The GCSE results thread

Just for reference these were my GCSE results last year;

BTEC Business = A(x2 but that means bugger all :p)
Additional Science = A+B
English (Both) and Maths = B
Media, Geography and German = Cs
R.E = D (I got a C and then they made a mistake marking it and got downgraded to a D :()

ICT = FAIL - Teacher was quite frankly, ****. Changed from CW+Exam to all coursework after the first year of GCSEs so we were way behind on the coursework from the start of Year 11 and the teacher was awful so I failed. I could have passed but I got lazy. I did two and a bit units in about a week but it was during my own time so I thought "**** it" and gave up :p.
 
Might aswell post my results from June 2009.

English - C (Lower tier, had a very high mark. should have done higher)
English Lit - C (Same as English, should have done higher)
Media Studies -C (Passed with flying colours, and I had 100% on my coursework)
Science - C (70% from all exams)
Catering - C (Yeah I know, I had 100% on the exam - Lower Tier)
Geography - C (Passed even though I was a hour and a half late for the exam)
R.E. - C (should have done higher tier)
Maths - D (Maths is my weak point)
Welsh - Fail (Forgot about the exam)

Edexcel DiDA - Distinction
 
For those of you who didn't quite get the grades you were expecting, it isn't the end of the world.

My brother got fairly poor results when he was at school (mostly C/D/E grades) and he was snubbed by many of his friends and their parents. He left school at 16 and got onto an apprenticeship with a local engineering company who then funded him to go to college for one day a week to study an HNC or HND (can't remember which one) in mechnical engineering. He did well in college and really excelled in the company which he was working for. They then funded him to study for a degree in mechnical engineering part-time which he completed last year. He's now just turned 25, has 9 years work experience and a first class degree in mechnical engineering. He now works as a development engineer and travels all over the world whilst earning over £40k a year. Most of his friends who snubbed him when he first got his GCSE results all those years ago went onto take useless degrees in subjects which they aren't even interested in and now cannot find jobs.

There are loads of other alternative options to A-Levels as well. If you didn't meet the grades to get onto A Levels you have the option of retaking them or you could get some work experience for a year or two before taking an Access to HE course which many Universities now accept as an alternative.

Universities also love mature students with some experience, especially if it is relevant to the degree, so you also have the option of getting some experience before going to University at a later date.

I myself have just been offered a place on a foundation degree course at University in Building Surveying despite having just 2 GCSEs and no A Levels (due to a long term illness). The reason why is because I am now a 'mature' student at the age of 22 and I have relevant experience in the subject. The foundation degree is two years and gives me the option of studying for a BSc(Hons) degree afterwards, entering straight into the 2nd year.

I know it very much depends on the University and subject which you want to take. My point is, there are usually other routes into higher education and just because you didn't quite get the GCSE results you were expecting it doesn't mean that you should just give up with education all together.
 
Might as well then :/

English: C
Maths: D
Geography: D
Science: BETC PASS
business and commication studies: C

Target grades where C's

Hmm...
 
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I'm sure that people who get less than 4 C grades can still do GNVQs or BTECs at college, or go onto an NVQ apprenticeship, you just have to resit Maths / English if you didnt get a C in those.

A Levels is a no no though, but the other stuff can still work out well if you manage to get a Distinction or Merit.

When I did my GCSEs It used to be:

5 B grades = A levels in 6th form
4 C grades = A levels at College
C in english + Maths, D / Es elsewhere = BTEC / GNVQ (you still require a C in the subject you want to do though).
 
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Got mine this morning.
Physics A*
History D
German D
Maths A
Biology B
Business A
Chemistry B
English lit C
English Language B
ICT B
Systems and control B

Off to do A levels at college, Computing, Physics, Maths and economics.
Some guys in my year were getting 11 A*s which is impressive, but Good luck to all!
 
A.N.Other said:
Pretty sure you shouldn't have been allowed to sit it then, but hey ho.
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You are able to begin the exam at the earliest time it could have finished (imagine a two hour exam starting at 8:00. You can start up until 10:00.) or if in isolation, as long as you are isolated.
 
Well, for reference, here's my Standard Grade results from 09

Chemistry - 1
Computing - 1
Art & Design - 1
Graphics - 2
Craft & Design - 2
Geography - 2
English - 2
Maths - 3

So I guess that's 3 A*s, 4 As and a B in GCSE terms?
 
UK-AL05 said:
IB = Very broad, but shallow education. A-Levels concentrated but in-depth.
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I'm going to disagree here, having had experience in both IB and A levels (IB Maths, Physics, Chem, History at HL and English and Spanish ab initio at SL as well as A level Biology and AS politics and electronics). The IB is broad, yes, and the standard levels are relatively shallow, however, at higher level the IB covers a large amount, and from what our maths teacher said HL maths is at least as in depth as the A level, we covered complex numbers which isn't mentioned in A level maths, for example. From a science point of view, I would say that the content in HL physics was at least as much as that in A level biology, but there were modules in the A level, so you were able to focus your revision in "chunks".

All in all, given the choice I would definately do the IB again!
 
brainiac ghost said:
I'm going to disagree here, having had experience in both IB and A levels (IB Maths, Physics, Chem, History at HL and English and Spanish ab initio at SL as well as A level Biology and AS politics and electronics). The IB is broad, yes, and the standard levels are relatively shallow, however, at higher level the IB covers a large amount, and from what our maths teacher said HL maths is at least as in depth as the A level, we covered complex numbers which isn't mentioned in A level maths, for example. From a science point of view, I would say that the content in HL physics was at least as much as that in A level biology, but there were modules in the A level, so you were able to focus your revision in "chunks".

All in all, given the choice I would definately do the IB again!
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Are you sure it doesn't get covered by A-Level (complex numbers)?

I'm doing Maths and Further Maths A-Level (I guess it might be further only) next year and I've already covered Complex numbers in lessons last year (that said we basically ignored the GCSE syllabus as it had all been covered before)
 
Ksanti said:
Are you sure it doesn't get covered by A-Level (complex numbers)?

I'm doing Maths and Further Maths A-Level (I guess it might be further only) next year and I've already covered Complex numbers in lessons last year (that said we basically ignored the GCSE syllabus as it had all been covered before)
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complex numbers are covered in FP1 or FP2 (can't remember which)
 
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