Unobtainable proof of GCSEs - options?

[equationgirl]

Nope. I believe that was the assessment in the Graun, I have never wittingly read the DM.

Doesn't mean The Guardian is right either. Take a look at 'the Guardian is going down the pan' thread for their standards of journalism.

 

[Epona]

What I find ridiculous is the idea an exam someone sat 20 years ago is in anyway indicative of their current skill level.

Indeed, I have a French O Level ffs. Je ne comprend pas...

 

[StoneRoad]

My first undergraduate year covered some aspects of what I had done for A level, and not always in as much detail. But for some of my fellow students the material was totally new. And vikki verkki at other times. Or completely new to all of us, just occasionally, for a change.
One of the perils of different exam boards having differing syllabi.

 

[Oula]

Ah, it's a teaching in the lifelong learning sector PGCE

What I find ridiculous is the idea an exam someone sat 20 years ago is in anyway indicative of their current skill level.

When I did my DTTLS (diploma in teaching in the lifelong learning sector) I couldn't find my GCSE certificates so had to do maths and English tests to prove my level. I got an A in GCSE maths and barely scraped a pass in the test.

Starred grades are relatively recent, so anyone who sat GCSEs in the late 80s or the 90s won't have had stars. Claim them at your peril!

I sat mine in 1997 and that was the first year of them.

my gcses were 1994 and i got stars.
maybe it varied on exam board?

I got an A* in 1995 but can't remember what in.

 

[Spymaster]

Has anyone mentioned getting fake certificates off the internet.

 

[Epona]

I was having to complete some forms for my C&G assessments, and it asked the highest level of my GCSEs in maths and English - er mate GCSEs didn't exist when I was at school

 

[Proper Tidy]

Has anyone mentioned getting fake certificates off the internet.

Need those chinese fellas back on here

 

[Steel Icarus]

Need those chinese fellas back on here

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

You don't get QTS but you can get QTLS which is (meant to be) an equivalent via the Society for Education and Training (SET)

also when I did my PGCE they did give you a Maths and English test to prove that you could provide support for level 2 Maths and English. Technically you were meant to be able to do the same for ICT but they were a bit more flexible on that.

I was looking at this again and to get QTLS you apparently do have to show a level 2 qualification as part of the process.

i might have a problem if i end up going for it.

 

[equationgirl]

I was having to complete some forms for my C&G assessments, and it asked the highest level of my GCSEs in maths and English - er mate GCSEs didn't exist when I was at school

I would have just listed what I did have. I know GCSEs have been around a while now, but a bit short sighted not to recognise peoplehhave other qualifications too.

 

[muscovyduck]

I would have just listed what I did have. I know GCSEs have been around a while now, but a bit short sighted not to recognise peoplehhave other qualifications too.

Especially seeing as even people who sit level 2 qualifications now have plenty that are GCSE equivalent (or equivalent of several gcses) like btecs or those English and Maths certificates everyone seems to end up with

 

[scifisam]

I would have just listed what I did have. I know GCSEs have been around a while now, but a bit short sighted not to recognise peoplehhave other qualifications too.

They usually include "equivalents."

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

How many times did you take that national record of achievement* to any job interviews? They just sat and looked at it like you were some sort of dick.


*For some reason we were forced to complete this faux leather cv of our aspirations and shit like that. This was 1995.

 

[equationgirl]

How many times did you take that national record of achievement* to any job interviews? They just sat and looked at it like you were some sort of dick.


*For some reason we were forced to complete this faux leather cv of our aspirations and shit like that. This was 1995.

Thankfully I avoided that. I think my brothers had to do it at school perhaps, but I don't think either of them ever used it, certainly not since getting their degrees.

Another thing that schools seem adamant about is work experience, yet some schools don't organise the placements. My last employer would often offer placements for the children of employees, word of mouth only, and the placements would be in different teams. Most students seemed to be offered nothing, or placements in nearby supermarkets, care homes or primary schools.

If the placement means that much to the school, they should be organising them in a variety of different places and sectors.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

It was mainly for the kids that wouldnt be getting degrees i guess, a last resort to improve education results school leaver results or something.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Fyi: last summer’s chemistry paper here. Plus markscheme. Edexcel Chemistry Past Papers - Revision Science

Bloody hell I'd definitely fail that if I sat it now. I knew a few of the answers - the basic chemistry ones - but many were wtf?

