How to get 82% WRONG and still pass...

[Bry Nylon]

Report on the radio just said that the grade C pass mark for GCSE maths is a massive 18%

That is completely pointless. If standards are going to be set so low, exam certificates should now include the % achieved, alongside the grade awarded.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

thats ridiculous!

 

[Woodchip]

thats ridiculous!

Yeah, makes a real joke of people getting into Uni nowadays.

 

[bristolseagull]

Sure thats grade C,

i know the pass mark for GCSE (an E) is very low.

 

[Goring Gull]

Correct me if i'm wrong but don't the exam boards mark all the papers first with percentages then work out the grades accordingly - where as in my opinion the mark should be set before e.g 85% + asn A 70% + B etc

It's all rigged to make the grades look good do they can say teachings getting better.

 

[Goring Gull]

Yeah, makes a real joke of people getting into Uni nowadays.

Most uni degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on nowadays unless it's from the likes of Oxford or Cambridge

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Correct me if i'm wrong but don't the exam boards mark all the papers first with percentages then work out the grades accordingly - where as in my opinion the mark should be set before e.g 85% + asn A 70% + B etc

It's all rigged to make the grades look good do they can say teachings getting better.

correct- grades are done as a comparison with the rest of the country

 

[chez]

If this is true what kind of incentive is there for kids to put effort into learning. Absolutely none.

 

[Goring Gull]

correct- grades are done as a comparison with the rest of the country

I thought so so if the highest mark in the whole country was 6% that person would get an A grade- disgraceful.

I think this needs sorting and pronto - i've always thought peple are getting thicker - this just proves it.

In short it's not far off a national scandal.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

gcse's were possibly the easiest thing i have ever done in my LIFE

they need to be nearer to a-levels as the gap between them is fairly LARGE

 

[chez]

gcse's were possibly the easiest thing i have ever done in my LIFE

they need to be nearer to a-levels as the gap between them is fairly LARGE

They werent that easy when they first came out. My year were the 2nd year to do GCSE's after the O levels went out and back then they were quite hard.

 

[Skint Gull]

The reason for that is that the paper is difficult so that you can detirmine the very top performers! When I took GCSE Maths a while ago that was about the mark for a Grade C if you take the HIGHER PAPER! There is also a Foundation and an Intermediate paper below that and the paper you do is detirmined by the level of your coursework.

It makes sense that if you are doing the higher paper it is assumed from your coursework that you would acheive a mark of, lets say 70%, if you did the intermediate paper therefor giving you a C. But in order that you get the maximum grade you could acheive you would do the HIGHER paper if your teacher felt you could potentially acheive an A or above. Therefore this difficult paper detirmines those who get say (figures are total estimates) 50% for a B 65% for an A and 80% for an A*.

IT IS ASSUMED THAT ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN ENTERED FOR IT WOULD COMFORTABLY GAIN A 'C' GRADE IF THEY TOOK THE INTERMEDIATE PAPER!

 

[Biscuit]

If this is a grade C rather than a D it is a disgrace.

 

[Goring Gull]

gcse's were possibly the easiest thing i have ever done in my LIFE

they need to be nearer to a-levels as the gap between them is fairly LARGE

Agree with that, one of my mates did 3 sciences for A level and really stuggled to make up the gap from GCSE for the first 6 months.

I don't know about anyone else but i did what was called dual scienec and a right load of watered down bollox it was - no way would it prepare you for A level , Physics, chemistry or Biology.

 

[bristolseagull]

Most uni degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on nowadays unless it's from the likes of Oxford or Cambridge

try getting a job that pays 20k without one

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It is a ludicrous system. I took my first GCSE in '95 at 14 and all of the rest the year later. My whole set (Set 3) were entered for intermediate in the three sciences, despite being a large dispairty in abilities within the set, it was decided that we should all sit the same papers. You could only achieve a maximum of B!! Needless to say I got three Bs without really being tested, depsite being relatively capable. This tiered system is very misleading.

I find Maths in an extremely good indicator of how logical and bright someone is. This paper, of any, should not be dumbed down!

 

[Lokki 7]

Most uni degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on nowadays unless it's from the likes of Oxford or Cambridge

The majority of employers would disagree with you.

 

[Biscuit]

Most uni degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on nowadays unless it's from the likes of Oxford or Cambridge

Rubbish.

A degree, no matter in which area, shows a certain degree of learning. People who havn't taken them must surely understand the standard of education involved. They may be getting more vaired, but that doesn't mean they are getting any easier.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

The reason for that is that the paper is difficult so that you can detirmine the very top performers! When I took GCSE Maths a while ago that was about the mark for a Grade C if you take the HIGHER PAPER! There is also a Foundation and an Intermediate paper below that and the paper you do is detirmined by the level of your coursework.

It makes sense that if you are doing the higher paper it is assumed from your coursework that you would acheive a mark of, lets say 70%, if you did the intermediate paper therefor giving you a C. But in order that you get the maximum grade you could acheive you would do the HIGHER paper if your teacher felt you could potentially acheive an A or above. Therefore this difficult paper detirmines those who get say (figures are total estimates) 50% for a B 65% for an A and 80% for an A*.

IT IS ASSUMED THAT ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN ENTERED FOR IT WOULD COMFORTABLY GAIN A 'C' GRADE IF THEY TOOK THE INTERMEDIATE PAPER!

That's entirely correct. This is a wheat from the chaff exercise. In the other papers a C is quite often the best possible grade.

 

[Goring Gull]

try getting a job that pays 20k without one

I get paid more than that , fair bit more i haven't got a degree.