Is it remotely feasible for GCSEs 2021 to move to June/July?

[Mostpeculiar]

And if it were when’s the latest we would be informed?

[TeenPlusTwenties]

I have a y10. I'm not convinced that the benefit of moving by what 3 or 4 weeks is worth the disruption to pupils or schools, and wonder how the timescales will work with marking.
Not at all biased by the fact we re booked our holiday this year for second half of July next year.

So they'll probably do it and only announce in about Feb.

[RuthW]

My teacher dd seems to think that's what's happening.

[Mostpeculiar]

I hadn’t clicked on that for the first time in years we could book a hol outside of the six weeks but not if they move exams, which will in turn mean changing trip dates, y6 transition etc etc

[CountessFrog]

They really will have to announce this soon if they expect people to plan around it.

[Annebronte]

I think it could be helpful. Another month of teaching could make a significant difference. It wouldn’t be especially disruptive for most senior schools, I shouldn’t think. Yes, it might spoil a few holiday plans.

[SE13Mummy]

Depends what you mean by feasible really. In theory, exams in English schools could probably take place later than they currently do but, what about Y13s studying the IB (an international qualification that has exams scheduled worldwide), or private schools that break up at the end of June, or the Y6 transition days that usually happen in secondaries in early July... there would also be a knock-on effect on school productions, DofE expeditions, sports events and many of the extra-curricular activities that teenagers participate in. Had they not missed them all this year, it might matter less if they miss them next year but as it is, the current Y10 and Y12 may have two summers effectively cancelled and I'm not sure how healthy that is in terms of their whole-person development.

[OldLace]

My Y10 was told this by his teacher yesterday too.

My first thought was they are going to window dress the situation with Tutors that will never happen and carry on with nothing but a couple of extra weeks tacked onto the end of the year for Y10's to face their exams

[Ihatemyseleffordoingthis]

but....what about Y13s studying the IB (an international qualification that has exams scheduled worldwide), or private schools that break up at the end of June, or the Y6 transition days that usually happen in secondaries in early July... there would also be a knock-on effect on school productions, DofE expeditions, sports events and many of the extra-curricular activities that teenagers participate in.

very few of those are affected by GCSEs moving a month. Most of those things don't affect the GCSE-sitters. All of those things could accomodate that if it's agreed that the current year 10s life chances are going to be less fucked tbh

It gives me less concern than some ideas that I have heard mooted re the recovery curriculum and cutting it back to English Maths and Science for several years.

[Ihatemyseleffordoingthis]

But, tbh I would hope for a more significant change and creativity to be applied to the situation. I fear it is a forlorn hope.

[seenbeensbean]

I think it could be made to work with GCSEs but I think it'd be a major headache for A levels.

[HairyMaclary]

I hope not. Y10 DS has a major operation planned for very end of June next year. He needs all summer to recover. I’d really hoped he would be ready by Sept of Y12, not still recovering.

[GU24Mum]

In my day (not that recent admittedly........), the written exams started just after half term rather than mid-way through May. They could do that and buy some more school time and still have the exams finish by the end of June or early July at worst. Most were due to finish by mid-June if not earlier this year and they could probably cram the final exams together a bit more and sort out a few clashes.

[Chickoletta]

I’m a GCSE examiner and think that this would be very difficult to manage unless they were also going to move the results back by a month. Markers have extremely tight deadlines to work to so that moderation and all of the admin can happen before publishing results. If they went with this and pushed the results back too it would affect college admissions etc.

[Chickoletta]

Looking at a few articles on TES etc, it looks like one proposal if to reduce the number of exams and include a teacher assessment element. Fewer exams could mean that they could start late and finish as scheduled - this would work.

[Sleepthief]

In Northern Ireland they do many of the English exam boards, but schools finish at the end of June, so I don't see how that would work there... 🤔

[Mostpeculiar]

Apart from the person talking from the private perspective you all seem to think it’s feasible but when will the schools have to know by?

[cologne4711]

Completely feasible as they used to start after May half term in my day so even if they just did that it could give the kids 2-3 weeks longer to cover some more content.

As for needing more time to mark, maybe they could employ a few more examiners and also administrators and get it done in less time. No doubt someone will be along to tell me that can't possibly work because education is speshul rather than thinking how it could.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

2 or 3 weeks unfortunately would not be enough for my Y10’s😥

[BlackPuddingEggs]

Do you really think your year 10 children have learnt no new material this term? I think mine has and it would be much better for him to get a normal summer next year as so many things have been cancelled this year. Dragging the exams out another month will mean that the post exam trips run by school just won’t be feasible and he will be very disappointed. Surely just shifting the pass mark will achieve the same effect on grades. I can’t help thinking that the children who have made no progress at all ( I accept that for most it will be less progress than a normal term) won’t engage with the catch up work anyway and it will just drag out the time for all the other pupils.

[Bobbybobbins]

I think it is feasible and we would welcome it at my school.

[seenbeensbean]

@Chickoletta

Looking at a few articles on TES etc, it looks like one proposal if to reduce the number of exams and include a teacher assessment element. Fewer exams could mean that they could start late and finish as scheduled - this would work.

How would they do fewer exams without less subjects though ? If you look at triple science isn't it 3 exams per science? If so then they can't do away with one of them because schools choose which topics to teach when don't they ?

[TeenPlusTwenties]

I can’t help thinking that the children who have made no progress at all ... won’t engage with the catch up work anyway

I think it very much depends why they have made no progress.
My DD has been ill, recovering now. When better, I hope she will engage.

Others might have struggled to access due to technology, time, illness, space etc.

[BlackPuddingEggs]

It’s true there are different reasons for not doing work.

If children have been ill with Covid for the whole term surely schools treat this in the same way as they do if a child misses a term for any other illness? Either notify the exam board for some lenience (although I’m not sure this happens if there are lots of them this time it might make sense) provide extra help or drop number of subjects.

Those who were unable to work due to technology or space should have intensive catch up - either provided by the school or by grants to attend intensive crammer courses in Christmas And/or Easter holidays. This would cost more money, but so would delaying exams and needing extra markers.

But I guess it depends if you think, as I do that the majority have managed to make progress, so you find fixes for the minority, or if you think the majority have missed a term of work and this can’t be solved by grade shifting.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

My Y10 (I’m a teacher) have missed a third of their Y10 work. This is a huge amount.

Very few of them have done anything at home. This means they will have masses to catch up on. But we have to start y 11 work now, and can’t recover that missed time

[CarrieBlue]

you look at triple science isn't it 3 exams per science? If so then they can't do away with one of them because schools choose which topics to teach when don't they ?

Triple science is two exams per subject just like combined science but each paper is longer. The specification is the same for all schools but they may choose the order that they deliver the content. This would be AQA, though I believe the other boards are similar.