Thread for those whose DC's didn't do well in their GCSEs

Yes, it's the same.

If a reviewer judges that a mark is too mean, that it's unreasonably harsh, then the mark can go up.

It's also the case that reviews may decide that a mark is unreasonably generous, so it can go down.

Back in the day, when I was first teaching, there was automatic grade protection so grades could never go down. But when remarks changed to reviews, that was stopped.

Is that true for A levels too? What do people mean then when they talk about how grades could go down as well as up?

There's no such thing as a remark. Reviewers are looking to see whether the original marks awarded were reasonable. They're not looking for extra marks.

Thank you. I also don’t understand the terminology. DC’s school said they are sending four for a remark as very close to the boundary. But I keep seeing this distinction between review and remark. I guess I’ll just see what comes back. Playing it down with DC to avoid further dissapointment

20 days is the timescale. It's often much much quicker.

Great news. DS’ school are putting several in for review where 1-2 marks off. But I thought this took weeks?

DS has his place but is shaken about having gone down 6 grades on mocks. It’s so hard because nothing i say can help. Hoping with start of new term he will pick up.

Solidarity to all

That's great news.

My DD ended up with 6 (English Lang) 5 (Maths) 5 (Psychology) and three 3's.

One of the 3's was 1 mark off a 4 and another of them was 3 marks off so that was really disappointing.

She has been home educated due to SEN and has a place on.a level 3 BTech in sports and development which will suit her. She didn't actually meet the entry requirements because they asked for 4 4's. The saving grace, I think, is the 'good' passes in Maths and English which means no resits are required.

We've just paid for remarks in the 2 which were close to the grade boundary so we'll see.

So sorry for all of those who have had to change plans, that's really tough.

My DD has received one review back and gone up a grade, waiting for the other one. No word from the college and I'm not hopeful. She is fortunate to have another place at a good, but less academic, school.

*@alwayswantchocolate

We looked at private schools when he was approaching high school age but instead moved into a better school catchment with higher house prices and I can’t help but reflect on that.*

There are 2 posters up the thread who paid for private school and are not happy. Feel it was a waste of money. There are no guarantees.

Reading this thread recalling doing the drive around with ds in tears. He had missed his school A levels by 1.5 marks. It was a gruesome day.
He ended up doing A levels in the school his sister attended and he had an amazing time and made close friendships. Looking back he says he feels it was the right path for him. Yet on that GCSE result day it was not at all a part of the plan he would even apply there.

He graduated last year with a honours degree and GCSE are in the past. But I dont think I will ever forget his stricken look. Or him standing with a friend at the achool he did end up who literally sobbed on his shoulder as she had done so badly.

Due to that I read this thread every year remmebering and my heart is with you all. However please also remember plan B can be an amazing route for your child. Even if it was not the first choice.

Sorry for anyone facing tough choices. Following with interest as we are 2 years off GCSEs but it's very unpredictable how DS will do. He's bright but has ADHD and is not that mature for his age and we don't know how much 'growing up' he'll do in the next few years. DH and I both come from families where everyone did very well academically and went to uni, so we're less familiar with other paths. I know a little more about it as I worked in education publishing for long time, but it makes DH frantic with worry, so I'm interested to know about the paths people take otherwise.

This is almost identical to my situation so just wanted to say I feel for you. My dd missed by 0 25 on her average due to one really bad mark. One more in any grade and would have been into college she wanted and all her friends going to. Am so gutted for her

Thought I would share round music. My ds is doing music tech A level at sixth form. This is his choice as loves digital music making etc. Also, plays instruments. His school didn't do gcse music this year but a type of btec. Betec doesn't suit him as very tick boxy.
Is Music Tech A level an option?

Helping to read this thread. DS got his place - was not initially his first choice but was the one where he could do all the subjects he wanted to and actually think it is a better school for him.

He was down about 6 grades on predictions/ mocks across all 10 subjects. Just feel a bit gutted for him although I know objectively important he has his place so I feel like I should just move on.

Like PPs thinking a lot of ‘should I have tutored/ better school etc’. Benefit of hindsight. It’s not helped by pictures everywhere of very happy children thrilled with amazing results. Very happy for them but it gives a distorted picture and you feel like your DC is only one.

He was 1-2 marks off in 4 subjects so school will send for a remark. Not getting too hooked on that.

I think when school starts we’ll all hopefully feel better.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Nope they said no place for him so he is off to college - the school really couldn't have cared less!

anyway I am pleased as I think it's good to have a change

DS is sulking a bit

Well my DC was predicted 8’s in everything and got 5&6’s in everything with one 9 in a subject that has no relevance.

