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Original poster

Wrong GCSE Paper!!!

110 replies

TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 12:42

Hi, hoping someone will be able to help. DD16 went into school for her first Maths paper this morning, instead of being in the main exam hall she's in a small room to the side with half a dozen other kids. No idea how they've managed it but her and the children in their room have been given the wrong paper - they got the AQA paper instead of EdExcel (the main hall students got the right one).

Phoned school a little while ago and they're apparently trying to work out what happens now..........but what can they possibly do? They obviously can't give them the correct paper at a later date as everyone else has already seen it and they may get details of the questions, will EdExcel have to send a completely different paper, or them just take the grade off the other 2 papers and skip this one?

There's very few gaps in the timetable now until the last week of exams, but what if they don't all have the same day "spare"? Out of all the exams this paper was the one she was dreading the most and now to have this to deal with is crappy 😥

OP posts:
Oblomov22 · 20/05/2022 14:40

What a major fuck up by the EO. Totally unprofessional.

BackInBlackAgain · 20/05/2022 14:38

This happened to my DS. He was supposed to sit an exam at a higher level but for some reason the staff sent him to the wrong room and he sat a foundation paper. Spoke to the school and there was nothing more they could really do, so let it go..... until they sent me a bill for the higher exam that he didnt sit..

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:35

@Hallyup89 when they've been through exam practise it's been drilled into them to check their papers before starting - but only that the subject, level and date are correct. There wouldn't be any reason to check the exam board part as you'd think that the invigilators would have the right papers to hand out............the invigilator tried the same argument until they were told off by the school's own exams officer.

I think it's highly likely now that DD will check the exam board as well 😀

OP posts:
OnceuponaRainbow18 · 20/05/2022 14:34

Sounds like such bad luck: also why are they getting exams for two separate examining boards!

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:31

The special consideration portal is very brief. You identify the pupil, outline the problem, identify a category -eg bereavement, broken limb, wrong paper given - and then press send.
The school will hear nothing else about it after that.

However if you Google JCQ ICE and look at the guidelines for Sunmer 2022 it may give you some idea of the approach for this year. Particularly reference to aerogat grades.

Hallyup89 · 20/05/2022 14:26

How didn't any of them notice it was the wrong exam board?!

The only option now is for them to have their grade calculated from the other papers, using the extenuating circumstances clause, or they'll presumably be given the opportunity to resit it during the next lot of exams. Obviously, neither is ideal.

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:20

@Ladyoftheprom I did think this might be part of any special consideration that school put forward but DD has helpfully confirmed that the December mock was a mixture of calculator and non-calculator questions and the April one was all calculator so not sure how much evidence they would provide!!!

OP posts:
AskingforaBaskin · 20/05/2022 14:18

TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:10

@AskingforaBaskin they've already been told they can't sit the paper everyone else did as they know some of the questions, the only other option is that the exam board send a new paper out but not sure if that's feasible...........will update when school get back to us.

DD seems ok with it at the moment but I'm a flipping wreck!

Yes that's what happened to us. It was a whole new paper.

If it's any consolation 15 years on and I didn't even remember it until I saw your post.

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:18

Thanks again @actiongirl1978 for the clarifications, fingers crossed it works out but it's going to be a VERY long wait for results day!

OP posts:
Ladyoftheprom · 20/05/2022 14:17

Will they not use her tag from her previous exam? That would make more sense

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:11

Highly unlikely the exam board will send another paper I'd say.

They do have them in reserve in the case of a national breach of security they are emailed to schools to print.

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:10

She absolutely will not be allowed to sit that paper.

The mark will be created from her other two papers.

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:10

@AskingforaBaskin they've already been told they can't sit the paper everyone else did as they know some of the questions, the only other option is that the exam board send a new paper out but not sure if that's feasible...........will update when school get back to us.

DD seems ok with it at the moment but I'm a flipping wreck!

OP posts:
actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:10

That's awful. The EO SHOULD have been on top of that and seen it coming. I'm like a dragon on occasion and go around the start of all the exams in the different rooms saying 'has everyone got the right paper'.

In addition the invigilator should put the name of the exam board on the board or wall or flip chart for the pupils to see so it may be malpractice if they didn't.

OP it is bedlam but my school only has GCSEs and nothing this PM so I am writing this to you from under my duvet where I've just had a cheeky nap 😄

AskingforaBaskin · 20/05/2022 14:06

TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:00

@TeenPlusCat that would be nice (DD actually phoned after the exam and said she was worried because it went better than expected, obviously before they realised it was the wrong paper!!!!).
I do hope if actiongirl78 is correct and the grade is based on the remaining papers they get special consideration - DD is decent enough at Maths but she's stronger on the non-calc stuff which was today's).

Just to mention we vehemently argued this when it happened to us but they said they can not allow it. Although it was before the pandemic.

I would just prepare her to have to sit it.
Extra study time etc

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:01

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius I know, school have been pushing so hard and she was really stressed before leaving last week 😥

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:00

@TeenPlusCat that would be nice (DD actually phoned after the exam and said she was worried because it went better than expected, obviously before they realised it was the wrong paper!!!!).
I do hope if actiongirl78 is correct and the grade is based on the remaining papers they get special consideration - DD is decent enough at Maths but she's stronger on the non-calc stuff which was today's).

OP posts:
TeenPlusCat · 20/05/2022 13:57

Given all the stuff about what if you miss an exam 'cos covid, it seems to me to be a no brainer that they should get a grade based on the other 2 papers.

(And actually as you can get a grade this year based on only 25% being sat (that's right isn't it?), perhaps both AQA and Edexcel could give them a grade, and they get the better of the 2 Smile ?)

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 20/05/2022 13:55

Those poor kids - I hope they sort it out for them with no extra stress, @TheOnlyMrsW ! As if the exams weren’t stressful enough this year.

AskingforaBaskin · 20/05/2022 13:52

This happened to me. We were brought back in another day to sit the correct papaer

Georgeskitchen · 20/05/2022 13:45

Assuming that it's the schools mistake, then they will have to sort it out

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 13:44

@actiongirl1978 thank you for taking the time to respond, it must be bedlam for you at the moment!

Just spoken to DD, apparently there is a sixth form student who came in from another school who had to resit Maths and his old school did EdExcel, the children in DD's room got his spare papers by mistake so that's how there were two boards mixed up.
The maths teacher they flagged it to wanted them all to resit this afternoon but some had already gone by that point, plus they had some knowledge of what was in the paper.
@Sh05 apparently the invigilator said the same thing until they were taken to one side by DD's school's exam officer and told that it was their job to check this and not the children's who are stressed out of their nuts as it is

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 13:38

@Johnnysgirl definitely not entered for foundation, H is on her exam timetable for all subjects. Apparently waiting for AQA to decide what to do next

OP posts:
actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 13:33

@MoonGoon yes exactly. But it wouldn't be the evening, you'd probably start them off ar 4pm after the second exam.

I've had a child walk out of the exam say 'I did the wrong paper' and I've turned them round and sat them down with the right paper immediately.

It must be a very large school if it is using two exam boards for one subject?

MoonGoon · 20/05/2022 13:21

@Lougle
"That is so sad! It's clearly a massive mistake because it was only picked up by the children after chatting with their mates. If the staff had picked up the error, then they could have sequestered the children and made arrangements then - e.g. hold them back to retake the correct exam. But if they've discussed questions with children who took the right exam, that's impossible now."

In practice how would "sequestered the children" have worked? Some may have the business GCSE this afternoon.
Just curious, would they be forced to do a third exam this evening?