This year, as I became a year 10, I started my GCSEs. With the start of new courses along with them came my predicted grades set by someone who has no idea who I am, sat in an office somewhere across the other side of the country. As it happens most of my predicted grades are A*s. You may be thinking that's a good thing, right?
WRONG!
With all the pressure dumped on me to obtain these A*s over the next two years I stand no chance of doing well. The way I see it is if I don't achieve an A* I'll be seen as a failure for the rest of my life. On the other hand if I do get those heavenly grades it'll be notified as what was expected of me. As I can't get higher than an A* I won't do well in my tests OR surprise anyone with higher than predicted marks.
Surely no one should be set an A* predicted grade as then when students do achieve them it will be a superb achievement on their behalf; an achievement that no one saw coming. Not even the person in an office across the other side of the country...