It’s the GCSE exam season again. Soon, a cohort of 15 and 16 year olds will be taking a set of exams which could potentially pinpoint their future.

 

Last summer, 68% of students achieved a grade 4 and above. However, only the top 5% of students in the UK will achieve a 9 in any given subject, and an even lower percentage for ambitious students attempting the age-old challenge of achieving all 9s.

 

This statistic not only shows how impressive achieving a grade 9 can be, but also highlights how difficult it is. It also shows that 95% of students will not achieve this grade.

 

All you students will be considering this, and potentially a question based around this: what if I don’t achieve a 9? How should I react? Am I utterly finished for the rest of my life?

 

Well, fear not. To be fair, a 9 is an exceptionally high grade, and not completely necessary in terms of entering university, or finding a job, since a 9 refers to a high A*: 7s and 8s are still A grades, and about the top 25% in the country are grade 7 or above, which is much more manageable, whilst still being a fairly good grade.

 

Therefore, if your real grade is not exactly what you expected, it shouldn’t matter too much. Of course, if you are truly unsatisfied with your grades, you could opt for a remark, and that could increase your grade, however it could also be in vain…

 

And for if you’re utterly, truly finished: the short answer is no. Whilst some consider a 4 as a pass mark, realistically a pass mark is anything above a U (a grade of 1 is achieved by writing your name), and, in later life, realistically 10 9s are not needed (and potentially won't even be considered) when one may go looking for a job. 

 

On a closing note, at the end of the day just try your utter hardest in terms of revision and in the actual exam: that’s all anyone can ask you for. 

 

Good luck to the current GCSE students!