So the government wants people to get at least a C in GCSE...

How is that going to be achieved when the highest grade in foundation is a C...?its obvious that out of 100, 30-60% aren't going to be able to achieve that C?

In foundation the highest grade should be at least a B or a A not a C.

And in higher it should be rounded up to a AA* so basically anyone who scores in both coursework and exam at GCSE grade A* it should be added up to AA*

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

phoebe-

I think the biggest problem is that not every child is going to be able to get a C grade at GCSE. Some students are not capable of getting that grade, 17% of school leavers in the UK are innumerate. These students should be pushed towards another vocation so that their education continues that way, not resit the same exam from 14-19 and never get that "good pass".

Reply 2

TheBigJosh

Original post by notthegreatest

How is that going to be achieved when the highest grade in foundation is a C...?its obvious that out of 100, 30-60% aren't going to be able to achieve that C? - where did you get that from?

In foundation the highest grade should be at least a B or a A not a C. - that would harm the pass rate of C grades

And in higher it should be rounded up to a AA* so basically anyone who scores in both coursework and exam at GCSE grade A* it should be added up to AA*

This is ridiculous.

Reply 3

tengentoppa

Or we could expect everyone doing the foundation paper to get the highest possible grade? I don't think that's an unreasonable demand.

Reply 4

persononinternet

The Government complain about too many people not passing or too many people doing well but they set the ****ing grade boundaries!!! They can make as many people pass as they like, but will continue moving grade boundaries up as an excuse to reform the "failing" education system

Reply 5

Chlorophile

Original post by phoebe-

This is exactly what the problem is. It's very easy for Gove to say that everyone needs to get a C in English, Maths and Science at GCSE but unfortunately this just isn't how the world works. In a perfect society where nobody has learning difficulties and where everyone attends amazing schools with amazing teachers with stable homes with wonderful, supporting parents then yes, maybe expecting everyone to get a C would be reasonable. But this isn't the Britain we live in at the moment and it's never going to happen. The fact that Gove et al think that this is a reasonable expectation proves that they really do not understand how children or education work. Not everyone is academic and we should really learn from countries like Germany where vocational courses are not stigmatised and children whose talents are vocational can prosper rather than being dragged through an educational system that doesn't work with them and never can work with them.

Reply 6

nulli tertius

Original post by Chlorophile

A CSE grade 4 (originally mapped on the creation of the GCSE to GCSE grade F) was supposed to be the grade which an average 16 year old should attain following an appropriate course of study.

Reply 7

jelly1000

I agree with those saying we need to make vocational education more respected, but until it is the fact is that without a C in Maths & English GCSE your future options are extremely limited so it makes sense to get as many people to that level as possible.

Reply 8

phoebe-

Another thing I would like to add (though it may be totally wrong)

Is that if every child has to get a C, what is the point of lower grades?
It makes that C then seem like an F.

Mr Gove.

This is ironic, so the government wants everyone to get C grades in GCSE but are the same people who complain about grade inflation and early entries.

Reply 11

John Stuart Mill

Why do people even need Cs? Less talk about grades and more talk about teaching.

Reply 12

StacyJ

C's are fairly easy to get. Support.

Reply 13

hslakaal

I don't quite get what you guys are on about.

Foundations are up to C, and hence the governement wants everyone to be able to do well in foundation papers. I doubt even for a second that anyone is expecting everyone to get a C, but that's just the goal, is it not?

Also, to whoever said a C isn't necessary for vocational life, have you seen a GCSE maths foundation paper...?!

In case anyone hasn't, here's some from AQA:

Write the number 4763 in words.

Write the number 4763 to the nearest 1000.

Circle the three values that are greater than 0.5 (and list of numbers ofc)

Use the pattern to change 13 miles to kilometres.

I think even the most vocational jobs would require, heck daily life would require you to be able to do most of those questions...

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 14

notthegreatest

Original post by TheBigJosh

This is ridiculous.

How is it ridiculous? Highest grade in foundation is a C. It should really be a B.

Reply 15

notthegreatest

If people want to resit their exams they should be allowed to... Like people say.. "Never Give Up" most of you would die to resit an exam you failed, so why not allow other students too as well?

No one should be forced to do vocational courses if they don't want to.

The mistake that teachers make which I have seen a lot is by limiting the subjects on pupils even those who are less academic in some subject areas...
E.g. At my school tutor told another tutor that one student should be put up for humanities class and not be allowed to do history or geography... And the sad part is this student was good at history, maybe not geography, but who is that teacher to judge when she only taught her geography and not history?

The sad part is teachers don't always know best for students and unfairly give some students less options to what they want to do in GCSE.