GCSE pass levels causing confusion over university entry

[yorkie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40418457

There are warnings of confusion over university admissions from changes to GCSE exams in England which will create two different pass grades.

A number of universities have minimum entry grades at GCSE level - such as a C grade pass at maths and English.

But GCSEs are switching to numerical grades, from 9 to 1, and there is uncertainty because both 4 and 5 are officially classed as pass grades...

...University College London says a C grade pass now requires a grade 5, while Manchester University has set the benchmark at grade 4....

...But there are different interpretations from different universities.

Is this affecting anyone here?

It sounds rather like rail fare validities, which are often down to interpretation. And also the re-naming of grades reminds me of the re-naming of fares in 2008 that caused more confusion.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40418457

Is this affecting anyone here?

It sounds rather like rail fare validities, which are often down to interpretation. And also the re-naming of grades reminds me of the re-naming of fares in 2008 that caused more confusion.

Just for historical interest, in the late 1950s and early 1960s when I took O and A levels, the grades were Distinction, Credit, Pass.

 

[northwichcat]

I don't know if it's changed but it used to be the case that you could qualify for a course requiring something like 320 points but not one requiring 260 points as some universities only counted A Levels and others included AS Levels, while some included General Studies while others excluded it.

My understanding of the current/old GCSEs was any letter other than U was officially considered a pass but colleges/universities usually required C or above (B or above in some cases), while league tables also used C or above.

 

[northwichcat]

Just for historical interest, in the late 1950s and early 1960s when I took O and A levels, the grades were Distinction, Credit, Pass.

I think that system might still be used for some vocational qualifications.

There also used to be a 'N' classification for A Levels to distinguish between those who just missed out on a grade and those who missed out by a long way but the 'N' was scrapped when Labour reformed A Levels in the early 00s.

 

[sk688]

The confusion affects me ,but I hope that I won't get such a poor grade like 4 or 5 , for me I am aiming for 9 in Maths and English ( but predicted 8 in Maths )

 

[gordonthemoron]

Didn't O-Levels use to be graded 1(highest)-10 or something like that?

 

[cactustwirly]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40418457

Is this affecting anyone here?

It sounds rather like rail fare validities, which are often down to interpretation. And also the re-naming of grades reminds me of the re-naming of fares in 2008 that caused more confusion.

Shouldn't affect anyone yet, though for Uni applications GCSEs don't really matter (they're really after the 3 A level grades)

The A levels have also been recently reformed, I was the first year to take them, and they have kept the A*-C grades.

IMO the GCSEs should never have been reformed, they were reformed in 2009 and 2013 (I think? though it was very minor).

 

[northwichcat]

Shouldn't affect anyone yet, though for Uni applications GCSEs don't really matter (they're really after the 3 A level grades)

Do universities not still usually require a C in both GCSE English and Maths currently for any degree course?

 

[Bromley boy]

Shouldn't affect anyone yet, though for Uni applications GCSEs don't really matter (they're really after the 3 A level grades)

The point the article is making is that C grades at English and Maths do matter, in addition to A level requirements, but universities haven't as yet adopted a consistent policy as to what is equivalent to a "C" under the new grading system.

I suppose it's relatively unlikely that someone with good enough A levels for a degree course at UCL or Manchester would have scraped through their GCSEs, but possible nonetheless.

 

[cactustwirly]

The point the article is making is that C grades at English and Maths are necessary, in addition to A level requirements, but universities haven't as yet adopted a consistent policy as to what is equivalent to a "C" under the new grading system.

I suppose it's relatively unlikely that someone with good enough A levels for a degree course at UCL or Manchester would have scraped through their GCSEs, but possible nonetheless.

They've got 2 years to make up their mind.

Most universities have gone for 4, anyone with a 8 or below is unlikely to get into Oxbridge, Durham and other top universities anyway.

For most universities, as long as you get a 5C grades (a legal requirement for English & Maths, and also a requirement to do A levels/other level 3 qualifications), it's the A level grades that they look for.

 

[[.n]]

Shouldn't affect anyone yet, though for Uni applications GCSEs don't really matter (they're really after the 3 A level grades)

The A levels have also been recently reformed, I was the first year to take them, and they have kept the A*-C grades.

IMO the GCSEs should never have been reformed, they were reformed in 2009 and 2013 (I think? though it was very minor).

Most universities also have a requirement for Maths and English GCSE grade C or above as well as the A Level requirement

 

[Bromley boy]

They've got 2 years to make up their mind.

Most universities have gone for 4, anyone with a 8 or below is unlikely to get into Oxbridge, Durham and other top universities anyway.

For most universities, as long as you get a 5C grades (a legal requirement for English & Maths, and also a requirement to do A levels/other level 3 qualifications), it's the A level grades that they look for.

This is the crux of the matter.

Although I must admit I wasn't aware the English and Maths grades were a "legal requirement".

