Post GCSE Results Day Trip!

[Tubbsy]

Fab idea! I may have to plan something for two years time!
DS has just chosen his options and I am amazed by the pressure they are being put under. Dd is 22. I dont remember it like this for her :/

[1972]

The pressure is certainly high for students and staff. It's so wrong and Idon't think the kids get to enjoy their last year at secondary school.

[Andybear]

Originally Posted by 1972

The pressure is certainly high for students and staff. It's so wrong and Idon't think the kids get to enjoy their last year at secondary school.

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It's always been like that though. I did 'O' levels which were GCSEs predecessor. Coursework wasn't taken into consideration - if you did badly in the exams then tough luck. It was the same with 'A' levels. My coursework was fine but I'm a wreck when it comes to exams.

[1972]

I was the first year of GCSEs and don't remember as much stress as they have now. They are constantly having assemblies telling them how many days are left until the exams etc which seemed to start in Year 10.

I am the same with coursework and hate exams too. My daughter has done coursework for some of her exams, but this is the last year of that. From next year it will be 100% coursework.

[Guest]

I did GCSEs in 2012 and did 14 of them plus 2 BTECs. Schools are exam factories these days. Because I was top set for science then that's 5 GCSEs starting in Y9.

Problem is that GCSEs are not about ability really, it's about how much you can memorise. Is it difficult for the kids? Yes, but they need to rise up to the challenge as it sets a good work ethic for life. Work until the final bell was drilled in to us. Being rewarded by parents with holidays was unheard of in my school. I went to the Warner Bros Tour in London but that meant no prom (Harry Potter was half the price of prom anyway and was far superior).

[1972]

The pressure is even higher this year as it is the new GCSE structure for English and Maths and nobody knows how this is going to pan out. They have been told that it is very competitive this year as they try and get the highest grades. The top grade is a 9 which is equivalent to an A**.

As always she has worked extremely hard and although this trip is happening after results day, it is not a reward for her or a surprise, it is a treat for the whole family.