| What’s the point of GCSEs? 17:18 - Sep 1 with 5702 views | MattinLondon |
Without wishing to belittle anyone’s academic achievement- what exactly is the point of GCSEs?
School age is 18 now so why aren’t exams just sat then? Seems a bit unfair to put kids under so much pressure at 16 for qualifications that not a lot of people really care about.
Think this would allow more emphasis on practical stuff like mental arithmetic, money management and how to chance a plug. Or maybe this doesn’t make sense at all and GCSEs have a role? |  | | |  |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:22 - Sep 1 with 2562 views | J2BLUE |
F**k you, I earnt that G in RE. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:28 - Sep 1 with 2532 views | MattinLondon |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:22 - Sep 1 by J2BLUE |
F**k you, I earnt that G in RE. |
RE is slightly below General Studies in importance. | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:34 - Sep 1 with 2511 views | DanTheMan |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:28 - Sep 1 by MattinLondon |
RE is slightly below General Studies in importance. |
General Studies genuinely got me into the University I wanted to go into.
For that reason, I feel I cannot take the easiest A Level away from people. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:38 - Sep 1 with 2501 views | J2BLUE |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:28 - Sep 1 by MattinLondon |
RE is slightly below General Studies in importance. |
Agree. I answered one question then thought why am I bothering?
Then I sat there watching the big clock with a second hand that never stopped...mesmerising. | |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:41 - Sep 1 with 2492 views | Cotty |
Because it helps colleges and sixth firms assess whether you are strong enough to take further qualifications in particular subject fields. |  | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:47 - Sep 1 with 2452 views | MattinLondon |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:41 - Sep 1 by Cotty |
Because it helps colleges and sixth firms assess whether you are strong enough to take further qualifications in particular subject fields. |
But sixteen is too young for all of that exam pressure. Get rid of GCSEs, introduce a new standard at eighteen and start the exam preparations for that new standard at sixteen/seventeen.
GCSEs are just pointless. | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:52 - Sep 1 with 2426 views | J2BLUE |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:47 - Sep 1 by MattinLondon |
But sixteen is too young for all of that exam pressure. Get rid of GCSEs, introduce a new standard at eighteen and start the exam preparations for that new standard at sixteen/seventeen.
GCSEs are just pointless. |
What about kids who want an apprenticeship and leave school at 16? | |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:56 - Sep 1 with 2411 views | gordon |
I generally agree, and think the Scottish system is much more sensible, with Highers sat at 17 and 18. This means that universities offer places on the basis of actual results on the first year of highers, and there's less pressure because assessment is spaced out a bit, and it avoids the upheaval of moving from high school to a sixth form college aged 16 which is disruptive for lots of English students. |  | | |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:57 - Sep 1 with 2396 views | gordon |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:41 - Sep 1 by Cotty |
Because it helps colleges and sixth firms assess whether you are strong enough to take further qualifications in particular subject fields. |
That only applies because we have the GCSE / high schools till 16 system. | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:01 - Sep 1 with 2380 views | Cotty |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:57 - Sep 1 by gordon |
That only applies because we have the GCSE / high schools till 16 system. |
It applies because our 17/18 year old education is much more focussed than in other parts of the world where they have to study all subjects until 18 (or even beyond as in the US). That focus has significant pros and cons, which are also student dependent. | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:01 - Sep 1 with 2377 views | MattinLondon |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:52 - Sep 1 by J2BLUE |
What about kids who want an apprenticeship and leave school at 16? |
Thought kids can’t leave school at sixteen? Or am I wrong? | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:03 - Sep 1 with 2363 views | Cotty |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:01 - Sep 1 by MattinLondon |
Thought kids can’t leave school at sixteen? Or am I wrong? |
You have to be in school or in training. GCSEs help apprenticeship providers to select students. Why such strong feelings about this? | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:29 - Sep 1 with 2260 views | Esseeja |
I completely bombed mine so them being pointless would make me feel much better lol |  | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:35 - Sep 1 with 2245 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
The issue is more that there should be vocational alternatives and that GCSEs should not depend solely on the outcome of an exam at the end of the course. These things were deliberate choices to change the system more in keeping with the past by Gove. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:47 - Sep 1 with 2206 views | BlueBadger |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:35 - Sep 1 by Nthsuffolkblue |
The issue is more that there should be vocational alternatives and that GCSEs should not depend solely on the outcome of an exam at the end of the course. These things were deliberate choices to change the system more in keeping with the past by Gove. |
Its an interesting dichotomy isn't it? The 'there should be more common sense crowd' are also in favour of increasing the amount of 'memory tests that affect your entire life'. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 19:34 - Sep 1 with 2086 views | borge |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:03 - Sep 1 by Cotty |
You have to be in school or in training. GCSEs help apprenticeship providers to select students. Why such strong feelings about this? |
They can get a job, albeit it has to include something like 250 hours of training a year. | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 19:37 - Sep 1 with 2081 views | MattinLondon |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:03 - Sep 1 by Cotty |
You have to be in school or in training. GCSEs help apprenticeship providers to select students. Why such strong feelings about this? |
Wouldn’t say I have especially strong feelings about this but I just think that fifteen is too young to start exams, which could decide a large chunk of someone’s life.
