[RichardG]

While they come in, pupils in England will have have some exams graded with numbers and some with letters, leading teaching unions to warn this will be confusing for pupils, parents and employers

Thank god I've already completed my GCSEs last year... having a mix of both numbers and letters on my results certificate would send my OCD into overdrive!

I think GCSEs these days are greatly underestimated by some. I may have got a good set of results myself but I had to revise non stop all day every day for a good two months with a lot of casual revision before that to achieve them. They were in no way at all easy. Of course I have no experience with the older O level style exams to compare with but some subjects (eg history, maths, eng. lit) were particularly difficult for me AND most others and I'm just glad I've already done them before these changes take place!