source: Nish Kumar on twitter
Not his funniest line, TBH.
GCSE Maths, for some bizarre reason, currently seems to cover a good chunk of what used to be in the 'A' Level syllabus when I was at school. My 'O' Level stopped short of anything but the most basic algebra, there was little beyond a bit of Pi wrangling, and that is a decent level for 99% of people.
Now unless you are suited to the harder stuff, there is no way to get a decent grade. Which, I'd imagine, can be pretty demotivating for many.
Its going to be interesting to see if Rishi actually takes any questions on his none-existent policy/thinking-out-loud and all the other stuff he's pretending isn't actually happening, or if he'll go for Johnsons favoured presidential style of standing behind a lectern, spouting some vague bullshit then wandering off back off to invisibility for another month
Hhhhhmmmmmmmm.... I wonder which it will be?
Now unless you are suited to the harder stuff, there is no way to get a decent grade. Which, I’d imagine, can be pretty demotivating for many.
Indeed. Its just another way for them to enforce their educational apartheid.
If you're middle class, from a decent area with good schools and parents who can pay for additional tuition then you're laughing. From a sink estate with an underfunded failing school, or if you're just someone with more practical, non-academic skill-set, then its just yet another way to deny you any opportunities
An anti-meritocracy
GCSE Maths, for some bizarre reason, currently seems to cover a good chunk of what used to be in the ‘A’ Level syllabus when I was at school. My ‘O’ Level stopped short of anything but the most basic algebra, there was little beyond a bit of Pi wrangling, and that is a decent level for 99% of people.
Now unless you are suited to the harder stuff, there is no way to get a decent grade. Which, I’d imagine, can be pretty demotivating for many.
Sounds like we are a similar era - i got an A at O level and a D at A level, totally different beasts.
I was amazed at what my kids were doing for GCSE, eldest got A* at A level further maths and his sister is heading the same way, no way "most" people don't need mu h beyond the old O level
I see Boris has sent in his attack dog Mad Nad to savage the Sunak Regime.
I wonder if Rishi has done the maths on the number of maths teachers needed for this and how he’s going to recruit and retain them?
No need. Just use the military as per every other crisis.
It doesn’t matter what he announces (an elevator to the moon, hoverboards for everyone) we all know theres absolutely eff all chance that anything will actually happen, because nothing ever does.
Well... apparently this is a policy that isn't going to have detail hung off it, never mind be implemented, 'till after the next election... if the Conservatives win it, and if Sunak is still their leader, and if anyone can still remember it... so yeah, never happening... just some noise to sound like a PM. He's just letting us know that he does have "ideas"... even if nothing will ever be implemented because his attention is taken up with wondering if he should be buying another home in the USA, to spread his options there given the way it's been ravaged by climate change in the last few years while he's been having to spend so much time over here pretending to be based in Yorkshire.
I see Boris has sent in his attack dog Mad Nad to savage the Sunak Regime.
On Newsnight last night they had three different political commentators making their predictions for 2023. Every one of them predicted Boris and his cult-members attempting to topple Rishi and reinstall their glorious leader back in his rightful place.
I doubt that all three of them pulled that out of the air, so theres obviously moves already afoot
I've got a horrible feeling that the insanity of the internal politics of the Tory party is going to be even worse than last year. The country will be just yet more collateral damage to one mans gargantuan ego
I'd love to know where 1. The maths teachers and 2. The funding for it all are coming from?
The bigger issue isn't that maths isn't taught to 18, it's that an alarming number of kids fall through the cracks in the system and have no grasp of even basic maths by the time they reach their GCSE, fixing that issue will solve a lot of the "problems" with our nationwide maths levels. But fixing that issue isn't sexy and headline grabbing, and will cost money, as it involves bringing back services that have been slashed by the cuts (not increasing budgets is a cut in real terms, unfunded payrises for teachers resulted in cuts to school services elsewhere) and this govt are allergic to spending money unless they can funnel it away to offshore accounts for them/their mates.
This is the education age where this government, including Sunak as Chancellor have...
- reduced total spending
- reduced spending per a head
- reduced the wages of educators
- have watched a recruitment crisis unfold for maths teachers
Still... wave a half baked idea around that will never be put into practice... perhaps people will forget.
EDIT: actually, the retired age voters will, won't they... you know the ones... they think modern qualifications are too easy to obtain and that all further education students are dossing off doing subjects they can't comprehend have any possible value.
