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Original poster

Did you know GCSE A* grades are being slashed this year?

86 replies

roisin · 26/05/2012 14:37

The Joint Council for Qualifications have required all GCSE subjects to grade A* differently in future. OFQUAL have required all the exam Boards to return to the level of awards as made in 2008, leading to a reduction in the pass rate at all grades.

I don't have information for all subjects, but apparently in some subjects the difference is massive. In 2011 in AQA Biology 23% of all entries were graded A. In the Jan 2012 Biology module, just 0.9% of papers were graded A!

I approve wholeheartedly of the revised exam board policy of reserving A* for truly exceptional - and statisticallly rare - performance.

OP posts:
notnowImreading · 26/05/2012 19:32

Don't forget that in many schools, separate sciences are only offered to the top 10-15% of students, so they are already the brightest. Most students will do Double Science or Science BTec. In my opinion, it is unfair to make an exam much more difficult to excel in just because the pupils taking it are aiming for higher grades.

BeingFluffy · 26/05/2012 19:28

No wonder DD was predicted all A*sConfused(except mathsWink)

mummytime · 26/05/2012 19:26

Weird DS got a C on a Biology paper last summer, upped to A* this January. (There are reasons why he under performed and weever got the school to pay.)

BringBack1996 · 26/05/2012 19:19

I hope DS doesn't find out about this, it will really shatter his confidence :(

It's odd that it's the sciences with the highest % achieving As as, although he's pretty consistent across the board, DS is much more likely to achieve an A in English or Art and Design than Biology. How bizarre!

Maryz · 26/05/2012 19:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BeingFluffy · 26/05/2012 19:04

Yes, I just checked on the AQA website as I found it unbelievable, OP is quite right about last June's Biology - I had assumed it was the top 7-10% but it is 23%. Chemistry was 25% which was even stranger as I always thought that was the more difficult science. Art & Design was much lower at around 10% or much lower depending on the course which surprised me as nearly all the girls at DD's school got A* last year. The various English exams were also 10% or less - bizarre!

MaureenMLove · 26/05/2012 18:58

Well, DD is unlikely to achieve any A*'s, but she is an A-C student. Unless, of course that means all the grade will be adjusted accordingly?

tiggytape · 26/05/2012 18:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BeingFluffy · 26/05/2012 17:05

Roisin - where does this information originate from? I can't find it on the Ofqual website or those of the exam boards.

LeeCoakley · 26/05/2012 16:52

As long as all sixth forms downgrade their admission requirements accordingly.

I bet it's to soften the blow when the average grades in the new-style GSCEs turn out to be lower.

BeingFluffy · 26/05/2012 16:30

Well my DD got an A for the AQA biology paper she did in January; most of her friends did. She did two more papers last week. I think if kids wind up with lower grades this year for a similar performance to last it is a bit unfair tbh. If Ofqual want to change the curriculum or exam format they can go ahead, but changing the marks awarded for a very similar exam won't solve anything - it will just piss me off if she gets A instead of A (if she would have been awarded that last year).