Who needs circuit breakers?

[securespark]

No, Pip, I took 8 'O's and 2 CSE's.

But I still reckon taking more GCSE's is not such a strain because of continuous assessment. And that coursework does not have to memorised for the exam.

I mean, based on knowledge gleaned from my Human Biology from school, here are five questions for someone who has recently taken their GCSE's, one of which was (Human) Biology:

Do NOT cheat, look in a book, or on the net. Do it from memory.


1. Where is your pyloric sphincter? What does it do?

2. Can you name the individual bones that make up the ossicles? Either the latin or common names will suffice. How big are they?

3. What is the name of the movement which takes food through the digestive system?

4. Arteries and veins carry blood round the body. Which carries blood from the heart? Which of these vessels have higher pressure?

5. Where would you find the Islets of Langerhans? What do they do?

 

[pipme]

No time for Bio stuff -- engineering was our game steeped in aircraft and cars down here.
Obviously all easier after the 60's ... demise of grammar schools etc proven by decline of GB etc --- stands to reason I s'pose Rock n' roll Beatles Stone(d)s. Tony and Gordo duet

 

[securespark]

Yes, I remember my Father (a Dr at Mcr Uni teaches EFL) saying in 1982 that my English papers were a breeze compared to his (1951) O levels!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And policemen are geting younger.

And despite all the talk of global warming, I'm sure that the summers were longer and warmer when I was a boy.

And I'd swear that Waggon Wheels are smaller than they used to be.

And Tizer definitely doesn't taste the same.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, I remember my Father (a Dr at Mcr Uni teaches EFL)

Experamental Fissics Labretary?

 

[keyplayer]

More digs at our hard pressed teachers. The fact is schools are under pressure to appear to be getting high pass rates for their league table position. The 98% pass figure is very misleading however, this is a percentage of entrants, and does not include the students that the schools do not enter for exams, as they have been deemed to have no chance of passing, and therefore would undermine the schools pass rate. If an overall pass rate was reported by the media, it would be much lower than 98%.

 

[securespark]

Yes, I remember my Father (a Dr at Mcr Uni teaches EFL)

Experamental Fissics Labretary?

NO!

English as a Foreign Language...

 

[brettjbuckley]

A good friend of mine has taught for a great many years and suggests that the standards have slackened considerably in his time. Still - it's subjective and this may be only his perception.

What winds me up more than anything though is this ridiculous "everyone's a winner" attitude that they have now. You know the sort of things... Let's make 40% pass rate an A grade, 50% an A*, 70% and A****, etc.

 

[shaggy]

Last year the CBI stated that there is dissatisfaction with the quality of school leavers as a new survey showed one in three firms gives remedial training to compensate for failures in the education system.
The CBI survey also showed that 33 per cent of firms needed to give school leavers basic training in literacy and numeracy over the last year.
The universities are having a problem selecting the right students unless they introduce their own entrance exam. The high grades achieved at A level do not differentiate the more capable from the less capable.

 

[plugwash]

The universities are having a problem selecting the right students unless they introduce their own entrance exam. The high grades achieved at A level do not differentiate the more capable from the less capable.

thats just oxbridge and a few of thier friends not by any means the bul of universities.

 

[shaggy]

I understand that it is a general problem. Have a quick read here

 

[plugwash]

AAA AAB and ABB are very different results universitys are not just going on the results of a single A level

sure 22.4% may get an A in any individual subject but this is not really what is relevent. What matters is how many get AAA.

A few of the tighter types of course (medicine law) have this problem and a few of the top universitys have it accross all subjects. but its not a problem for most departments.

 

[markf]

Now I seem to remember when I did my 'O' levels that to pass you needed to get a C or higher. What is the pass for a GCSE, and at what % of the mark is this pass awarded?

 

[plugwash]

I think grades down to F (or is it G) can be awarded and are technically passes but Es and Fs won't get you into much. Collages usually have a basic entry requirement of 5 Cs at GCSE though this is not a hard and fast rule.

 

[RB2004]

B&Q has a lot to answer for, they probably sold him the consumer unit. Isn't it about time they had somebody on the electrical side who is able to spot the gormless looking bloke buying stuff like this, and is able to say to them.........."excuse me sir do you know what the f*** your doing.

Lol.. B&Q staff half the time dont even know themselves.. i was in there one time and heard 1 of their staff saying to a women, "you could always put the cable through a hosepipe or something to protect it"

she wanted to run a cable from her house, to a garden building or something... He should of been advising her about part p.. or if he was going to tell her whats required.. start by saying it needs SWA Cable.