Another round of super kid 'O level' results - what were yours?
#1
Another round of super kid 'O level' results - what were yours?
These kids are so bright! Either that or its another Labour fudge...
In my day 20 yrs ago I got one 'A' as I was by far the best in Biology - I think one other kid in class got an 'A'. We were all in the 'clever dick A stream' too,
I got another couple of B's, 5 'C's a 'D' and an 'U'. The absolute brain boxes with no life got maybe 4 'A's overall, tops.
Based on the above am I being unfairly dismissive towards the kids I just saw jumping up and down on TV as they got 4 A*'s and a few 'A's? 94% passed all exams it seems - would have been more like 30% in my day.
As an employer I must say I give very little creedence to exam results on CV's for school leavers these days. I find rather absurd as it used to be a guide to what someone was like but now they are all geniuses as are the schools and governors and government and everyone in education generally
D
In my day 20 yrs ago I got one 'A' as I was by far the best in Biology - I think one other kid in class got an 'A'. We were all in the 'clever dick A stream' too,
I got another couple of B's, 5 'C's a 'D' and an 'U'. The absolute brain boxes with no life got maybe 4 'A's overall, tops.
Based on the above am I being unfairly dismissive towards the kids I just saw jumping up and down on TV as they got 4 A*'s and a few 'A's? 94% passed all exams it seems - would have been more like 30% in my day.
As an employer I must say I give very little creedence to exam results on CV's for school leavers these days. I find rather absurd as it used to be a guide to what someone was like but now they are all geniuses as are the schools and governors and government and everyone in education generally
D
#2
Am I the only person thinking "what the flying **** is a ******* A*?"? Too many get A's so they have to create another grade instead of changing the bandings of the current grades? What bollox.
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Originally Posted by NotoriousREV
Am I the only person thinking "what the flying **** is a ******* A*?"? Too many get A's so they have to create another grade instead of changing the bandings of the current grades? What bollox.
Listening to Radio One today it would appear that any numptie can get an 'A' now. Most often in Drama for some reason So they may not be able to read or write but they could play the role of someone that can
#5
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A* star came about in my era 10 years ago. It was basically given when you had nearly full marks (98% or somthing like that). Probably changed now.
I do remember when passing the media bandwagon moaning at how it has become easier and more people are passing.
But hell it was hard work, I got 1 A*, 4 Bs and 4 Cs back then and 2 of those Bs should have been an A thanks to a **** up with being issued the wrong paper for double science (intimediate instead of advanced) whereby it was impossible to get an A....me bitter? well maybe
And sorry, but I refuse to belive that anyone in this day and age who utters the words "you know" and "innit" in every sentence could get an A for English and English Literature. If they do, then we are all doomed
So yes I think Labour are fudging the figures or using "PC" moderation...My old secondary school has gone down the pan since I left, and quite a few others too, yet it seems to get better results...I must be missing something there
I do remember when passing the media bandwagon moaning at how it has become easier and more people are passing.
But hell it was hard work, I got 1 A*, 4 Bs and 4 Cs back then and 2 of those Bs should have been an A thanks to a **** up with being issued the wrong paper for double science (intimediate instead of advanced) whereby it was impossible to get an A....me bitter? well maybe
And sorry, but I refuse to belive that anyone in this day and age who utters the words "you know" and "innit" in every sentence could get an A for English and English Literature. If they do, then we are all doomed
So yes I think Labour are fudging the figures or using "PC" moderation...My old secondary school has gone down the pan since I left, and quite a few others too, yet it seems to get better results...I must be missing something there
Last edited by ALi-B; 25 August 2005 at 11:19 PM.
