Do you think the GCSE and A-level reforms were necessary?

You need to explore those PISA results a bit more and understand them! We actually do better in problem solving for example! Are you aware that in other countries the schools compete to enter PISA? In this country the schools are picked at random and in one selective LA the lowest performing Secondary Modern was chosen.

Mock exams are polluted by 'idiots' releasing 'real papers' online and they are no way near as good as AS levels. I think you need to do a but more research in what you read in the paper - mental health has been adversely affected by the pressure some schools are exerting on students.

Where did you get such information? Every time I read an article about England's PISA results, I never receive such insight (and I've seen quite a few that critique PISA, but only really for the reliance on the dubious Rasch model it adopts, rather than the assessment procedures). Why the **** does England not cull the best of its secondary education talent like other countries (I've even seen China represent themselves as Shanghai before!)?

You give a good rebuttal to the mock exams argument, but can't teachers just substantially raise boundaries and mark extremely harshly to counter malpractice in the case of mock exams? Also, this 'mental health issues' business, I've only seen anecdotal evidence to support it. There is no empirical statistic concerning schools across the nation that display that mental health has been adversely affected. Most students are mature enough to not stress to such an extreme point.

Most students are mature enough to not stress to such an extreme point.

This is a joke right?

Nope. I saw a great majority of my cohort actually relish these exams and even thrive on them. These 'mental health issues' were almost non-existent in my area because we all knew the bigger picture and that GCSEs weren't the end of the world, and I haven't seen empirical evidence across schools nationwide that shows that mental health problems are so prevalent. I have seen some anecdotal stores blown out of proportion though.

Most students are mature enough to not stress to such an extreme point.

This is disgusting. Anyway there's no point in me arguing with you about it as there's clearly nothing I can say that will change your views. Likewise there's nothing you can say that will change mine. I'd suggest researching more about the concept of mental...

I don't see anything 'disgusting' that has been said here.

I simply shared my experience, and explained why I didn't believe the GCSEs were fomenting as much stress as proclaimed by so many others.

I perceive the ability to look at life with a wider lens than to stress about exams at 16 and act as if they're the end of the world as mature. I don't think having such extreme stress over these exams is very mature since there actually is a life after them, although some people stress as though their entire future hinges on the grades they get - which is ridiculously extreme.

But we'll leave it here then if our viewpoints can't be changed.

implies the rest of the uk are like that too?

Laymen's terms? Common sense?

I mean, I wouldn't blame them if it prevents them from going in their desired direction in life.

So what? Will their life be over if they can't go to their desired destination in life?

If you are living in a dream world where the top 2% is no better than the top 30% then no it was not necessary. Tony Blair dumbed down education in order to prevent talent from thriving, thereby destroying White Western civilization. The other thing he did was to bring in 3 million migrants with a view to blending out indigenous White North Western Europeans.

Nope. I saw a great majority of my cohort actually relish these exams and even thrive on them. These 'mental health issues' were almost non-existent in my area because we all knew the bigger picture and that GCSEs weren't the end of the world, and I haven't seen empirical evidence across schools nationwide that shows that mental health problems are so prevalent. I have seen some anecdotal stores blown out of proportion though.

When I have seen stress, it's not because of the new GCSEs, but it's students' expectations, and their tendencies to compare themselves to others, along with parental expectations thrown in the mix at times. All of these factors existed under the old system too.

Nope. I saw a great majority of my cohort actually relish these exams and even thrive on them. These 'mental health issues' were almost non-existent in my area because we all knew the bigger picture and that GCSEs weren't the end of the world, and I haven't seen empirical evidence across schools nationwide that shows that mental health problems are so prevalent. I have seen some anecdotal stores blown out of proportion though.

When I have seen stress, it's not because of the new GCSEs, but it's students' expectations, and their tendencies to compare themselves to others, along with parental expectations thrown in the mix at times. All of these factors existed under the old system too.

The guardian on MENTAL HEALTH:
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2018/may/17/stress-and-serious-anxiety-how-the-new-gcse-is-affecting-mental-health

Personally I think young people are more in danger,

Keep thinking that then. I'm not going to stop you, despite the fact that I do disagree with your sentiment.

By the time your own kids have their exams you'll ask yourself why are they so much harder.? Look back and you'll see

No, I just had these new exams that seem to subject students to these new, terrible 'mental health issues', and I must say that they're honestly not that bad. When my kids take their exams, I'll wonder if they're able to hold a candle to China's.

Can you read the guardian article. Thanks.

What's your take on the matter? Do you think the system required the revamp it currently has? Do you think that the reformed GCSEs and A-levels are any good?

Do you think it was necessary to abolish O levels and introduce the GCSE? The motivation behind this was to suppress talent, thereby destroying Western White civilization. The usual (((people))) were behind it.