Two of my grandchildren are doing GCSE right now
all I can say is they have been given every opportunity,both by the school and their parents.
For the children who are not so bright,there are many other paths for them to take,there is even a farm all maintained by the children,where the public can get fresh eggs etc.
The drama groups put on some of the best shows I have ever seen.
What I am trying to say is ,I think children today are very well educated,of course you will always have the exception and it seems they are the ones who get the publicity.

I aggree...there are more opportunities open today for youngsters than ever there was when i left school in the 60s.
I those days if you were lucky to go to Grammer school you were selected to do well and groomed for great things ahead. the rest of us had less opportunities offered to us. I have a nethew who comes to stay with us regularly, he's never been a scollar but he's a practicle lad who works hard and is learning skills at college that will give him a great start in life, he's doing really well and hoping to get an apprenticeship after college. I only wish I had had those opportunities.. We must praise and encourage our youngsters they are our country's future. there will always be a few bad apples in every basket, but i do see some very clever youngsters out there and some very polite young people too. So glad your grandchildren are doing so well Mac

That is precisely why all youngsters irrespective of their academic ability  need opportunities planned to give them self esteem, because if the "system " does not do this for them then they will find ways of looking "big " in the eyes of their peer group by perpetrating such stupid acts .

There is nothing succeeds like success  and what ever form it takes  they /we  all need it to some degree if we are to be comfortable with ourselves

Hi Val
I sypathise with you,I dont think there any apprenticeships nowadays as we knew them,these kids do well at school and college,then nothing ! many cant afford to go to uni,and this is what makes you mad because I read in the newspaper yesterday that the Europeans can get a degree for £150 a month..................what the hell is it all about ?

Every generation has to face up to the same challenge...resarching my family tree has brought this home to me. Going back to my great great grandfathers time in the 1700's I found most of my ancesters lived in the country mostly they were aggricultural labourers, into the 1800's my Great grandfather was a Lace maker most of his children worked in the lace industry even is 8 year old grandaughter shows her occupation as a lace drawer, but by the late 1800's the lace industry had ended and in the 1900s my Grandfather worked on the railways. I myself worked for 20 years for the railways but even that has gone now and at 47 i had to look elswhere for work. Luckily the railway had taught me to use a computer so i've addopted to office work. Not much money in my job but we eat lol.

Val my advice to you is just be glad you have them, you can't live there lives for them though we all try, but just be there for them. chances are that they will find there path through life they will find there way.

We were lucky our daughter loved studying she was always good at maths. she got her qualifications to become an accountant and happily married another accountant she kept studying and got her Masters (BA) and went to work for Bristol University.. When she was 36 she took Her Docterate  in Education and she joined KPMG and within a year was invited to become an assistant director with them. She was very comfortable on good money and had a very good life. she used to fly all over the world then when she was 41 she went on a shopping weekend to New york with a friend she flew back and a week later she collapsed and died having contracted DVT (deep vain thrombosis). We are very proud of what she achieved in her life, but sometimes i wish she had beenm less succesful and still with us, So val we all worry about our childrens future, but just be glad there there and there'll find a way through things i'm sure.