#6
Originally Posted by dsmith
You really need to tell us the year so we can place the appropriate value on the grades
D
#7
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6 D's, 3 few E's, 1 F . The worst of these was IT with a F. And that's what I'm doing now
I could not wait to get out of school and start work at 16. School taught me a few things but I've picked up soooo much more whilst working than I ever did at school, however I put this down to me be a little $hit bag and being in my rebellious stage
Darren
I could not wait to get out of school and start work at 16. School taught me a few things but I've picked up soooo much more whilst working than I ever did at school, however I put this down to me be a little $hit bag and being in my rebellious stage
Darren
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#8
thats really harsh downgrading the hard working pupils work and earned grades, mostly media fed food in your brain, by no means least an A and A* are easy to get, my brother picked up his results and he no chav, he was very disappoint in his results, mixtures of 3 A's, B's n C's and a D in IT which was very surprising!
#11
well depends on your personal expectations, suppose some people do view GCSE's as a waste of time, depends what perspective your viewing it from and where your planning on leading your life to
#12
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The only thing GCSE's count for is allowing you to do A-Levels or college courses, and all you need to get into them is 5 or more A-C grades i think....after that no employer or uni is gonna be bothered by GCSE's, as long as you've got 5 A-Cs including English/Maths.
#13
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Has anyone actually ever had to show any certificates when getting a job? I've never had to show my GCSE or A-Level ones and have never even looked at them again after i was given them! I know plenty of people who've upped their grades a notch or two on their CV and got away with it. Makes it all seem a bit pointless.
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Sort of like the record or achievement.
I don't know if they still use these books but I've never seen them used. Mines got photos in to stop them getting damaged.
Darren
I don't know if they still use these books but I've never seen them used. Mines got photos in to stop them getting damaged.
Darren
#15
GCSEs needed for A Level
A Levels needed for Degree
Degree needed for 1st Job
After that experience is worth 1000 times more. And in IT at least, you would never know those that left education after GCSEs / A levels or degrees so long as they can do the job....and of course assuming they are not illiterate monkeys who can only speak and type in retarded text speak, without the slightest clue about punctuation or spelling.
Unfortunately GCSEs, or any other qualification, don't appear to bear any relation to basic literacy skills these days.
A Levels needed for Degree
Degree needed for 1st Job
After that experience is worth 1000 times more. And in IT at least, you would never know those that left education after GCSEs / A levels or degrees so long as they can do the job....and of course assuming they are not illiterate monkeys who can only speak and type in retarded text speak, without the slightest clue about punctuation or spelling.
Unfortunately GCSEs, or any other qualification, don't appear to bear any relation to basic literacy skills these days.
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Originally Posted by princessyin
thats really harsh downgrading the hard working pupils work and earned grades, mostly media fed food in your brain, by no means least an A and A* are easy to get, my brother picked up his results and he no chav, he was very disappoint in his results, mixtures of 3 A's, B's n C's and a D in IT which was very surprising!
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Originally Posted by dsmith
GCSEs needed for A Level
A Levels needed for Degree
Degree needed for 1st Job
After that experience is worth 1000 times more. And in IT at least, you would never know those that left education after GCSEs / A levels or degrees so long as they can do the job....and of course assuming they are not illiterate monkeys who can only speak and type in retarded text speak, without the slightest clue about punctuation or spelling.
Unfortunately GCSEs, or any other qualification, don't appear to bear any relation to basic literacy skills these days.
A Levels needed for Degree
Degree needed for 1st Job
After that experience is worth 1000 times more. And in IT at least, you would never know those that left education after GCSEs / A levels or degrees so long as they can do the job....and of course assuming they are not illiterate monkeys who can only speak and type in retarded text speak, without the slightest clue about punctuation or spelling.
Unfortunately GCSEs, or any other qualification, don't appear to bear any relation to basic literacy skills these days.
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Originally Posted by Bubba po
My w**k colleague has a third class degree in Zoology. He can neither write coherently nor spell. Many subtleties of language or general banter pass him by. If he is the educational creme de la creme, then I give up.
Some people can fathom Friedrich Nietzsche but can't boil an egg
#21
OK, took mine in 1987 (It were `ard back then).
