GCSE 2020 Appeals

[kenyancowgirl]

I’m confused Moon Unit - I thought they got given the algorithm grade or CAGs whichever was higher? So what would they appeal on?

[Moon unit]

The algorithm grades at most schools were lower than CAGS so the higher CAGS gradings lifted the grades.
At my DDs school the CAGS in many cases were lower than the algorithm.
Lots and lots of grades one or two lower than mock.
A huge feel of injustice and disappointment in contrast to most schools where the grades were higher than usual.

[quasimodo]

https://www.scotsman.com/education/sqa- ... ow-2974297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.scotsman.com/education/msps ... ll-2963030" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Meanwhile south of the border the 17th September date has passed when schools could appeal against their own assessment procedures on behalf of students.I don't imagine many appeals being allowed if at all particularly when schools hold all the evidence and any requests for the evidence don't have to be answered until beyond that date either as subject information requests or under the freedom of information.Certainly reading twitter comments on CAGs appeal handles this is what seems to be happening.The back stock remedy here being to sit exams in October for A levels and November for GCSEs.There is talk of a second national lockdown for two weeks in October as Corona virus cases begin to move upwards from a very low base, the government appear to not want to do this.There are more greater local restrictions already coming in areas of the West Midlands.I know the local NHS have been preparing for a second wave.Hopefully it should not be as severe and there should be far less deaths as the health service has got better at fighting the disease.If students are not able to sit their exams what next ?

These appear to be the conditions in which exams must take place.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/no-mandatory- ... umn-exams/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My daughters year 12 bubble in her school had to stay home from Monday of this week as a girl tested positive for corona virus and we then had to isolate my daughter in the house from other vulnerable members in the household.We secured a test on Tuesday and had the negative result on Thursday morning when we could all get back to normality.Her school lessons continued on teams from the Tuesday.They are back in school from the Thursday of this coming week.Many schools are like this and will be like this in the coming weeks.

This was an article which I believe I may have posted before but which provides possible insights into the second wave.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/hist ... ronavirus/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[kenyancowgirl]

The algorithm grades at most schools were lower than CAGS so the higher CAGS gradings lifted the grades.
At my DDs school the CAGS in many cases were lower than the algorithm.
Lots and lots of grades one or two lower than mock.
A huge feel of injustice and disappointment in contrast to most schools where the grades were higher than usual.

So they would be appealing the injustice and disappointment of the CAG being lower than the algorithm grade they were awarded? Are the appeals a free shot, as in usually at appeal your grade can be lowered, the same, or raised, but maybe this year the highest grade is guaranteed? I feel heartily sorry for teachers in schools who did what they were told and fitted the CAGs to historical performance may have initially awarded higher CAGs.

[Moon unit]

The unfairness is that loads of schools were allowed to give very high CAGs where as others fitted to the algorithm leaving pupils with much lower grades.
Either the algorithm was fair or not fair.
We know many who got CAG grades three or four above the algorithm at other schools.
At my DDs school lots of grades were below predicted grades and below November mock grades as well.
It was clear on results day that the school felt things were wrong.
Minimal eye contact between teachers and pupils.
No opportunity to ask questions.
Stunned and disappointed pupils in stark contrast to scenes from other schools in the media.
Wallington County Grammar have approached Ofqual about this as they are aware their pupils have been now been disadvantaged compared to pupils at other schools.
Many have lost out on uni places.
We know of a local school where pupils describe getting CAGs they would not have had a snowflakes chance in **** ( their exact words) if they sat the exam.

[kenyancowgirl]

My DDs school will be very busy indeed if the girls get the right to appeal.
They bucked the trend with lots of algorithm grades bring higher than CAGs.
As there seems to be pretty much universal agreement that the algorithm marked many down there has been widespread anger amongst pupils..

This is what confused me... if the school bucked the trend being algorithm awarded higher grades than the CAGs, surely the girls are pleased? They have high grades? I think I’m misunderstanding something!

[ToadMum]

My DDs school will be very busy indeed if the girls get the right to appeal.
They bucked the trend with lots of algorithm grades bring higher than CAGs.
As there seems to be pretty much universal agreement that the algorithm marked many down there has been widespread anger amongst pupils..

This is what confused me... if the school bucked the trend being algorithm awarded higher grades than the CAGs, surely the girls are pleased? They have high grades? I think I’m misunderstanding something!

Complying with the first instruction, to ensure that each pupil's grade was a fair representation of the grade that they should get if they sat the exam, gave a certain grade that the pupil would have been happy with. But then trying to second guess what the algorithm would do to the overall results (schools were told to be mindful of historic data and that there was normally not much year-to-year variation) cut some results down to a grade below what those pupils were still in line to get, even if they were the 'least secure' according to the ranking within the grade, then the calculated grade was higher than the 'second guessed' CAG, but not as high as the original? I have the memory that the detailed instructions re 'how to calculate your CAGs so that the official algorithm won't do something worse to them' didn't come from Ofqual or any of the exam boards?

[quasimodo]

Submitted twice in error

[quasimodo]

The unfairness is that loads of schools were allowed to give very high CAGs where as others fitted to the algorithm leaving pupils with much lower grades.
Either the algorithm was fair or not fair.
We know many who got CAG grades three or four above the algorithm at other schools.
At my DDs school lots of grades were below predicted grades and below November mock grades as well.
It was clear on results day that the school felt things were wrong.
Minimal eye contact between teachers and pupils.
No opportunity to ask questions.
Stunned and disappointed pupils in stark contrast to scenes from other schools in the media.
Wallington County Grammar have approached Ofqual about this as they are aware their pupils have been now been disadvantaged compared to pupils at other schools.
Many have lost out on uni places.
We know of a local school where pupils describe getting CAGs they would not have had a snowflakes chance in **** ( their exact words) if they sat the exam.

If I have got this correct Wallington County Grammar followed the ASCL advice in the way they moderated grades which proved to be to the disadvantage of its pupils.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/government-fa ... te-grades/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are still many individuals outside of this who have also been disadvantaged by the process.

The following is a link to an excellent article on the issues and the comments which go to the 30th August of this year. Both are extremely informative of the issues.

https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2020/08/18/cags- ... %20results" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

[Moon unit]

Thank you Quasimodo.
Those articles make for interesting reading.
Some schools clearly moderated more to get this years cohorts CAGs to reflect previous attainment and that is what has caused the CAGs to be lower.
My daughters previous school historically haven’t been keen to support Oxbridge or medicine applications unless candidates had a combination of at least 8 grade 8s and 9s at GCSE.
Her friends are now hoping for reassurance from the school that for 2022 applications there will be a bit of flexibility.
I guess though in giving that it makes it clear the grades are not really reliable.
I do feel for the teachers who inadvertently by doing what they were asked to do have put their students at a disadvantage.