GCSE’s summer 2020 thread 5 - And then there were none..

Just read it-thanks @Wheresthebeach for posting the link.

As I understand it, it’s not that the kids have no way of appealing their results -just that they cannot appeal independently, they will have to ask their exam centre to submit an appeal regarding the data submitted on their behalf? Or have I read that wrong?

I’m assuming this is to avoid a raft of complaints about individual teacher assessments as there will inevitably be students (and parents) who will feel hard done by.

I have filled it in. It actually does make a lot of sense.

That's not new news as such just perhaps clearer. I guess because under normal circumstances , there wouldn't be a follow up exam to prove one's worth in the vast majority of subjects. They always said you would only ever be able to appeal the process not the grade.

Has everyone seen this? www.gov.uk/government/news/ofqual-seeks-views-on-gcse-and-a-level-grading-proposals-for-2020

Proposing for there to be essentially no way of the kids appealing their results.

I hope so @wheresthebeach. Glad your Dd feeling better about things too!
@ZandathePanda hate white school shirts ...might keep one back incase there is ever a delayed shirt signing event though!

I have just chucked out loads of school shirts so I hope they don’t go back!!!

@orangecinnamon - DD says the same, not ever having to do another Maths exam means her stress levels have dropped dramatically. A levels are so much better as the are just doing what they love.````

Dd told me today that she was having daily panic attacks in the lead up to her mocks beginning of March ...she hasn't had one since. She is making music, reading widely, writing creatively, self directing her own learning with moocs and is generally a happy little soul again. I know her experience maybe totally different to others but do we think there is any chance at all that the government will reassess the priorities regarding our children's education instead of this endless testing and exam pressure on schools. BTW I did ask about exams at A levels apparently concentrating on subjects one loves means less anxiety...hope she is right.

@ProggyMat I suppose you’re right! Ideally schools will go back in time for them to do sixth form induction days but not any GCSE work!

Dd is due to do work experience mid June in a primary school but I’m assuming they wouldn’t want that extra responsibility even if primary schools are back.

Indeed @crazycrofter but DDs last exam was to be 18th June had the exams gone ahead and the analysis/adjustments etc surely won’t take longer than marking in ‘normal circumstances’?
That said, I can’t see Yr11 or Yr13 being ‘called back into school’ as @Wheresthebeach Is concerned about.

You might be right @proggymat. But I suppose the cut off can’t be too late as the exam boards will have to do analysis/adjustments etc.

@crazycrofter I read it as the earliest schools could submit grades was 29th May-happy to be corrected, though!
I’m thinking a phased return to school will commence in the first week of June for what would, in ‘normal circumstances’ be summer half term - but that’s just my thoughts
And, I think if this does indeed transpire it certainly would not involve Yr11 or Yr13

I will be amazed if schools re open in May. I think we'll be lucky if they can go back properly in September tbh.

But even if the schools do reopen, I really don't think Y11 will go back. I would imagine the vast majority of schools will use GCSE assessment data logged prior to the school closures.

No I don't think so wheresthebeach, I think most schools will have their grades and support information ready for submission before May. It will be too much extra work for them to process in the short time left.

Well the grades have to be submitted by schools by 29th May so I think they’ll have been submitted by teachers and moderated by departments already by the time schools go back.

So if schools open do you think yr 11’s will go back to do work to support their grades...I saw a headline saying they are looking at reopening in May. DD’s head would explode, but a lot of her friends are keen.

Yes, we can start driving theory too.

Great idea on the driving theory for those DC with autumn birthdays. DD is still 15 as August birthday so a little on the early side for her. Hoping a birthday get together will be able by then but who knows.
DD has decided unprompted to get the grade 6 music theory books back out that she started last summer and abandoned when GCSE work ramped up. She doesn’t want to do the exam but wants to use the relevant bits to help with composition/prep for A level. She must be bored!

Driving theory revising is a good idea! DS's birthday is November but probably could start looking into it now

@KingscoteStaff - driving theory is a good idea. DD is a September birthday as well. We were hoping DS1 would take his test this summer before heading to University but who knows if that will happen now. Feels wrong for him to be out on the roads at the moment..,

Wow, driving is just round the corner!!! Dd is a June birthday so haven’t started thinking about it yet, but that’s great use of time!

My (September birthday) DD is also starting to study for her driving theory test! It feels like yesterday that we took the stabilisers off her bike!

No, not a private school Zanda.

DS has sixth form places offered at both his current school and another sixth form college. School are offering prep for A level courses post Easter - no more GCSE work - and he has grudgingly accepted that it would make sense to sign up for each of his three A level subjects, even though at the moment he doesn’t plan to stay at the school sixth form. But like your DD @crazycrofter he has his own ideas! He’s really into the idea of being a comic book creator, is doing a lot of script writing and illustration work and has said he’d far prefer to spend the summer term focusing on that .

But - I have pointed out that had he been doing the GCSE exams proper he would not have been able to do any writing etc until mid/end June anyway - and these courses finish at the end of June so he’ll be no worse off than he would have been. And that regardless of the writing ambition he will need to stay in education till 18, has opted for A levels and therefore surely it makes sense to properly engage with the prep courses that will help him with those A levels....

Hopefully I’ve persuaded him! The sixth form that is his preference hasn’t confirmed anything formally in terms of prep work for the moment though.