Binners - thats vbeen obvious for months. Johnson decided that after Truss was too soon but its certainly going on the plotting to reinstate him
And he's off
Christ, he's patronising, isn't he? Its like he's talking to a group of toddlers
"Your priorities are my priorities. Together, we will build a better future."
and more and more vague, meaningless platitudes delivered in managementspeak like a corporate mission statement
**** off Rishi!
Hmm... what does this remind me of...? Oh yeah... I've heard a few speeches by temporary heads dropped into failing schools to turn things around... only to quickly be found to be out of their depth and moved on.
And here it is. Rishi's 'vision'.
Looking rather like the Ed Stone
https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1610638780704194567?s=20&t=tS3sN6s_hQbELXpSQTnGRA
Halving inflation won't ease the cost of living, it'll just mean it's outstripping earnings at a slightly lower rate.
And laws won't stop small boats unless they're really big laws placed in the middle of the english channel.
the-muffin-man
Full MemberI’m in no way defending Sunak – but in what professional trade do you not need a grasp of basic maths?
This is how the scam works- everyone already gets taught basic maths, in fact more than basic. Adding more teaching on the end will not help with that. But it looks plausible and lots of people are going to think "quite right, kids these days can't count without calculators or budget" like that's a skill you'll learn at 18.
May as well say every home gets a unicorn, he’s so ****ing deluded and patronising.
Id have no end of fun with the prick in a locked room
“Family looks after us when we are ill”… says a man whose family can buy any healthcare they want in any country they want.
Once you listen to Sunak as if he's Will from the inbetweeners you can't go back.
https://twitter.com/nichughes79/status/1610642393585569793?s=20&t=Im59QyuFS4VOTFmL5afcbg
“Virtual wards”… is that stay at home and have your “family look after you”?
“Virtual wards”… is that stay at home and have your “family look after you”?
Sounds suspiciously like a move to metaverse wards, wear a headset and pretend you are being treated.
Interesting comments regarding the bar being raised at GCSE level.
I was one of the last to do the old style "O" levels when the GCSE's were brought in, around 1986 I think.
They were definitely easier than the O levels when first introduced and the syllabus was reduced.
He started his speech just as I had finished eating my lunch. I swore at the TV twice before deciding it would be better to take the dog for a little walk. I was surprised that he was still going on in his condescending manner when I got back.
Inflation is going to be the big smoke and mirrors in 2023. Ooh look inflation in September 2023 is only 4% (higher than September 2022), ignore the fact that compound inflation from 2020 is 20%+ and you have only had 3% of pay rises.
“Virtual wards”… is that stay at home and have your “family look after you”?
Back of an ambulance perhaps?
Good move including reducing inflation as a target. That one might just be possible by virtue of the massive increases tailing off.
I was one of the last to do the old style “O” levels when the GCSE’s were brought in, around 1986 I think.
Here come the old guard... Have a flip though a current day GCSE maths higher exam paper, or those for triple/individual science... your O levels won't get you though them.
Sunak has zero gravitas and is perhaps the most patronising politician I've ever seen. I reckon Boris will be back by the time of the next election. The tories are not going to let Sunak take them to electoral oblivion, because that's what he's going to do.
Here come the old guard… Have a flip though a current day GCSE maths exam paper,
Did you bother to read what I posted?
Never mentioned anything about current day.
around 1986
So nearly 30 years ago.
Anyway in 2012 Ofqual found they had got easier. Not sure if that is still the case 10 years later?
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/may/01/gcse-alevels-easier-says-ofqual
Inflation is going to be the big smoke and mirrors in 2023. Ooh look inflation in September 2023 is only 4% (higher than September 2022), ignore the fact that compound inflation from 2020 is 20%+ and you have only had 3% of pay rises.
This. Ever increasing cost of living painted as a win. The press/media will be behind him all the way with that little ploy as well. Will it work?
around 1986
So nearly 30 years ago
Good luck with a current day GCSE maths higher exam paper!
🤓
But seriously, check one out.
Even back in "our day" the GCSEs weren't easier... or rather getting equivalent grades was no easier or based on a reduced curriculum. What did happen is that "easier" papers covering the fundementals for those not capable of getting the higher grades were introduced. And double science was introduce to keep everyone in STEM education even if they didn't shine in science(s). But a gap did open up between GCSE and A levels in some subjects as A levels were made more stretching. Things have changed in the last 35+ years to close that down though. Top GCSE grades are more of a stretch now than when first introduced. Getting a 7 is close to an old A... and there's two more grades to aim for beyond that.
Good luck with a current day GCSE maths higher exam paper!
🤓
But seriously, check one out.
I found this
Is that representative?
The only thing that I can't remember in our syllabus are statistics. We did everything else.
Paper seems quite short to me but that could just be my memory.
The Tory-leaning commentator on Five Live just nailed it
"Its sounded like it could have been written by an AI chatbot"
At least we now all know that family matters to him. Something most of us can agree with him on.
