Boris Johnson's A levels

Stradageek · Post by **Stradageek** » 2 Nov 2021, 8:24am

There are two internet search challenges that I've failed (one related to this topic) so for those who are really bored, try finding:

1) Boris Johnson's A-level grades

2) 650C (ERTO 571) tyres at anything other than 23mm width [moderator note: this topic was split from viewtopic.php?f=1&t=148533 where the tyre discussion remains]

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 2 Nov 2021, 9:05am

Stradageek wrote: ↑2 Nov 2021, 8:24am There are two internet search challenges that I've failed (one related to this topic) so for those who are really bored, try finding:

1) Boris Johnson's A-level grades

2) 650C (ERTO 571) tyres at anything other than 23mm width

re failed searches and Boris Johnson's exam results, when you first posted about this I made a mental note to check in my Tom Bower biography but like so many of my mental notes it dropped of the clipboard. Nothing obvious in there about his detailed results but my paraphrasing of his school reports is that he had a good "photographic" memory which meant he was good at exams but lazy. (He faces a difficult old age, as I'm finding.)

When I tried to find your post about that I failed (after not trying hard) so I'll pin this here

I wonder what public interest there is in knowing his exam grades

Stradageek · Post by **Stradageek** » 3 Nov 2021, 8:17am

thirdcrank wrote: ↑2 Nov 2021, 9:05am
Stradageek wrote: ↑2 Nov 2021, 8:24am There are two internet search challenges that I've failed (one related to this topic) so for those who are really bored, try finding:

1) Boris Johnson's A-level grades

re failed searches and Boris Johnson's exam results, when you first posted about this I made a mental note to check in my Tom Bower biography but like so many of my mental notes it dropped of the clipboard. Nothing obvious in there about his detailed results but my paraphrasing of his school reports is that he had a good "photographic" memory which meant he was good at exams but lazy. (He faces a difficult old age, as I'm finding.)

I wonder what public interest there is in knowing his exam grades

Mainly because his public image is that he's brilliant (Oxford scholar and all that) whereas he's just a lazy narcissist who was taught (at great expense at Eton) how to impress Oxford dons and bluff his way through. Personal knowledge here, I met multitudinous Boris clones whilst studying there. A-levels require application, perseverance and precision, attributes I'd prefer in my prime minister.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 3 Nov 2021, 9:06am

Stradageek wrote: ↑3 Nov 2021, 8:17am
Mainly because his public image is that he's brilliant (Oxford scholar and all that) whereas he's just a lazy narcissist who was taught (at great expense at Eton) how to impress Oxford dons and bluff his way through. Personal knowledge here, I met multitudinous Boris clones whilst studying there. A-levels require application, perseverance and precision, attributes I'd prefer in my prime minister.

But I'd worked out most of that from Tom Bowyer's biography, although I gained the impression that his memory helped him to do well in school exams and his laziness didn't help in higher education and, indeed, journalism.

Bearing in mind that exam results are not a job requirement for a politician, or for anybody soon to qualify for free NHS prescriptions, I really can't see the public interest in his A levels. (I'm assuming he's never made false claims about paper qualifications.)

Re Eton College, it seems to say something about his personality (charisma?) that his chums there didn't treat him as a parvenu

Stradageek · Post by **Stradageek** » 3 Nov 2021, 12:59pm

thirdcrank wrote: ↑3 Nov 2021, 9:06am
Stradageek wrote: ↑3 Nov 2021, 8:17am
Mainly because his public image is that he's brilliant (Oxford scholar and all that) whereas he's just a lazy narcissist who was taught (at great expense at Eton) how to impress Oxford dons and bluff his way through. Personal knowledge here, I met multitudinous Boris clones whilst studying there. A-levels require application, perseverance and precision, attributes I'd prefer in my prime minister.
Bearing in mind that exam results are not a job requirement for a politician, or for anybody soon to qualify for free NHS prescriptions, I really can't see the public interest in his A levels. (I'm assuming he's never made false claims about paper qualifications.)

I suppose that I just think that very little of the true Boris Johnson is out there. Much as Bob Woodward concluded in his latest analysis of Donald Trump i.e. 'He was just the wrong man for the job' I think that with all the facts out there, more people would conclude the same for Boris Johnson - which would be a good thing.

I had trouble working with a boss who ran off with his secretary (after deceiving his wife about his affair for over a year). I felt that someone who could carry off this level of deception wasn't someone I wanted to trust with my work and career.

