Warning! Rant ahead!

anamenottaken

Gingernutty wrote: »

"Sorry Xxxx, its so tough today and competitive , we have to stick to the base line entry criteria’s requirements , additional higher entry qualifications cannot cancel this out.

Again I am sorry and thank you for your interest."

What is also sad is that the people who write these rejection letters can't write English properly.

The Level 2 Certificate in Adult Numeracy is at an equivalent level to GCSE A*-C but is not an equivalent qualification. It is easy to understand this if you have taken both.

City & Guilds offer the Level 2 Certificate in Adult Numeracy but they are not the only ones. OCR and Edexcel also offer this.

saintjammyswine

It may be the same level of learning but it may not be the equivalent qualification.
A course at level 2 means it is that level of learning, a full level 2 qualification is that level of qualification e.g. NVQ2, GCSE A* - C.

Hammyman

Unless your ONC and HNC specifically had Level 3 maths in which, AFAIK, only courses like electronics engineering do, then you probably don't meet the criteria.

WolfSong2000

asparagusnextleft wrote: »

I suspect you will find the modern day maths GCSE an absolute doddle. My ex husband failed his three times when he was 16, but decided to have another bash at it ten years ago. I saw the work he had to do and it was very, very easy yet he still struggled like mad and needed lots of help. He managed to pass it with a grade B though. I was quite shocked, he was clueless yet managed a B. GCSE's are not what they used to be.

I sat my GCSE maths paper about ten years ago now, and managed to fail three times. lol. I'm not a stupid person (currently doing - and passing (touch wood) - a masters degree), but just have a major mental block about maths. It's quite shocking, really. I "get" it, I just can't retain the information for some reason, so if I am asked to repeat the same exercise a few days later, or even a day later, I'll have forgotten how. It's very bizarre.

hcb42

Just take it again, if you are applying for public sector work, or any role where there will be thousands of applicants, and you are screened out on the minimum criteria.

I was once screened out for a basic IT trainer role in the NHS - as I didnt have an ECDL. I dont have an ECDL as never needed it, did computer programming at college, and have developed training courses in Excel before ECDL was even thought of - so my PC skills were way above that level. I couldnt achieve taking it in time to meet the recruitment timetable though, even though I stated on my application I would take it

Sambucus_Nigra

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Higher qualifications cannot compensate if a basic GCSE is required. There have been English graduates who haven't been able to teach until they get a grade C or over in GCSE English Language.

It has nothing to do with being an employers' market.

Correct - I have CSE English lang and lit, A level English and a degree in English - but couldn't get onto a PGCE as I didn't have GCSE English.

ferien_uk2011 wrote: »

Surely they wouldn't let you onto the degree course in the first place if you didn't have GCSE English?

GothicStirling wrote: »

I would be appalled if they let you on any degree without GCSE English.

Not necessarily; some of us are old enough to have CSEs and just took A levels at higher ed and missed out on the joys of GCSE.

Gingernutty

Sorry, I've had a rotten week, starting with an email to say I didn't get the job I was interviewed for (no reason given) and then this 'gem'.

I've calmed down now....:(

There is a local college within walking distance that does 'proper' GCSEs and not the equivalence 'thing', but the courses don't start until next September and the closing date for the applications is today.

The hospital I work at does run courses, but I'd prefer it if I didn't have to explain why I need to repeat a qualification when my current job doesn't require it...........:o

The job that was advertised is quite rare and it may take years for the same job to be advertised again.

The lady I spoke told me that given my qualifications AND experience, she would have had no problem shortlisting me. The problem is that it wasn't up to her and there are minimum criteria to be met.

Firetastic

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

I sat my GCSE maths paper about ten years ago now, and managed to fail three times. lol. I'm not a stupid person (currently doing - and passing (touch wood) - a masters degree), but just have a major mental block about maths. It's quite shocking, really. I "get" it, I just can't retain the information for some reason, so if I am asked to repeat the same exercise a few days later, or even a day later, I'll have forgotten how. It's very bizarre.

I struggle with Maths rather badly. I was good at English at school but had a really hard time with Maths. I often wondered if I had a learning disability. Then I came across it. - Dyscalculia. Forgetting how to do a sum is part of Dyscalculia. There's a forum on it.

http://www.dyscalculiaforum.com/news.php

Gingernutty

Just an update......

I went to the the "Community Open Day" at the college local to where I work in order to find out about the GCSE Mathematics Grade B or above that I need.

There were no prospectuses printed for a start (because they won't know for definite what courses will be 'on' until September) and the best bit was when I found the Maths tutor.

The college only runs four GCSE courses and doesn't 'do' the Higher GCSE I'd need as they are basically a retake centre for the kids who failed it the last time. !!!!!!?!

He might be able to do something about me sitting in the Foundation class and bunging me some extra work - he'd like to think he could find a way round the problem.

And he didn't know what evening the course would run on either, it might be a Tuesday or a Thursday, he wouldn't know until September.

Is it just me?

dmg24

Gingernutty wrote: »

Just an update......

I went to the the "Community Open Day" at the college local to where I work in order to find out about the GCSE Mathematics Grade B or above that I need.

There were no prospectuses printed for a start (because they won't know for definite what courses will be 'on' until September) and the best bit was when I found the Maths tutor.

The college only runs four GCSE courses and doesn't 'do' the Higher GCSE I'd need as they are basically a retake centre for the kids who failed it the last time. !!!!!!?!

He might be able to do something about me sitting in the Foundation class and bunging me some extra work - he'd like to think he could find a way round the problem.

And he didn't know what evening the course would run on either, it might be a Tuesday or a Thursday, he wouldn't know until September.

Is it just me?

Nope, same problem at my local college - they are no longer adult/ post compulsory learning centres, they are aimed at 16-19 year olds. When I looked to retake my A Level Maths I couldn't even find an evening class!