scoobydooooo

there was a sample of a gcse exam today in the mail , they are having a laugh !! my 5 year old niece could answer the questions ffs , dumbing down , never , are these people serious or just taking the pi** ??

davegtt

depends there are 2 papers for GCSE level (at least for Maths). The top level is only for kids they believe are capable of getting A's, only about 30% of the average school take this test and is harder than the average one. The test that most kids take makes it impossible to even get a 'C' which makes an official GCSE pass result, the determine what class your in and what the teacher thinks to your capabilities. The teacher will usually put you in for the lower test paper as when they get a 'D' it reflects better on the teacher rather than them failing to get a 'C' on the main paper.

I know this as they tried to do it to me at school and my parents went in and complained (OK granted that was 10 years ago but I know theyre still doing it as about 5 years ago my sister left and she was put in for the thicko one but my parents didnt object cause they know shes thick anyhow...LOL

Brendan Hughes

There are three levels for some of them.

BTW, be interesting to see how well the average Mail reader scores

Reffro

Davegtt you are close, but not quite right. The Lower level paper is designed to be like the old CSE's. With the higher level paper being the O-level. You can score top marks on the lower level and still get awarded a 'C' grade GCSE, but as you say you must also take the second higher paper to score above that.

Brendan Hughes

Not only that, but AIUI, if you don't get a C on the higher paper, you are simply marked as a Fail, not a D or E; so gamble all and walk away with nowt. Far better to have some sort of certificate, rather than the stigma of TOTALLY FAILING a GCSE!

Adam M

Bollocks to that, a D is a fail however you look at it.

If a CV asks for my qualifications I say I have 10 GCSEs, as in 10 above grade C, any below grade C simply arent GCSEs.

A Levels are/were a different story as a D at A Level was still an A level.

Brendan Hughes

Adam, I know that, but inversely that's my point. If GCSE's are so ridiculously easy to get something, imagine how stupid you'd look with nothing?

BTW, at this level we're discussing about how easy he gets a job placement, keep the landed gentry talk out of this.

davegtt

I left school with 4 grade C GCSE's (English Lit, Maths and Science - Chemistry and Geography) the rest of the GSCEs I took I simply wasnt bothered by them so didnt pay any attention as I knew they would be a waste of brain space.

I personally think thats enough to do whatever I wanted to go on and do (well OK apart from Nurosurgeon (sp) and Law stuff etc) and Ive done it, Ive achieved enough qualifications doing other things like MSE courses, HNC, etc etc that I wouldnt even bother putting GCSE stuff on my CV.

scoobydooooo

the gcse i was talking about was biology !! there is a picture of 6 rabbits and the question was , what is different about these rabbits ?? the answer was they are all a different colour !! FFS it had me !!!

MrsDibbleyUK

i came out of school with 12 GCSEs(A*-B)....4 a/s levels (2a's and 2 C's)and my first year a btec national dipolma in public services...(SP) and im doing my first year of my AAT(accounting)...
GCSEs were the easiest thing i did.... the majority of the work is just course work based now... i know my graphics exam was 75% coursework and that was at top level for foundation it was 85% meaning if you passed you c/w you had to get about 5 questions right to pass
personally i cant wait to see what theyre like when my sister whose three grows up...
english questions : list all letters of the alphabet


but tbh gcses mean nothing now....

scoobydooooo

what's an alphabet ???

Abdabz

its spelt alfabet you dunderhead

Kyl3cook

I agree that GCSE's maen nothing. They had the 2 tier system when I took mine, whereby you either get a grade A-C, or a D,E. A-Levels are where it should start getting difficult, but I beleive they're just getting easier too. I think it's because Universities offer courses in any old thing now, they want to fill them to get some ££, so let thickos in.

Universities should offer places for the proper subjects eg. Engineering, Medicine, Sciences...and then seperate schemes for more 'hands on' courses like Brick Laying, Joinery etc. They should not bother with social sciences and the like, as everyone without a clue as to what they want to be, decides to do a social science type course with no prospects at the end....how many real world jobs rquire you to know about the life of David Beckham?!?....

anyway, I stray off course.

GCSE's are easy now days

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

*Ahem* As a Psychologist, I'd take issue with that!!

AND Info about the Beckham's can be very useful and I found the exam questions challenging:

Beckham 101

"V Beckham takes it up the ***. Discuss. 50 points.

Sorry, I'll get my coat!

NS04