 

[ooo]

This is the crux of the matter.

Although I must admit I wasn't aware the English and Maths grades were a "legal requirement".

If you don't get a 4 in English language and maths GCSE then you have to keep on retaking it until you are 18

 

[roversfan2001]

This doesn't affect me yet in terms of uni but the college I hope to attend requires 5's in English Language and Maths.

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[Tetchytyke]

The problem is they've divided the C grade in half, with the bottom half of it being a 4 and the top half being a 5. So nobody can agree whether they want to treat the bottom half of a C grade as a pass, or treat the top half of a C grade as a pass.

GCSE grades do count for University applications.

Basically the change has come about because the Tories always have to meddle in something that works perfectly well, because they simply cannot resist fiddling with the deckchairs. The likes of Greening- an intellectual midget- like to be seen to be doing something, and this is something, so this is what they do.

It's an absolute diamond-encrusted FUBAR.

 

[DarloRich]

The problem is they've divided the C grade in half, with the bottom half of it being a 4 and the top half being a 5. So nobody can agree whether they want to treat the bottom half of a C grade as a pass, or treat the top half of a C grade as a pass.

GCSE grades do count for University applications.

Basically the change has come about because the Tories always have to meddle in something that works perfectly well, because they simply cannot resist fiddling with the deckchairs. The likes of Greening- an intellectual midget- like to be seen to be doing something, and this is something, so this is what they do.

It's an absolute diamond-encrusted FUBAR.

I have a plan: Could we call a 4 a D and a 5 a C?

 

[northwichcat]

I have a plan: Could we call a 4 a D and a 5 a C?

Then you'd need an A** to make 9 grades where 4 grades are better than C.

9 A**
8 A*
7 A
6 B
5 C
4 D
3 E
2 F
1 G

 

[northwichcat]

The likes of Greening- an intellectual midget- like to be seen to be doing something, and this is something, so this is what they do.

Wait until she awards a government contract to AQA only for OCR to complain of an unfair process.

 

[greatkingrat]

So different universities will have different entry standards. Is this supposed to be news?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Why did GCSEs have any grades lower than a C? It seems that most educational institutions and employers want a grade C or higher in whatever subject(s) so anything lower than a C may as well be classed as a fail anyway

 

[A Challenge]

There is a video here

The grading of GCSE results is changing from A* to G to 9-1. The aim of the new grading system is to allow greater differentiation between higher and lower achieving students.

The first new GCSEs with the 9-1 grades are maths and English from 2017, followed by all the other new GCSEs over the next two years.

Only the very highest performing students will receive a Grade 9, which will be set at a level above the current A*. A Grade 4 will be known as a ‘standard pass’. A Grade 5 will be known as a ‘strong pass’ and will be equivalent to a high C and low B on the old grading system.

Want to know more about the changes to GCSEs? Check out our website or use the feedback form to tell us what else you would like to know.

link to gov.uk page

 

[roversfan2001]

Then you'd need an A** to make 9 grades where 4 grades are better than C.

9 A**
8 A*
7 A
6 B
5 C
4 D
3 E
2 F
1 G

Grade 9 is supposed to be "A**" anyway, with a Grade 8 being the equivalent of an A*.

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[A Challenge]

Grade 9 is supposed to be "A**" anyway, with a Grade 8 being the equivalent of an A*.

Sent from my HTC Desire 530 using Tapatalk

See the image in my last post - it isn't as simple as that unfortunately!

 

[roversfan2001]

See the image in my last post - it isn't as simple as that unfortunately!

We were always told that in school, though I'm not surprised that it's not correct. The way the new system has been implemented is a shambles.

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[A Challenge]

We were always told that in school, though I'm not surprised that it's not correct. The way the new system has been implemented is a shambles.

Sent from my HTC Desire 530 using Tapatalk

I have to agree with you, this year (Class of 2017) and next year (Class of 2018) are both going to have mixes!

 

[roversfan2001]

I have to agree with you, this year (Class of 2017) and next year (Class of 2018) are both going to have mixes!

As long as they compensate by making the grade boundaries low for the class of 2017 all will be forgiven.

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[A Challenge]

As long as they compensate by making the grade boundaries low for the class of 2017 all will be forgiven.

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I'm judging by that comment you are in it, given your username?

 

[roversfan2001]

I'm judging by that comment you are in it, given your username?

Yes indeed, the past two years have been interesting. Whoever thought up the English Literature specification clearly has no idea just how difficult it is.

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[A Challenge]

Yes indeed, the past two years have been interesting. Whoever thought up the English Literature specification clearly has no idea just how difficult it is.

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What's wrong with it?

 

[roversfan2001]

What's wrong with it?

We had to learn quotes from 18 poems and end up only using 1 of them (to compare to another that had been printed on the exam paper). We also had to learn quotes from a Shakespeare play, pre 1914 prose and a post 1914 play. We weren't allowed to take any texts into the exam.

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