Does it mean anything at all though? A PM during a winter where the NHS has been pushed into crisis, food is noticeably more expensive every time you do your shop, public transport is stagnating as unions resist the double whammy of job losses and real term pay cuts, putting the heating on feels like a luxury, businesses are shutting down on high streets and trading estates across the UK… at least we agree that family means something to most of us.
Family, family.
Is… that… it?!?
Oh, one more thing… do things “differently, and better”.
🤷🏻♂️
Once you listen to Sunak as if he’s Will from the inbetweeners you can’t go back.
I’d been wondering why I found Sunak‘s voice so familiar 🙂
"Once you listen to Sunak as if he’s Will from the inbetweeners you can’t go back."
He out Milibands Ed Miliband by some distance.
I am loving his " please don't cancel elective surgery" plea. Just how are folk to have surgery if there is no bed for them? Semi detached idiot he is
So we are going to get more choice in our healthcare as he single handedly takes millions off the waiting lists do we think that he will force the private sector to help us out is his maths failing him a bit don’t get ill folks🤬
Getting a 7 is close to an old A… and there’s two more grades to aim for beyond that.
Yeah but to get an A++ you need to get 101% or more on your maths test, which is a result only public school boys achieve.
Sunak has zero gravitas and is perhaps the most patronising politician I’ve ever seen. I reckon Boris will be back by the time of the next election. The tories are not going to let Sunak take them to electoral oblivion, because that’s what he’s going to do.
Sunak has until the local elections in May. All bets will be off after that if it goes the expected way for him. Though to be fair, BJ might not be an MP by then if the ethics committee see fit so that'll muck the cunning plan up a bit.
Probably the only chance of a general election this year too - the Tories deciding that they'd rather loose by 100 seats now than get beaten by 200 seats the following year.
the Tories deciding that they’d rather loose by 100 seats now than get beaten by 200 seats the following year.
They would get beat by at least 200 seats now. Next year could be a lot more. It’s entirely feasible that they could be left with less than 100 seats after the next election.
The worst of the recent predictions for the tories showed them coming in 3rd place behind the SNP who would then be the official opposition. Now that would be truely funny
There is no way that the tories will do anything but hang on as long as possible.
they could be left with less than 100 seats after the next election
As much as I’d like that I think it’s unlikely. A few articles in the sun, mail & express will bolster their support🙁
Yeah the likes of the express are in full 'hate hary and meghan' mode at the moment... because theres apparenty nothing else news worthy. Come election time they will ramp up the general 'us V's them' haterage to keep the tories in power.
Though to be fair, BJ might not be an MP by then if the ethics committee see fit so that’ll muck the cunning plan up a bit.
Probably the only chance of a general election this year too – the Tories deciding that they’d rather loose by 100 seats now than get beaten by 200 seats the following year.
Johnson will want to be in a much safer seat, but booting out a sitting MP to do so will look cowardly, the rohipnol rape mps seat may be vacant soon if he's found guilty & thats a very safe bet for Johnson...
But sunak's not gone yet, even a trashing in the locals won't be the end for him, because all the other candidates are just as useless
Losing by 100 or 200 makes no odds, the tories will cling on to the last in the hope that either Labour will screw up or the economy /inflation will turn around
2 more years of these clowns in power
Edit
Tho I will say that holding a GE in the winter 2025 flu/covid NHS crisis would play very bad for the tories,
They might consider a summer 2024 GE
Losing by 100 or 200 makes no odds
Of course it does, it makes a huge difference. Losing by 100 seats makes it extremely hard to win the following general election, losing by 200 seats makes winning the following general election historically unprecedented, in other words impossible.
Also losing by 200 seats means a lot less big guns in parliament than losing by a 100. And a lower profile with less media coverage.
The Tories single greatest priority right now will be damage limitation, the consequences of total electoral meltdown are unimaginable to them.
The Tories are, if they really screw up badly, realistically looking at possibly their worst electoral defeat in 200 years of history.
The British Conservative Party is one of the most successful political parties in the world, they won't be blase about that level of defeat.
The British Conservative Party is one of the most successful political parties in the world
I dunno, the Khmer Rouge were pretty successful.
Founded in 1678 the Tory Party, and its successor the Conservative and Unionist Party, is the oldest political party in the world. It has been in power most of the last 200 years. It is still in power today.
Despite strong support from a Tory government the Khmer Rouge were remarkably less successful.
Can i just point out, i failed my 11 plus and i remain quietly proud of that achievement.
Also got one O level in 1979 (History) i felt i had over achieved.
My careers interview at school was "limited" to would you like the brush or the shovel? Went for the shovel.
