How many GCSEs?

As a sideline I will mention that the English school system of the 1950s to the 1970s operated on a principle of whittling down the numbers by making failures of children.


Children in Y6 of primary school were effectively put at an intersection in life when they were subjected to the 11 plus test, which determined whether they attended a secondary modern or a grammar school. Those who failed the 11 plus ended up at a secondary modern where they took CSEs (which basically said I went to school) then became factory fodder or office dogsbodies. Those who passed the 11 plus ended up at a grammar school where they took O Levels which could be used to access A Levels leading to university, or more respectable careers. The 11 plus test was (and still is) mathematics and English so talent in other subjects like history, science, music, and foreign languages do not count for anything.


Those who passed the 11 plus test and attended grammar school faced a second hurdle. That was O Levels were norm referenced rather than criterion referenced so the grades were rationed. It was simply impossible for more than a certain percentage to a achieve an A grade no matter how much effort they put in. The situation changed around 1980 towards a somewhat criterion referenced system which continued into GCSEs.


Why was this system used? In order to protect salaries of professionals - and much of the middle class - by restricting the supply of people with qualifications. The establishment knows that people can be high achievers if they are provided with the opportunity to achieve. Education reforms since 1980 have shown this where there has been a marked increase in the number of students getting high GCSE grades and consequently attending university (although numbers for certain academically rigorous courses have not always increased) resulting in salary deflation and too many graduates for not enough graduate jobs. It's also a consequence of the decline in heavy industry and other unskilled and semi-skilled jobs which absorbed the 'failures' from the school system in decades gone by.

As a sideline I will mention that the English school system of the 1950s to the 1970s operated on a principle of whittling down the numbers by making failures of children.


Children in Y6 of primary school were effectively put at an intersection in life when they were subjected to the 11 plus test, which determined whether they attended a secondary modern or a grammar school. Those who failed the 11 plus ended up at a secondary modern where they took CSEs (which basically said I went to school) then became factory fodder or office dogsbodies. Those who passed the 11 plus ended up at a grammar school where they took O Levels which could be used to access A Levels leading to university, or more respectable careers. The 11 plus test was (and still is) mathematics and English so talent in other subjects like history, science, music, and foreign languages do not count for anything.


Those who passed the 11 plus test and attended grammar school faced a second hurdle. That was O Levels were norm referenced rather than criterion referenced so the grades were rationed. It was simply impossible for more than a certain percentage to a achieve an A grade no matter how much effort they put in. The situation changed around 1980 towards a somewhat criterion referenced system which continued into GCSEs.


Why was this system used? In order to protect salaries of professionals - and much of the middle class - by restricting the supply of people with qualifications. The establishment knows that people can be high achievers if they are provided with the opportunity to achieve. Education reforms since 1980 have shown this where there has been a marked increase in the number of students getting high GCSE grades and consequently attending university (although numbers for certain academically rigorous courses have not always increased) resulting in salary deflation and too many graduates for not enough graduate jobs. It's also a consequence of the decline in heavy industry and other unskilled and semi-skilled jobs which absorbed the 'failures' from the school system in decades gone by.