Got Share Exam Results

[julesapple]

My youngest got 3 Bs 7 Cs and a D (I don't count this a pass, but, hey) in his GCSE results today.

We are thrilled to bits because he's only just 14. Way to go Sam!!

Jules

[Jeanied]

Well done that lad!

[Florence Fennel]

Well done young man.

[WendyC]

Good going! Out of curiosity why has he taken them so early?
Wendy

[its hilly]

Wooohoo, well done youngest. Bet your face aches from the big grin Jules.

[julesapple]

Good going! Out of curiosity why has he taken them so early?
Wendy

Simply because he's capable of it. His school believes in keeping clever kids occupied and, as the well-ahead kids can work responsibly by themselves, the staff have more time for those not doing quite so well. It also means that Sam has two further years in which to improve his GCSE grades if he wants to.

One sixteen year old, who isn't academically minded, has left school today have taken the core subjects and several practical subjects to diploma level and, in total, they are worth 22 A to C grade GCSEs. It's a great school, and has just got Academy status.

Jules

[WendyC]

What will he do if he doesn't want to redo GCSEs? Different subjects or start A levels?

[Corris]

I am not a fan of early exams. My eldest took some early for the same reasons - she took something like 13 in total, but none to the grade that she COULD have got if they had stuck with less exams and given her the time to mature emotionally and academically and allowed her to take them in year 11.

Now mine are at college, and looking at university applications, the QUANTITY she has counts for nothing - they are only interested in the grades. 8 A's have more value than 20 B's and C's.

As a parent I didn't know that, so encouraged early entry.

The school has it's own agenda, it is doing it for it's own reasons not the childs.

Well done to him, but I would strongly suggest he improves his grades rather than taking additional subjects. He will find it boring now, because it won't be new material, but he can get his grades up to a standard that will be acceptable to the top universities.

[SarzWix]

My Sam got A's and an A* in the ones he took early. Unfortunately, this gave him the idea that he was a genius and didn't have to work that hard at the ones he did later. He subsequently ended up with 7 Bs and 4 Cs when he's more than capable of As in most of them. Heigh ho. He's still got onto the 6th form courses he wanted to do, and I haven't had to say anything to him about the need to put the work in, he's sussed that out for himself now...

[jackie j]

Well done to him Jules, my daughter is in year 10 and she took eight exams as they do some one year and some two year courses. She got one B as in a real result, then 2 B's 4 's and a D, these will alter as they form part of the result.
The school has also just become an Academy, the head is turning the school around as it was going downhill fast.

[WendyC]

I've no experience of taking exams early but the thought crossed my mind that what could a good set of results be if taken at the "usual" time - an outstanding set of results? It must be hard in some subjects, e.g. English, to have the maturity to write to impress to achieve those higher grades. Would agree with Corris - it's quality not quantity.

[julesapple]

We asked Sam if he wanted to do these exams and explained what was required of him to him. He's quite a serious boy for his age and I was worried that he wouldn't be as free to be a child as he should be, but he's managed a very active social life and the extra work very well. He's aware that over confidence won't work and that he must continue to work to high standards in all of his subjects. I think they can do AS Levels and A levels early, but we'll see how Sam goes on before we make those decisions.

He's also quite happy that subjects that he doesn't like very much are now done with, and he can concentrate on his favourites and core subjects. The staff at his school watch all of the G&T pupils very carefully for signs of stress and unhappiness but Sam has flourished since G&T was introduced. This doesn't work for every child but we're pleased that it's working for Sam and that he's happy and enjoying the challenges.

Jules

[Corris]

Lovely. I am pleased it's working for him and you - I just wanted to add a word of warning because sometimes the pitfalls of something aren't apparent early on.

My daughter was gifted at languages - she took her french GCSE at 13 and passed with a C. When she was considering A levels she fancied French - she was offered early GCSE because of her skill and passed at 13 - she was good at it. She'd since done business french and a french leaders course - alongside a Spanish GCSE too.

The sixth form college wouldn't allow her to do A level french. She needed a B or an A. And the course she had studied in the interim wasn't applicable to the curriculum of the A Level - the GCSE curriculum led straight on, so they wanted that studied in the year leading up to the A level application.

She took it privately, again, with a tutor, and supported by the A Level course leader at college, got the necessary grade (and incidentally then decided not to take languages at all -sheesh!).

At their college for Maths you need an A or A*. For sciences a B or above in additional as well.

And for their university applications (my daughter - also gifted and talented in maths and science and wanting to be a doctor) she not only needed A's at GCSE to be allowed to take maths and biology and chemistry at A1 - but needed to show those A's at her applications to the university's.

I am not belittling your sons achievements. But I bought into 'gifted and talented' progressions for my kids when they were younger, because it was offered and they needed the challenge - but they then didn't get the higher grades they were capable of because they took them early, without the emotional and academic maturity (and time!) that could have got them A's across the board.

If he is ambitious then fewer, higher grades, at the same schedule as everyone else, may serve him better.

If he is doing A levels at the same school then of course he'll get onto the courses - but he may not get the grades at A levels two years early that would enable him to make the university applications he would achieve two years later. They may not support him as well in his applications, and the university's may well not want someone two years younger on those particular courses. You may not want to see him moving away from home two years earlier.

What he has achieved is brilliant - I know the effort that kids put in. But current 'happiness and enjoyment of challenges' may well hinder him later.

I wasn't critical, just flagging up something I have learnt through bitter experience. Further down the line credit is not given for early taking. A C is a C is a C. It's not respected in the same way by other educational establishments.

As for the school he is at - as a governor (three different schools) I can guarantee that they aren't interested in A's over C's. A pass is a pass on statistics. Getting kids through early who can, and bagging 5 A - C's takes the emphasis off them. Whilst early entry looks good because they are being shown to promote G and T.

Your son needs the right decisions to be taken for his future. And depending upon his ambitions further down the line, lower grade but early passes may come back to haunt you.

[julesapple]

Brilliant info Corris, especially the bit about grades needed - that really is worth knowing.

My husband is Chair of Governors at Sam's school, so we're lucky there. He's also a Director for the Trust now that we have Academy status.

When Sam goes back to school he will continue the important subjects where he got a C and hopefully improve his grades.

Jules