How can the education system be getting so-called easier yet be failing loads as they fail to achieve A*-C??

Question

People continue to complain about how easy exams are at the moment with A Levels and GCSE, yet at the same time they complain that the education system is failing thousands of children as they fail to achieve 5 A*-C grades at GCSE. So how can it be both to easy and yet unattainable?? As for A Level results, does no one consider the possiblity that maybe the majority do well because they are the ones who did well at school??

Answer 1

GCSEs certainly didn't teach the first answerer how to write English.

About 55% of 16 year olds achieve 5+ A*-C grades in UK, which usually qualifies them to start A levels.

The 95%+ pass rate of A levels makes them look easy, but this isn't the case. Because all A levels are examined in 6 modules over the two years, those students likely to fail find this out early and drop out. Only those likely to pass stay to the end, hence the high pass rate.

Most students who succeed do so because they work hard. Unfortunately, this news doesn't sell papers so the press puts its own spin on exam results.

Answer 2

Simple, the examinations are becoming less demanding and pass marks are dropping, but the quality of teaching is so poor that lots of children still fail. Despite the pass rates rising consistently, the actual skill level of students is not improving, and many leave school with none of the basic skills they need to succed in life (reading, writing, maths)

I think your idea about A level results is wrong actually, compared to 50 years ago or more when A levels really were only for the very best and brightest, the pass rates are lower. With a much greater number of people taking the tests, the ability of the students must be lower overall, and yet the pass rates continue to increase year on year. This is particularly problematic for university selection, as having straight A's doesn't mean you are more able than those who received B's 20 years ago, and it makes it impossible for universities to identify the best candidates as the spread of grades is so small. It also belittles the achievements of those who do well, they're never stretched and their A's are dismissed as being commonplace and therefore less valued, and there's no way to know how much better they could have performed with a more demanding test.

It's tragic but true, exams are surely easier than they were in the past (just look at exam papers from 10 years ago if you don't believe this) but our schools are so bad that they can't even turn out students of the mediocre calibre required to pass GCSEs. It saddens me to think of what's being done to the nation's young people, it creates tremendous problems for everyone in the country.

Answer 3

well if ur in the UK then id like to say our GCSE's teach us **** all . then all of a sudden we get A lelvels shoved in front of us and the dumb GCSE guys cant cope with hard a levels becuse the basics (GCSE) where not taught thourouly.

in countries where I-GCSE are in place like south asia and africa. the kids get to learn A lelvel stuff in in GCSE level. id say they leanr 1 fifth of the a level course in their GCSE. like this, the course is evenly spread out though 5 years of GCSE and 2 years of A level.
in the UK they teach you a litle bit, then the student messes up when he/she attepmts the a levle.

I GCSE is international GCSE.

but the good news is in about 3 years the GCSE course is going to be harder. they will take a level topics and place then in GCSE. then a levels wont be so hard will they? ******* hell i wrote alot , i think ill stop now...