Do rewards boost exam grades?

Hundreds of thousands of GCSE students are waiting for their results tense this week – a bright, usually expensive reward for some can be in danger.

Before the results of the results on Thursday, BBC News spoke to students and parents about whether the promise of cash for jewelry, gifts or notes can motivate the young people to do better in their exams.

Imogen Farmer from Essex was taken to his twin sister London after receiving the results of A level last year and giving some money to spend as a reward.

“I bought Vivienne Westwood jewels and then took us to a very fancy restaurant we always wanted to go.”

“But even if I had done well behind my head or I didn’t do it well, I’m sure our parents would have taken us out to work hard.”

Imogen does not think that the award would always make a difference in the amount he was working because he was always “quite ambitious” – and his family did not mention it until his exams were finished.

Jess Cooper from Birmingham jokes that the award is “not to be thrown out of the house”.

“Good grades were a reflection of how much you tried at school,” he says.

“My family is very proud of me and tell me always. I am very working class, we have sand and we try the most difficult.”

Both Imogen and Jess say that some students in their classes have been offered money for each upper class – even if the others get the results they needed, even the “first cars” were promised.

Some parents believe that a reward or financial incentive offer can help motivation.

Leon Smith from Surrey gave his children £ 50 for passing their exams and said he helped them to enter the right mentality in advance.

“This means that they have motivation when they revise, and they’ll spend an extra hour for their books instead of playing video games,” Six says.

His son Isiah, who had just finished 6 years and took the SATs earlier this year, said that his sister Reah received the £ 50 award a year ago and said that it was particularly motivated.

“Gives them the ability to encourage them and work for something.” Says.

Now he plans to give his children award at GCSE and A levels.

Two mother Elaine Dean from Manchester said that the promise of cash for graduates was “more than expected”.

The former primary school teacher decided to give his son Zach between £ 15, but he said he really rewarded his efforts, based on each class for GCSE exams.

“You don’t want to put too much pressure on them, praise and parental participation in school years is much more important,” he says.

Zach A received the results of the exam on Thursday.

“I think he will have a city break with his brother, but he hasn’t decided yet.”

Experts say that the efficacy of the awards depends on the students and their relations with learning.

According to psychologist Natasha Tiwari, a rewarding effort rather than notes may be a much longer and sustainable strategy for parents.

“Cash or big ticket transactions can work in the short term,” he says, but they also risk students to think of their success as “operational”.

He believes in a special day or believes that it is a much stronger reward than “cash in an envelope” to allow him to redecorate bedrooms or to host some families or friends.

Different rewards – or no one can create tension in friendship groups.

“There is a distinction between a reward for good grades and a treatment to accept its efforts,” Manny Botwe, President of the Association of School and College Leaders. Says.

Secondary school President Manny said he was skeptical about the long -term benefits of trying to reward performance.

Orum I’m worried about young people who do not get good results, ‘agreement or agreement’ he says.

“My advice for parents is to make their children feel that their values are directly related to the notes they receive. Very early, I want to emphasize the real value of education.

“This will give the best results.”

Additional Reports by Emily Doughty