Failure to get straight As does not make a failed student

At the end of their online article about the A-level results, the Medway Messenger invited comments from students about the results.

This was my comment, submitted last Friday and which will hopefully print this Friday:

It always distresses me to see the media and, much worse, the school leadership focusing mainly on straight-A students, for example the head teacher of my school pushing the “best” students in front of the photographer present whilst we were opening our exam results.

Most of us put our heart and soul into our studies, working just as hard as those naturally gifted students receiving the top grades, yet feel undervalued, as though our efforts are worthless because we didn’t get the top grades.

I got an A in Government and Politics and Cs in Computing and Spanish. I have had my place at my first choice university (the University of Kent at Medway, studying Law) confirmed. Does the fact that I didn’t get As across the board make my success any less valuable or worthwhile than a student who did? No, it doesn’t!

It’s just a shame that there are some people who seem to forget that.