ARE GCSE's too easy!?

Yeh I agree. I really don't understand how people 30 yrs older than us can say that GCSE's are getting easier just because the pass rate is going up. Surely it's because teachers and students alike are getting better at answering the questions, revising, and because there are ever more materials to further a students learning.

I think GCSE's are quite narrow i.e, you are expected to write in a certain way for the humanitarian subjects, which is quite different, and above all doesn't really prepare you for the way you need to write at A level.

I say give the people that complain a few GCSE papers, and make them go through the education system, and have to endure some frankly appalling teachers - who usually don't even want to be in the job.[/QUOTE]

I totally agree with this point. The high school that I went to was deemed to be "outstanding" by OFSTED yet there were still a suspicious amount of awful teachers who could never even control their classes, let alone teach. Consequently, I spent five years wishing that I could have applied to the Grammar School I was hoping to go when I was in Year 6, instead of following my friends and attending the local school.

Yeh exactly.

Also, going back 30 years - when we had the grammar schools, and being a "teacher" was a wholly respected profession for those that had a real passion for their subject - standards were obviously much higher. And it is those that went to these grammar schools, and had bought intensive lessons that are now complaining. The problem, frankly, is not the GCSE's, it's the teachers; it's quite miraculous really that we have such high pass rates given the standards of some teachers!

Also, are people suggesting A levels have gotten easier?

Haven't they?

Look at the core A level maths for example.

Ok here is a Alevel maths 3hr exam paper from 1971

Agree with OP.

It can be quite frustrating when you see people criticizing young people for 'not doing anything', yet when they accomplish something like doing well in GCSE's, it's just "Well, they're easier than when I was at school".

*Shakes fist*

Thats such an old paper, the point is that if those topics were still taught today ****ers who failed their a levels / gcses would complain about how easier it is. And by the way, that paper isn't particularly difficult, see a FP3 paper / c4.

Also, I got my A* in maths back in November. You needed 80% over all for an A*, which I think is stupidly low, as the papers are also incredibly easy.

Without a doubt, yes they are far too easy :/ I got 1xA, 6xB and 3xC Without Any revision at all so.. :/

GCSEs are ridiculously easy as are A-Levels.

Oh, what did you get in your GCSEs and a levels?
Im suprised they let you take every single GCSE and ALevel, as you clearly know everything about every subject?

Straight As/A*s at GCSE

As in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics for A-level.

I didn't work hard for it and I don't think I'm particularly smart but getting As at GCSE and A-level is easy.