Discussion
JagLover said:
The independent schools are criticising the difficulty level this morning. In some independent schools 97% of pupils are getting all grades A or A*. They are questioning the point of these examinations.
That's because of the difference in education between the public schools and private schools.
I was public school edcuated from 3-13 and from 16-18, but for 3 years including GCSE's I was educated by the state.
When I moved across at the age of 13, I then sat on my butt for 3 whole years, doing no work whatsoever, waiting for the rest of my class to catch up with me.
It was a pointless waste of time.
I was educated pretty much to GCSE level at 13 years old by the private school system. In fact when I moved to state school my Latin teacher* told me that I was already at A Level standard.
When I moved back to private school for my A levels, there was again a difficult transition and some subsequent catching up to do, but fortunately the subjects I was doing meant the situation wasn't too bad.
The void between the two is gaping. There's no wonder that 97% of independant school pupils are getting straight A's.
It's an issue that, despite the fact that my two-fold education brought me up (I'd like to think) as a well-rounded individual, has made me convinced that if I can afford to put my children through continuous private school education then I shall do.
But bailing out half way through is not a great option.
*note that Latin was taught, but only 9 pupils out of 340 took it up for GCSE.
>> Edited by titiany on Thursday 25th August 09:08
JagLover said:
The independent schools are criticising the difficulty level this morning. In some independent schools 97% of pupils are getting all grades A or A*. They are questioning the point of these examinations.
Maybe the standards for reading weren't so good in your day either.. :-) edit - my point being that that there is a point to GCSEs as overall for that subset of the population who do take them there appears to be a reasonable distribution of grades.
"Last year 59.2% of the exam entries were awarded grade C or higher, with 5.6% getting the top A*. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4182006.stm
I personally think they were too easy - the gap between GCSE and A-level mathematics is(/was) particularly large IMO
>> Edited by baskey on Thursday 25th August 09:13
Yeah but in independent schools theres like 4 pupils, max about 8 whereas in state schools it could be anything upto 35. I had a choice to go to either state, independent or a boarding school i choose state and i did ok. And by ok I mean a* and a's at gcse and 3 a's and a b at a-level (Biology Physics Maths and English Language)
>> Edited by staceyb on Thursday 25th August 09:25
>> Edited by staceyb on Thursday 25th August 09:25
titiany said:
It's an issue that, despite the fact that my two-fold education brought me up (I'd like to think) as a well-rounded individual, has made me convinced that if I can afford to put my children through continuous private school education then I shall do.
Too right - I had some really good teachers but that isn't the point, if I can afford it I want any children of mine to be kept away from the offspring of lay-abouts..
baskey said:
It's an issue that, despite the fact that my two-fold education brought me up (I'd like to think) as a well-rounded individual, has made me convinced that if I can afford to put my children through continuous private school education then I shall do.
Too right - I had some really good teachers but that isn't the point, if I can afford it I want any children of mine to be kept away from the offspring of lay-abouts..
Hmm - not so sure about that. Being in state school for 3 years didn't teach me much in the way of education, but it made me grow up pretty fast, and accept that the real world exists with it's warts.
The attitudes of public school kids is far removed from the attitudes of state school kids - public schools encourage competition etc. and offer better opportunities - but growing up with "the offspring of lay-abouts" is no bad thing. It teaches more to the child about life in general. Public school can be very sheltering.
Like I said - I shall opt for public school if I can, but state school is not something to be looked down upon.
baskey said:
It's an issue that, despite the fact that my two-fold education brought me up (I'd like to think) as a well-rounded individual, has made me convinced that if I can afford to put my children through continuous private school education then I shall do.
Too right - I had some really good teachers but that isn't the point, if I can afford it I want any children of mine to be kept away from the offspring of lay-abouts..
'ere mate, carefull what you say.My kids go to the local comp and I am not a layabout!I went to a comp also and acheived 9 'O' levels and 3 A levels at a good grade.There's good and bad everywhere.Just 'cos someone has money,it doesn't make them a better person.
titiany said:
In some independent schools 97% of pupils are getting all grades A or A*.
That's because of the difference in education between the public schools and private schools.
Not necessecerily true. I went to state school and managed to do that
Good luck to everyone getting their results today.
esselte said:
titiany said:
It's an issue that, despite the fact that my two-fold education brought me up (I'd like to think) as a well-rounded individual, has made me convinced that if I can afford to put my children through continuous private school education then I shall do.
Too right - I had some really good teachers but that isn't the point, if I can afford it I want any children of mine to be kept away from the offspring of lay-abouts..
'ere mate, carefull what you say.My kids go to the local comp and I am not a layabout!I went to a comp also and acheived 9 'O' levels and 3 A levels at a good grade.There's good and bad everywhere.Just 'cos someone has money,it doesn't make them a better person.
I am too cr4p at typing to ever get my point across - it takes too long!
I went to a comp (they don't have grammar schools in Wales!)and my dad wasn't a lay about either - i guess what i mean is (and i should have said it) is that there's a big difference between 'free' education in more built up areas like where i live now and 'free' education in the sticks. Even the loser kids in my school were ok, people rarely scived,etc etc
And. I wish there'd been more competition in my school - i might have achieved more / be achieving more myself.
On the downside i could have turned out an arrogant ar5e i suppose. Which is kind of what the original post looks like anyway!
up until the age of 10 i was at state school and from then onwards i was at a public school (by this i mean 20k a year school. the terms "public" and "private" are somewhat confused!).
i am very glad that i had experience of a state school but i am also extremely glad that the majority of my education was in a public school.
it is true that public schools can tend to produce slightly sheltered individuals with moderately skewed views on certain aspects of life. but they generally are very good at educating people (but i suppose they would have to be for 20k a year wouldnt they!)
final thought: it doesnt matter where you are as long as you have fun and care about your future then you should be ok!
chris
i am very glad that i had experience of a state school but i am also extremely glad that the majority of my education was in a public school.
it is true that public schools can tend to produce slightly sheltered individuals with moderately skewed views on certain aspects of life. but they generally are very good at educating people (but i suppose they would have to be for 20k a year wouldnt they!)
final thought: it doesnt matter where you are as long as you have fun and care about your future then you should be ok!
chris
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