A-Levels getting easier... shocker!

[Tevez]

Failed my AS today and won't be allowed to do A2.

[breadandcheese]

Why? I'll take criticism when I've done something wrong or done something a lot worse than I could have done it, why should people get criticised for gaining qualifications. This country is full of miserable ****ers, why should achievement not be recognised. Look at what mess the people who did "really super hard " qualifications decades ago have got the country into.

The problem with a subject like this is that it's emotional, so it's hard not to upset people. Admittedly, today is the wrong day to discuss this, so I apologise to those who have received their results today for my contribution in the discussion of standards. My timing of discussion was poor and I meant no offence.

However, the issue/problem with grade inflation links into issues of social mobility and exclusion. That is why the discussion is necessary. When universities and employers can no longer trust A-Levels and grades to distinguish between the best candidates, it becomes about who you know, rather than what you know.

[dandannieldanok]

The problem with a subject like this is that it's emotional, so it's hard not to upset people. Admittedly, today is the wrong day to discuss this, so I apologise to those who have received their results today for my contribution in the discussion of standards. My timing of discussion was poor.

However, the issue/problem with grade inflation links into issues of social mobility and exclusion. That is why the discussion is necessary. When universities and employers can no longer trust A-Levels and grades to distinguish between the best candidates, it becomes about who you know, rather than what you know.

The timing is always going to be poor, my views aren't going to change. In 10 years time I'll still be delighted for all those that achieve AS and A-levels and still recognise the difficulty of them.

Universities, especially those regarded highly, will be the first to recognise if A-levels are dipping in standard so then you'll know if they're truly considered easier than before.

[James.]

Either way, I usually try and avoid getting into these kinda discussions every year cos I end up pissing on people's pies unintentionally.

I think I should probably take this advice!

Why? I'll take criticism when I've done something wrong or done something a lot worse than I could have done it, why should people get criticised for gaining qualifications. This country is full of miserable ****ers, why should achievement not be recognised. Look at what mess the people who did "really super hard " qualifications decades ago have got the country into.

You weren't even being criticised. My choice of words weren't great, admittedly. What's being criticised is the education system, not people's individual achievements.

I refer you back to my first post in this thread...

People who are getting offended shouldn't do. It's not a dig at you. You can only sit the exams that are put in front of you and if you worked hard and got the results you want then it doesn't really matter what people say - you can now push on and achieve even more.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I wonder whether people taking their A-levels or equivalent 20 years ago or longer would have been surprised to learn that young people would have a greater knowledge base in the future if they knew that there would be a worldwide instant information system invented. Nowadays it's so blindingly simple to find information about anything using the internet, I'm surprised that this rarely seems to be factored into better exam results. With the advances we have year upon year in terms of instant communication and dissemination of knowledge, I wouldn't be offended if teenagers these days were getting far better results than I got when I was in sixth-form, and I'm only 25.

We have the same garbage every year and it's never based on proper research. Take no notice of it.

[Babylon]

Who cares... i'm just glad I never have to sit another test in my life.

[FilboFox]

Based on your logic, this means fook all as exams are definitely getting easier anyway.

I'm leaning more towards the emphasis in exams changing rather than them getting easier.

Well that maybe so, but thick people who didn't get anywhere near as good grades as my sister at GCSE level have now gone on to get University places on good courses simply because they did A-Levels and therefore have seemingly better marks.

As for those saying they aren't getting easier, I'd have liked to have seen many of the people doing 'traditional' subjects now doing them from many years ago... I very much doubt half as many would be getting the grades they are.

[dandannieldanok]

I think I should probably take this advice!

You weren't even being criticised. My choice of words weren't great, admittedly. What's being criticised is the education system, not people's individual achievements.

I refer you back to my first post in this thread...

I know you weren't coming across like that, no-one is except for FilboFox, but just the acknowledgement of everyone that A-Levels are getting easier takes all the sense of achievement away.

[Babylon]

I know you weren't coming across like that, no-one is except for FilboFox, but just the acknowledgement of everyone that A-Levels are getting easier takes all the sense of achievement away.

Shut it thicky thicko... don't you youngens have some bus shelters to smash up.

[FilboFox]

Are you purposely being a **** or does it just come naturally? Millions of people, including myself, have worked their fingers to the bone throughout the last couple of years to get these results only to be undermined by arseholes like you.

Well done to everyone who got their results today, A levels are a great achievement.

They may be a great achievement and well done, but I'm just venting anger at the way that IB students get cast aside in favour of less A-level grades at University... whether I'm being a **** or not is neither here nor there as the fact still remains A-levellers have to do less to get the places at Uni than IB students do which is simply unfair. You may feel you've done loads and by God, there's no doubting the amount of work everyone will have put into the exams, be they A-Level or IB, but over the course of the 2 years, IB students have to do an extraordinary amount of work more than A-Level students do... and yet they are simply shoved away by the Uni's... that's all I'm getting annoyed at.

[Guest Bilo]

I wonder whether people taking their A-levels or equivalent 20 years ago or longer would have been surprised to learn that young people would have a greater knowledge base in the future if they knew that there would be a worldwide instant information system invented. Nowadays it's so blindingly simple to find information about anything using the internet, I'm surprised that this rarely seems to be factored into better exam results. With the advances we have year upon year in terms of instant communication and dissemination of knowledge, I wouldn't be offended if teenagers these days were getting far better results than I got when I was in sixth-form, and I'm only 25.

We have the same garbage every year and it's never based on proper research. Take no notice of it.

