Any other AS DC struggling with GCSE science mark scheme because of pragmatics? Is it discriminatory?

Many many kids with SEN are now told my Agove and his minions that they don't have SEN - because they are too bright and do too well on the tests even with their SEN. The DfE doesn't care that they would do even better without their SEN. They also believe that kids with SEN such as dyspraxia shouldn't be getting As, that As aren't for kids like them - or at least, this was what we were told when Dd1 was re-evaluated before her GCSE exams - the Ed Psych doing the re-evaluation had recently been at a big meeting with DfE reps, where Ed psychs were trying to explain to the reps why it ws so wrong to be tightening up the rules in the way they have and why it was discriminatory to A* SEN kids - and that was what they were told. Now, maybe it was just that guy. But, in the light of the fact that the way they are handling things now is clearly discriminatory against the brightest SEN kids - I don't think it is just that one guy.

Kids in posh schools still seem to end up with the appropriate support and concessions though - as discussed in many threads on here. So it's not all kids with SEN that are being targeted. Just state school kids with SEN. Funny that.

As for science, specifically - ever since they introduced CAs science has been clearly discriminatory against kids with dyspraxia. :(

I'm talking away and if you look at all the papers they took in 2012 one paper is 65% the other two papers are around 80%. It is impossible to get an A* overall by getting 65%.
There are so many Sen it's possible to please everyone, by favoring one Sen you may be biased against others. As I said my D's, SEN causes him to lose marks, he often misreads math's papers and makes silly mistakes.

To be honest I don't think the exam boards would have any personal info about the students at all - this sounds awful but when we mark they are just a number (but I promise you it is taken very seriously). It would be up to the individual centre to apply for any special considerations. From a teaching point of view I never have to supply the exam boards with any SEN info. Your DS sounds like he will get brilliant grades - A coursework mark plus hitting A and A in mocks etc plus having such a caring parent to help support with all of the exams now at the end of year 11. Gove may be a massive wanker but I do believe that the kids that deserve the high grades will get them (this may be the vino talking!). Good luck with everything, PM me if you need anything for your DS I have loads of revision stuff if he finds any particular area tricky

Bruffin, the pass marks have been very low for some higher papers in aqa science. C grade was 12/60 for a C and 21/60 for a B 'for the core physics paper last jan so 36/60 very plausible for an a*.
Personally think its silly, need to make the paper more straight forward and make pass marks higher.

The OP is correct regarding grade boundaries being low - AQA Chemistry Higher Paper Jan 2013 students needed 29/60 for an A and only 9/60 for a D. This is then converted to UMS where 90 is an A*, 80 is an A etc.
I examine Science GCSE Higher papers for both of the major exam boards as well as being a full time teacher. I have found it soooooo helpful for my classes and for the department in general. I do think some of the questions are misleading but it reassures me that the mark scheme is only finalised after hundreds (thousands? - I'm not important enough to be involved in this!) of papers are looked at so the final mark scheme does take into account the many strange (but correct) answers that students may give. You are also allowed to use discretion - so if a student does give an A Level style answer you can definitely give them credit (providing it is correct of course). For the most part I have found with my students that most of them drop marks by not reading the question properly (describing not explaining etc) and when we go through it afterwards they kick themselves for not getting the answer correct. Also, similar to your DS they don't quite take the answer far enough - the vaccination question you mentioned being the classic example (this was in our mock this year - loads got it "wrong"). I always say to the students "So what?" - yes, different pathogens so what does that mean? You won't lose any marks for writing more than you think is necessary (unless the additional info contains major scientific errors or contradictions).
Sorry - what a ramble! The best advice as a teacher and an examiner I can give is keep on with the revision, underline the action words in the question (as someone else suggested I think - describe, explain, evaluate) and take the time to really read all of the information given in the questions (sounds so obvious but so many students are so keen to get going they miss easy marks) and don't get too stressed over missing a few marks as rightly or wrongly the grade boundaries are fairly low.

If your DS has a controlled assessment coming up for science it may be worth talking to the school about preparing him properly for that - a good CA mark may take the pressure off (I also moderate one exam board and teach the other so happy to give advice!)

That is absolutely the case Bruffin. having a SpLD isn't a particular learning difficulty or a particular spectrum of problems, it is a range of problems on a spectrum and being ASD is on that spectrum. I have two children with SpLDs, both Dyslexic and one also has problems that would label Dyspraxia. One has two MFLs AT A at GCSE but she has a photographic memory, possibly developed to compensate for an auditory memory below the tenth percentile. DD2 struggled with one MFL and scored A/ A, with a lot of hard work memorising vocab, on everything but the coursework which required her to memorise large tracts of French to regurgitate in test conditions, she got a D and it dragged her down to a B. Both were very motivated to learn languages because we have lived overseas.

