Is the current Year 7 doomed?

[Cloudminnow]

I've just read on the Guardian website an article saying that the current Year 7 is doomed, and risk become the forgotten Year Group due to the exam changes. If you are a secondary teacher would you agree with this? My DS has just started Year 7.

[PandaNot]

I'm sure similar things were said about the children who took the first GCSEs. I wouldn't worry too much.

[shineygoldpenny]

No more than the current Year 10s, who will be the first to return to non-modular GCSEs with final exams at the end of Year 11.

[Startailoforangeandgold]

Link please,
I have Y7 and Y10 DDs.

Linear I think will suit DD1. Not having huge numbers of past papers and having to think on her feet will suit her. She's dyslexic and has to understand things not just memorise them.
Those on the C/D boundary and those expecting A* are the ones I think it may upset.

No idea what they are planing for DD2's cohort, I don't think they do either!

She worries me more, although on paper the more academic, she's way more highly strung. She is likely to panic if unexpected questions come up.

[TalkinPeace2]

DD is year 10.
I am very, very concerned that the teachers will not be able to cope with teaching revision - as for the last 12 years they have been able to teach and then get bits examined, rather than get the kids to retain a whole 2 year syllabus in their heads ready for that week of exams.

[MrsjREwing]

Y10 have it hard too, I think Y6 will take some flack also.

[BonnieBumble]

The first couple of years of GCSE's were a complete disaster. Dh failed his Maths GCSE then did A level Maths and got an A. At my school there were certain subjects where nobody achieved higher than an F. It was a complete disaster. I really hope they get it right this time.

[Northernlurkerisbackatwork]

Oh great! I have a Year 10 with a lot of A target grades and a Year 7. I* am doomed, never mind them.

[Funnylittleturkishdelight]

Current yr 10 still have controlled assessment for English- an even in the reforms I would bet money that they'll keep it for yr 7.

To do the equivalent would ask for 24+ hours of exams at the end of the year. 1) how would that make it financially viable for the exam boards? 2) time tabling nightmare for the rest of the subjects and 3) GCSE English is already 3+ hours of exams, makes me so cross! To do it without CA would actually be dumbing it down- so much for making it harder.

[piprabbit]

Exams are only one step on a path. As soon as they move on to A-levels, vocational qualifications or gaining work experience, their earlier exams will be forgotten.

Once I started A-levels, nobody asked me about O-levels. Once I got through Freshers Week, nobody asked me about A-levels. Once I got a job nobody asked me about my degree.

So long as they are not disadvantaged in accessing that next level, they will be fine.

[TalkinPeace2]

piprabbit
I have had to quote my O levels, my A levels, my Degree and my later qualifications, right the way through my career - to prove a broad and solid academic grounding.
AND
in these days where everything needs a qualification, grades matter.

[MrsjREwing]

My y10 dc is doing one English exam in 2014, no coursework, just the one paper.

[purplepenguin86]

I did my GCSEs 10 years ago, and all of my exams were at the end of Year 11. Most subjects we also had a piece of coursework, that we did during Year 11 (although not all), but we didn't have any exams as we went through - we just had to revise at the end or not in my case I'm sure the current Year 10s and their teachers will cope fine with going back to that system in terms of revision etc.

[teacherandguideleader]

I shouldn't think that teachers will struggle with the revision - with children being able to resit I am always going back over stuff from 18 months ago.

In addition, I was the first school year to do all the SATs and the first year to do AS and A2 level - we really were an experimental year. Never harmed me or my friends though. I wouldn't worry too much about it - teachers aren't going to have to learn loads of new stuff e.g. Under old or new spec 2+2 would still be 4, it will just be exam technique that changes. To be honest teachers deal with change every couple of years as the government can't leave things alone so we are fairly used to doing things differently!

[MordionAgenos]

@piprabit For many jobs (professional ones anyway) you not only have to states your o levels (or GCSEs) A levels and degree class, you also have to provide the certificates. And most HR departments now do cross checking too, since certificates can be (and, increasingly, are) forged. The exam boards are doing a roaring trade in replacement certificates for those who have lost theirs over the years.

[Farahilda]

The use of such an emotive word as doomed is scaremongering.

[PiratesKnittingTreasure]

I was in the first year to do GCSEs and don't remember them being a disaster!

What is different is that GCSEs were perceived at the time as being an improvement on the old system (they weren't!) whereas they have now become completely discredited. I feel sorry for Y11 now, having to study for exams that have been written off as worthless by govt and employers must be very demotivating .

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

Yes, with one doomed year 7 and one year 11 who is working her socks off for exams which she's being told are pointless and easy and of no value, I feel quite embittered about this!

[PiratesKnittingTreasure]

I'm not surprised .

Although I don't get how Y7 are doomed?

[titchy]

Most HR depts ask for all certs?! I have two degrees and have never, sice gaining them, been asked about anything pre-degree! Likewise all the professionals I know! I think most people know if you have a degree you also have Maths and English GCSE or equivalent, and really I'd have to ask why GCSEs were so important if you have a degree.

As long as the current year 7s (I have one) do the next stage of their education within the same cohort (i.e. no years out, or at least not without having been offered a place), they'll be fine - they'll all be measured against each other.

Presumably if these changes go ahead (and if there is a change in Government they might not) they'll continue for a good few years and employers will get used to them.

If any year group's buggered it's the current year 9s and 10s who are doing GCSEs, but will find it harder to get good grades becuase of a) the linear methodology and b) political interference over grade boundaries. (I have one in this age group too.) Grrrr

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

Well IMO every year group is doomed until these wankers are voted out, but not just because of the exams they'll sit.

However, I do think it quite likely that this year 7 will be made a bit of an example of as the first batch to sit whatever it is they sit. It would be an odd political point to make to say 'look we gave them rigorous exams and guess what, results are actually higher!'.

[senua]

If any year group's buggered it's the current year 9s and 10s who are doing GCSEs, but will find it harder to get good grades becuase of a) the linear methodology and b) political interference over grade boundaries.

I don't see this as a totally bad thing. I prefer honest grades i.e. your average student (and, by definition, they mostly are average) gets an average grade. I hate the current system where it seems that anythng less than an A is not good enough. What are we doing to our chidren if we teach them that only acceptable grade is "perfection" and anything less than straight-A in all subjects puts them on the reject pile. Do we really want a world of have v. have-not? What hapened to the middle ground?

[MordionAgenos]

@titchy All city professionals anyway. Don't know what they do elsewhere. Although I know if you want to go work in eg Singapore on a secondment then they demand your certs too. Actually - lots of other countries do that, not just Singapore.

My husband has 3 degrees and never has to show his certs cos he is self employed. But when he was a uni lecturer he had to show all his qualifications. and that was a while ago before the more recent hoo hah about widescale fakery of qualifications.

[titchy]

Hmmm - the City folk I know haven't ever had to show their O level certs, and the universities I have worked in again don't ask for anything below A Level (and that's rare - it's first and higher degrees we want to see).

Senua - I agree it's not a bad thing, but I do think years 9 and 10 are at more of a disadvantage than year 7 which is what the thread was about.

[PiratesKnittingTreasure]

Senua, I agree. The number of students who get A grades now is utterly laughable and they certainly need to do something about it.

[ByTheWay1]

I have a Y7 and a Y6 - I think the new exams are a good thing, and I think current Y7 will be at an advantage because of this - those who are taking the current GCSEs are the ones who will have trouble persuading people that their qualification is of equal value.

I am pleased for my girls - it means they get to STUDY a subject without continual assessment pressures and hopefully understand it before sitting an actual exam that counts for most if not all of their marks.