Planetarion Forums

Dilly_D · 16 Aug 2003, 18:23

what exactly are they? would they be the equivilant to the US SAT's.....or are they something completly different?

Nusselt · 16 Aug 2003, 18:26

we all have to sit GCSEs* at 16 which only thick people from sink estates fail. Then the mildly clever can go on at no extra cost for another 2 years of education to do advanced levels (gcses used to be known as ordinary levels).

This is england and wales, the scots, bless them are retards and have 'highers' something noone cares about.

*General Certificate of Secondary Education

Nusselt · 16 Aug 2003, 18:28

to explain further you do gcses in a **** load of subjects like 9 or something, then you usually take 3 alevels* for 2 years on which you are taught in depth, you can then enter uni at 18.

* general studies aside

MrL_JaKiri · 16 Aug 2003, 18:51

A-levels take 2 years.

The first year you sit 'AS levels', which are supposedly easier. The second year you sit A2's. You take 4 AS's and 3 A2's (or you're supposed to at least). The AS mark contributes to the A2, and they share the same modules, and you do some A2 modules for AS and some AS modules for A2 and you can resit them once and you get a seperate grade for AS until you sit the A2 at which point it becomes defunct.

It's a silly system.

Obliterate · 16 Aug 2003, 19:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Dilly_D
what exactly are they? would they be the equivilant to the US SAT's.....or are they something completly different?

I don't know how the American SAT's work - but SAT's in this country are taken at the end of every 'key stage'. i.e at ages 5/6, 10/11 and 13/14.

GCSE's are compulsory and are taken at age 16. (This is also the end of Key Stage 4, so I guess they're just SAT's - but more important)

A-levels are 2 year optional courses taken after these.

Deffeh · 16 Aug 2003, 19:58

and just to make it more stupid, its different in Scotland from England and Wales

We sit Standard Grades (which are more or less GCSE's), over two years (Third and Fourth Year, you choose them end of second year) which you take 8 of. (Some people take 9 - Religious Education is an optional course - well, everyone has to do it i think, but its an optional exam. or in my school, one class was randomly selected to do it out of 9)

For each standard grade, there are 3 papers, of which you sit two. Either Foundation and General, or General and Credit (depending on what your teacher thinks you are capable of passing. If you dont sit credit, you have to be a bit of a plank) . In the Foundation paper with 75-100% you can only get a 5, or with between 50-75% you get a 6. Below 50% is a 7 (fail). General paper, 50-75% gets a 4, 75-100% a 3. Anything below is still a 7. Credit you get a 2 for 50-75%, and a 1 for 75-100%. And once again, anything below that is a 7.

Restrictions: Eight subjects must be
1/ English
2/ Maths
3/ German/French (The language you do starts at age 4 or 5, and you never ever get a choice until 6th year to do the other. pot luck)
4/ History/Modern Studies/Geography
5/ Biology/Chemistry/Physics
6/ Admin/Computing/Business Studies/Graphics
7/ PE/Music/Art/Craft/
8/ A Random pick of your choice. A science, or art, or something

To get into a "Higher" course in a subject you need a 1 or a 2. Though sometimes if you really moan you can get in on a 3.

In Fifth year you take 5 highers in subjects that you got credit grades in at Standard grade. Grades are A (70%+/-), B (60%+/-), and C (50%+/-). Then fail. But if you just miss a C (by like 5%), you get an Intermediate 2 A. Intermediate 2 is the level you sit in a subject if you got a 3 or 4 at standard grade. Its basically JUST above Standard Grade credit difficulty. If you get a 5 or a 6, you do Intermediate 1 level. Most schools dont cater for this level on any scale (besides special help sections, etc). Even lower than that is "Access". Ive never heard of anyone doing it, but it exists.

Restrictions
1/ English (at some sort of level)
2/ Maths (at some sort of level, but you can avoid it if you really beg)
3/ Free Choice
4/ Free Choice
5/ Free Choice

Sixth Year you do three or four subjects. Either advanced highers in highers that you got A or B's in, Highers that you did at standard grade but didnt previously pick up, Repeat highers or int2's you failed previously, Crash highers in subjects you didnt do at standard grade (your inclusion is at a teachers discretion, based on previous grades etc).

