Starting Year 11-GCSE2021 (title edited by MNHQ)

My ds finished his exams in September- in relation to the year 10 Summer exams . His mocks were in December but have now moved to January.

I understand why but it is a shame since he will now have to work over the Christmas break just incase they use these results like last year.

Initially I too wanted the exams next year but now I believe they should be scrapped and teachers should assess their grades. GCSE is a 2 year cycle and I feel our kids have really got the raw deal. Just revert back to the old way just for this year

The board / government should give enough information to teachers to help plan and support our kids who I feel are fumbling through not know what is happening and worried every test will count .

Exams finished ds is looking forward to the weekend

I'm new to posting but have been reading.
We received an email today with some updates on changes to GCSE's for next year. I'm not sure what I make of it yet.
DS has his mocks late Nov.

@Titsywoo I don’t think they would be based just on mocks, but on teacher assessments throughout the year, previous predicted grading and class work. Mocks will be part of it, but not the most vital component. With mocks generally being nov/dec there is a high possibility that a lot of students could be in isolation anyway. It’s all a bit of a mess really.

DD is still really struggling to get any art done with all the homework being set by other subjects. I'm going to sit with her this weekend and get some pages set out and mounted so she feels like she is getting somewhere!

An article in The Times today says that universities are asking for A Levels to be scrapped next year and to have an extra 12 weeks of learning instead. This way they will catch up a bit on missed learning and not spend too much time being tested from now till then.
I was initially hoping that GCSEs next year would go ahead, but now I’m leaning more towards thinking how unfair that would be for the majority of students and also how staying in school till July would be far more beneficial to them. I really hope that a decision will be made soon.

thanks NotDonna

DD was happy today as the subject she is most worried about is German, her teacher has sent out emails to the parents of the students who are not doing well and we didn't get one so she was very relieved.

Welcome so tired I agree with your username!!
No changes to timings. Depends which exam board your DS is doing the changes to English Lit. Ofqual suggested 4 texts reduced to 3. They also suggested 4 texts dropped to 3 for history but our school have only confirmed English.

I'm new to this thread. DS sitting GCSE (hopefully) at the end of this academic year.
Can someone catch me up on any changes to assessments that have been announced? Also, have there been any dates advised?
I know they were thinking about having them later than scheduled

DS school has not passed on anything as yet

Good plan titsywoo

[quote NotDonna]@Titsywoo do your school know that she needs the grades for her college application? They may be happy to give her ‘on a good day’ type grades? Seems odd to predict lower than she’s been working at. Can she speak to them?[/quote]
Yes I did tell them that's what it was for but they are clearly basing it on year 10 tests and exams which she was doing less well than usual. Plus their 6th form isn't doing as well with admissions nowadays so they probably will do anything to keep people from going elsewhere .

Anyway I emailed the college to say we didn't have official predicted grades and they said it was fine due to what had been going on this year so we can leave it blank and if she gets an interview she can just bring her reports from year 10 and 11.

@Titsywoo do your school know that she needs the grades for her college application? They may be happy to give her ‘on a good day’ type grades? Seems odd to predict lower than she’s been working at. Can she speak to them?

I think it depends on the area/insitution- we started looking early this year at DD1 options and were expecting to do open day in March for main candiate which was cancelled.

So we booked on virtual event - they kept trying to add her as starting this September and the entire event was geared to going this Sepetember though that wasn't made clear beforehand.

Looked at applying now and it's still for starting this year - as it's not too late.

Not many of Dd1 friends seem to have thought that far yet either.

The college has best pass rate in area and widest range of subjects so she keen to go there. If she stays on at school the sixth form is split between schools sites and they get buses between and with the subjects she wants she'd been at all three locations and according to the sixth formers she knows it doesn't run smoothly.

Oh crikey!! That’s so flipping soon!! And interviews? Wow!

Oh what a nightmare Pets I’m so so sorry to hear that. I do hope he gets treatment asap!
No homework portico for either of your sons? I’m assuming that’s unusual for your school? It certainly would be at my DCs.
There’s plenty of time to sort out 6th form options. IIRC it’s Feb/March time and even then nothing set in stone as depends on actual results. My DD will stay put. She’ll no doubt choose traditional A levels that they offer so no need to move. She’s not keen on change at the best of time!

My DS wants to go to the 6th form at his current school, he’s not interested at all in looking elsewhere. It’s a good school and I’ve no qualms about it. We’ve chatted about it tonight and he’s said nothing has been said to them about the process as yet, but I’m sure it’ll all come out soon enough. The website says there is an online open night in November and applications are to be in by early January.

[quote Toobuktim]@Hellohah I hadn’t even thought about college/6th form applications With DS being my eldest I’ve not been through this process before and tbh have no idea of what’s involved![/quote]
Yeah I feel like with everything missed last term there has been no talk of sixth form/college from the school and now applications are being opened up and I don't feel at all prepared. The lack of proper open evenings makes it feel like stepping into the unknown! DD started filling in an application for a good college a few miles away. However they want predicted grades and we don't have those yet - I think we were going to get them at year 10 parents evening but that never happened. I emailed every teacher last night to ask if we can have these - only one replied so far to say she is going to look into it. The college accepts applications from 1st Oct and clearly states the earlier you get yours in the better your chances so I hope the teachers are forthcoming with these grades! Extra stress that isn't needed tbh.

DD’s school are using the elective slot for girls to try out A level subjects such as classical civilisation etc. One different option each half term. DD has attended one online sixth form open day and we are waiting to hear about whether another will go ahead or not. She does love her school and wouldn’t be upset if she stayed but it does have high criteria for staying on. We are fortunate we visited a few back ups last year but hope DD doesn’t fall apart. She has a father denied prompt cancer treatment due to COVID and seriously ill but just operated on and should know by Christmas what the longer term prognosis is. If he’d been treated in March it would have been straightforward.

I hear of other schools where the year group has been sent home. How on Earth are children expected to sit exams in any fair way. Scotland has already decided to suspend exams again so how does this create a fair environment? At GCSE it may not but when our English youngsters are applying for university places and they are looking at qualifications at 16 they are not going to be comparable.

@Titsywoo, back 3 weeks and my Y11 and Y13 sons haven’t received any homework. We’ve used this time to go over old topics just to remember what they are.

That being said, I am surprised we’re not getting any homework.

We’ve a virtual 6th form event next week. They used to run taster lessons for yr11’s where they could sit in with 6th formers but these won’t be happening. A shame as it’s useful for those subjects that aren’t offered at GCSE but no doubt they’ll provide more specific info regarding these courses next week.

@Toobuktim fortunately my niece has just started college, so she gave us a list and said some have closing dates of November for applications (we wouldn't have known it was so soon otherwise). We don't have a local college, no sixth form so a lot of research is required here.
All the open events are in October/November (virtual) as well. No help from school so far either, I think they have forgotten with everything going on.
DS is applying to 6 colleges (with absolutely no idea at the moment of subjects, but you can change your mind at a later date). We are applying early as they all say once an application is received they'll do small group tours... So trying to ensure there is an opportunity to visit them with enough time to make a decision 🤦‍♀️

@Hellohah I hadn’t even thought about college/6th form applications With DS being my eldest I’ve not been through this process before and tbh have no idea of what’s involved!