Sunday, May 08, 2005

Exam boost for pupils

This story, from the BBC, talks about the fact that there are various bonuses that are available for children taking GCSE's or A-levels if they experience a life trauma in the run-up to the exam.

A couple of thoughts spring to mind.

1) Are the bonuses cumulative? If so, would it be possible to pass the exam without actually sitting the paper? Would it be possible to get more than 100%? Will the bonuses available following the death of distant relatives mean that researching family trees will become even more popular? I think we should be told.

2) There must be a business opportunity here - selling nearly-dead pets to school-age children in the run-up to exams. Hamsters fight each other if they are in the same cage - how about buying about 10 old hamsters a couple of days before an exam, and keeping them in one cage? Would that count?

Reporting these stories is all very well, but the BBC is failing to ask the questions that we all want to know answers to.

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