GCSE Support Thread 2013

That is late creamteas DS's french exams are on the 13th May so I'm grateful for any practice he does at school. He seems a bit clueless about how to prepare for them.

Yes, the listening paper is difficult, especially if you don't 'hear' tone of voice like my DD.

DD has not been given an indication of CA grades so far, and they have not actually finished them either . One more writing to go next week, so barely anytime to focus on exam technique.

I hope DD gets a C, but there is no certainty at all. In the last practice, she lost loads of marks by not writing the answer expected (eg When the question was 'what is X doing at 8 o'clock?' writing 'eating' instead of 'breakfast' where the passage mentioned le petit dejeuner).

But she doesn't need this C to get into sixth form, so whilst it will be a real shame as she tries so hard, and does know her French, thankfully it won't have any long term impact . Unlike English, which I am more worried about...

From what I've seen, the questions are set out to confuse, especially in the listening. They really need to listen out for words like 'except' tying to catch them out. And some are answered in English, some in French. In DDs class, the first practice papers saw the typical B grade student getting Us.

DD is also A/B standard, but without the difficulties your DD has. She has worked really hard in the CAs and has AA being submitted for the written and AA* for the spoken. She has been told she only needs about half marks in both the reading and listening for a B overall, but is hoping for an A. must take the higher, as intending to do A level. She forgets vocab. under pressure though.

It's so complicated - I've asked the teacher to confirm her CA grade then we can look at it again

For some DC the foundation/higher decision is a difficult decision game.

For DD is in this position for French. DD struggles with interpreting questions (ASD). She can't always get the answers right, even though she knows the vocab. She also can't have a scribe as it is a language exam and can't have extra time for listening and her writing is really really slow (dyspraxia)

So although her French is good (A/B standard), it is too much of a risk trying for a higher grade. For her, it is better to play safe and do the foundation paper where the questions are more literal.

At DDs school for MFL, they have all been entered for both Foundation and Higher, to be decided in the day.

Although you can possibly get a B (may be even an A?) overall by taking the foundation papers, all the sixth form requirements for A level, even if asking for B are insisting it is on the higher papers.

I am an mfl teacher. Hard to say without experience of teaching your dd, but I would have thought that given her higher writing marks she's got a decent vocabulary but struggles verbally, I don't know what exam board she's following but assuming only the best coursework piece goes forward, she has an A and a C going into the exam- so roughly a B average give or take, depending on her actual marks in the coursework. If she's only aiming for a c then foundation would be the better option; a low c/high d would still work out as a c overall. However, if her vocabulary is up to the standard of her writing coursework she would most likely do ok in the higher paper and be in with a chance of a B. working on these assumptions, if your dd was in my gcse class my decision would be based on the standard of her vocabulary and how hard she's likely to have been revising.

Oh god - so we just hope the teacher reads it right

Coursework was B, A, B; Orals C, C

C is all we are aiming for I think

Yes, a case in point I would say. Generally the C+ pass marks on MFL Foundation papers are high. BUT if you opt for the Higher papers and your vocab's not up to it, you can leave with nothing.

For dodgy B grade targets, lots of centres aim for high marks on controlled assessments, then a C+ on Foundation exam papers = possible to get a B overall, but little risk of bombing the exam an dropping off the bottom. (CAs are worth 60%)

Oh it's Spanish the teacher said "You will see from her statement of entry that she is entered for both the Foundation and Higher papers which is completely normal; this way it leaves our options open about which paper to be entered for until the very last minute. "

It's not as easy as that.
In English the reading texts on the higher paper are much longer, much more demanding vocabulary, and the questions are aimed at a much higher level. Our C/D borderline students mostly just wouldn't be able to access the Higher paper texts.

Similarly with Maths, if the marks are for questions on topics you don't understand, it doesn't matter where the boundaries are, you won't be able to pass.
In summer 2012 for Mod3 Maths (AQA) you needed 33/80 on Higher paper for a C, but 58/80 on the Foundation.

So like you'd have to get (say) 85 to get a C on a foundation paper but (say) 45/50 to get a C on a higher paper?

Surely it's easier to get lower marks on a higher paper?

Katymac:
In most (all?) subjects the Foundation paper will cover a different (smaller) curriculum, and the questions are on a more limited range of topics. It covers grades C - G. The C grade pass mark o a Foundation paper I often very high.
The Higher Paper covers grade A* - D, so obviously will contain some very challenging questions on more difficult topics. But the pass rate for a C can me very low in some cases.

Thanks :) That's exactly what I've told her, as long as does the best that she can I don't care how many As and A*s she gets.

KatyMac on a higher paper, you get questions covering the full range of work on the syllabus right up to the A level work, and candidates can achieve anything from an A to a U. Foundation papers are for less academically able students- the questions on the paper cover the easier work on the syllabus, but the highest mark a candidate can get is a C. So for a child that struggles and is aiming for a C at the very highest, the foundation paper might be the best option as all of the questions will be at a lower level without the A and A* questions which would be over their heads. For a child who is C/b borderline, it tends to be worth going for the higher tier paper and therefore being in with a chance of getting the higher grades.

BTW B is great - I think B is fab

I only got one B

That's great Marina looks like all the hard work she's been doing (and yours!) is starting to pay off.

So what is the difference between a foundation paper & a higher paper?

Great news marinagasolina.

Of course it is the best, if it is the best for her :)

Hope this is good omen for the exams to come.

DFD has just got her first ever B on a past paper! SO proud of her- not the best but given how far she's come a huge achievement.

It could be argued that a BTEC does not give the grounding for an A level, but not that it doesn't count at all.

If one of my DC were being deprived a place at a sixth form, because their school offers a BTEC instead of a GCSE in a particular subject (when this is unrelated to A level choice) I would be challenging this.

All the schools/colleges round here express their entry in A-C GCSEs, but they all accept BTECs even though they don't always state this.

I know the btec science is changing, but the current spec (this year's yr11) is very different from the GCSE, and most sixth forms won't accept you to do science A levels if you only have the BTEC.

DD starts 13/5 too, last exam 18/6, with week after half term exam free.
5 papers before half-term, 5 after.
Week after half term exam free.
English Language & Maths already done.

A bit too relaxed with her revision, with 'breaks' lasting longer than study time.

Creamteas One of the sixth forms DD is holding a place at will only look at 8 A* to Cs in GCSE - not interested in the 'equivalents'.

DD also starts on the 13th May and finishes on the 14th June.

13 exams in total
8 before half-term
5 after

All qualifications have an equivalence in terms of difficulty (level 1 = d-g GCSE, level 2 = a*-C GCSE, up to level 8=PhD).

They also have an equivalence in terms of size (eg how many GCSEs/A levels they compare to).

The first is generally agreed on, the second can be disputed (and there have been changes in how these are counted for league tables at level 2). So at GCSE level usually most people will see one Level 2 BTEC (or whatever) as one GCSE.

If any sixth form/college did not accept them, I would think this could be challenged as this is unfairly discriminating against an applicant. It is not the choice of a pupil as to which qualifications a school offers. Ours, for example, only offers BTEC for ICT so a GCSE is not possible.

Ds starts on 14th May and finishes on 14th June.
11 exams before half term - 14 hrs
6 exams - 10 hrs - after half term.