will cause him a problem is being caught missing an exam off his UCAS form. This is treated as fraud by UCAS and universities and would probably result in offers/his application being withdrawn. This is a much greater risk than having one poor grade on an application.

Original poster

lainiekazan · 02/09/2013 15:35

Thanks for replies. I have checked with the school and as from two years ago exam results are passed on electronically so you can't omit to mention something, however dire.

Obviously when it comes to world of work, omissions are the norm! I know someone who omits to mention her degree (it is Media Studies, though...)

OP posts:

BlackMogul · 02/09/2013 16:29

My DD1 was made to do ICT a year early. She was bored stiff by the curriculum and got a B as, in her mind, she felt it was an imposition and she,like most young people, is computer literate. The B had to go on the form to UCAS. A year later she got 9 A* and 2 A grades,so no-one ever bothered about the B, not even Oxford. Basically,do well at what matters and have good results at the core subjects and you will be ok

cory · 03/09/2013 09:33

I can't imagine a university admissions tutor who would look at a handsome set of A's in maths and sciences and English and then go "oh no, this candidate can't be any good; he didn't get an A in Business and Communication". Even if you are going in for a business career, they are still going to care more about the "heavy" subject, which B&C at that level is not.

Original poster

lainiekazan · 03/09/2013 11:54

Poor ds has an upset stomach as he's so worked up about it. His friends all got a clean sweep of A*s.

Ds managed 3 As and one B which doesn't sound too bad but given that he was predicted all A*s he is very dispirited and feels under a lot of pressure now.

I wish they didn't have to take GCSEs early: ds was only 14 when he took them.

OP posts:

NoComet · 05/09/2013 13:03

DD has a D for 1/2 course GCSE art, I'm not sure if she even has a certificate.

Given she is doing the full GCSE and hopefully will get at least a B, I can't see her remembering it.

Fairdene · 05/09/2013 14:10

Yes he does have to list it on his UCAS form, it's mandatory and he could be disqualified from the process or have his place at university withdrawn for not putting it down. The reason for that is because different universities score results differently and although it will be completely irrelevant for those universities who take only the top eight GCSE grades into account (I'm assuming he'll do a minimum of nine?), it would matter to others. I would certainly not advise it.

Fairdene · 05/09/2013 14:18

OP I've just read your most recent post: so your DS got something like 7A and 3A and the rogue B in Business? I really wouldn't worry about putting it down. His overall grades re excellent. If he applies to a university which calculates scores by percentage of A grades to the total number of exams taken he would very definitely be regarded as 'cheating', however daft the school policy in making Business for the whole cohort compulsory, let alone compulsory and a year early. Very strange policy indeed - never come across it before.

Whathaveiforgottentoday · 05/09/2013 17:32

most forms you have to state the year you took it so at least they will know he did it early.

coco27 · 05/09/2013 17:51

It is very very wrong in my book to maker them take GCSEs early.
In terms of UCAS applications, they have to go through the school who might spot it .

Fairdene · 05/09/2013 19:41

There is also the very real moral issue that one has to assume that all applicants declare all results, in the interests of fairness.

flowery · 05/09/2013 19:45

That seems mean, to make them take it early when he could potentially have waited and got an A. :(

Original poster

lainiekazan · 05/09/2013 21:52

I just tortured myself and looked at the GCSE results of a grammar school a smug relative's dcs attend. There are all these grinning kids doing high fives about their 15 A*s.

And even worse, a grinning Head mentions on the front page the school's "special" relationship with certain Oxbridge colleges. Ds and his ilk don't stand a chance.

OP posts:

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