OWLs

[Karen Barker]

No: HPFGUIDX 131981

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Dave Hardenbrook <DaveH47 at m...> 
<snip>how Percy could get 12 OWLs when there aren't that many classes.
> 
<snip>What I'm wondering about is the word "just", as though acing
> the practical exam = 1 OWL.  So is it possible that there are *two*
> possible OWLs awarded per subject, one for the theory
> (written) exam and one for the practical?

I very much doubt it.  As an almost exact contempory of JKR's I 
recognise a lots from 'our' schooldays in her books and the OWLS and 
NEWTS are very very similar to the old GCE 'O' and 'A' Levels (General 
Certificate of Education 'Ordinary' and 'Advanced' levels) that we 
both would have taken.  Science subjects: Physics, Chemistry and 
Biology had both a written and a practical paper each equating to 
approximately 50% of the total available marks and you took both to 
gain a pass 1 subject.  It would have been hard to get a good grade if 
you were brilliant at the theory but hopeless at performing the actual 
experiments, or vice versa.  Languages also had an oral exam, where 
you conversed with the examiner on your choice of a selection of 
subjects, but this did not have such a high percentage of the exam at 
stake.

Percy may have taken a couple of obscure exams that the majority do 
not sit.  5 of us wanted to take Biology 'A' level but hadn't done 
Chemistry 'O' level so it was felt we might struggle with some of it 
so the teacher found an obscure subject called Social Biology which we 
took as a very small class instead.  I've never met anyone else apart 
forom us that has this A level!

I think that Harry thought he had JUST achieved an 'Outstanding' in 
his OWL, because he knew he had done well in the written exam that 
morning and had just excelled himself plus gained bonus points in the 
practical.  I'm still concerned about Umbridge's 'look' when he passed 
her upon leaving the Hall.  I wouldn't be at all surprised to find 
that his written exam has been 'lost' and so he's only got 50% and 
therefore just an 'Acceptable'.

Karen