JCQ and ofqual gcse grade warnings...

noblegiraffe - I know - it really doesn't matter. Universities and employers recruit candidates with no GCSEs at all, all the time. There are hundreds of possible qualifications out there!

Parents/DC are more worried about losing the status symbol effect of a string of A*s than any real fears about access to education.

widely publicised and understood change to GCSEs

And if you're talking about the new GCSEs for first sitting in 2017, you're having a laugh if you think the changes are widely understood. They can't be, because a lot of them haven't even been published yet. The latest thing is that all the draft GCSE specs from the exam boards for maths, which some schools will be starting teaching in September have been rejected by Ofqual and so it's back to the drawing board.

Given that in recent years girls have out-performed boys at gcse level but are often reported as benefiting from the modular exams it will be interesting if these changes have closed the gender gap somewhat this year

Girls have ALWAYS out performed boys when they have been given he opportunity to study/sit the exams.

In the days of the 11 plus being national (1950s) girls had to get a higher score to get their grammar school place.

Back on topic

I can see a resurgence of consolidation courses at FE colleges. For those who don't remember it was a 1 year course in the days of O Levels for people to resit and obtain he magic 5 A-C grades.

Bonsoir, these aren't the new GCSEs with the different grades to distinguish them from the old ones. These are a complete bodge and no one understands how grades will be affected. Given that Ofqual have had to give an official warning that the grades will be not as expected, so that governors don't go sacking heads over poor results, I think it's safe to say that this year's results will be very difficult to interpret.

Colleges, universities, employers are all used to recruiting students/candidates with a huge variety of qualifications! It is somewhat patronising to suggest that this widely publicised and understood change to GCSEs that, crucially, has been pushed for by universities themselves in order to make the exam system more reliable, will be ignored.

In theory, that's right Bonsoir but in reality, many employers, colleges, universities are not going to lower their basic requirements for this cohort.

And these basic requirements have been standing for some time...

It really doesn't matter what grades DC achieve providing a single cohort is held to the same rigorous, reliable and comparable standards.

I was trying to keep positive but all this is beginning to sound like a complete nightmare.

I really feel for this cohort!

The hybrid GCSE of a-bit-like-the-old-modular-and-a-bit-like-the-new-linear is a complete fuck up.

It will result in depressed results. And now they're throwing grade boundary lowering into the mix.

It's going to leave the 2014 cohort at sea that's for sure.

Reports that grade boundaries are to be lowered:

schoolsimprovement.net/gcse-boundaries-lowered-to-avoid-gove-effect/

As part of the formal diagnosis a Ed Psych will have performed the relevant assessments for the speed/processing. I think it would be very unusual for a reputable practitioner to feel able to state they need extra time without one of those scores being below 84. It certainly isn't as subjective as it once was. Also bearing in mind that SpLDs can overlap so one could mask the symptoms of another ie. ds is dyspraxic but has some dyslexic traits. His last set of scores were borderline to qualify and it was felt his subsequent progress in other areas would mean any further assessment would probably not prove his "need". Saying no child with SpLD should be capable of A* is ludicrous .

'to be granted extra time dyslexics now have to have processing and working memories scores that are in the below average range'

the access arrangement of extra time requires at least one score of 84 or below in
speed of reading; or
speed of reading comprehension; or
speed of writing; or
cognitive processing measures which have a substantial and long term
adverse effect on speed of working (visual processing speed or phonological processing speed or working memory.

A single score in one of these areas is acceptable alongside evidence of usual way of working ( which is supposed to be held on file for inspection purposes for all pupils who have access arrangements).

Schools can make a paper application for pupils who do not have a below average score. A formal diagnosis of dyslexia can form part of the evidence, and school must provide firm evidence that extra time is the pupil's usual way of working within the classroom and that without the allocation of extra time the pupil will be seriously disadvantaged within an exam situation.

