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Original poster

Results from GCSE remarks?

132 replies

3076Worb · 06/09/2018 13:09

Just making final decisions about which to get remarked and heard some shocking info I wanted to share. (I realise marks can go up and down.)

A student who was 1 mark off a higher grade in English GSCE (AQA) has just got the results of the remark of paper 1 and has gone down 10 MARKS! She has now dropped a grade and has a tough decision about whether to get paper 2 remarked or not.

I was advised with being only 1 mark off a higher grade (around 10-11 marks between each grade) a remark was 'a no brainer'. School have now said, with this shock of 10 marks down, they have suggested no remark. There are saying it seems the boards are being a LOT tougher this year (esp. after getting so many marks wrong last year, with the new system, they want to show they have now got things sorted).

Has anyone got results from THIS year's GCSEs remarks yet?

OP posts:
Oneteen · 06/09/2018 15:33

DD was 1 mark from HG in two subjects...

One subject the school may have made have an error - HOD investigating....there is plenty of leeway- 19 marks above lower grade boundary, 60% of the work was coursework (so not sure of the process in terms of reviewing especially if the error has been made by the school ). Its unlikely that DD would pick up an extra mark from written exam 74/80 which was already high considering DD said the exam was weird!

The other was French where DD was 1 mark off an A, DD is not fussed about having a review and said in her mind a B was a fair reflection of her French ability.

I suppose there is always going to be this situation - I know on her Eng Lang she was spot the grade boundary so I guess its swings and roundabouts...obviously if the HG boundary is important then go for it....DD has taken the positive attitude that at least the grade differences show she has a real passion for sciences which she is doing at A Level.

noblegiraffe · 06/09/2018 15:12

The review is supposed to come with an explanation of a change in marks isn’t it?

Going down a grade is pretty shocking - you always say it’s a possibility but never think it might actually happen if they’re so close to the upper boundary. Did she lose a pass?

AQA in particular got in trouble last year with Ofqual for being too lenient with their marking reviews and not implementing the new rules properly so they’re obviously well on the case this year www.tes.com/news/aqa-admits-breaking-rules-exam-re-marks

catslife · 06/09/2018 14:58

Yes it's possible for examiners to be a bit too generous, but a difference of exactly 10 marks sounds more like a clerical error or data entry error to me.

TeenTimesTwo · 06/09/2018 14:57

This is why 3 years ago we didn't ask for DD's English Lit to be remarked, it was 2 below a B, and 18 above a D, but no way were we going to risk the pass!

That said, I thought they were meant to do a 'review of marking' this year and that marks were only meant to be changed if they were clearly off? A 10 mark difference downwards sounds ginormous.

Original poster
3076Worb · 06/09/2018 14:43

I know, school were really shocked. Awful considering they had quite rightly advised the student to get a remark, as she was so close to the higher grade. I know that nobody had expected her to drop a grade!
After the high amount of grade changes last year, it seems AQA have toughened up as a result of all the criticisms last year of how they could get so many marks so wrong.

OP posts:
Astronotus · 06/09/2018 14:28
  1. A drop of 10 marks seems excessively harsh.
WhatHaveIFound · 06/09/2018 13:18

DD had one of her 3 Geography papers remarked and found out yesterday she'd gained 4 marks. Since she was 2 off the next grade she moved up a grade so we're very happy with the result.

She was 4 marks off the next grade up on English Lit but decided not to go for a remark as it's not one of her A level options.

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