Missed a 20 mark question

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Bumblebeez
Posts: 268
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:55 pm

Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Bumblebeez »

DD just missed the unseen poetry question on her GCSE paper - worth 20 marks of the 80 on this paper, out of 160 for English Lit. She was hoping for an 8 so is now distraught. The format confused her: so much material from other set books wasn't relevant and needed to be ignored, and I'd imagine her dyslexia contributed to her finding the format confusing.
I've told her that strong and resilient people learn from setbacks but I need specifics: what comfort/advice can I give her now? She's appalled that this is going to affect her university choices: she's been working very hard and is ambitious. She's talking about resitting: would that be possible or a good idea? She's not going on with English so this will be the mark that stands and it will appear relevant to her interests in humanities and modern foreign languages.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Guest55 »

So sorry to hear that - she needs to try to forget it and move on.

I wouldn't advise a resit as unis prefer to see all GCSEs take at once; one weaker grade [if that is what she gets] really won't make much difference.

Give her a hug and reassure her she won't be the only one.
Bumblebeez
Posts: 268
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:55 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Bumblebeez »

Thanks. A cool shower and an icy drink have helped a little too.
doodles
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by doodles »

Does she have extra time or special access arrangements because of her dyslexia? It may be worth mentioning what's happened to the exams officer at school, better to mention now so it can be logged, they may suggest applying for special consideration. I don't know but it's worth asking the question.

It's worth an email though I'm not sure I'd tell her that you've sent an email, as somebody has already said she has to put it behind her and not let it affect the rest of her exams - very hard I know :(
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Amber »

If it was the OCR paper it is likely to be discounted anyway at a guess.


Sending a hug - it may not be as catastrophic as she imagines and I agree with others that she must try to move on. A pot of her favourite ice cream this afternoon maybe?
Bumblebeez
Posts: 268
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:55 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Bumblebeez »

Does she have extra time or special access arrangements because of her dyslexia?
Yes - your approach occurred to me but not sure whether to do this. Anyone here have an opinion on this? Any harm?

If it was the OCR paper it is likely to be discounted anyway at a guess.
Nope - Edexcel, but please explain what you mean.
A pot of her favourite ice cream this afternoon maybe?
great minds etc - I'm just back from picking up her favourite Aldi White Chocolate and Raspberry Ripple sticks. I resisted the dark choc/ginger ones that I love because I know, in the grand scheme of things, there are bigger things to worry about.

Plenty of hugs are being dispensed and accepted.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Email the Exams Officer and the Head of English and explain what happened. They can then have a discussion and may make a request for special consideration (there are very specific criteria for this to be granted) but, at the very least, it flags it up if the school decide to appeal etc.

Have a look at the GCSE thread latest comments to find out about the error on the OCR paper - an entire exam board with all the teachers involved in setting the questions made an error that affects hundreds of children - the fact that that can happen, combined with a gallon of ice cream, might help to make her feel better about her blip? With a son affected by OCR, we really feel for your DD - it is horrid to think all their hard work might be undone.

Hope things look better tomorrow xx
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by doodles »

Bumblebeez wrote:
Does she have extra time or special access arrangements because of her dyslexia?
Yes - your approach occurred to me but not sure whether to do this. Anyone here have an opinion on this? Any harm?
Personally I can't see that an email to the exams officer / head of department can cause any harm at all, as KCG mentioned flagging it to the school at least means it is logged contemporaneously should the school decide to take action later.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Bumblebeez
Posts: 268
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:55 pm

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Bumblebeez »

Email done, thanks all.
Daogroupie
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Location: Herts

Re: Missed a 20 mark question

Post by Daogroupie »

It won't impact her University chances at all unless she is planning to read English and you have said she is not doing A level. My dd resat English last year in November and went up a grade.

If any university is going to not give her an offer because of it then so be it. She knew she should have done better and so had another go.

So you have options. Wait and see what grade she did get, then there is the option of a remark and also a resit.

It is worth printing out past papers for each exam she is going to sit so she knows exactly what the actual paper is going to look like.

In the report it says that every year there are students who try and do every question. She needs to get used to the fact that you should know what questions you are going to be doing.

History has lots of questions that you are not supposed to do so if she is doing History then print out a past paper so she can see what is going to look like.

The Edexcel English paper is actually called Poetry and Prose so I am surprised that she had not been prepared for Poetry and Prose when she went in there.

WJEC actually printed their English paper on Monday with the wrong instructions on which questions to answer so an errata sheet had to be handed out.

It is really important to know the format before you go in there. DG
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