exams taken in the early 1970s

[fruitsalad]

in schools what were they called?

[DEN53]

O'Levels

[boxtops]

or A levels - both General Certificate of Education (in England)

[fruitsalad]

thanks DEN been disagreeing with someone who said they were CSE's

[boxtops]

Ah yes, the CSEs were taken by the people at the Secondary Modern Schools, Certificates of Secondary Eduction. There were different levels of exams for Grammar schools and secondary moderns in those days.

[Prudie]

You took GCE O Levels or the easier CSEs (CSE Grade 1 = O Level pass)

[dotty.]

I went to a Grammar School and took 'o' levels and one CSE cos I was rubbish at maths but the CSE grades 1 - 3 were an equivalent to a 2-3 in O level i think, or something like that

[saxy_jag]

Me too - grammar school, GCEs/O' levels (the same thing) in most subjects and CSEs in French and Maths because I was in the 'thick' stream.

[smurfchops]

11 plus ?

[society]

Test?

[Buenchico]

GCE (General Certificate of Education) O-levels (Ordinary Levels) were originally designed as examinations for only the top 20% of the ability range, which normally meant only those pupils attending grammar schools

CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations were designed to be taken by the next 40% of the ability range (which would normally be the top half of pupils attending secondary modern schools). The examination system was designed to ensure that an 'average' pupil (i.e. a median pupil across the whole of the academic spectrum) should be awarded a CSE Grade 4

It was thus intended that 40% of the school population should not obtain any formal qualification in any given subject

Originally there was no equivalence or overlap between the examinations but teachers in secondary modern schools fought hard (against fierce opposition from grammar school staff) for a CSE Grade 1 to be counted as equivalent to as the most basic (i.e. Grade 6) O-level pass

Chris