Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

If you have a Y11 DC, what's the school doing about GCSE assessment?

84 replies

GreenTeaPingPong · 14/03/2021 18:49

Can you help me get an idea of what other schools are doing for GCSE assessment? I especially would like to know when they're going to be doing assessments/tests, if they've told you.

I was dismayed to hear from my DS's school on Friday that they'll be doing assessments in class over 8 weeks beginning in one week's time from 22nd March - meaning they'll have had just 10 days of teaching before they start assessing. They've had minimal teaching online, perhaps 5 or 6 live webinars per week since January, and DS has not been very engaged, so I was really hoping that he would be able to have at least a month or 6 weeks of school before being assessed, so that he has a chance to up his game. But now it seems they'll be assessing basically only on the work they've done from Sept - Dec 2020 Sad.

Is your DC's school doing similar?

OP posts:
EmmaStone · 18/03/2021 10:03

Our school is doing a weighted average (but not told us how the weights are spread) across:
work done to date (from Sep 2019 to March 2021),

assessments this week (they were due to sit their mocks in January, but these were cancelled at the 11th hour when they didn't return to school), 1 exam per subject

another week of assessments in May

final week of assessments in June, where they are likely to use the Ofqual questions supplied (some Ofqal questions may also be used in the May assessments). These exams will be shorter, no more than an hour.

From April, the school will keep us informed of the grade currently attained, thereby allowing the May & June assessments to help improve their grade, and give them an idea of what they will need to achieve to do so. If any of the assessments throw out an outlying low mark that seems unusual for the pupil, the school can discount it.

The idea is that they need to be able to have provable data to come up with the marks they've awarded. It's a sensible approach, but my DD is on her knees. I'm not expecting great things from this week's assessments, but hope she'll have honed her exam technique a bit more for May & June after a decent break at Easter.

The school have said they consulted with other schools in the area, and they're all doing a similar thing.

AChickenCalledDaal · 18/03/2021 08:28

DS has similarly given up on handing in his drama portfolio, despite my pleas.

It's scary seeing a previously motivated student just giving up. DD says their teachers are in shock because the student formerly regarded as the golden boy of the year group arrived on the first day back with headphones clamped on, shirt hanging out, slumped with his head on the desk and has basically not engaged with anything since. Their school is being very good about recognising that they've had a hard time and motivation is low. But they have such a short time to try and turn things around.

Shenadoah · 17/03/2021 14:15

No new learning. Constant tests from now. All over by 28 May.

WhatHaveIFound · 17/03/2021 10:05

So I have more details from DS...

His assesment dates are 20th April to 11th June. Mocks taken in September will be taken into account in some subjects as will tests undertaken in both GCSE years. Still no idea on what's happening with PE practical though.

grenadines · 17/03/2021 10:03

Do people think there will be ranking within schools like last year meaning that grades will be rationed or will grades be given out based on at least one piece of evidence at that level? if someone got an 8 in the mock but 6 in the summer test would they be awarded the 8 from the mock, the 6 from the summer exam or a 7 as that would be their average?

Original poster
GreenTeaPingPong · 16/03/2021 18:23

@littlequestion Ha! Thanks for pointing out about the science assessment, typically DS had no clue about that and said he had science yesterday and it wasn't mentioned [sigh]. We should learn more in the webinar for parents.

You have my sympathy, AChickenCalledDaal, DS has similarly given up on handing in his drama portfolio, despite my pleas.

OP posts:
littlequestion · 15/03/2021 22:32

@GreenTeaPingPong yes, definitely same school!

AChickenCalledDaal · 15/03/2021 21:09

@GreenTeaPingPong

Her school is sensible and I trust them to get things back on track in sixth form. My DS's school only goes up to Y11, then it's 6th form college, completely different institution. A level prep in June sounds like a very good idea but couldn't happen here Sad
I wonder if any of the 6th form colleges will offer summer term/summer courses, because they must also be worried about whether Year 11s have actually covered all that they need to.

You are right, it's all very anxiety provoking. Particularly as DD has now announced she has her first assessment-that-definitely-counts on Wednesday and swears that can't remember a word of it and is just going to write the whole subject off (foreign language). It's hard to tell whether this is teenage angst/hyperbole or whether the whole subject is about to do down the tubes.

ChnandlerBong · 15/03/2021 18:57

we've been told that they cannot use the virtual mocks from january as effective invigilation couldn't be guaranteed....

so they're doing one more week of new stuff and then revision including some timed assessments in class - and then the 3 weeks before June half term will be exams. it's more stressful than the actual GCSEs to be honest?

Original poster
GreenTeaPingPong · 15/03/2021 18:00

Her school is sensible and I trust them to get things back on track in sixth form.
My DS's school only goes up to Y11, then it's 6th form college, completely different institution. A level prep in June sounds like a very good idea but couldn't happen here Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
GreenTeaPingPong · 15/03/2021 17:57

It's all very anxiety-provoking - for parents as well as students. I guess we have to tell ourselves that it will be looked back in years to come as a Covid-19 year and the grades aren't as life-changing as A levels - unless your DC is on the border of the grade they need to study a subject at college.

OP posts:
AChickenCalledDaal · 15/03/2021 17:53

No more teaching of content. All focus on two assessment periods, one soon and one before May half term. And then some targeted A level prep likely to be scheduled during June, which I'm pleased about.