Restrictions

Almost none. If you are doing 2+ advanced highers, you can choose to only do 3 subjects instead of the advised 4.

Nodrog · 16 Aug 2003, 20:03

Nothing whatsoever like SATs. SATs are just pumped up IQ tests; A levels are exams which test the material youve been studying at school (kind of like the exams youd sit towards at the end of a module at college/uni). Your entrace to university is almost completely determined by your A level results.

Do you have GPA at school level in America, or just at college?

Iceaxe · 16 Aug 2003, 20:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Nodrog
Do you have GPA at school level in America, or just at college?

Both.

huh · 16 Aug 2003, 22:37

One of my good friends did 6 A levels.

And got 6 As.

****ing ****.

Zar · 16 Aug 2003, 22:49

to explain it simply:

a-levels are easy

SATS are even easier (apart from getting 800 in that english exam of yours) - Maths SAT 1 is too damn easy. English is considerably harder. The SAT2's are slightly harder. They are more like our A'levels

Zar

*donkie* · 16 Aug 2003, 22:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Nusselt
to explain further you do gcses in a **** load of subjects like 9 or something

9? a **** load? okay, im not the cleverest in my year, but im getting 7 from english/maths/science alone.

English Lang, English Lit, Maths, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics

then i got

Graphics
French
R.E (religious education) x 2
Social Science
ICT GNVQ (more work than gcse, but double the "points" - and most colleges are using the "points" system to allow people entry)

and i wanted to take german a year early, but ooohhh, nooooo "too much work young lad, you'll be stressed out come to gcse time!"

gcse's are easy. too easy. im taking 13 ffs and i found it easy*

* failure results next thursday

Zar · 16 Aug 2003, 22:53

Quote:

Originally posted by *donkie*
9? a **** load? okay, im not the cleverest in my year, but im getting 7 from english/maths/science alone.

English Lang, English Lit, Maths, Statistics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics

then i got

Graphics
French
R.E (religious education) x 2
Social Science
ICT GNVQ (more work than gcse, but double the "points" - and most colleges are using the "points" system to allow people entry)

and i wanted to take german a year early, but ooohhh, nooooo "too much work young lad, you'll be stressed out come to gcse time!"

gcse's are easy. too easy. im taking 13 ffs and i found it easy*

* failure results next thursday

the maximum amount of GCSE's you should really bother doing is 10 (11 if you bother to include ad maths).

triple science, maths, english lang, english lit, humanity, option, option, language of choice. (and maths ad if wanted)

all those people who do those silly extra courses, are just wasting their time. Oh and P.E, R.E (and similar) should NOT count as GCSE's

Zar

*donkie* · 16 Aug 2003, 22:57

true. pe should not be a gcse. its pants.

but i only took so many coz im clever and i knew it would piss my bro off to no end, because he took 9 and only just scraped getting into college, which im gonna do easily. plus i bore so easily i may as well take all 13 and do it for something to do. if i'd taken 10 i would've died through boredom. repeatedly.

Gayle29uk · 16 Aug 2003, 22:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
R.E (and similar) should NOT count as GCSE's

RE is as valid a subject as history or geography (as long as RE is not just a euphemism for Christian Studies).

Zar · 16 Aug 2003, 23:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Gayle29uk
RE is as valid a subject as history or geography (as long as RE is not just a euphemism for Christian Studies).

as easy as geography and history are, they provide certain useful facts, even if you plan to never study anything to do with those subjects again.

R.E on the other hand is pointless. Utterly pointless. It's for religious freaks, and people freaky enough to want to learn about other religions. Also people who want a free GCSE

Zar

*donkie* · 16 Aug 2003, 23:03

you'd be surprised. its not just for "freaks and ppl who want a free gcse"

its also for people who got hearded into the class and told "if you dont do this class, i'll be very dissapointed in you, and take you pc away"

damn parents

Zar · 16 Aug 2003, 23:04

oh and it goes without saying. If you don't do the "higher" course for each respective GCSE, you are really wasting your time.

Foundation and intermediate courses, should be aimed at 10 year olds.

