Teacher Accessed Grades - what a joke

I looked carefully at what AQA and DfES had said following Nobel's update and I think that if they release whatever "pack" they are sending to schools by the 30th, to students, after Easter, it could be that the pack doesn't include the most recent papers - which would remain on their secure site. But who knows?!

DfES said the reason for the post-Easter release was to stop students crafting and memorising answers over the Easter break. Which of course students will still attempt to do, just faster.

But given that we break up on the 26th, none of this helps us very much as there's no chance of us seeing the "pack" or even of being sure if anyone's made a u-turn, before the holidays! And realistically, even schools that do break up on the 30th would struggle to react in any sensible way.

I am now considering writing my own papers over Easter just in case...a task apparently so.difficult, the exam boards couldn't do it in 3 months. Maybe I'm in the wrong job .

Totally understand why you feel angry. It doesn't help but we are too. If it is any help I suspect there might be another change of plan when the exam boards push back. The Y11s and U6 I teach are now fabulously independent and resilient for their ages which should pay off in their futures. Also those who have slogged and given themselves a good grounding will benefit in their next stage.
I hope your d(s)s manages to get through all this feeling okay, the fact he has you cheering him on will undoubtedly help.

Thanks for the information @user1468175625. In fairness I cannot fault dss teachers and have every confidence in them guiding the dcs to the best of their abilities. Every now and then though I just feel angry at the situation ds is in.
You sound like a wonderful teacher btw.

@Tonylepony schools do not have to use the exam board materials so I would go to the school for info first. They may be making their own assessments. Problem is schools have been waiting to see what exam boards were going to give us. It is worth noting that the November 2020 grade boundaries were, in some cases, 20% lower than normal. I cannot see how it can all be made fair, unfortunately.

So do you think AQA will not be releasing the papers before the assessments in May? Yet another level of complete unfairness in the mix.

Teacher here. Feel so disappointed for these students. Last year was hideous and this year the folk who make the decisions have screwed up again but have manipulated the situation in such a way that teachers can be blamed on results day. To be reasonable though there is no ideal solution.
Teachers have not been given sufficient information so ( the vast majority of us) are doing what we can to try and support our students, and having to make it up as we go along. We don't do our job for the big bucks, most of us do it because we enjoy it and it is worthwhile, we aren't trying to cheat and flex the system.
I teach Physics, GCSE and A level. If I can help anyone's child with advice or a quick virtual revision session ( free of course) dm me and I will if I can. I am gutted for them.
We need to model what to do in life when it is unfair and going wrong: work on what you do have control over and try to keep perspective.

Oh, this is all enough of a mess without handbags at dawn between the exam boards and the DfE!

I read a tweet from someone a couple of days ago saying they’d talked to AQA after the DfE webinar where it came out about the papers and AQA themselves were unaware that this was expected and thought it a stupid idea.

So it sounds like they’re going against Ofqual.

The weird thing is I had an email from AQA yesterday definitively stating that they were keeping some past papers locked on their site (Nov 2020 and May 2019). And the "guidance" comes out after my school breaks up. I have absolutely no idea what to advise my students!

Taking in the Autumn would be difficult due to A-level mocks, and university applications. Keeping everything crossed they will get enough evidence but the school isn't committing to anything right now

Could she sit the exam in the Autumn series?

My DD had GCSEs last year so went through that farce. She has an extra curricular GCSE she's taking this year and we were hopeful she could actually sit one. Now, the school have said they don't know if she can get an assessed grade for it this year as it's extra curricular and they need lots of evidence. It's not her fault she can't sit the exams and she might not end up getting a grade at all after years of work. She can't take it next year due to her a-levels. Just hope they are putting thought into next years exams otherwise she will be screwed over by the government for a third time!

You know that the exam boards are going to do this, right? All the mini assessments they are producing will be fully released to the students before they sit them including the mark schemes.

This doesn't apply to most of DD's GCSEs as they are not Ofqual. But tbh I can see why they have done it. Our mocks and assessments have been appallingly unfair because teachers in some classes have given their students all the answers and other teachers haven't, so some kids have worked really hard, but received lower grades, yet these grades may be used in determining their final grade.

It just renders the whole thing useless in maths, giving the kids the answers beforehand. Not all subjects have vague mark schemes.

They’re doing it after Easter so that kids don’t spend Easter constructing the perfect answers. So they’ll just have to do it quicker. Paid tutors will help I’m sure.

You know that the exam boards are going to do this, right? All the mini assessments they are producing will be fully released to the students before they sit them including the mark schemes.

I know, I saw that shocker yesterday. The thing is, in my subject (English) the mark scheme doesn't really help them as it's just vague descriptors. We give them student friendly versions anyway and it doesn't really help them as if they can't think of anything perceptive then that's it, even if they know the mark scheme says perception is needed for a grade 8. Or they think they've said something perceptive when they really haven't. If they give example answers out and we get regurgitated versions back, well...

On the other hand, part of me thinks why shouldn't they have this support? They've had a shit deal and in some cases are under more pressure now they would have been with normal exams. It's like the exam period has been brought forward and extended in some schools. How is that a concession to acknowledge the impact of the pandemic?

telling students topics and even answers- before they sit so-called assessments.

You know that the exam boards are going to do this, right? All the mini assessments they are producing will be fully released to the students before they sit them including the mark schemes.

DC is being made to sit 2 sets of exams in April and into June. At least 10 days of exams EACH time. But apparently these aren’t the proper GCSEs - er no they’re worse. On top of that after next week they’re on holiday the next after it’s pretty much a straight run of study leave at home except for a short week of exam feedback mid way. I’m fucking furious, months at home and now that they can go back the school don’t want them there.

The problem is teachers don't really know what they're assessing. We've got a plan but it all hinges on the exam boards.

Who haven't released material and guidance yet.

Any school or child telling you otherwise is not being accurate.

We have a plan involving mocks and other tests on the material we have taught. Plus some other assessed course material. But we haven't had full guidance yet.

It's a shambles. The government should have had plan B in place and they didn't and it's turned into an almighty mess.

I agree it should be all over the news. When they have focused on students in the news it has been more about their mental health or difficulties of learning during lockdown. It would be nice to see the MSM actually understand the issue and probe the government. Gavin Williamson is going to get away with this and keep his job.

Aside from the atypical stress, this year's Y13 have also lost out on many of the softer parts of 6th form that help with future study or careers. Careers fairs, field trips, curriculum connected trips, science practicals, competitions, work experience, volunteering, being student ambassadors.

It's an absolute travesty how these students are being treated (and it's not much fun being a teacher either). I think it should be all over the news. Exams were cancelled but with the constant references to evidence and QA but without any detail or clarity about what what form this would actually take, some schools have gone into overdrive and piled on even more pressure than there would be in a normal year. Meanwhile, others have backed off or are putting in lots of support telling students topics and even answers- before they sit so-called assessments. The unfairness is staggering.