Pupils awarded top marks in GCSE English exams for correctly spelling obscenities

 

By Duncan Robertson

Last updated at 9:18 AM on 30th June 2008

 

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One pupil who wrote 'f*** off' was rewarded for spelling and conveying his meaning accurately in his GCSE English exam (picture posed by models)

 

Pupils are being awarded marks for writing obscenities in their GCSE English exams even if they have nothing to do with the question, an examiner has revealed.

 

One pupil who wrote 'f*** off' was rewarded for spelling and conveying his meaning accurately.

 

He would have been given even more marks if he had chosen to put an exclamation mark at the end it - as this demonstrates a grasp of very basic grammar.

 

His paper was marked by Peter Buckroyd, a chief examiner who has instructed other examiners to do the same.

 

He said he had given the pupil two marks, out of a possible 27, for using the expletive.

 

The examiner, who works for the English for the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), has told trainee examiners recently they should award students some marks if they write swear words.

 

To gain minimum marks in English students must demonstrate 'some simple sequencing of ideas' and 'some words in appropriate order'.

 

According to Mr Buckroyd , the phrase 'f*** off' fulfilled this requirement.

 

The chief examiner, who is responsible for standards in exams taken by 780,000 candidates and for training for 3,000 examiners told the Times: 'It would be wicked to give it zero, because it does show some very basic skills we are looking for - like conveying some meaning and some spelling.

 

 

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'It's better than someone that doesn't write anything at all. It shows more skills than somebody who leaves the page blank.'

 

Mr Buckroyd says that he uses the example to teach examiners the finer points of marking: 'It elucidates some useful point - it shows some nominal skills but no relevance to the task.'

 

Although he acknowledged that the expletive was inappropriate to be written in an exam, he pointed out that the phrase 'different to' would also be inappropriate language.

 

The phrase 'f*** off' was given in answer to the question 'Describe the room you're sitting in' in a 2006 GCSE paper.' It was not punctuated.

 

'If it had had an exclamation mark it would have got a little bit more because it would have been showing a little bit of skill,' Mr Buckroyd added.

 

'We are trying to give higher marks to the students who show more skills.'

 

However the exam board AQQ, which is the largest of the three examination boards for GCSE and A levels in the UK, distanced itself from Mr Buckroyd's comments.

 

A spokesman said: 'If a candidate's script contains, for example, obscenities, examiners are instructed to contact AQA's offices, which will advise them in accordance with Joint Council for Qualifications guidelines.

 

'We are trying to give higher marks to the students who show more skills.'

:stunned: Now if only my english teachers were like that... :rolleyes:

:stunned: Now if only my english teachers were like that... :rolleyes:

 

Why, are you very skilled at profanity??:stunned:

Why, are you very skilled at profanity??:stunned:

 

Some might say...

 

 

.... no, not at all, actually. :P

you don't even have to write your name anymore just to get an A :stunned:

you don't even have to write your name anymore just to get an A :stunned:

 

No - just "F*ckface" will suffice!!:rolleyes:

Is this being discussed every year? I don't see the point of this whole discussion. If it was necessary they'd certainly make the exams harder. It just makes the kids feel like they haven't achieved anything at all. It's not like everyone gets awarded for writing some random answer and there is enough children, who don't get the grades.

Is this being discussed every year? I don't see the point of this whole discussion. If it was necessary they'd certainly make the exams harder. It just makes the kids feel like they haven't achieved anything at all. It's not like everyone gets awarded for writing some random answer and there is enough children, who don't get the grades.

 

The point is that high grades are now becoming meaningless because too many people are getting them due to the easy questions and "favourable" grading.

Consequently, lots of teenagers are turning up at uni incapable of studying the subjects they're there for as they've had far too easy a ride previously.

That's one of the reasons drop-out rates are so high.

You even mentioned you'd noticed the difference in standards yourself.;)

See, on Canadian exams, swearing gets you a zero for the whole exam. :thinking:

See, on Canadian exams, swearing gets you a zero for the whole exam. :thinking:

 

Which is how it should be.;)

So where in Canada are you?

The point is that high grades are now becoming meaningless because too many people are getting them due to the easy questions and "favourable" grading.

Consequently, lots of teenagers are turning up at uni incapable of studying the subjects they're there for as they've had far too easy a ride previously.

That's one of the reasons drop-out rates are so high.

You even mentioned you'd noticed the difference in standards yourself.;)

 

I know. I just don't understand why it's being discussed again. If everyone was able to do well because the questions are easy I guess they'd certainly change it.

 

I did my A Levels in a country where the exams are fairly hard to pass and most people don't even get the chance to take them. You still get a lot of people dropping out of uni or people, who study forever.

I know. I just don't understand why it's being discussed again.

 

Because nothing's been done about it?

Because nothing's been done about it?

 

Well if they were too easy and too many people went to college/ uni they'd probably have to something about it because it would cost too much money?

 

I don't know how this work in the UK. But you might pass pass with the same mark someone else fails the year after because they only offer a certain number of places at college in Switzerland. However, it's quite unfair because people take the exams at the actual college so it's very much a matter of luck.

Well unis are now starting to ignore the A-level grades because they're not worth the paper they're written on.;)