Why is the education system in this country so **** - that people do such stupid courses!!! GRRRRR

Zar

*donkie* · 16 Aug 2003, 23:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
that people do such stupid courses!!! GRRRRR

you know you can do a GCSE in citizenship

"yes sir"
"no sir"
"please"
"thankyou"
*helps old granny across the road*

A*

Gayle29uk · 16 Aug 2003, 23:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
oh and it goes without saying. If you don't do the "higher" course for each respective GCSE, you are really wasting your time.

Foundation and intermediate courses, should be aimed at 10 year olds.

Why is the education system in this country so **** - that people do such stupid courses!!! GRRRRR

Zar

You think people should do 10+ A levels do you? Don't be ridiculous.

Or do you think people should only do maths/physics/biology/chemistry/English?

Obliterate · 16 Aug 2003, 23:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
Oh and P.E, R.E (and similar) should NOT count as GCSE's

Zar

Why on earth not?

Ebany · 16 Aug 2003, 23:14

Hmm.. made me try to remember my GCSE's now....

1.Maths
2. Science
3. Science
4. Eng Lang
5. Eng Lit (which I really could have coped without)
6. A language (French/German/Spanish, German for me)
7. A Humanity (Geog, History or RE, I did Geog as the lesser of 3 evils, and RE wasnt just christian, I recall studying jews and hebrews in lower years)
8. Option - I 'traded up' to triple science (everone had to do double science no matter what - I was suprised when I heard at some schools you could do single science)
9. Option - Business Studies

and I added a 10th by messing around on the net 1 hour a week after school to get an Information Systems one.

My school was very traditional and didnt do any of the more 'vocational' courses. As I recall the other options avaliable were things like Art, Technology (Cooking, sewing and woodwork) and if you wanted more than one from one of the other sections.

If you wanted to do GCSE PE you had to do it in the 6th form. It wasnt an option at GCSE level. We just got forced to exercise a few times a week. Same with drama as I recall. They wanted us all to go away with useful education.

I did A-Levels, went to uni, and quit a month before my final exams. I dont think thats what they had in mind.

MrL_JaKiri · 16 Aug 2003, 23:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
R.E on the other hand is pointless. Utterly pointless. It's for religious freaks, and people freaky enough to want to learn about other religions. Also people who want a free GCSE

Theology is a very interesting subject.

queball · 16 Aug 2003, 23:30

Tipler?

Zar · 16 Aug 2003, 23:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Gayle29uk
You think people should do 10+ A levels do you? Don't be ridiculous.

Or do you think people should only do maths/physics/biology/chemistry/English?

why do 10+ a-levels, when i've already established that they are too easy and the courses too over-simplified to be worth anything?

I would be happier if people did 3 a-levels that were reuptable and of assiduous nature

Zar

CoD · 17 Aug 2003, 00:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Nusselt

This is england and wales, the scots, bless them are retards and have 'highers' something noone cares about.

and Northern Ireland...

roadrunner_0 · 18 Aug 2003, 12:59

i went to a catholic school, RE wasnt an option, it was a 'you do this or you dont come to this school'
not only that but i admitted to the teacher that i was an atheist

so she spent 2 years telling me i was going to fail, so i got a B just to annoy her

LHC · 18 Aug 2003, 13:09

I think my GCSEs were/are:
English
English Literature
Maths
'Option' A: History*
'Option' B: Statistics*
Science x 2 (Double Award or something silly)
Technology - Systems and Control
RE (short course, half a GCSE

)
GNVQ ICT, of which I passed both tests but didn't hand in any work

menth0l · 18 Aug 2003, 13:18

In finland we have this

I'm not sure if it's at all like a-levels though, this is something i've always wondered.

Zar · 18 Aug 2003, 14:58

Quote:

Originally posted by roadrunner_0
i went to a catholic school, RE wasnt an option, it was a 'you do this or you dont come to this school'
not only that but i admitted to the teacher that i was an atheist so she spent 2 years telling me i was going to fail, so i got a B just to annoy her

i wish i was young enough to be at school, and at the same time old enough (mentally) to take the piss out of R.E and religious figures in the school.

We had to do R.E or such until 15. It wasn't a GCSE course, just something on the side (private school rubbish). It wasn't a religious school either, majority of students and their parents were atheist, it was just old school tradition, and in case there were any religious nuts to please.

Still i was pretty naive back then, and although i argued a fair amount with the vicar/r.e teacher, my arguements were often lacking. The older i have gotten the better i am at taking the sheer and utter piss out of religious figureheads.

