Private school but 5s,6,7,8S gcse results ?

[ROZ12]

Hi all

I feel proud of my dd for achieving all passes but part of me feels disappointed with the school as I paid so much money and expected her to get 7-9s. Am I being silly? I feel like the classic photo of the girls getting all 9s should have been my dd. At least their investment paid off .

[herculepoirot2]

A 4 in old money SATs was extrapolated to mean a pass at GCSE. A 5 was extrapolated to A/B. That’s roughly a 6 anyway. I got 6s in my KS2 SATS and got A*s. You’re less likely to get 9s if you got a 4 at KS2.

[LatteLove]

I do think paying £15k a year to a good private school should pretty much guarantee a pass in most subjects, even with poor revising

Maybe he thought the same. It’s a bit of an entitled attitude I’m afraid. Hopefully he’s got a fright and can resit and do a bit better. Sorry you’re upset.

[Propertyfaux]

There is an expectation that a person privately educated has higher grades. I know working in recruitment that seeing private education and average grades (average for private) leading to candidates being discussed more harshly than state counterparts. Especially if private for A levels. It can also be difficult for students, my sons friend spent secondary being privately educated and rejoined her primary school friends at college. She has found it difficult especially explaining mostly Cs, she was in the top sets at end of primary and they went on to mostly As. Private has completely took her confidence away to the point she has needed tutors to get through her A levels her anxiety is awful to watch.

[RedskyLastNight]

A 4 in old style SATS was supposed to mean you would get a C at GCSE and a 5 in old style SATS translated to a B+.
Basically exactly what the OP's DC has got.

The higher achieving DC would have got 5s and 6s in SATs.

[BertrandRussell]

“A 4 in old style SATS was supposed to mean you would get a C at GCSE and a 5 in old style SATS translated to a B+.
Basically exactly what the OP's DC has got.

The higher achieving DC would have got 5s and 6s in SATs.”

Two things. It’s a prediction, not a cap. And lots of schools didn’t do the 6 test.

[herculepoirot2]

Two things. It’s a prediction, not a cap. And lots of schools didn’t do the 6 test.

Definitely, but the OP is being unreasonable to “expect” an anomalous result of this magnitude.

[BertrandRussell]

But expecting 6s isn’t a massive jump. I certainly would if my child had those SATS and was going to a good school regardless of sector.

[herculepoirot2]

But expecting 6s isn’t a massive jump. I certainly would if my child had those SATS and was going to a good school regardless of sector.

Even if they did no revision? Why?

[LittleAndOften]

I find these expectations of 'getting your money's worth' really strange, especially as the OP's daughter got exactly what everyone wants for their child out of school - a well-rounded experience which builds confidence and provides a strong platform from which to specialise post-16.

Schools are not, and should never be sausage factories (despite the government's best efforts to the contrary). If you're going to reduce education to just exams then withdraw your child from school and pay a set of exam-focused tutors to hothouse them instead of fees. The child will miss out massively, but you'll 'get what you pay for'.

Stop listening to gossips at the school gate OP, sounds like your dd has had the ideal secondary experience and whatever you heard about grades is skewing her positive outcomes.

[BertrandRussell]

“Even if they did no revision? Why?”

The OP’s child did revise.

[herculepoirot2]

Sorry, I was mistaking her for another poster. But the OP’s DD got a range of grades, including some 8s. Sounds well within reason to me for a girl of average ability.

[Thehouseintheforest]

It really doesn't matter one jot. People get so wrapped up in this and it's all a nonsense!

I don't know anyone who has EVER been asked about GCSEs beyond 'have you got English and Maths ? '
Never even 'what grades have you got '
Literally NO ONE cares.

A levels are only important with regard to entrance to Oxbridge.

The only exam that actually makes a difference is the degree. Where a JOB requires a first or a 2:1
That's the one where the grade matters. The rest is just a long long pathway.

If she gets a 7 in GCSEs for the subject she wants to do for A levels - that's good. Then if she gets A levels in order to get on a degree course that's also good. The degree is the thing . But really no one cares . And NO one asks.