Will it be because it's a private school? I dunno but I'm sure they said evening classes were the only option at the audition

I thought they had to offer English and Maths resit now with the new post-16 requirement? Or have I misunderstood?

www.edexcel.com/notices/Documents/Post_16_English_mathematics_WEB.pdf

bottlecat that is true, to be granted extra time dyslexics now have to have processing and working memories scores that are in the below average range. www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-2014-2015 There are provisions to consider cases individually if there are other issues but when Examination Officers feed the scores into the system a bright pupil with scores in the average range will not be granted extra time and the school would have to submit additional evidence, with an uncertain chance of success. I know a number of pupils in that position who have lost their entitlement to extra time. The upper limit of the below average range is the 14th centile ie 86% of the population would score higher......

Katy
Its worth checking that as I think they have to from September - the new rules about ensuring that all kids have the core subjects if possible.

But she is off to Performing Arts college& they don't do English & Maths at all!

Katy
the school leaving age is now such that the schools and colleges will help out the D/C boundary kids
however
in this exam season, the political clobbering is at the upper end

for once I hope they leave the C/D alone : because the eejit politicians forget that linear exams are entirely unsuited to the way a lot of kids think and entirely unsuited to the life and work skills that many such students will need.

We are just praying for Cs otherwise night school is a possibility

The Speaking really helped DD & without it she was borderline so re-did loads of CAsto try & scrape a C not sure that is really allowed

'There are new rules regarding extra time meaning it is much more difficult to get it. Bright dyslexic children who could get it before have had it removed if their processing speed is average. '

Not true.

Rabbit the advice we had about assessments came from the charity that we organise the assessments through, we pay but those who cannot afford it do not, they work with plenty of children from state schools. And they are 60 miles away in the sticks because London Ed Psychs are exorbitant and completely booked up. My DDs last assessment had been pre 16 and we were advised we would need a further assessment, not a full Ed Psych report but a supplementary report produced by a teacher assessor, their teacher assessor. Presumably the advice is available online and is something you will want to explore with the Learning Support set ups at the unis you visit for open days.

I am struggling to recognise the slightly dizzy single SEN teacher at my DDs private school as some sort of savvy scheming SEN fixer. She is lovely enough for giving reassurance and occasionally even the right advice on how to tackle essays etc but she wasn't even sure if it was me or her who originated the form the teacher assessor signed for the exam board, and in the end I had to fix it.

I am not extrapolating anything, my whole point is that state school provision varies enormously. Our LEA just happens, probably as a result of parental crusades, to have processes in place that ensure good provision for pupils with special needs, but I know that does not extend beyond our borough boundaries, and nor does it extend to ensuring a good standard of education for all it's pupils, or even enough places for all it's pupils but that is another story......

One thing I have learnt from my and others experiences is that in state or private schools if you have a child with SpLDs you have to be constantly on the ball, acting as facilitator, investigating options, correcting misapprehensions etc etc etc. it shouldn't be the case because pupils without the advantage of a proactive parent definitely lose out. The smoothness with which her firmed uni has started the process of putting support in place and the Student Loans process has led to her being granted DSA and her needs assessed has been a complete culture shock for me.

Sorry, am just very, very sensitive about it My dd will be gutted too. She did say yesterday though that she'll be happy if she's got the *s in the A-level subjects she plans for so that was progress.

Northern
Did not mean it to be a guilt trip.
DD will be gutted if she does not hit the row of stars and it has taken all of my and DH's negotiation / persuasion skills to soften up for the fact that raw marks and grades are not the same thing.

I chatted to a friend whose DD just got a first from Oxford (now starting her dPhil) and they battled against the A* prediction fallback for v v bright kids - especially when its not in the control of the kid

indigo
DH goes to dozens of schools every year.
dream on if you think they do not ALL do their utmost to get the best out of the results for their kids, using sportsmanship or gamesmanship

Thanks for the guilt trip but I strongly questioned the target setting and the rationale at the time. I have to say that School were not exactly lining up to drop the targets and dd had in any case been given them and it was clear was holding herself to them whatever was done 'on paper'. Like you we have talked at length about the politics of the situation with her.
My learning from this is that I will be contacting school at the end of Year 9 for her sisters and making it clear that they are NOT to be given A* targets. I agree with you that nobody should.

The private schools I have close dealings with have one exams officer and one person dealing with SEN provision.
There is no gaming of the system.