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Original poster

National Curriculum Levels and how they predict GCSE grades

61 replies

Kez100 · 17/10/2009 16:23

What national curriculum level do you look for in year 9 to predict a D, C, B or A at GCSE?

What year 9 national curriculum level tend to do higher Maths and English GCSE and which levels do the foundation exam? (Seems so unfair at least we could double enter O and CSE's - they said GCSE would save two exam systems - and look what they've got - two exams where you can't double enter!)

Why is coursework on English started in year 9? Surely someone two years younger than the exam age isn't likely to attain anywhere near what they could in two years time?

OP posts:
Original poster
Kez100 · 19/10/2009 15:00

Yes, Mumblechum, she needs to try her best to get a C grade but if she can't but works hard, then so be it.

I have absolutely no qualms about getting her tutors if that makes her more confident and comfortable with her learning but, equally, can a school not possibly offer 'booster' units (I've made the term up, but I'm sure you know what I mean) at least during year 9. I know the extra work involved, she wouldn't bat an eyelid at. (as opposed to her brother who takes life's path of least resistance).

I certainly think I will arrange a meeting to speak to her English and Maths teachers.

OP posts:
KembleTwinsMwahahaha · 19/10/2009 13:54

I think it sounds like an excellent idea to talk to the teachers if you'd like to. You have realistic expectations of your DD, and a brilliant, supportive attitude. I think your DD's teachers would be very happy to speak to you - phone the school to make appointments so that you can ensure the teachers make enough time for a proper talk - rather than, say, bringing it up on parents evening. Good luck!

mumblechum · 19/10/2009 13:53

TBH I'd definitely get tutors for her by the beginning of yr 10 for the core subjects. She really needs to get at least C grades for the GCSE to have any value.

Original poster
Kez100 · 19/10/2009 13:48

I've been looking at that again and it seems my daughter would have been on 25 points going into secondary. That gives predicted 8 GCSE score of 272 an average grade 34 (or D). Now, that would make sense to me.

I feel it is important that we now support her in her quest to try and nail the C or better in English, Maths and other subjects key to her future.

Bearing in mind, on paper, she is a D grade student but a hard worker who wants to do better and has three years ahead, any ideas on whether we should have intervention.

Ought, do you think, that I speak to her teacher in the subjects that are key to her to ask when the best time to involve intervention? I'd not like to do it too early, equally leaving it too late might leave us regretting late intervention.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kez100 · 19/10/2009 05:01

Hi, thanks for that.

OP posts:
amicissima · 18/10/2009 21:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Kez100 · 18/10/2009 11:35

Thanks everyone.

My daughter is in year 9. As a summer baby, she started school full time a good two terms after some of her peers and has always been 'just that bit' behind. I know many catch up by the end of Primary but she never did, leaving with 3a literacy, 4c Maths and Science.

Anyway, she works hard and is very self-motivated (a big skill for life, I feel) and now - at the start of year 9 - is 5b in literacy, Maths and Science.

She came home the other day saying she had been told she should be able to aim for a C in English at GCSE and she told me she was going to try for a B. Obviously, I was very proud of her attitude but, secretly, inside, knowing the sets she is in I was surprised to hear she had been told that. I wanted to know more but didn't want to question her and give her impression that I was querying her ability in any way.

OP posts:
Heated · 17/10/2009 17:50

A lot of schools have collapsed KS3 into 2 years, and start GCSEs in year 9. Some will sit the exam at the end of year 10 and take early entry AS, or do another GCSE in year 11 or, if it will benefit them, take 3 yrs to complete GCSE. It's all termed personalisation but the cynical side of me says it all about bumping point scores/league table rankings.

roisin · 17/10/2009 17:45

We've been told that in theory Ofsted and FFT expect at least 3 levels of progress between KS2 and KS4, and ideally 4. The 4 levels of progress targets are very steep, especially for lower attaining pupils.

ie sample progression routes might be:
KS2 3b -> KS3 5c -> KS4 D (=3 levels)
KS2 3b -> KS3 5b -> KS4 C (=4 levels)

KS2 4b -> KS3 6c -> KS4 C (=3 levels)
KS2 4b -> KS3 6b -> KS4 B (=4 levels)

KS2 5c -> KS3 6a -> KS4 B (=3 levels)
KS2 5c -> KS3 7c -> KS4 A (=4 levels)

It's fairly common for students to have a blip in progress at some point, so it may not be a smooth curve.

Higher papers can attain grades of A*-D (or fail if they fall off the bottom)
Foundation papers can attain grades of C-G (or fail).

Schools start doing coursework in yr9 because they can start teaching the coursework skills, the criteria for different grades etc. Often these c/w are re-drafted, or re-done completely before the actual exam. Though increasing numbers of schools are doing early entry GCSE for English Lang in yr10, especially since the demise of KS3 SATs.

But English c/w in its current form is being phased out. It is required for 2010 and 2011 entry, but not thereafter. (ie this year's yr9s will do something rather different.)

KembleTwinsMwahahaha · 17/10/2009 17:01

Some schools start coursework in Yr 9 for English, but then do more pieces than the students actually need to - then they can choose to submit the best pieces. I think schools often do that to give the Yr 9s a sense of purpose - particularly when they were doing SATs. SATs prep took up a certain amount of the year, and starting GCSE coursework after the SATs exams mean that the students were more likely to focus, rather than just coast for the rest of the year. Not sure how that will work now, though.

As far as KS3 levels are supposed to translate, I would (as a teacher) make a note of the KS3 levels, and would hope that a level 5 would be aiming for at least a C, a level 6 for a B and so on, but that's a very rough guide indeed, particularly given how much students develop during KS4.

As far as exam entries go, a school shouldn't decide on what level to put a student in to until well into the GCSE course, so it ought to be based on the student's performance up til that point, rather than KS3 levels.

itchyandscratchy · 17/10/2009 16:48

It doesn't 'predict' at all. The two types of grading are unrelated.

The idea is that a student that is working at a level 5 in Y9, should in theory - and only if they continue to work with the same level of effort -they are potentially capable of C grade or above; it's no guarantee though. English especially is based on skills rather than the accumulation of facts/knowledge.

It depends on the exam board, but with the AQA which is the biggest one, coursework is worth 20% of the final mark (5% for each piece) , 20% if for speaking and listening and 60% is for the exam (30% CW and 70% exam for Eng Literature). I agree that students develop a lot in KS4 and that maturity helps their understanding of literature especially , but if they can pull this off for the exam, they can still do very well.