Physics. B
Chemistry. C
Biology. A
Geography. A
English. B
Maths. B
Technical Drawing. B
History. B
English Lit. U (whoops).
We had none of this course work bollocks, if you screwed up the exam then that was it.
I did OK, I wasn`t interested in A-levels so became an apprentice instead. The level of handwriting some of the kids turn up with today beggars belief.
Physics. B
Chemistry. C
Biology. A
Geography. A
English. B
Maths. B
Technical Drawing. B
History. B
English Lit. U (whoops).
We had none of this course work bollocks, if you screwed up the exam then that was it.
I did OK, I wasn`t interested in A-levels so became an apprentice instead. The level of handwriting some of the kids turn up with today beggars belief.
#22
I got 2 A's, a B (did maths a year early), 3 C's, a D, an E and got an F for IT. I'm another one that did badly in in GCSE IT yet now do it for a living, although it's because I didn't hand any coursework in for it
My A Levels were worse, got and E in Biology and a U in Chemistry mainly due to the fact I was sleeping with half the girls my classes and concentrating on each of them not finding out about the others Ah, happy days!
Did GCSE's in 1991 and A Levels in 1994 (took a break from edumacation for a couple of years)
My A Levels were worse, got and E in Biology and a U in Chemistry mainly due to the fact I was sleeping with half the girls my classes and concentrating on each of them not finding out about the others Ah, happy days!
Did GCSE's in 1991 and A Levels in 1994 (took a break from edumacation for a couple of years)
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Isn't it true that employers are complaining that *they* are having to educate school leavers in basic English and Maths when employing them?
Isn't it also true that Exam markers are being told to ignore spelling errors when marking english papers?
No, I'm sorry - but the level of marking doesn't seem to bear any resemblance to the standards of 20 years back (when I took mine)
Isn't it also true that Exam markers are being told to ignore spelling errors when marking english papers?
No, I'm sorry - but the level of marking doesn't seem to bear any resemblance to the standards of 20 years back (when I took mine)
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The thing that puzzles me, when I did O levels, we used to 8 maybe 9 and the real high flyers may have done 10. These days the norm seems to be doing 12 or more. You can't be telling me that in 15 years or so standards are so improved that almost everybody is not only able to take on an additional 4 or 5 exams (to the same standard) and pass then to a higher grade. It just doesn't add up to me, as the school leavers I come across seem to be a waste of space for the most part.
#26
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I got 13 straight 'B's in my O levels - 10 (Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English L & L, French, German, History & Art) in '86 and a further 3 (Applied Maths, Geology & General Studies) in '87
As I tell my kids now, any fool can get a mix of A's, B's & C's but it takes true dedication to be consistently second rate
As I tell my kids now, any fool can get a mix of A's, B's & C's but it takes true dedication to be consistently second rate
#27
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Ooo it was 1990 and I got:
English Langwidge (A)
Biology (B)
German (C)
Geography (C)
Maths (C)
Cookin n **** (C)
And that was with more booze and weed in me than an england bound truck from Amsterdam... Oh and having missed half the year due to finding indulging in saiod products during school time was far more fun than sitting in class Excellent!
English Lit (E)
Electronics (E)
English Langwidge (A)
Biology (B)
German (C)
Geography (C)
Maths (C)
Cookin n **** (C)
And that was with more booze and weed in me than an england bound truck from Amsterdam... Oh and having missed half the year due to finding indulging in saiod products during school time was far more fun than sitting in class Excellent!
English Lit (E)
Electronics (E)
#28
Easy way to fix it all!
I got 3 A's, 6 B's and a C in the mid 80's.
Was roughly 2/3rds of the way down the pecking order in the local grammar school. Hey, they even told us other kids in the year were more intelligent or more stupid (oh sorry I mean academically challenged ) than us [shock horror] and ranked us 1-90 for each subject in the school year. Just wouldn't be allowed now for fear of damaging the little darlings.