I also think that universities allocating places based on predicted grades is silly. | | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 19:46 - Sep 1 with 2054 views | Mookamoo |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:35 - Sep 1 by Nthsuffolkblue |
The issue is more that there should be vocational alternatives and that GCSEs should not depend solely on the outcome of an exam at the end of the course. These things were deliberate choices to change the system more in keeping with the past by Gove. |
Accessible vocational options are key, plus the chance to leave GSCEs behind and get on with their lives. Mainstream education is not for everyone.
I've been working with a young lad who enrolled onto a course to be an electrician and passed with flying colours and wanted to to do a higher course, only to be told he couldn't access it because he didn't have Grade 4 English. He has taken his English GCSE three times now and has only ever got a Grade 3. Even when those that have been failed by the current system try and move on, it drags them back in. |  | | |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 19:52 - Sep 1 with 2015 views | Vic |
And how to spell! |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 19:59 - Sep 1 with 2002 views | azuremerlangus |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:22 - Sep 1 by J2BLUE |
F**k you, I earnt that G in RE. |
My wife has one in cookery - or so I’m led to believe. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 20:23 - Sep 1 with 1950 views | factual_blue |
Never, ever chance a plug. That electricity is dangerous stuff. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 20:25 - Sep 1 with 1948 views | factual_blue |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 18:29 - Sep 1 by Esseeja |
I completely bombed mine so them being pointless would make me feel much better lol |
Yes, I would like fries with that. | |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 20:28 - Sep 1 with 1937 views | ParisBlue |
I'm extremely proud of my grade U on Latin o-level.
To this day I consider I over achieved. |  |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 20:48 - Sep 1 with 1893 views | factual_blue |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 17:34 - Sep 1 by DanTheMan |
General Studies genuinely got me into the University I wanted to go into.
For that reason, I feel I cannot take the easiest A Level away from people. |
When, in the fifth form, we were told our grammar school would be a comprehensive from the following academic year, some teachers proudly boasted we'd be able to take any A Level.
'Any A level, sir? asked Pat 'Nobby' Styles, the year's lntellectual asked.
'Absolutely anything, Styles'.
I'd like to do Ancient Sanskrit sir'.
It took the idiotic teacher a great deal of fruitless research to get himself off the hook. He eventually established it would take four or five years for the examining board to find and appoint a Chief Examiner to set the papers.
The teacher from the secondary modern who made the proud boast learnt something that day about grammar school boys.
Pat Styles went to Oxford and then became a BECTU official | |
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| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 21:40 - Sep 1 with 1828 views | Cotty |
| What’s the point of GCSEs? on 19:37 - Sep 1 by MattinLondon |
Wouldn’t say I have especially strong feelings about this but I just think that fifteen is too young to start exams, which could decide a large chunk of someone’s life.
I also think that universities allocating places based on predicted grades is silly. |
That’s why they use GCSE grades and used to use AS level grades. | | | |
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