 

[colacubes]

It was mainly for the kids that wouldnt be getting degrees i guess, a last resort to improve education results school leaver results or something.

Maybe depended on the school. Absolutely everyone got one at my school in 1994 including people going on to do degrees. I have never used it and don’t know anyone who has

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Of course, if you were lucky enough to get to university, it was probably expected that your degree would do the talking.
The way they talked about it at the time was that we would have it with us for life, adding our experience of endebtured servitude to the folder. I took it to my first job interview and it remained untouched on the table. So those hours writing in your best cursive about what a twat you wanted to be when you grew up were a waste of time.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Most students seemed to be offered nothing, or placements in nearby supermarkets, care homes or primary schools.

I did work experience in M & S for some reason - maybe that was about all they could organise given the reduction in better paying jobs in the chemical and steel industries in the area during the 80s. Got plenty of massively reduced food that they'd otherwise have binned though.

I think I have some kind of red-ish A4 sized folder thing which had plastic pockets to keep certificates in - is that the national record of achievement thing?

 

[BristolEcho]

The goals in my record of achievement were apparently :

To sit still.
Not talk.

I've not managed too achieve that either.

 

[Boudicca]

I remember once being asked by HR for my O (yes I am that old), A level and degree certificates about two years after starting working for a particular company. I threw in my 50 yards Swimming Certificate for good measure.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I threw in my 50 yards Swimming Certificate for good measure.

I've still got those, despite losing some of the exam certificates. Being able to swim is more useful in the long run that being able to recite Shakespeare.

 

[spanglechick]

National records of achievement were only a thing for a few years in the mid nineties, I think, and not consistent throughout that period.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

National records of achievement were only a thing for a few years in the mid nineties, I think, and not consistent throughout that period.

Probably after my time then.

 

[Looby]

For some fucking weird reason I went to my record of achievement presentation even though I’d achieved absolutely fuck all. I think there were a few positive slips in there like ‘came to school for a whole week’ or ‘remembered her tie today’. [emoji1]

Fuck it though, 24 years later I’m off to my graduation in November to collect my 2:1. [emoji106]

 

[spanglechick]

I just looked it up. They started in 1993, and were recommended to be wound up in 1996, though they limped on in some schools until the early 00s.

They were used for sixth form admissions and by employers used to recruiting lots of 16 year olds, but universities never took an interest and most employers were completely unaware.

 

[Epona]

I would have just listed what I did have. I know GCSEs have been around a while now, but a bit short sighted not to recognise peoplehhave other qualifications too.

Nah, there was no listing anything - it was all dropdown boxes

 

[BristolEcho]

I just looked it up. They started in 1993, and were recommended to be wound up in 1996, though they limped on in some schools until the early 00s.

They were used for sixth form admissions and by employers used to recruiting lots of 16 year olds, but universities never took an interest and most employers were completely unaware.

I got mine in the early '00s. It also had another pupils name in the statement written by the tutors.

I've never used it.

 

[equationgirl]

Nah, there was no listing anything - it was all dropdown boxes

Even more annoying.

 

[Oula]

How many times did you take that national record of achievement* to any job interviews? They just sat and looked at it like you were some sort of dick.


*For some reason we were forced to complete this faux leather cv of our aspirations and shit like that. This was 1995.

I also had one and never, ever used it. Such bollocks. "be form librarian - it will look good in your records of achievement."

Thankfully I avoided that. I think my brothers had to do it at school perhaps, but I don't think either of them ever used it, certainly not since getting their degrees.

Another thing that schools seem adamant about is work experience, yet some schools don't organise the placements. My last employer would often offer placements for the children of employees, word of mouth only, and the placements would be in different teams. Most students seemed to be offered nothing, or placements in nearby supermarkets, care homes or primary schools.

If the placement means that much to the school, they should be organising them in a variety of different places and sectors.

When they arranged our work experience at 16 they asked what we wanted to do forva job. I said forensic psychologist, as I was really into Cracker at the time. They said that I couldn't do work experience in that, so for me it with the police instead. I was there for two days, then sent home for having a pierced lip. I had to write to them and apoligise and ask them but to judge other girls from my school based on my behaviour.