Tashyboy
Please don’t ask to see my tatts 👍
Just been on telly, it's 16% gets you a pass. 😳
In the old days it was 7/10ths.
16% how's that a pass.
In the old days it was 7/10ths.
16% how's that a pass.
Pass mark for GCSE maths
- Thread starter Tashyboy
- Start date
Scoobiesnax
Assistant Pro
What grade is that? Can't be a 'C' - always thought a C was 50/60ish%
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Wouldn't have passed my 3rd form end of year maths exam then..... managed 3%:rofl:
Still got my O'level a couple of years later....
Pass marks seem to fluctuate depending on the wind direction.... witchcraft
Grades go from 1 to 9 now with 4 being a basic pass
Still got my O'level a couple of years later....
Pass marks seem to fluctuate depending on the wind direction.... witchcraft
Grades go from 1 to 9 now with 4 being a basic pass
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
So if 16% is a pass, there are 3 grades lower? Wow.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Scary isn't it.....
Crazyface
Tour Winner
I could be wrong, but they (teachers) used to say that x is a "pass" but the actual reality was that x was so far down the scale that it barely was a grade that said you knew how to breathe in and out without being told.
D
Deleted member 21784
Guest
GCSE aren’t overly vital anyways considering you need to stay on at college for a level or go into apprenticeship now.. so it’s the results of them that actually matter
Lowering the marks to allow more people to get their courses ..
Non story really
Lowering the marks to allow more people to get their courses ..
Non story really
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
The Boy has just finished his first year at college.
He's bright but not particularly good at exams - a bit like his old man then!
He's gained a decent pass for his first year but nearly half of his class didn't even complete the year.....
We're sending people out into the workplace with dodgy exam results....if you fail English or Maths you have to retake them until you pass them or you're 19(I think)....many simply aren't going to get even a basic pass. Employers, surely, want to employ someone who can add up a couple of numbers in their head or construct an email that doesn't include the word like after every 3rd word....
My old Man had it right 20 years ago.
He said we're on a slippery slope to breeding a race of inadequates.
Allowing 16% as a pass mark in anything does nothing to persuade me that he didn't speak the truth.
He's bright but not particularly good at exams - a bit like his old man then!
He's gained a decent pass for his first year but nearly half of his class didn't even complete the year.....
We're sending people out into the workplace with dodgy exam results....if you fail English or Maths you have to retake them until you pass them or you're 19(I think)....many simply aren't going to get even a basic pass. Employers, surely, want to employ someone who can add up a couple of numbers in their head or construct an email that doesn't include the word like after every 3rd word....
My old Man had it right 20 years ago.
He said we're on a slippery slope to breeding a race of inadequates.
Allowing 16% as a pass mark in anything does nothing to persuade me that he didn't speak the truth.
D
Deleted member 21784
Guest
The world has changed. Maths is deemed not as important as you can do basic sums on your phone
English isn’t deemed vital so long as spell check can hide the errors in your emails
What is vital now is computing .. if you can’t use a computer going into the world now it’s like not being able to read or write 40 years ago
However these changes aren’t necessarily for the better
English isn’t deemed vital so long as spell check can hide the errors in your emails
What is vital now is computing .. if you can’t use a computer going into the world now it’s like not being able to read or write 40 years ago
However these changes aren’t necessarily for the better
Scoobiesnax
Assistant Pro
I agree with the breeding inadequates.
I did my GCSE's in 1996 and my A-Levels in 1998 - I was very good with my mathematics doing Maths and additional Maths in GCSE and Maths and Further Maths in A- Levels. An elderly ex work colleague handed me his O-Level mathematics exam paper and it was bordering on/if not a bloody A-Level paper when I did it! Definite dumbing down of exams as well. Granted, I haven't seen any recent A-Level exam papers but i would be surprise if that trend has been stopped!
