Exams

[JanieB]

Why all the hooha about them. They occur every year. I know the government keep changing the criteria but the fact they happen doesn’t change.

When my eldest took his gcse’s he had done no homework (or very little) for most of his time at school. I had tried to explain why at the parent meetings but it obviously didn’t filter through. His father expected him to work after school the same way as he had had to do. There was no way I was going to make a child do home work after a 12 hour working day. He was a bit easier on our daughter but not much.

When it came to gcse time the school refused to enter my son for the exams and I paid to have him take them. He passed every one at excellent grades and the school took the credit. They didn’t reimburse the money.

Neither of my two older children were allowed to stay at school despite their excellent exam results as their father decided that he’d kept them for long enough. He didn’t, I earnt more than him, but couldn’t keep them in education without his cooperation.

i just wonder how many bright children fall through the net because of ignorant parents.

Oh. My youngest had the chance to go to uni but chose not to. I had left my husband by then.

[Miss Mousetrousers]

That's an interesting thought. One only hopes that because they are bright they know the best way to achieve whatever career they want, even if it means working from the bottom up.

[Scarlet]

A little hooha after many years studying I think is warranted. Those kids that work their socks off for good grades deserve a pat on the back, I for one really encouraged my kids to revise. Generally those that work in school are able to work at further education or apprenticeships at the appropriate age.

Obviously the education system isn’t for everyone but exams and grades are a stepping stone in the education system. If you don’t do well, you can’t go onto the next step in further education. GCSEs lead to Alevels/Btec lead to degree etc. Both my boys wanted to study sciences at A level and also go on to university, to do so they needed to pass with good grades.

When I was young I knew what I wanted to do - my career choice was unobtainable without further education.
My kids have an idea on the ideal fields that they would like to work in, competition is fierce for apprenticeships and further education. With good grades they have a choice on the path they want to follow.
There aren’t that many opportunities out there in either employment with opportunities/further education or apprenticeships that don’t want to see a CV with a list of achievements.
When my boys passed we went out and celebrated, grandparents congratulated them and gave them a few pounds and they received lots of well done cards. In my opinion it was well deserved.

[veggiechicken]

i just wonder how many bright children fall through the net because of ignorant parents.

My brother failed the first part of the 11+ - because he was very nervous - not because our parents were ignorant.

I passed and could have had a scholarship to a private school but I knew my parents couldn't afford to send me there, so I didn't tell them. They weren't ignorant, just poor.

I left school after O levels because I knew I needed to earn some money to help my parents. They wanted me to stay on and take A levels and go to university - but I knew they couldn't afford it, so I left. They weren't ignorant.

My brother did an apprenticeship, became a plumber and central heating engineer and earned more money that I did in the Civil Service.

Everyone deserves to be praised when they pass exams, whatever they are. Why shouldn't they celebrate?

[Lumpy]

I also think kids need a pat on the back not just for exam results, whatever they are but, for just surviving the ‘modern’ school system.

I think some kids do learn by example of the parents but a vast majority work their socks off to be something other than the parent|parents.

Janey - your post talks about your ex controlling both you and your kids future. It’s a shame you found yourself unable to challenge his attitude.
I don’t know the ins and outs of it and never will so please don’t take offence but it appears that family dynamics can also be a cause of kids not achieving what they are considered capable of.

[noviceveggrower]

I think if they have worked hard then why shouldn't they celebrate. Society puts so much pressure on children now a day that feel they need to get results or they are a failure.

Hannah is in Year 6 this year and its the SATs year. The pressure is on them already to do well.

I will support my children the best I can in their education. I want them to be happy and enjoy school.

[bramble]

The pressure on kids in this day and age to do well in exams is horrendous.
They deserve all the praise and encouragement they can get to keep them going.
It's tough in the outside world and family support is the way to go.

[Miss Mousetrousers]

Whatever children achieve no matter how small they are or what it is they should be rewarded. A positive attitude has far more effect on them than negativity ever will. My late dad was very Victorian and made me write out my thank-you letters until they were no blots or mistakes. When I got my GCE results the only thing I failed was maths and guess what was his first comment. It has taken me most of my life to realise I'm far more capable that I thought, you can still be liked despite your imperfections, and this quote from somewhere sums it up: "The person who never made a mistake never made anything."

[muck lover]

I admire and applaud achievement and sheer hard work whether it’s exams, apprenticeship,working your way up or following your dreams.

[Lumpy]

Come on Janey - this is another thread you have started but had no imput into anyones comments. Its a shame as eventually nobody will respond to your sometimes thought provoking threads.

[JanieB]

Hmmmh. I probably haven’t put it very well. When myself and my siblings, our children and grandchildren passed their exams we were, of course, congratulated and rewarded. What annoys me is all the hyperbole on the news. It’s all to do with schools statistics.

If students have gained the criteria to take the exams they should be allowed to without being expelled and made to either go elsewhere, thereby disrupting their lives, or not taking them at all. This is because many schools are only retaining the pupils they think have the best chance of getting the higher grades, thus boosting their ratings. It’s got a name, “off-rolling”. I had to pay for my sons to take their GCSE’s as the school wouldn’t enter them. Neither of them did very much homework to be quite honest, despite my nagging. Both of them passed them at very good grades. My eldest (and his sister, who did do her homework) were forced to leave school by their father who decided he’d kept them for long enough. Ha. I earned more than him so that was a joke!

My youngest turned up for the first day of sixth form and was told by the sixth form tutor that he didn’t want him in his sixth form. By the time i’d sorted another place for him he’d missed so much he had an enforced gap year. He passed all his “A” levels at good grades and was offered a place at University, he decided to go the apprentice route instead.

[Jay-ell]

I'm not sure what you're going on about here. In one line you're saying "If students have gained the criteria to take the exams" and the next your saying " Neither of them did very much homework" - surely homework along with course work is part of the criteria.

you said "without being expelled and made to either go elsewhere" which is the first introduction of expulsion, rather than not being put forward for exams. What reason did they give for his expulsion. They obviously revoked the expulsion if they allowed him into sixth form in the first place.

" told by the sixth form tutor that he didn’t want him in his sixth form" I think there would have to be more than the teacher saying yay or nay - they would have to back it up with reasons, e.g. past behaviour. What reasons were given?

Question for you - If you managed a team and there was a member who never completed tasks you gave him would you put him up for promotion or further training?

[rary]

Personally I think there is too much pressure put on youngsters nowadays to pass exams, I was out at six in the morning delivering papers, then I moved on to delivering rolls, more money and moved again to delivering milk, even more money, all between the ages of ten and fifteen, my brother and sisters went to senior secondary schools got lots of homework, I went to a junior secondary no homework, left school on a Friday started full time work the following Monday just a month after turning fifteen, at eighteen I was earning more than my sisters husbands who were tradesmen and have been fortunate to have had well paying jobs all my working life, my children went to university not through me forcing them but because the wanted to, and they deserve all the credit going for passing their exams

[Greenleaves]

When my kids sat their GCSE's 40% of the marks came from course work...

[Lumpy]

Hello Janie, I’m glad you have finally responded.
Again you talk about your families personal experiences with the exam system.

Surely, every child that passes (or not) exams does so within their own family and school experiences?

The cynic within is saying that you feel that your children deserved special media mention because of their own experience.
If that is the case I’m sorry but tough do do’s as there are thousands of kids that face horrendous challenges who just get on and hope for the best.

It’s those that I’ll applaud.

Off to hide in a cupboard.