Hey - at least we were allowed to fail back then - Now you'd just get a "A-Minus-Star-Star-Slash-A". Up yours to all the bull**** around education at the moment. The whole exams thing is being debased to the point of worthlessness, and I'm amazed that some of the kids I know have got the grades they did.
Interesting social experiment number 1:
Take a few thousand GCSE students of varying academic success who have just taken their exams. Ensure syllabus matches, and ask them to sit equivalent level papers from 10 years ago and 20 years ago. Then publish the results of their grades this year versus what they achieved in the old papers. Then everyone can look at the results, make their own minds up, and shut the hell up - case closed.
Joolz
Was roughly 2/3rds of the way down the pecking order in the local grammar school. Hey, they even told us other kids in the year were more intelligent or more stupid (oh sorry I mean academically challenged ) than us [shock horror] and ranked us 1-90 for each subject in the school year. Just wouldn't be allowed now for fear of damaging the little darlings.
Hey - at least we were allowed to fail back then - Now you'd just get a "A-Minus-Star-Star-Slash-A". Up yours to all the bull**** around education at the moment. The whole exams thing is being debased to the point of worthlessness, and I'm amazed that some of the kids I know have got the grades they did.
Interesting social experiment number 1:
Take a few thousand GCSE students of varying academic success who have just taken their exams. Ensure syllabus matches, and ask them to sit equivalent level papers from 10 years ago and 20 years ago. Then publish the results of their grades this year versus what they achieved in the old papers. Then everyone can look at the results, make their own minds up, and shut the hell up - case closed.
Joolz
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Originally Posted by jbryant
I got 3 A's, 6 B's and a C in the mid 80's.
Was roughly 2/3rds of the way down the pecking order in the local grammar school. Hey, they even told us other kids in the year were more intelligent or more stupid (oh sorry I mean academically challenged ) than us [shock horror] and ranked us 1-90 for each subject in the school year. Just wouldn't be allowed now for fear of damaging the little darlings.
Hey - at least we were allowed to fail back then - Now you'd just get a "A-Minus-Star-Star-Slash-A". Up yours to all the bull**** around education at the moment. The whole exams thing is being debased to the point of worthlessness, and I'm amazed that some of the kids I know have got the grades they did.
Interesting social experiment number 1:
Take a few thousand GCSE students of varying academic success who have just taken their exams. Ensure syllabus matches, and ask them to sit equivalent level papers from 10 years ago and 20 years ago. Then publish the results of their grades this year versus what they achieved in the old papers. Then everyone can look at the results, make their own minds up, and shut the hell up - case closed.
Joolz
Was roughly 2/3rds of the way down the pecking order in the local grammar school. Hey, they even told us other kids in the year were more intelligent or more stupid (oh sorry I mean academically challenged ) than us [shock horror] and ranked us 1-90 for each subject in the school year. Just wouldn't be allowed now for fear of damaging the little darlings.
Hey - at least we were allowed to fail back then - Now you'd just get a "A-Minus-Star-Star-Slash-A". Up yours to all the bull**** around education at the moment. The whole exams thing is being debased to the point of worthlessness, and I'm amazed that some of the kids I know have got the grades they did.
Interesting social experiment number 1:
Take a few thousand GCSE students of varying academic success who have just taken their exams. Ensure syllabus matches, and ask them to sit equivalent level papers from 10 years ago and 20 years ago. Then publish the results of their grades this year versus what they achieved in the old papers. Then everyone can look at the results, make their own minds up, and shut the hell up - case closed.
Joolz
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I did Maths O level a year early, then was among the first to do GCSEs which to be honest were a lot easier than the O level papers we looked at. I got 6 A's, 3 B's and a C, 4 A-levels and a S-level, and went on to get a 2-1 in Industrial IT. I did want to do English Lit at Oxford, but by the time I was in 6th form I was too busy faffing about with birds and booze to give 100%. So I stumbled into engineering and now run my own business.