[booty-full]

Originally posted by Pipergun
Just to clarify, Booty-Full, I think I might've been the person that originally said 18/100 gained you a pass. What I meant, was that this was an extremely rare case in one exam with a minor exam board, and it was published for it's easiness in the news as a result of this.

Plus, I don't want to start an argument, and I'm not disregarding your comment or views, but I wholeheartedly disagree with anybody who claims exams are getting easier: rather schools are becoming more grade-orientated, putting added pressure on the students who in turn work immensly hard in order to get the results they deserve! I mean, take me as an example: I've had 17 exams over the last 15 school days, on average two hours each day! How stressful is that?

The rise in grades needn't be as a result of exams getting easier either, as we could have better education systems than in years gone by, and with students putting in a lot more work, and arguably seeing the exams as a more all-or-nothing situation.

I know that your point was made curtiously, and I respect that, yet it often annoys me how the conclusion is made that "Oh, better results, easier exams!" With first-hand experience, it often feels quite demoralising to have groups of people expressing an opinion on something they don't know everything about, effectively devaluing the constant hard work and effort that we've put in to make ourselves proud over the last two years. I hope you do not take this post personally, as this was not the way in which it was meant, rather to adress the wider "conception" that we teenagers get away with murder in our exams, when we honestly don't! We're just eager to justify what we've been doing in two years worth of lessons!

I respect your opinion however mine has not really changed as I know that some people are getting higher grades that would not have got them before!

I did 13 GCSEs so I know the stress and strain well - I had a hell of a lot of exams. So I am not taking away the achievement. It is not the student's fault - it is the school system. Unfortunately from my experience at university, in the work place and in society in general I cannot see a rise in articulate and intelligent people. Instead it seems to be going the other way - crazy. People are leaving school passing English and Maths GCSEs and then going to agencies to get a job and miserably failing maths and english tests! I know plenty of people that cannot spell simple words (that are on an eight year old's reading list)....I am not saying that exams have suddenly gotten easy and do believe that it is unfair on the students to say it........but the criteria for a pass should be tougher. Basic grammar and spelling are a must!!!!