GCSE 2020

Discussion and advice on GCSEs

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ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by ToadMum »

Tolstoy wrote:The problem with using mocks is some children with tutors will have already practiced the same papers. In my DSs school one child had a tutor this year and suddenly scored a blinder in all his science mocks. The school offered all the children a second opportunity to sit mocks during lockdown. This child declined. Fortunately his results weren’t based on his unusual mock scores but on his performance throughout the courses.

My own son scored a 9 in his French mock, whilst I think the 7 he got was too low because he has dyslexia there was no guarantee he would have performed to that standard in a the actual exam. He probably should have been given an 8 but as we know there were winners and losers and we have to resign ourselves to that.

We are lucky as this son is going down a vocational route. Next years won’t so it will be harder to accept any unfairness. Suspect I’ll have to work on preparing myself as the present government appear to lack that skill.

So, out of curiosity, did the school do what schools are expected to do, i.e. use the previous summer's papers, theoretically unseen, whilst they were still in the 'restricted access' area of the relevant exam board's website?

And was the child's science tutor also a teacher somewhere and therefore able to access the previous year's papers for the board(s) with which s/he was registered? i.e whilst only such folk could get access to those papers, so that they could be used fairly as legitimate amd meaningful mock exams?

And if so, is s/he known to be a person of questionable morals generally, or only in his or her 'professional' life?

(Apologies to all, of course, if the school did something daft like use papers that were already freely accessible and the tutor had only used them because by that time, anyone could have done).
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
crazycrofter
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by crazycrofter »

Dd's results are exactly what she would have hoped to get if she'd taken exams. All her friends have got as expected really - but this is a very selective school with a narrow intake and very consistent results year on year. I suspect their CAGs were in line with prior years' results.

I doubt anyone will be paying much attention to these results in future years, so I wouldn't worry too much. A Levels are a bit more important - but even then, very few employers would really pay much attention to them once there's a degree and work experience on top?
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by Moon unit »

That’s quite a contrast to my DDs school.
No one we have heard of to date got what was expected.
Some up. Some down.
French and German grades seemed to have been two or so grades higher for a lot of pupils.
Chemistry lower across all DDs friends.
Lots of disappointments.
I saw lots of stunned students leaving the school.
Many thought the mock lock was still in place and were shocked to be two grades lower.
Students just told basically you have to accept it.
A grim morning for many from what I saw.
Nothing like the scenes of euphoria on the news.
General consensus was that staff were so worn down by the A levels they had nothing left to give.
tiffinboys
Posts: 8022
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by tiffinboys »

Lessons to be learnt in being over cautious.
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by Moon unit »

Yes the overarching feeling amongst my DDs friends is being totally baffled at how the results were calculated.
Many feel let down and unsupported.
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by Moon unit »

Lots of anger now amongst my DDs friends and parents.
Several asking for checks to rule out maladministration.
Total loss of confidence about how the grades were calculated.
9s in subjects where they had never got 9s at any stage ever.
Other subjects two grades lower than mocks.
Many feel worried the inexplicable grading will stop them being eligible for top unis and competitive courses.
Not a good way to be starting the sixth form.
Some worried if they complain it will work against them going forward.
2GirlsDad
Posts: 89
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:33 pm
Location: Herts

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by 2GirlsDad »

Moon unit wrote: Many feel worried the inexplicable grading will stop them being eligible for top unis and competitive courses.
Not a good way to be starting the sixth form.
It must be very hard as the value of these grades is likely to be challenged at some point. I will make sure to tell DD to continue keeping her 2019 GCSEs to herself and close friends - if she gets in one of the ones she applied for.

6th forms are slower making offers, as they cannot rely on previous grade years' data to estimate % of offers made that will be taken, is anyone else seeing this?
Moon unit
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:14 am

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by Moon unit »

Sixth form places seem pretty much sorted locally.
It isn’t usually a problem in my area.
My question is as follows;
Do we impress upon our 16 year olds they must just put up with the injustice or support them in making their feelings of dissatisfaction known to their schools.
It was pretty clear on results day that the school weren’t interested in hearing the voices of unhappy students.
2GirlsDad
Posts: 89
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:33 pm
Location: Herts

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by 2GirlsDad »

Moon unit wrote:Sixth form places seem pretty much sorted locally.
It isn’t usually a problem in my area.
My question is as follows;
Do we impress upon our 16 year olds they must just put up with the injustice or support them in making their feelings of dissatisfaction known to their schools.
It was pretty clear on results day that the school weren’t interested in hearing the voices of unhappy students.
The whole thing is messed up but it seems best to just accept it and move on, they have two years to go where everything will change.

DD had normal GCSEs and I would expect good Universities will still know the difference in two years... in any case, GCSEs will just be an additional indicator, as it is meant to be based on A levels.
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: GCSE 2020

Post by Hera »

Moon unit wrote:Sixth form places seem pretty much sorted locally.
It isn’t usually a problem in my area.
My question is as follows;
Do we impress upon our 16 year olds they must just put up with the injustice or support them in making their feelings of dissatisfaction known to their schools.
It was pretty clear on results day that the school weren’t interested in hearing the voices of unhappy students.
DC received an email yesterday listing 6 courses that are oversubscribed. It apologises that students who have met the grades and are academically able may not all be able to study the courses they want to. It affects 2 of DCs courses which would prevent progression onto desired degree and career. The children will get an email on Wednesday if affected. All other sixth forms have closed their applications process so there are no other options.
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