Screaming at vicars in churches is too boring, because i can't be given a detention (or argue my way out of one either), so the fun is lost.

Shame

Zar

Obliterate · 18 Aug 2003, 15:24

I was under the impression that RE and PE were compulsory subjects at secondary school - but you didn't have to sit GCSEs in them (unless you chose PE as your option or RE as your humanities subject).

I didn't mind PE - but RE was a waste of time. I decided to sit the short course exam, so at least I'd get something out of sitting through 2 years of boringness.

MrL_JaKiri · 18 Aug 2003, 15:32

Nope. I haven't done PE since I was 13, and I only did RS shortcourse because you had to do it if you did seperate sciences.

Zar · 18 Aug 2003, 16:00

Quote:

Originally posted by MrL_JaKiri
Nope. I haven't done PE since I was 13, and I only did RS shortcourse because you had to do it if you did seperate sciences.

uhm?

by seperate science im assuming you mean triple science right?

i did that but didn't have to do shortcourse R.S

Zar

MrL_JaKiri · 18 Aug 2003, 16:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
uhm?

by seperate science im assuming you mean triple science right?

i did that but didn't have to do shortcourse R.S

Zar

It was a school timetabling thing. We had two lessons left over each week.

ps triple science sounds ****. Seperate sciences sounds better, because they're, like, seperate.

Zar · 18 Aug 2003, 16:06

Quote:

Originally posted by MrL_JaKiri
It was a school timetabling thing. We had two lessons left over each week.

ps triple science sounds ****. Seperate sciences sounds better, because they're, like, seperate.

uhm, i always thought triple science was the same as seperate science.

you come out of it, with three difference gcse's. ....unlike double where you will take 3 exams and get 2 gcses, or single where take 3 get 1 gcse.

Zar

MrL_JaKiri · 18 Aug 2003, 16:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Zar
uhm, i always thought triple science was the same as seperate science.

you come out of it, with three difference gcse's. ....unlike double where you will take 3 exams and get 2 gcses, or single where take 3 get 1 gcse.

Zar

It is. It just sounds ****. You know, the name? It's bad?

Radical Edward · 18 Aug 2003, 16:11

Quote:

Originally posted by MrL_JaKiri
It is. It just sounds ****. You know, the name? It's bad?

MrL is going for teh win.

Zar · 18 Aug 2003, 16:14

Quote:

Originally posted by MrL_JaKiri
It is. It just sounds ****. You know, the name? It's bad?

oh i see. sorry am a bit dozy today. work was as tedious as ever

roadrunner_0 · 18 Aug 2003, 16:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Toccata & Fugue
, besides I have to get a PHD before Dante

what a fantastic reason for getting your PhD

Quote:

Originally posted by Toccata & Fugue

On another note I am amazed at how many people are getting 5 A's at A-level, what the hell are you doing 5 a-levels for? I took three and spent the rest of the time, playing football, learning to play guitar and hanging around talking ****e with my mates. Ahh the days.

i spent 2 years in the pub

which is why my A levels are 'dodgy' to say the least

EDIT: still got into UMIST though, so

JonnyBGood · 18 Aug 2003, 16:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Toccata & Fugue
On another note I am amazed at how many people are getting 5 A's at A-level, what the hell are you doing 5 a-levels for? I took three and spent the rest of the time, playing football, learning to play guitar and hanging around talking ****e with my mates. Ahh the days.

I did eight honours leaving cert courses

MrL_JaKiri · 18 Aug 2003, 16:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Toccata & Fugue
I'm sorry I have no idea what that means but you have my sympathies.

It means 'I'm irish, point and laugh'

queball · 18 Aug 2003, 16:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Toccata & Fugue
None of it is particularly important.

None of anything is particularly important. We'll all be forgotten soon enough.

queball · 18 Aug 2003, 17:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Toccata & Fugue
Yes but on the importance quotient of our lives, birth and death being 100 I would say that A-levels are about 30

I'd put birth and death at 0 and 0. A-levels go somewhere between those two.

MrL_JaKiri · 18 Aug 2003, 17:15

Quote:

Originally posted by queball
I'd put birth and death at 0 and 0. A-levels go somewhere between those two.

5?