The irony of all this is that whilst Gove et al believe that they have to limit the arrangements to level the playing field for our DCs, the MoD are apparently going out of their way to recruit and facilitate the working world for those with SpLDs because they have particular strengths to offer in code breaking and intelligence work. Growing up as a Dyslexic in the 70s was difficult and whilst I developed coping strategies I always did wonder why I could be so "stupid" some of the time and so ahead of the thinking on others. However a mediocre performance at O level and to a lesser extent A level didn't stop me getting to a good university where my thinking skills came into their own. I worry Gove could deny those chances to a new gereation of those with SpLDs.

won not one

To get A you need to score as little as 36% of marks according to some grades boundaries.*

No you don't, that's complete nonsense, for science papers its around 80% , 36% wouldn't get you a D let alone an A star. The lowest i could find for 2012 was a chemistry paper which was 29/36 which 80% and one of the physics papers was 94%. 34/36.

He took triple and got 12 a* for his gcses. My son has been in his class since yr 7 and i can tell you he doesnt struggle with science exams and also has one every prize going for sciences.

Dyslexia doesnt stop you learning a language, the style of MFL exam stops my DS from getting decent marks in mfl. Other dyslexics can do ok, just as my ds's friend with aspergers does really well in science exams (and every other exam he takes) whereas others may struggle. Every child is different even within the same diagnosis.

But everyone is different, one of my dS's friends has aspergers and has never had a problem with science exams and got all A* s and is doing well in his A levels. My Ds is dyslexic and struggled with MFL exams because he can't memorise long tracts which is basically what happens in modern mfl exams. His dyslexia does affect his overall score despite him getting extra time.

Sorry I meant electrolysis not hydrolysis.

bruffin Well here I am with a grade 1 (then the highest grade) O level in Physics with Chemistry (1973) and I haven't a clue what you are talking about, unlike in Maths where a Grade 1 has been the basis for me to pick up the Maths I needed to pass master's modules in statistics, modelling and micro economics as well as in a business career.

Open ended questions like, in my O level History, "What factors led to the passing of the Reform Acts" which required by way of answer simply a list of parliamentary and political processes and actions. No analysis of the economic and social context, or even the wider political context, no real understanding of why reform happened at that point in our History in contrast to what would be asked now, To what extent was the 1832 Reform Act a turning point?

OP, Can I point out that teachers do not set the exam, exam boards do this. 'Teachers' get as frustrated as you do and if the teachers do practise test in class and mark to the mark scheme it's so the students are prepared.
However I would say writing exams is not easy and exams mark schemes must be able to ensure consistency so all examiners mark to the same standard, soprocedures are very rigorous. In doing this sometimes it is difficult to cover all possible interpretations. Following an exam the senior team do mark and modify the mark scheme in cases where students have interpreted questions in a different but equally correct way to ensure fairness.
A great deal of students underestimate the level of detail required in and this is by far the most common reason for losing marks. This continues at at A level. Another common problem is where a topic is covered at ks3 and gcse, a simplistic answer just using ks3 knowledge often doesn't have the detail to gain marks at gsce. Using correct terminology is important and is an important skills. Most mark schemes do accept that if the student can fully explain without the key word than they will be given credit for the answer.
As an examiner, I do contact my team leader regularly while I'm marking to clarify on any any answers that I feel could be given credit but are not given on the mark scheme. This is just considered good practise for examiners.
However , I will say again that I don't disagree with your concerns and would like to see papers with greater clarity enabling students to show what they know, rather than just showing they can answer exam questions.

Olevel chemistry wasn't a regurgitation of memory. in 1979 at least 35% of the paper was hydrolysis and calculations.

Sad to see some of the looking back at O levels through rose tinted specs here. When I took them in the 70s they were complete tests of regurgitation, especially my weird amalgam O level Physics with Chemistry. The teachers at our direct grant grammar had so little regard for their academic worth that they didn't regard it as worthwhile sitting them in our A level subjects, instead we progressed straight to the A level course. There was a reason Sir Keith Joseph ditched them.

in my own subject, History my DDS have had a chance to develop historical skills that I didn't have a chance to gain and utilise until A level and even university. There is a need to develop GCSEs to meet the needs of employers and universities in the 21st century, in conjunction with them and the educational professionals. What a shame to have lost that opportunity to the narrow ideas of a few people who have gained temporary power at the DofE.