Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

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MSD
Posts: 1731
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:08 pm

Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by MSD »

I can see a lot of bright children missing out on a grammar place due to incorrectly marking or shading on answer sheets.

Should this be sufficient grounds for an appeal and should they allow the answer sheets be re-marked manually?
Petitpois
Posts: 1440
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by Petitpois »

That's not fair. My DD missed questions and one of the reasons was she felt duty bound to fill in boxes neatly and completely.

I was thinking of appealing on the grounds that it took too long for her to complete boxes, were really expecting a vastly different result, from the test given by the same people 8 weeks apart.
Bob1892
Posts: 1186
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:14 am

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by Bob1892 »

It is the first year for marking on a separate answer sheet and I envisage dozens of kids making major errors in marking eg not shading properly, circling or ticking boxes. This happened last year I think in the nvr and dc got zero marks.
My ds said the instructions were very clear and concise (although he didn't use that last word) but I know (& tutors will vouch with this) kids will still make the same mistake no matter what you instruct them to do.
It is sad when such things happen but I really can't see them re-marking maybe upto a couple of hundred papers.
I foresee some big shocks with results this year - brace yourselves :shock:
Petitpois
Posts: 1440
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by Petitpois »

Bob I have been saying the same to a number of parents whose kids scored below the 50th percentile. All those who badly missed on walsall eg 240+, seem to have gone to pot on the day.

The marking issue is one factor, but the kids that did not have their own parents with them at walsall, or were generally in melt down, scored overly badly on walsall.

I am confident as I have bond placement tests that I carried on kids at the same time and place as my DD. I just don't think the scores reflect the truer gap in ability I was seeing prior to walsall.

Whilst I am less confident (and have not raised hopes), I still think some are going to get very pleasant shocks when they get the KE score, especially exacerbated by feelings of dejection from the Walsall result.

Yes I agree big shocks both ways in store
MSD
Posts: 1731
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:08 pm

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by MSD »

Agreed Bob, PP!

But still unfortunate for a really bright child to miss out due to one momentary lapse of concentration.
happymom1
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:45 pm

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by happymom1 »

Kids were already under a lot of pressure at the tender age of ten due to exam, the correct shading was an additional task to accomplish and a distraction I should say. Despite doing a little practice of shading before exam, i am afraid dd made blunders that day. Hopefully all dc's did well and be happy no matter what the result. This was the first major exam of most dc's life. Bless them
nervousmom
Posts: 1687
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:38 am
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by nervousmom »

It is unfair in a way that it is decided by 1 test on 1 day.

A very bright child, more than capable of passing, may have had an off day and this could effect them.

I preferred how it was when Bham & Warks were separate. At least if they had an off day on one, the had another chance!

Anyone brave enough to call FO again today :?

I vote for PP :lol:
bluejay
Posts: 359
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:28 pm

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by bluejay »

But still unfortunate for a really bright child to miss out due to one momentary lapse of concentration.
Yes, however a bright child will do well which ever school they go to.
One exam will not prognosticate the rest of their life.

We have to just all hope that our DC did what we feel they are capable of, on the actual day.

My DS knows he didn't do his best on the QM exam, he knew as soon as he came out.
I have to take some responsibility for this as he got into a habit of rushing through and not checking if his answer made sense and making to many silly mistakes.
I advised to just double check and he took it a little too literally and ended up running out of time, hence missing many questions out.

With the consortium exam he did manage to answer the majority of the questions (correctly i hope) and said he doesn't recall missing many out!

Time will tell......
Petitpois
Posts: 1440
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by Petitpois »

All the indicators are that bright kids do do well even in the most shameful and depressing schools. Evidence lordswood boys, 10% got 5 or more GCSEs in 2014, despite whatever the parents and teachers were or were not doing for the other 90%. The majority of the boys were middle or high attainers at yr6. The school achieved 45% in previous years, but given the changes in "countable" qualifications in 2014, there seems to be a prima facie case that this school was in trouble for a long time before 2014.

I think that's amount to a good contrary argument. Kids can achieve in a variety of settings, but their innate ability is only one factor. A failing by head with weak leadership, poor teaching, unsupportive parents, weak policies and procedures e.g tracking and dealing with bullying all take a toll, and the numbers ending up NEET steadily rise. Other things equal there may well be an inverse correlation between innate ability and the presence of the above factors. In other words only the brightest self starters are able survive increasingly challenging learning environments at home and in the school.

Next time you visit a school, grammar, comp or indie get your dc to go in the loos and tell you what if any graffiti is present. That a alone can tell you volumes.
Penguin Mom
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:05 pm

Re: Incorrect shading/marking of answer sheets

Post by Penguin Mom »

This separate answer sheet issue is a real concern - one false move and the whole lot is out of sync. There is enough for the kids to be thinking about while under such pressure, without having this as an additional challenge.

Our DS will sit the exam next year. Whilst he is doing very well academically, presentation is not his strong point and I would not want to think this issue could risk him getting a score which is not a true reflection of his ability. I read somewhere recently on here there had been a suggestion that the Wolves/Walsall exam could join up with Birmingham next year to stop so many kids sitting twice. Whilst I can understand the reasons for this, it of course only gives us one bite of the cherry. We are genuinely interested in schools from both areas so wouldn't be using the earlier one as a mock. Am I correct in thinking both areas used the separate answer sheet system this year or was it just Birmingham?

I really hope no DC's have to face disappointment for this reason. Good luck to everyone for the up-coming results.
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