And because it's almost 20 weeks I think it is unrealistic to ask them to continue to revise. It really is just too lomg.
For those wanting to go to uni this year, if they miss the grades and don't get taken with the lower grade, then like any year when students miss the grades, they will have to sit them the following summer. It isn't actually different to usual.
The fact is, most students achieve less than their predicted grades every year. They are disappointed and then either find a uni which will take them with what they have (often where they wanted anyway) or they have to resist the following summer. A similar number if students will 'underperform' in relation to their rather generous UCAS predictions this year - but the problem is that this year, they will feel cheated of their rightful grade, even though in the majority if cases, they still wouldn't have achieved their UCAS prediction if they sat the exam. The vast majority won't have been cheated...and given they won't sit a May exam, we will never be able to tell anyway. The vast majority,neven those with grades lower than their uni predictions will go to a uni of choice and move on, as they always do.
I suspect that some of those who decide to go for the late exam will be under pressure from parents to do it, rather than themselves. Many, many who think they might need do the late exam won't actually do it. They will get a uni place they are happy with, want to go to uni this year and want to move on. That will be very understandable. Choosing to sit the late exam will probably force a year out, although I suppose if numbers allow, Unis nights allow late entry to the course and something special for this year.....but it's hardlybthebideal start for anyone is it.
I think this has to be a best for vast majority, given the circumstances thing. In the circumstances, which obviously aren't ideal, there just isn't a way for everyone to take the normal exams in the normal way and get to uni in Autumn based on these results. There will be a few injustices, but I think they will be far fewer in reality than people feel exist, for the reasons mentioned above. Remember, exams are often incorrectly marked and injustices exist there, often to a huge degree. No system is perfect and this won't be either, but really seems the best I the circumstances.
I think the following features of it make it a decent way to approach the giving of grades;
- the fact that teachers won't base the grade they give on any individual piece of work but on the collective work.
- that the grade is the expected grade that would be achieved if the exam was sat - this allows for a boost caused by revision which experienced teachers know happens.
- that prior attainment of students will be taken into account (not by school but by the exam boards/system) - prior attainment is a very good indicator of success at A Level
- that school prior attainment over several years will be taken into consideration - again, over several years, schools do tend to perform at a similar rate
- that schools will rank their students - helping the board/system to decide where to cut off. Remember that exam boundaries are set after exams are set to ensure the right % of students get the right grades in each subject and across years.
The fact that all of these things are there mean people can have confidence in the system. I believe it really will produce accurate results. Where the trouble lies is in student and parents believing that had an exam been sat the grades would have been higher. Remember that in the vast vast majority of cases, this just wouldn't have been the case. Even with lots if hard work innthenlast stages, most students don't get their UCAS predictions. They won't this year either, and that won't be because they have been cheated out of their grades.