Thursday 16 August 2012

'A Levels' - Results day

Today saw me at our eldest child's school getting the results of last academic year's endeavours. The head stood outside taking photographs and beaming as his charges collected their pieces of paper and he celebrated 'the best year ever' in terms of results. Many of those who had left were celebrating fours grade A results and there wasn't a sobbing person, or a shake of the head and a sigh, to be had.

Isn't education a wonderful thing?

Yet elsewhere there are others, I am certain, who will be collecting the evidence of their failure to excel in matters academic and pondering their future. Clearing and a naff degree in an institution that is exceedingly more naff than the place they hoped? Gap year? Resits and an attempt to relight the engine before the whole shebang plummets to earth? A change of plans and that ambition to be a brain surgeon or engineer (do we still have engineers I wonder?) - all gone!

The reality is that some of those out in the real world had a taste of being an academic failure at the magical age of eleven. Failing the exam of the same name (eleven plus in case you are too young or just unfortunate not to be british) condemned one onto the path of the secondary school and a blue collar, drone path whilst those who passed were destined to be the leaders and captains of our society!

The truth, as odd as it might sound today as results are contemplated (or mourned over) is this. Many of those who have done well have done so without passing their eleven plus, GCE, GCSE and A levels. In fact, even those who have passed them (and even been to 'good' schools and had the benefits of privilege) are, as often as not, passed by as the 'rest' make good and become late bloomers or find their passion or whatever.

I was taught that a degree takes three years and fastracks one six to seven years up the career ladder. This means that you do get a head start above those who have gone straight into work from school.

My experience was that many who took the graduate fast track soon found themselves caught up by the 'employment from school' and, unless they dug in and worked, eventually found themselves left in their dust. A degree is fun to get and helpful at the beginning, but ten years on its legacy is limited (unless you're a quack or some 'on the job' degree profession) - so if you have a child in your family with results today, help them take stock and point them to what they love or would enjoy and rather than what pays and assist them to see past this meaningless circus.

And if you have kids like mine who have excelled with their grades - do the same for them too. Education is about maximising who and what we are - not earning potential. We need to stop peddling this lie and making who we are and what we are worth being all about grades.

Happy results day

ps. the only thing that matters at the end of it all is can you pass the final exam?

Saved or not!

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