The dismal standard of high school science

[him_over_there]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7967600.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7966688.stm

bbc said:

GCSE Biology (AQA 2008)

When we sweat water leaves the body through…

A) Kidneys B) Liver C) Lungs D) Skin

bbc said:

Higher paper in science GCSE

Many people observe the stars using

A) A telescope B) A microscope C) An X-Ray tube D) A synthesiser

bbc said:

Foundation level

Candidates seemed secure on some aspects of the solar system and space but over 20% of candidates thought the Sun orbited the Earth.

• sigh*. It's not a great surprise though is it, the standard of science in this country and understanding of the scientific method is appalling.

I've seen a few questions from high school exam papers and they are ridiculous, not just in science but maths and the IT papers as well. Are we teaching children how to pass exams rather than instill into them an applied understanding of the subject?

[Einion Yrth]

him_over_there said:

Are we teaching children how to pass exams rather than instill into them an applied understanding of the subject?

Yes, and when the awkward little buggers refuse to pass in large enough numbers we make the exams easier.

[chris watton]

As long as they believe in MMGW, for future tax revenue purposes, all else is quite by the by....

[V8mate]

Whilst not commenting on the general standard of what is taught/learnt, you have to understand that they issue GCSEs with grades from A*-G. In order to gauge a grade across that array of marks there HAS to be some easy ones.

I'm pretty sharp with numbers, and think I could achieve a grade A in Maths and Science if I sat them today, but my niece (who's a bit of a boff) showed me the A* extension questions in GCSE Maths and I didn't have a clue where to start.

Edited by V8mate on Monday 30th March 10:59

[ludo]

V8mate said:

Whilst not commenting on the general standard of what is taught/learnt, you have to understand that they issue GCSEs with grades from A*-G. In order to gauge a grade across that array of marks there HAS to be some easy ones.

exams are not just pass-fail things, the questions should have carefully graduated levels of difficulty to measure the ability of the students right across the scale. While some of these questions may seem too easy, the fact that (apparently) some students get the wrong answers demonstrates that they nevertheless serve a useful purpose.

[Eric Mc]

Why grade all the way to G? Surely, if someone's level of knowledge is so poor, it is not worth grading at all.

In Ireland, in the 1970s, subjects at this level were graded down to F - but there no questions on the papers set at such an insulting level.

[s3fella]

FFS, I did the last year of O Levels that existed. The GCSE is a total JOKE by comparison.

[mattviatura]

Of course we aren't dumbing down. Our young people are simply cleverer and of course they know all about how climate change happens.

[Parsnip]

Call me a snob, but "science" isn't a subject.

Chemistry, yes
Physics, yes
Biology, yes
Science, no


Those questions are nothing to do with science as far as i can tell they are just common sense, no?

[fido]

Eric Mc said:

Why grade all the way to G? Surely, if someone's level of knowledge is so poor, it is not worth grading at all.

It's supposed to be equivalent to the old CSE - of course even the old CSE required more than writing down your name correctly to achieve a 'G', whereas the new Qualification has been devalued to bog-roll paper.

[Liszt]

s3fella said:

FFS, I did the last year of O Levels that existed. The GCSE is a total JOKE by comparison.

Yes you did O-level or GCE exams. These were merged with the easier CSE exams, hence GCSE and a wider spread.

I am suprised that everyone is trusting the BBC as an unbiased gospel of truth who accurately represent pieces of information.

[Engineer1]

School science is a piece of piss, and it is now science, multiple choice exams lasting 20 minutes per paper with the possiblity of resits and with the end of KS3 SATS the GCSE courses will start in year 9 so if a kid comes to you in 4 years time with anything less than straight A's they have been slacking or are truly dense. (My knowledge comes form 12weeks of placement in secondary schools, and GCSE science is a joke, A level isn't that much harder integer maths and the Radiation work all involved multiple half lives, however the kids still find the work as hard as each generation before did)

[V8mate]

Parsnip said:

Those questions are nothing to do with science as far as i can tell they are just common sense, no?

What's 'common sense'? Has to be one of the most abused terms ever.

Knowing the difference between a telescope and a microscope is common sense now?

I'd argue that 'common sense' doesn't exist. I guess I could be persuaded that basic awareness of avoiding acts which could endanger ones on life might count.

But telescopes????

[Parsnip]

V8mate said:

Parsnip said:

Those questions are nothing to do with science as far as i can tell they are just common sense, no?

What's 'common sense'? Has to be one of the most abused terms ever.

Knowing the difference between a telescope and a microscope is common sense now?

I'd argue that 'common sense' doesn't exist. I guess I could be persuaded that basic awareness of avoiding acts which could endanger ones on life might count.

But telescopes????

I would say so, how many folk are going to try looking at the moon with a microscope?

Thinking that the sun orbits the earth??? If you don't know that the earth is flat and orbits the moon then you are clearly an eejit. An eejit with no common sense.

[Martial Arts Man]

A levels are no better.

Even 10 years ago, when I took my A levels, they weren't too taxing.

Now they seem dumbed down beyond recognition.

My little bro has just sat his A-levels; I hadn't seen a paper in the intervening years, so was unsure until that point as to just how much easier they had become.


What is more scary is that MAM Jnr went to one of the UK's top Independant schools, yet cannot seem to construct a sentence in what I would consider to be a mature fashion. It seems that education devaluation is occurring right across the education spectrum.

Another example is my sister's degree (she's a third year at UCL). I insist on her emailing me her work before she hands it in to "English-ise" it. Her language is babyish and often reads as if she is chatting to her mate about the subject, not presenting university standard work. Another product of a fine Independant school. Straight A grades at GCSE and A level.

My mother went to the local Grammar school in these parts and, despite considering herself to be an English illiterate (comparatively to her peers), has a finer grasp of English than both my supposedly better educated siblings.


I am thoroughly appalled at what passes for an education in the UK right now. Education is not about regurgitating mindless facts. It is about understanding concepts and how these aforementioned facts knit together.

The prospect of employing anyone under the age of 25 right now is a scary one. If they are indigenous to these Isles.

The job applications that I receive from non Uk nationals, for menial jobs, consistently show a far greater understanding of our language than those from Britain. A scary scary situation.


What do I know though, eh? Exam results are improving year upon year, our children are cleverer and better educated than ever! If only......


A scandal.

[Clambake]

To me this looks like something an eight year old ought to be capable of.

http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/qp-ms/AQA-BLY1F-...

[Martial Arts Man]

Clambake said:

To me this looks like something an eight year old ought to be capable of.

http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/qp-ms/AQA-BLY1F-...

OMG!!!!

That is all.

[CoolC]

Clambake said:

To me this looks like something an eight year old ought to be capable of.

http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/qp-ms/AQA-BLY1F-...

I think I might give that to my 6 year old and see how she does.

[ipwn]

You sure those aren't warm up questions at the begining of the paper

I got my business A2 level paper back. Scored 99/120.

Teacher read it and said that there wasn't any theory in there whatsoever. In fact all year I have just been applying very very very general business knowledge into my papers and not specific theory like it should be. But just because when I write it I can get to Levcl 4 ( marking levels , there are 4 and you have to justify your answer to get level 4 that is it ) . It's ridiculous, I dont even have to bother to turn up to lessons to get an A.

Its learning how to pass the exam, fk the theory.

Edited by ipwn on Monday 30th March 11:55

[ludo]

ipwn said:

You sure those aren't warm up questions at the begining of the paper

It also has "Foundation Tier" written on the first page, presumably this is a module testing basic knowedge and other modules are more advanced (not that modular examinations are a good thing IMHO)?