Are year 10 children going to lose out more because of new spec GCSEs?

Went to parent evening last week and quite honestly no one teacher gave the same answer when asked about boundaries and whether predicted grades were a good indicator. Looks like just got to hope all will be OK. They are very good teachers so have to trust them really

^^This pretty much. My y11s are about ti sit theirs. We've prepared then as well as we can.
Some teachers like me have been very open about the lack of information and clarity, others try to give as good an explanation as they can so it sounds muddled.
I actually have liked not having set grade boundaries (can't express that in the staff room!) because it's allowed me to justify the approach I take every year which is push the kids to do as well as they can. Rather than having to have stupid conversations like "these children need a C what 3 things can you put to a formula for them?"

The students who work hard and listen to feedback will be fine.

but that is two different but interlinked areas.

In the past we have known the grade boundaries and could figure out the UMS number crunching as they have been freely available through the exam boards.

At the moment we don't know how the UMS is going to be worked out and we have no chance of knowing the grade boundaries as they will move every year with the national peer group.

Mark scheme band boundaries perhaps but the raw marks required for grades varied year on year for a variety of reasons. Markers don't know where the grade boundaries will be.

In the subject that I teach under the legacy curriculum the boundaries are clearly specified

Grade boundaries are always set after the exam is marked. The difference this year is we have no previous years to work off or guidance from the boards.

From what has been rumoured grade boundaries won't be set until after the exams are marked.

This is what OFQUAL have to say about predictions for new GCSEs: ofqual.blog.gov.uk/2017/02/03/grade-boundaries-the-problems-with-predictions/

Basically, they are meaningless. No one, not even the exam boards, knows what the grade boundaries will be. They will be applied retrospectively based on the marks students get.

Not all schools teach RE past year 9

Our school doesnt, it covers all it seems to need to in PDL which covers sex, drugs and drink mainly

And with dh it's who he knows that's important when he wants to change jobs. Networking, contacts, headhunters and having the brass neck to phone someone up and ask for a "chat".

Adventures in Social mobility An interesting listen on how to get that top job and having the right set of interests seems to be quite important.

Living a broad life with many interests and the capacity to write a blindingly good covering letter matters MUCH more than a few grades in the grown-up world.

Sadly the modern world isn't like that now. There is an ever-reducing place for covering letters and written CVs. More and more, it's online application forms for both employment and colleges/apprenticeships, where "the computer says no" if you don't have enough GCSEs of the right grades. You have to get through that initial screening phase before you get any chance to tell anyone about your experiences/interests etc.

Beyond the problem is with computerised application forms where there is a standard form for many different levels and no chance for a covering letter. It may not have any impact but it is irritating. Actually I struggled to even remember my GCSE for the form.

Stuff changes, people know that. This year DD16 is doing the number grades for Maths/English, next year DD14 adds in the other subjects.

Having done a mere 7 O'Grades in Scotland 35 years ago has NEVER made an ounce of difference to my job opportunities - even when up against "young whippersnappers" with 13 GCSEs. Living a broad life with many interests and the capacity to write a blindingly good covering letter matters MUCH more than a few grades in the grown-up world.

Places that they matter - A level college/Uni etc know they will have to allow for the changes, so I don't get the worry.

I was a Guinea pig in the first year of GCSEs. I remember teachers having a day 'off' to learn the curriculum about a week before my first exam. There were two sample papers and no past papers. I am also disadvantaged when I fill in an application form as there wasn't an A* grade when I did them and people normally only did 8 subjects; I did 9 and that was unusual (age discrimination means you can't tell my As were top grades or that I did a good number though it is perhaps irrelevant with two post grad degrees and experience). They must have become easier if kids were doing 13 of them!

some bright children may be disadvantaged over average well taught children
Nothing wrong with average kids getting taught well and working hard to achieve excellent grades - surely bright kids can get over poor teaching - I know I did!

Well, they won't be the guineapigs for maths and English - that's the current Yr 11s. DD1 is in that cohort. For the rest - yes, lots of uncertainty. I'm glad DD2 is in Yr 9.

I have to disagree about RE being something being something you can just drop to free up more time. If well taught, it's extremely valuable and complements the essay skills which are so useful in English and in the humanities. DDs are both doing a full GCSE in RE, it's only the top sets who get to do it because it is NOT an easy ride.

10+ GCEs was very rare in the "old" days before GCSE came in. I seem to remember I took 8 which seemed to be the norm at my school. I think it's a relatively new thing over the last couple of decades for kids to be doing 12 or so. 10 is more than enough, in fact, probably still too many!

Sostenuto yes, my daughter's GCSE subjects are all on the new 9-1 syllabus. It's going to be a lot of exams. (But no more than I did at 16, because I am officially very old and did my exams before GCSEs were invented.)

Main issue I think is that, whilst in theory every one is in the same boat and grade boundaries will even things out, in reality some schools and some teachers are more clued up on the changes and the new requirements - so some bright children may be disadvantaged over average well taught children. I guess this is always the case but the changes will heighten this.

Dd has opted to do RE but those that haven't don't have an RE lesson. There is a 40 min per week PHSE lesson & occasionally religion/ethics etc are discussed alongside sex ed & hygiene/ social issues.

They don't have to do a full GCSE but they are required to teach it.

My kids, spread over 10 years, have a done 10 GCSEs, including my youngest who is now in Year 10.

I'd like to see the legal requirement to study RE in KS4 dropped. That would free up some time for starters.