Objectively they are fine grades and above the government standard but a hell of a drop from 8’s. Tbf DC didn’t put as much effort in as would be needed to get top grades, but even they were ‘shocked’ at the grades. I just hope it’s a lesson learned and they will try harder with their A-levels

@alwayswantchocolate They’re all A-C for goodness sake, why can’t I be happy?

Because you are human. Because your expectations were raised by the mocks. Maybe you/he subconsciously thought those mock grades were 'in the bag' so anything less seems like a failure. It does seem he was unlucky if just under the next grade for a number of subjects, but he has enough for nearly what he wanted in next steps and not doing Physics may prove on reflection to be a good thing.

Soon it won't matter, what will matter is the A levels. Take time to be disappointed internally but then think he passed everything, he can do A levels, life is good.

Yes we had less than expected results too. We were expecting all 7s and 6s with hopefully the odd 8 but ended up with 776555554. Not awful whatsoever but not in line with predicted grades or mocks. DS got the grades for two of his chosen A levels Maths and Geography (the two 7 grade subjects thankfully) but got a 5 in the third subject Physics instead of a 6 so had to choose a different subject as his 3rd one and is now doing Economics.

I’ve been upbeat while feeling a bit sad for him. It probably sounds silly because he’s going to the chosen sixth form (annd naively the only one we had applied to) and with only one change of subject so it’s not a disaster but it’s just not what was expected. He also took further maths but failed it with a U, although he wasnt bothered at all as his friends all failed it too.

We’ve since examined the grade boundaries and found that his 6 was 1 mark off a 7, and four of his 5s were 2-3 marks off a 6. We’ve requested the papers to review to see if it’s worth paying the higher fee to have them looked at again. It seems all very sad, unlucky and deflating.

We looked at private schools when he was approaching high school age but instead moved into a better school catchment with higher house prices and I can’t help but reflect on that.

I feel ridiculous for even thinking like this, they are great grades still. I think the problem is that this new numbering system also makes them sound like lesser achievements. They’re all A-C for goodness sake, why can’t I be happy?

@OMVM2 as a parent of a child going into year 11 who struggles with schooling but teachers have said will do well your post is really helpful. DC wants to do Alevels but I’m going to make sure we look at and decide on an alternative in case.

It also tells me that she won’t be going to get results on her own! Even if I sit in the car park waiting, she’ll know I’m there.

Thought I leave a note on here too as we had a dreadful day yesterday! Although ds did not get awful grades, they were sooo much lower than all of his mocks and predicted grades.
He was predicted 9s and 8s and received 7s and 6s with a random 5 and 4. His biggest disappointment though was music which he loved and wanted to take in 6th form but did not get required 8 (although all mocks and predicted were 9) so his plans had to radically change. It was a hectic day for us yesterday with unexpected visits to schools we did not think we would be visiting (as he applied only to top schools and secured places in all of them but as the average in most was 7, he did not get any of these places). We finally secured places in Math, Physics and Psychology in a Sixth form close to us. Sadly, we could not find a Music course that would take him on.

While we were trying to get through the disappointing outcome ourselves, I watched with heavy heart how many students were in tears, breaking down, mostly without parents as they hoped for celebrations with peers only and did not expect outcomes they have received. It was heart breaking, seeing them being sent away from multiple places we visited too, many following the same trail of schools.

It made me realise that because our children were pretty smart and hard-working we did not even think twice about making back up, lower-requirements plan. And it turned out to be crucial.
I will not go through the GCSE experience again as ds is the last one in the family (yay) but thought I share my experience; the so-considered smart kids can do awfully in exams too and will go through a horrific, deflating experience, probably made worse by being praised and ensured excellent to good outcome throughout the secondary school life by their school and teachers.

It is life lessons, and I think my ds learnt the one this summer! Might help with A-Levels expectations :)

Our DD has also done alot worse than expected. She has missed her place at college by a tiny mark (less than 1).

In 2 GCSEs she is 1 mark and 2 marks away from the grade above so we have requested a review, if she went up a grade in either she'd have what she needs.

Unfortunately the college won't hold her place until the outcome and have withdrawn it. They'll put her on waiting list.

She also gets extra time and has a laptop. She refused to use laptop for exams and her writing is very very hard to decipher. She got a 5 in English Lit which is a shock, she'd never got less than an 8.

Just need somewhere to share this really. Good luck everyone.