GCSE Maths Exam Results Day – 12 January 2012

I wrote on Twitter earlier today that it’s a "big day" with the results of my GCSE Maths papers this afternoon and the open evening for Furze Platt’s Sixth Form tonight.

MATHS STUFF: Today, I found out the result of my GCSE Maths paper. (1296734_57770424)

Excitement grew during the day, as our grades weren’t to be revealed until 3:15pm. This nervous tension peaked during the last minutes of the last lesson, by which point concentration in the subjects we were supposed to have been studying was dwindling, as we each grew more desperate to see how we’d done.

Just to remind readers, the grade in question was from our GCSE Maths papers. The two papers (non-calculator and calculator) that we sat in November 2011 had their grades combined to create one result for our entire GCSE Maths qualification.

It’s fair to say that I wasn’t feeling confident, aside from expecting lower-than-usual grade boundaries after hearing what our teachers had made of the paper.

"The first question was a lot harder than the first question of papers I’d done in the past. Whilst I don’t blame a lack of confidence for how difficult I found the paper, it certainly was a harsh question to start with. But it was only a sign of things to come: the exam tested me on subjects I’d never even learnt, let alone revised."

— Andrew Burdett, ‘My Thoughts: Maths Non-Calculator Exam‘, 9 November 2011

So, at last, my grade: I got an A, which I’m very pleased with – it’s much, much better that I’d been expecting (I wasn’t holding out for anything greater than a C). Only one of the many people I asked immediately after the handing-out of the grade-cards got an A*, showing it was a hard paper.

Where many may criticise me is in my want to still retake. Just briefly, I’ll explain my reason. Before the exam, I was consistently getting As and A*s in the past-papers. An A is a fantastic result, don’t get me wrong, but if the opportunity arises (especially as I’m hoping to do Maths at A-Level), I’d love to retake so I can have a shot at bettering it.

For now, though, I’m delighted to have a great grade in the first subject that I’ve effectively finished.

Andrew Burdett

Andrew Burdett is a twenty-something from Maidenhead in Berkshire, working for ITV News.

6 Responses

  1. Well done, an A is amazing, but I understand the need to better it, and I wish you luck with A level, I can’t say I’m finding it easy 🙂

    • It’s a challenge I’m relishing, not just in Maths but also the other subjects. Teachers have rightly warned us that they’ll be among the hardest years of our lives, but should shape us into hard-working people. Thanks for commenting.

  2. Rory says:

    Congratulations Andrew. I got my results and achieved the best grade that I could have got, a C. I’m happy – now I can focus on ther subjects.

    Rory

    • In any exam, in any subject, there’s something strangely soothing about knowing that if you can’t recall information, it’s not that you should have worked harder to learn it, but rather that you did your best and your grade is a fair and true representation of your ability in that subject.

      Cheers Rory.

  3. Becci Barnes says:

    Congratulations Andrew – especially considering how hard the Maths paper was.

    My Daughter took the same Maths Papers as you and was devastated at how hard it was. She hasn’t received her results yet but she only wants a C so fingers crossed!