I'm also concerned about lack of exam experience for this year group, but relieved on DDs behalf that she doesn't have to face big papers in the assembly hall, because she would undoubtedly have crashed and burned. Her school is sensible and I trust them to get things back on track in sixth form.

Original poster
GreenTeaPingPong · 15/03/2021 17:51

@Svrider

I think I'm in a similar situation to you green tea My DD is doing test after test after test They are STILL STARTING new FULL modules

So trying to "revise" lockdown learning, that they had been repeatedly told "don't worry if you don't understand we will go over it when you back in school". This is for full modules of content and new concepts not just additional information.

Trying to understand and take onboard new modules, with shit loads of homework.

Revising stuff from 2 years ago, that has not been looked at since. The school has managed to loose several original workbooks, so don't actually have anything to revise from.

Yeah, it's going great over here SadAngry

That sounds very bad, to be starting new modules now! My DS's school seems to be just doing revision, but I guess we were lucky that they start their GCSE options and courses in Y9 so had already covered a lot of content before last March.
OP posts:
Original poster
GreenTeaPingPong · 15/03/2021 17:48

@cptartapp

Teach and test in class ongoing from now, then three weeks of 'mocks' in May. Considering most learning has been done remotely for twelve months I doubt any of them will be performing at their best. Haven't heard any compensation will be given for these 'extenuating circumstances' but it seems very unfairly to assess them to the same standards they would have done previous cohorts.
I imagine if everyone's in the same boat re missed education (although some schools have definitely done better than others with remote learning, and DS's was pretty shit) then it will even out. It seems from what ImpatientAnn says above that there is no set number of marks that equal a grade, though, so how the exam boards are going to make it fair I don't know. The guidance says they will be checking a small selection of schools to see how they've awarded grades.
OP posts:
Original poster
GreenTeaPingPong · 15/03/2021 17:40

@littlequestion - sounds like it might be the same school, although there are several in this city - initial V school?
DS told me the teachers are downplaying the tests as if they aren't all that important, I'm trying to get him to revise but haven't a clue which ones will be first in a week's time.
I would be happier if he had mini exams in April/May to work towards.

OP posts:
Svrider · 15/03/2021 11:34

Little question
I agree, my DD hasn't got a clue about where to start regarding revising

She's a good student, but is working on homework until 10pm most nights, so literally had no time to even think about a revision timetable

It really is shit

AlexaShutUp · 15/03/2021 11:00

Ours had mocks in November/December last year, then went straight back into a second set of formal exams when schools returned on March 8. They will then do further assessments in May.

I'm exhausted just thinking about it. It's too much pressure over an extended period. Final exams in May/June would have been infinitely preferable.

WhatHaveIFound · 15/03/2021 11:00

We're supposed to be getting an outline of dates today but from the information DS has already had, his first assesment isn't until 20th April. He's been told there'll be no exam leave.

HasaDigaEebowai · 15/03/2021 10:56

exams. The whole thing is a right mess. They've gone from thinking they have exams to thinking there are no exams to the teachers saying well we'll need to do exams..

littlequestion · 15/03/2021 10:52

My DS's school has said exactly the same, @GreenTeaPingPong (might even be the same school - big one on the South Coast)? They have a date for one test - one of the sciences - and DS is putting all his energies into that. He's not doing science A level so I've told him to revise other subjects too as they will be happening in the next few weeks. But he has no idea what topics to revise.

Svrider · 15/03/2021 09:24

I think I'm in a similar situation to you green tea
My DD is doing test after test after test
They are STILL STARTING new FULL modules

So trying to "revise" lockdown learning, that they had been repeatedly told "don't worry if you don't understand we will go over it when you back in school". This is for full modules of content and new concepts not just additional information.

Trying to understand and take onboard new modules, with shit loads of homework.

Revising stuff from 2 years ago, that has not been looked at since. The school has managed to loose several original workbooks, so don't actually have anything to revise from.

Yeah, it's going great over here SadAngry

cptartapp · 15/03/2021 07:32

Teach and test in class ongoing from now, then three weeks of 'mocks' in May.
Considering most learning has been done remotely for twelve months I doubt any of them will be performing at their best.
Haven't heard any compensation will be given for these 'extenuating circumstances' but it seems very unfairly to assess them to the same standards they would have done previous cohorts.

DonLewis · 15/03/2021 07:06

Study leave after Easter hols for 2 weeks. Then it's a one and half hour paper for each subject.

Also using other data collected from other tests and pieces of work. (my son does 2 subjects with NEAs, he seems to think these will be used too). There is no new teaching, so the minute they went back they were in revision mode.

DonGray · 15/03/2021 07:03

We had remote mocks in January and another set coming up shortly

ImpatientAnn · 14/03/2021 21:22

Also it is difficult for teachers to give an opinion on what a student’s grade is without tests to back it up. In this country there is no set level a student has to reach to be a grade 5 for example. Grades are allocated once students sit the paper - students are ranked then a percentage are awarded each grade from 9 downwards.
How do we decide who is a 5, who is a 7 or who is a 9 unless we give them a test and compare their marks to marks of students in previous years?
If the government hadn’t been so insistent that exams would go ahead they could have used the time to come up with grade descriptors to help teachers grade students properly without having to issue their own assessments.