Grades are only partially for the individual,
they're mainly set for the universities and industry as a cheap way to judge people. For that to be useful, they need to be comparable over different years.
(PsychoChomp, Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:38, 1 reply, 13 years ago)

But how does inventing an extra letter to the alphabet help anyone?

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:41, Reply)

Universities and industry said
"we need another layer of judging, to show not everyone who got over 75% but everyone who got over 85%" so pragmatically the government went "ok then, but rather than fuck up all the past stuff we'll just do an A+, actually that sounds to American what other symbol can we use"
(PsychoChomp, Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:43, Reply)

Does it not follow that at some point they'll need an A** etc though?

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 18 Sep 2012, 11:47, Reply)