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Original poster

GCSE maths grades

31 replies

BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 14:49

If a kid got a solid 5 in a maths mock GCSE last week what are the chances of them pushing it to a 7 in the real thing? Any thoughts?

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Scarydinosaurs · 02/12/2016 15:46

Ralph- they must be using insanely high grade boundaries. Our 5 comes under 'clear explained' in the mark scheme, and that is most certainly not an A.

RalphSteadmansEye · 02/12/2016 14:36

Ds's teachers are marking work they would formerly class as grade A as a 5...

At least they only want a 5 to do A level in English, whereas it's 7 for maths.

Scarydinosaurs · 02/12/2016 08:15

Very much so, Bertrand. The level descriptors for the top two bands are quite similar- and as this 9 is now the super A* we're now not sure WHAT the equivalent to and A/B is. The C grade has always been "clear, explained" and that is easy to spot/mark, but the more able is harder to predict. Especially given the extra challenge of no poetry anthology/no text/no extract.

Scarydinosaurs · 02/12/2016 08:10

I feel now is the time to stick on 'Dr Strangelove: How I learnt to stop worrying and love the bomb'

The English exam is actually a really good exam. Whatever happens, everyone at least will be in the same boat- and those that will go on to further education will be judged like for like.

It just feels painfully unfair that we are 'experimenting' on all these students.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 02/12/2016 08:09

"Funny how there hasn't been a single thread (I don't think) stressing about grade boundaries in English?

I'm always fascinated by the emphasis on maths on here. G&T threads are almost always about maths. I wonder whether it'/ something about us all being able to read, but many of us are left behind by our children in maths very early (year 7 in my case)? Also maybe we feel we can do something about maths- it's just a matter of learning the right stuff properly when English is more subjective? If you're a real high flyer, in maths you used to be able to confidently predict an A*- that's always been much harder inAenglish.

Also (forgive me for this) most mumsnetters seem to have high ability children and the discussion is about the boundaries between 7,8 and 9. Which, as I said, are much fuzzier in English. Certainly at our school, which has a very high % of low ability children, there is much angst and discussion about getting the kids to a C equivalent in English, and what that will be in real terms.

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RalphSteadmansEye · 02/12/2016 07:46

I'm doing plenty of flapping myself as a parent, but not a lot we can do!

Scarydinosaurs · 02/12/2016 07:44

Ralph plenty on Twitter. None of us really have a clue. Many are refusing to predict and predicting 'band' performance instead. How this will translate to a grade is going to be up to the exam boards in July when they mark them and see where the boundaries will give the correct % distribution of 9s, 8s, 7s etc

Scarydinosaurs · 02/12/2016 07:42

When they had the infamous English GCSE balls up of 2012, colleges accepted History GCSEs as evidence of good written skills instead. The problem with this cohort is that all colleges are flapping about what they will accept.

There have been discussions on here about colleges insisting on 8s/9s to do A Level in that subject- if only 3% of the entire cohort will be awarded 9, then they aren't going to have enough to fill a class.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 02/12/2016 07:05

Ha! I could write a bloody novel about the stress of grade boundaries in English. Instead I just rock in a corner

RalphSteadmansEye · 02/12/2016 07:03

Funny how there hasn't been a single thread (I don't think) stressing about grade boundaries in English?

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 01/12/2016 19:11

But no-one has a clue what a 5,6 or 7 is going to look like AT ALL. They are making it up!

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 19:05

The one ds wants to go to asks for a 6 minimum, preferably a 7 to do maths and a 5 to do anything else.......

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dingit · 01/12/2016 18:57

The sixth form college ds has applied to for a ICT Btec is only asking for a level 3 for maths. This seems very low to me, but reading this thread, I think I can see why.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 18:39

"It is entirely dependent upon the performance of the rest of the country- so harder than ever to predict performance!

It is just a suck it and see for everyone."

Let's just hope that the institutions and companies that pay attention to GCSEs understand- as I've said before, a lot of kids at ds's school struggle to get Cs and desperately need them. I hope there's lots of stuff in the paper about them next summer.

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RalphSteadmansEye · 01/12/2016 18:31

Hint taken Wink

Ds's school is sticking with igcse. It's very tough but at least completely predictable!

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 18:19

I'm perfectly happy to overshare about my children at the drop of a hat, Ralph! In fact I am having to stop myself working ds's result casually into a post on here as a stealth boast! But I will content myself with that very mild and subtle one.......Grin

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Scarydinosaurs · 01/12/2016 18:14

It is entirely dependent upon the performance of the rest of the country- so harder than ever to predict performance!

It is just a suck it and see for everyone.

RalphSteadmansEye · 01/12/2016 18:13

Ha ha! That'll teach me.

Comment still stands for maths: All you can do is learn content and check exam technique.

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BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 18:12

No idea, noblegiaffe,sorry. I know not a 6.

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TheFallenMadonna · 01/12/2016 18:07

Agree with the others. Even assigning a grade is tough. Dividing that grade into 3 sub grades is pie in the sky.

PberryT · 01/12/2016 18:02

As noble said, there is no such thing as a solid 5. He could end up with literally anything come the Summer.

Teachers have no grade boundaries, grade descriptiors or accurate assessments.

Despite pressure from Ofsted to make accurate predictions, finally our SLT have caved and realised the impossibility of the task.

noblegiraffe · 01/12/2016 18:01

The teacher gave them a grade with a A,B or C for nearly the next grade, solid and nearly the one below.

This is so ridiculous. Totally ridiculous. The teacher has no idea how solid or otherwise their grade boundary predictions are.

What did they get in their KS2 SATS?

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BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 17:58

No,Ralph, not Ds on this occasion!

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TheFallenMadonna · 01/12/2016 17:56

Interested in where they are setting their grade boundaries really. It's a bit of a minefield this year.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 17:55

The teacher gave them a grade with a A,B or C for nearly the next grade, solid and nearly the one below.

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