In addition to all his other failings Boris has had countless affairs and additional children - some hidden better than others - so the accumulated facts convince me that he is not the right man for the job

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 3 Nov 2021, 1:47pm

I've no argument with anything you say, but to take just one word - narcissist - there may well be politicians who are shy, self-effacing introverts and if so, that may be why they escaped my attention. :lol:

mumbojumbo · Post by **mumbojumbo** » 10 Nov 2021, 5:51pm

A-levels are a poor indicator of intelligence. Half of contemporary graduates gain a first and many I have met seem dull and uninteresting. My parents had no qualifications but were smart, and used what education they had to improve their lives through sheer will and application.. Their narcissi were in the garden .and not a pretentious adjective.

Post by **Mick F** » 10 Nov 2021, 6:08pm

mumbojumbo wrote: ↑10 Nov 2021, 5:51pm A-levels are a poor indicator of intelligence.

I have no A Levels, but have six O Levels and left school at 16 in 1969 and joined the RN. Served until 1996 when I'd had enough.

1990? - I was aware of my intelligence and saw an ad in the paper for Mensa, and wrote off for a test.
Can't remember my recorded IQ score, but they were impressed enough to invite me to Bristol to take another test as well as ask me to join Mensa. 120 or so? Could have been more, but I don't care. Can't honestly remember the score.

TBH, I couldn't be bothered going up the A30/M5 etc to there to prove what I already knew.

Mike Sales · Post by **Mike Sales** » 10 Nov 2021, 6:12pm

mumbojumbo wrote: ↑10 Nov 2021, 5:51pm A-levels are a poor indicator of intelligence.

Indeed, and I hear that Eton is adept at coaching the boys to get good grades.

Post by **Mick F** » 10 Nov 2021, 6:17pm

Education doesn't create intelligence.

You can record this and quote me, as that sounds like a good sound-bite!

Psamathe · Post by **Psamathe** » 10 Nov 2021, 6:18pm

I can't even remember my own A-level grades.

Ian

Post by **Mick F** » 10 Nov 2021, 6:38pm

Don't you have the certificates?
I have my O Levels somewhere, up in the loft in a box I think. Not seen them for years.

I do know where my cycling proficiency test certificate is, and my badge too!

Psamathe · Post by **Psamathe** » 10 Nov 2021, 7:26pm

Mick F wrote: ↑10 Nov 2021, 6:38pm Don't you have the certificates?
I have my O Levels somewhere, up in the loft in a box I think. Not seen them for years.

I do know where my cycling proficiency test certificate is, and my badge too! :D

Somewhere probably. But later/higher qualifications become more relevant.

Ian

Stradageek · Post by **Stradageek** » 10 Nov 2021, 7:55pm

mumbojumbo wrote: ↑10 Nov 2021, 5:51pm A-levels are a poor indicator of intelligence. Half of contemporary graduates gain a first and many I have met seem dull and uninteresting. My parents had no qualifications but were smart, and used what education they had to improve their lives through sheer will and application.. Their narcissi were in the garden .and not a pretentious adjective.

I concur entirely but A-levels do require work, something Boris is not known for. I'd be amazed if he did get a string of good grades given what we now know of him and am simply intrigued to know if I am misjudging the poor guy

Ben@Forest · Post by **Ben@Forest** » 10 Nov 2021, 8:37pm

Stradageek wrote: ↑10 Nov 2021, 7:55pm I concur entirely but A-levels do require work, something Boris is not known for. I'd be amazed if he did get a string of good grades given what we now know of him and am simply intrigued to know if I am misjudging the poor guy

I'm presuming he would have had to pass the Oxford entrance exam too; back in the 1980s at private schools in particular post-A-level teenagers at went back to their school to cram for the now abolished entrance examinations for Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and I believe if they passed those they were in, irrespective of A-level results).

I think at state schools highly talented students did these in their fourth term (first term of Upper Sixth). I seem to remember a girl in my year passing entrance to Oxford or Cambridge and then following it up with a suite of 'E's in her A-levels and that made no difference - she was in.

Over the years I've worked with a few people with an Oxbridge education, what has surprised me is that none of them has stood out at all.
You find out and think afterwards 'this person was identified as the best of the best' but you just wouldn't have known it. Of course there are people with Oxbridge educations whose subsequent careers are stellar - but seems a good few are no better then others with run-of-the-mill degrees - or indeed no degree at all.

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