I did my GCSE's in 1996 and my A-Levels in 1998 - I was very good with my mathematics doing Maths and additional Maths in GCSE and Maths and Further Maths in A- Levels. An elderly ex work colleague handed me his O-Level mathematics exam paper and it was bordering on/if not a bloody A-Level paper when I did it! Definite dumbing down of exams as well. Granted, I haven't seen any recent A-Level exam papers but i would be surprise if that trend has been stopped!
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
So why do have to keep retaking them both until you pass?
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
It seems like things are slow to change at Annan FC
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/fa...ing-mistakes-queens-park-match-twitter-viral/
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
When I did my GCE’s, the C grade in maths that year was around the 45% mark as apparently that year was a harder paper than normal. Yes, I got a C in maths 
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louise_a
Money List Winner
In the 60s, O level GCE grades went from 1 t0 9, grade 6 (45%) was a pass . If you took CSEs then a grade A was classed as a GCE pass.
My daughter gets her GCSE results on Thursday. I will be sure to pass on to her that her results are worthless.
Most years we hear that exams are dumbing down, that they were harder back in the day. I don't know where all of those super intelligent people are hiding from years gone by though, there are plenty out there who can not do basic maths, who can not put a decent sentence together. The modern generation are no different but they are no worse either.
I did O levels, for those not academically capable they did CSE's. Now there is one set of grades 1-9. Those that would have got CSE C / 3 or whatever it was will be the ones getting 1-3. No change there other than in the terminology. The respect for a 1-3 will be the same as for a CSE C / 3. Employers are not going to look at someone with a GCSE 2 pass and expect an academic genius. Bear in mind, academic study is not for everyone and the person with a 2 grade could be an excellent plumber, electrician, carpenter, bricklayer or other type of skilled trade.
Papers love a good exam story, particularly an 'exams are easy' story but please look past the headlines, they are not fair on those who work hard and do well.
Most years we hear that exams are dumbing down, that they were harder back in the day. I don't know where all of those super intelligent people are hiding from years gone by though, there are plenty out there who can not do basic maths, who can not put a decent sentence together. The modern generation are no different but they are no worse either.
I did O levels, for those not academically capable they did CSE's. Now there is one set of grades 1-9. Those that would have got CSE C / 3 or whatever it was will be the ones getting 1-3. No change there other than in the terminology. The respect for a 1-3 will be the same as for a CSE C / 3. Employers are not going to look at someone with a GCSE 2 pass and expect an academic genius. Bear in mind, academic study is not for everyone and the person with a 2 grade could be an excellent plumber, electrician, carpenter, bricklayer or other type of skilled trade.
Papers love a good exam story, particularly an 'exams are easy' story but please look past the headlines, they are not fair on those who work hard and do well.
Kellfire
Blackballed
The internet and smart phones have a lot to answer for when it comes to the standard of English. We all make typos, we all use colloquialisms and that's fine, but I'd be quite frankly embarrassed at myself if I produced the standard of English that many people do on this website. Then you have people arguing back about how "it's just the internet" and it doesn't matter. It's baffling to me how anyone would wilfully accept their own ignorance like that.
Some of the things I receive in work emails are truly worrying. I don't know how people spell my name wrong when they need to type it in to get my email address.
Some of the things I receive in work emails are truly worrying. I don't know how people spell my name wrong when they need to type it in to get my email address.
Karl102
Journeyman Pro
Nor sure about grade boundaries. Nobody will know officially until Wednesday, students on Thursday. Grade 1 is a pass as was a a grade f, low passes, but still passes with a U grade being a fail. Entry level and level 1 passes (gcse are level 2 qualifications) are for those students not able to pass gcse’s. We have some students who will achieve a grade 2 on Thursday and for them that will be amazing progress given their starting point.
As mentioned a grade 4 is a standard pass and a 5 a good pass. In a linear scale an old c grade would be somewhere in the middle. A grade 9 is in the top 15% of the country kind of like an A***. An 8 is near an A* equivalent, 7 an A and a 6 a B.