This is also a very good point that is almost never considered. Research is so much easier than it was even five years ago, my sixth form didn't even have broadband and that can now be seen in primary schools. As for my primary school, we were just about getting BBC computers in as I was in Year 3. This is one hell of a leap in a relatively short time and as more pupils are introduced to computers at a younger age, the easier it will be for them to find information on the internet and the more exam results will improve. Not a bad theory.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Well that maybe so, but thick people who didn't get anywhere near as good grades as my sister at GCSE level have now gone on to get University places on good courses simply because they did A-Levels and therefore have seemingly better marks.

As for those saying they aren't getting easier, I'd have liked to have seen many of the people doing 'traditional' subjects now doing them from many years ago... I very much doubt half as many would be getting the grades they are. No disrespect meant from this to anyone getting good A-Level marks, but some thick people I know have been getting B's and even A's...

So there are thick people left, right and centre, eh? If you look around the table and you can't tell who the sucker is...

[Guest Bilo]

Well that maybe so, but thick people who didn't get anywhere near as good grades as my sister at GCSE level have now gone on to get University places on good courses simply because they did A-Levels and therefore have seemingly better marks.

As for those saying they aren't getting easier, I'd have liked to have seen many of the people doing 'traditional' subjects now doing them from many years ago... I very much doubt half as many would be getting the grades they are. No disrespect meant from this to anyone getting good A-Level marks, but some thick people I know have been getting B's and even A's...

You could equally ask how somebody who took an English A Level 20 years ago would fare in a modern A Level exam, seeing as the marking criteria and therefore the questions posed in the paper are so different.

[dandannieldanok]

They may be a great achievement and well done, but I'm just venting anger at the way that IB students get cast aside in favour of less A-level grades at University... whether I'm being a **** or not is neither here nor there as the fact still remains A-levellers have to do less to get the places at Uni than IB students do.

Matter of opinion not fact. As you're so keen to say, universities are far less demanding of A-level students than IB students so surely that's inferring that A-levels are held in higher regard? I'm only speculating mind.

[Guest Bilo]

So there are thick people left, right and centre, eh? If you look around the table and you can't tell who the sucker is...

Sometimes it's easy.

[FilboFox]

Matter of opinion not fact. As you're so keen to say, universities are far less demanding of A-level students than IB students so surely that's inferring that A-levels are held in higher regard? I'm only speculating mind.

Well I guess so... but that's only here. When they were first brought out, which was only a few years ago, University's had no idea how to base the IB in comparison to A-Level grades and they still don't by the looks of it.

How they can possibly think that the A-Level marks are worth more than the amount of work the IB does is beyond me... it shows a complete ignorance by them towards the hard work, and lots more of it, than A-Level students do.

Again I reiterate, congrats to everyone who's done well with their A-Levels, I'm not taking anything away from your hard work, but I'm just annoyed, more for my sister than anything, about the way Uni's simply push aside the IB, despite it being a more demanding course in favour of their 'traditional' A-Levels.

[Katy]

Sometimes it's easy.

Look if I can get into Uni without A-Levels then anyone can, seriously.

[FilboFox]

So there are thick people left, right and centre, eh? If you look around the table and you can't tell who the sucker is...

Not everyone is thick... I'm more than happy to admit there are some excellent students doing A-Levels who are going on to University to do exactly what they want and that is excellent. However, there are some, who only a fool wouldn't notice are not exactly up to the standard, and yet they are managing to get into Uni with far lesser marks than some IB students who are more intelligent, have, by comparison, better marks and are more deserving of a place...

[Vlad The Impaler]

I get my GCSE results this time next week, i'm hoping for a C in maths and english and IF i get it i'll be one happy boy

Though hearing all this about higher A level grades gives me no hope for the future

My exams were far from 'easy' aswell

[FilboFox]

You could equally ask how somebody who took an English A Level 20 years ago would fare in a modern A Level exam, seeing as the marking criteria and therefore the questions posed in the paper are so different.

A fair point. Though it would be completely unfair as the young students have just come through some 14 or so years of education leading up to their final A-Level exams... older adults have long since forgotten most of their teaching I would have thought.

[Babylon]

older adults have long since forgotten most of their teaching I would have thought.

I'm 30 and I have pretty much forgotten everything!!!

[Dr The Singh]

I'm 30 and I have pretty much forgotten everything!!!

Even that time during our school days you tried to kiss me, under the bike sheds........?

[Phube]

Whether the exams are easier, or you just get taught how to pass the exams... one things for sure 25% of people should not get the highest grade!!

[Fosse Boy]

The thing that annoys me is the people who assume that getting good grades on a piece of paper makes them more intelligent than everyone else.

Looking back, I realise I should really have got better grades than I did in school, but I was a very lazy student (to an extent, I still am).

However, there were complete morons in some of my A Level classes who showed absolutely no initiative for the entire tenure of our two year courses, had to ask the teacher what was going on at every available opportunity, and just displayed general stupidity/lack of social skills at regular intervals. But it was these sort of people who could read text books cover to cover and regurgitate them without any real comprehension of what they were writing. Hence they ended up with all A's/B's whereas I finshed up with BBC.

Then again, maybe it's just sour grapes on my part and I'm trying to cover up for the fact I simply didn't work hard enough to achieve my potential in school...

[dandannieldanok]

Whether the exams are easier, or you just get taught how to pass the exams... one things for sure 25% of people should not get the highest grade!!

Why the hell not? I suppose you'd rather have just 1% get A grades then you'd have the opportunity to moan about how thick all the young people in the country are. No-one aged 18 or under can do a thing right in this country.