I have 11 GCSES. 3 ALEVELS . and a degree. Not once have I ever been asked what the grades were.

[Propertyfaux]

Lots of people do not have degrees or even A levels, there is recruitment other than graduates. These are very often 5 GCSEs including maths and English and certifications will be required.

[herculepoirot2]

I don't know anyone who has EVER been asked about GCSEs beyond 'have you got English and Maths ?

I do.

[BertrandRussell]

Well- if i’m reading the OP properly , she had to change her 6th form choice because of her results....

[ooooohbetty]

@roisinagusniamh ok, so I answered your first question now you're going to keep digging. How would I know if any children were from woman's aid unless they were friends of my children. We get it, you don't like the fact that some people send their children to private schools. So what? No one cares.

[roisinagusniamh]

I think you do care Betty, otherwise you would not respond to me.
Surely you must realise that children attending private schools do not mix with a cross section of society.
If you live in an area with good state schools why would you send your child private school when there is no educational benefit.

[Chewingbubblegum]

Ligresa, my thoughts exactly. The lower grade boundary suggests that IGCSE might be harder, not easier.

In any case they are very different and shouldn't be compared. If the thought that GCSE is harder based on the grade boundary, then I think people are very mistaken because it may very well suggest otherwise.

OP congrats to your daughter. She did very well.

[BubblesBuddy]

I live in a grammar area and DD1 passed with 1 Mark below maximum. She went to boarding school because there is more to school than academics. Lots more. Many good private schools stretch individual learning and interests and offer a very broad and rounded education. I have no idea if her results were better or not but the school suited her better for all sorts of reasons. And we could afford it. That’s key!

[BubblesBuddy]

Competitive degree courses do take GCSEs into account! Look at selection criteria! A levels are often critical for university entrance too! Definitely not just for Oxbridge. That’s total nonsense!

[Chewingbubblegum]

Propertyfaux, I am very involved in our graduate scheme which is one that is very highly regarded. We've never laboured over GCSE grades. We might consider A levels but the degree is the main show in town and the performance at interview.

These tests like GCSEs are stepping stones to the next educational level. Given the perception that they've become easier over the years and the fact that they are not good differentiators, they are not relied upon to make decisions about who gets a job. I'm speaking here of those who move on to university not those who choose to stop at GCSE or A Levels.

[Pipandmum]

@Teachermaths I think you misunderstand my point. I chose a private school as he was not going to work particularly well under his own motivation. He had smaller class sizes, longer days and was held to a certain standard. His grades were ok not great.
But I am paying for them to pay attention to a child who is not performing as expected. He is in class every day. Mocks were months before the exams. Is it unreasonable to expect them to look at those mocks and see the gaps and work with kids to improve? I can see with a class of 30+ this can be difficult. But not with 20 and a teaching assistant.
I wasn’t expecting my son to do particularly well. If he worked hard he should have achieved 5s and 6s with the odd 7. But he didn’t. But what are they doing in class all that time if not reviewing and revising and getting the kids ready? I believe he only got his English exams because I paid for a tutor.
It is mainly his fault he did so poorly. But I do lay a portion of blame at the school who seem to have not motivated/helped/guided him to at least pass.

[Pipandmum]

@LatteLove why is it entitled? You pay more for a hotel don’t you expect a better quality hotel?
I’m not saying he should be handed 7 and 8s just for showing up. But 4s? His grades were Bs and Cs. He was not in the bottom set. I paid for a certain level of education and feel they should take some part of the blame for not providing the safety net, by providing motivation and guidance that may not be available in state schools that have a much higher student/teacher ratio and much fewer facilities.
It does not affect his future plans. He knows he is not cut out for further academic work. He knows he is mainly responsible for his results. It just makes me feel the school did not live up to its own ethos of caring and nurturing the individual.

[Drabarni]

My dd private school has travellers there, it's us
There is so much diversity from sink estate to Russian oligarch and Princes.
They were all exactly the same at any state school my dc attended.
Not the reason she went private, but just another stereotypical generalisation that some people believe.