Want a nice car? Get good grades, pupils told

A SChOOl has been forced to apologise after telling GCSe pupils their marks will determine what kind of house, car and holidays they have as adults.

St Wilfrid’s RC College made the claims in a letter that was meant to motivate teenagers before their exams.

Written by headmaster Thomas Tapping, it read: ‘Your level of success in national examinations will probably have a key role to play in the type of home you live in, the car you drive and holidays you can afford.’

The school in South Shields, South Tyneside, said the letter accompanying GCSe revision guides was designed to ‘encourage our students to work as hard as possible’.

But it had to write to parents again to apologise after some called it ‘appalling’ and said it could harm pupils’ mental health.

Tom Cooke, a 43-year-old supply teacher who has a daughter at the school, said: ‘It’s disgusting, it’s absolutely appalling.

‘I would never tell the class they would have nice cars and nice houses because they’re doing well in class. It’s such a negative way to go on.’ he said it could make pupils worry about exams, adding: ‘It just struck especially because it’s Mental health Awareness Week. You have kids who might read that and think “my God I’m a failure”.’

There was also a social media backlash. Megan Johnston wrote: ‘That’s disgusting. I have ten GCSes, As and Bs, and I don’t have a car, can’t afford holidays and can’t buy a house.’ Simon May added: ‘little wonder the mental health of our youngsters becomes more of an issue each day.’

The school said in its apology letter: ‘Our intention by using this phrase was simply to illustrate how important examinations are potentially to some future pathways and to encourage our students to work as hard as possible in order to achieve their full potential. We apologise if this has caused any offence.’

It comes amid a row about how much pressure GCSe pupils should be put under. under Government reforms, the qualifications have been made more challenging.

left-wing campaigners and some unions say children’s mental health is suffering. But others, such as ex-harrow head Barnaby lenon, want pupils to be told to take the exams seriously or suffer later in life.