In Maths there are Foudation and Higher papers. In the foundation, the highest grade you can get is a 5 and you would need a certain number of marks over 3 exam papers to get this. Here comes the confusing bit. If you sit the higher paper you can achieve grades 5 to 9. You will need less marks to achieve the grade 5 than on the foundation paper. Last year it was around 40% compared to 60 on the foundation I think. Certainly not 16. However if you get less than the 40% you will fail. The grade boundaries move year on year. The dilemma that the school faces is whether to enter borderline 4\5 students for the easier foundation paper or the harder higher.
The content in every GCSE subject is harder than it has ever been. As is the volume of what is studied. We had students who sat 24 exams in 10 school days. The programme this year was ridiculous. My daughter also gets her results on Thursday. She has worked hard and tried her best. That’s all we can ask for.
Disclaimer - I work in the system and love it, but don’t always agree with it 😂
As mentioned a grade 4 is a standard pass and a 5 a good pass. In a linear scale an old c grade would be somewhere in the middle. A grade 9 is in the top 15% of the country kind of like an A***. An 8 is near an A* equivalent, 7 an A and a 6 a B.
In Maths there are Foudation and Higher papers. In the foundation, the highest grade you can get is a 5 and you would need a certain number of marks over 3 exam papers to get this. Here comes the confusing bit. If you sit the higher paper you can achieve grades 5 to 9. You will need less marks to achieve the grade 5 than on the foundation paper. Last year it was around 40% compared to 60 on the foundation I think. Certainly not 16. However if you get less than the 40% you will fail. The grade boundaries move year on year. The dilemma that the school faces is whether to enter borderline 4\5 students for the easier foundation paper or the harder higher.
The content in every GCSE subject is harder than it has ever been. As is the volume of what is studied. We had students who sat 24 exams in 10 school days. The programme this year was ridiculous. My daughter also gets her results on Thursday. She has worked hard and tried her best. That’s all we can ask for.
Disclaimer - I work in the system and love it, but don’t always agree with it 😂
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Karl102
Journeyman Pro
The government have removed gcse ict as a subject. It doesn’t count. The skills are supposed to be taught through other subjects. The harder computer science (programming and binary et etc) is on.
D
Deleted member 18645
Guest
I think I've played with people in competitions who achieved those lower grades …...
Karl102
Journeyman Pro
Edit the new grade 9 info is below from ofqual:
This summer sees the first awards of the new grade 9, in GCSE English language, English literature and maths. Grade 9 is not the same as A*; it’s a new grade, designed to recognise the very highest performing students. So there will be fewer grade 9s than there are currently A*s. And in the first year grade 9 will be calculated arithmetically.
Last year we announced the detail of how that will work, known as the ‘tailored approach’. This approach will mean that across all subjects (when all GCSEs are graded 9 to 1) about 20% of those students achieving grade 7 or above will achieve a grade 9. The formula is:
Percentage of those achieving at least a grade 7 who will be awarded a grade 9 = 7% + 0.5 × (percentage of students awarded grade 7 and above).
https://ofqual.blog.gov.uk/2017/04/05/setting-grade-9-in-new-gcses/
This summer sees the first awards of the new grade 9, in GCSE English language, English literature and maths. Grade 9 is not the same as A*; it’s a new grade, designed to recognise the very highest performing students. So there will be fewer grade 9s than there are currently A*s. And in the first year grade 9 will be calculated arithmetically.
Last year we announced the detail of how that will work, known as the ‘tailored approach’. This approach will mean that across all subjects (when all GCSEs are graded 9 to 1) about 20% of those students achieving grade 7 or above will achieve a grade 9. The formula is:
Percentage of those achieving at least a grade 7 who will be awarded a grade 9 = 7% + 0.5 × (percentage of students awarded grade 7 and above).
https://ofqual.blog.gov.uk/2017/04/05/setting-grade-9-in-new-gcses/
