Do GCSE's help or hinder our children?

 As GCSE results arrive today, Hamptonpeople would like to open the discussion on our education system, exams and the effectiveness of GCSE's.

It was certainly a few years ago now, but I vividly remember my GCSE's. I remember the intense pressure that we were put under, by teachers more than parents in my case, and I remember truly believing that the world depended on these results. I am not sure if it is like this for many kids, but my school was particularly competitive and even a grade B (rather than an A) was sniffed upon.

I was saddened to read in the papers yesterday that the 'exam-obsessed' school system appears to be more about the teachers, and the number of passes, rather than the child's learning.

It is great that for a 23rd year in a row results are expected to rise today, but has teaching become more about manipulating learning around the exam boards rather than allowing children to develop their own skills in creativity and problem solving?

Having recently returned to the education system, I was studying an intensive course and we were literally treated like robots. There was no time for 'questions' or general discussion, as we HAD to grasp the new information that day, remember it and repeat it in parrot fashion on the day of the exam. There was no time for personal development, and we were all treated as one. Is this really how the classrooms operate for our youngsters?

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved school and I balled my eyes out when the final day came. Although it was great sitting there with a shirt covered in signatures and a few A's to my name I had absolutely no idea what was next.

Apparently this has not improved, and as many kids celebrate today, they will also be worrying about the next stage in their development. Most will go on to study A-levels, but with places at colleges becoming much harder to obtain, is it fair to generate this believe that GCSE’s results will mark your future if they actually don’t?

Hamptonpeople would like to hear your views on the education system. Are we giving our kids the correct message? Do GCSE's really matter? How do you encourage your child if the results are not as they had hoped for? And do teachers receive a tough thrashing from the media?

We would love to hear your comments.

Image courtesy of  textually.org