Assessed coursework for GCSE -- do parents cheat?

incogneetow - I believe you. However, I still believe parental help to the point of cheating is widespread. Controlled assessment is an attempt to prevent the cheating that goes on when coursework done at home counts toward the final grade. However, it fails to achieve its aim. You are no doubt an honourable and ethical person because you say: "even if he slips a grade on a subject or two; I would much rather he did it from his own efforts than by cheating". Other parents think it is unethical to jeopardise their children's future prospects and will use any means possible to ensure success (or even just the appearance of success) if that gets their children on to the next rung.

I may sound hideously cynical to you, but I am afraid that I beleive my views reflect reality.

This is what I mean:

Oldpeculiar 'fesses up

"One of my DSs did English GCSE 18months ago and I wrote all his English lit CAs for him because the teacher had forcasted him a fail grade.he got an A overall with my help, so would probably have scraped through anyway."

BackforGood - I believe you. However, I suspect strongly that you and your friends may well be the honest tip of a very dodgy iceberg.

Anyway, I think Mr Gove probably would agree with me. I predict a return to 100% unseen papers.

I regard myself as a supportive parent and I have never contemplated for a moment the kind of actions you are describing Rylzak. I am genuinely shocked.

ds1's school do all CAs by the letter of the law: limited notes allowed, under exam/timed conditions. He's done CAs for English lang, English lit, Citizenship, MFL, History and IT GCSE. There are also internal assessments (called ISAs) for Science too.

My son is on track for excellent GCSE grades, but even if he slips a grade on a subject or two; I would much rather he did it from his own efforts than by cheating.

Look at this other thread on Mumsnet./

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1412038-To-hate-controlled-assessments

Whether you like it or not, it is easy to abuse the controlled assessment system as long as you have a good memory. Anyone can write your essay for you. You just regurgitate it. There are lots of sites on line where you can buy someone's time to write an essay. Unethical? Of course it is but it is what happens. This is why the controlled assessment for lit. with a "seen" text is no true test of a child's ability unless it can be guaranteed that neither teachers nor parents are helping the child to cheat. But, according to this site and to other sites, cheating happens. Teachers and schools do it because they feel pressured by league tables and parents do it because they want their children to "succeed" (and part of that is the belief of many that a university education is likely to be the best spring board for success).

The only way to limit cheating is to have only unseen questions on one or two texts out of perhaps a minimum of 8 texts taught over the two year GCSE period. In this way, the children would need to revise them all to have any chance of success. After that, the exam would sort out those with true ability for analysing a literary text from those who could do it less well and from those who could not do it well at all.

Zombie? What does that mean? I am a person with a point of view describing and explaining the behaviours I observe, the behaviours others report and the behaviours which may reasonably be inferred from those observed and reported behaviours.

One of my DSs did English GCSE 18months ago and I wrote all his English lit CAs for him because the teacher had forcasted him a fail grade.he got an A overall with my help, so would probably have scraped through anyway.

Blimey Rylzak - I don't know what planet you are on, but that's not what happens in our house, and I rather resent the fact you are calling me - and every other parent on this threa - a liar.
Ds did his GCSEs this Summer just gone, and didn't get a single A*, because he felt it was OK to 'cruise' through and get what he could without putting too much effort in. He's done OK - he's a fairly bright lad, but not hugely interested in the academic side of life. I did my O-levels many years ago, I'm certainly not about to start writing them again with each of my dcs. I'll offer to help them plan their time, and I would test them if they want me to, but there's no way in the world I'd write an essay / assessed piece of work for them, and nor would anyone I know!

Are you a teacher Rylzak?

For what it is worth DD2 is at a comprehensive school in the top stream. Many children in her class are horror of horrors "working class" and quite a few are the children of recent immigrants. The majority of them were working at level 8 in year 8 in English and are on course for A or A in their English Language GCSE which they are starting in year 9, of which they have already done some components. All the work is done in class. They are specifically told they cannot add anything outside of class and their notes are submitted with their paper. The majority do not have university educated parents, some parents do not even speak English. My own daughter has never asked me for help and is on course for an A or A despite being dyslexic.

I am sorry for children who cheat and even more sorry for the adults that help them. Stealing a GCSE or upping your grade by cheating is the same as stealing something tangible in my opinion. I have not seen any evidence of cheating in any controlled assessments that my children have done, nor have I heard any parent speak of such a thing. If I did hear of it I would be straight on the phone to the exam board and the school governors.

I'm shocked by Rylzak's comments about cheating. I do agree with her that 100% on exam results is the best way forwards. Getting rid of O levels was a huge mistake.

I know this is a zombie thread but I am prompted to comment on Rylzak's comments about helping children with assessments in order to get them to university and prevent them having a "rubbish" job. We are talking GCSE's here! If a student can't cope with the level required for progressing to 6th form or university at that stage, how are they going to cope with the demands of A levels and uni work? Are you going to continue helping them then - assuming you are even able to? Their scraped degree from a probably not very good university is not going to prevent them from ending up on the scrapheap for which Rylzak thinks they are destined without a degree. Separately, I think it is ridiculous to equate a lack of degree with future failure in life. I work in a creative industry where every entry-level position attracts huge numbers of applicants. EVERYONE has a degree and for many of them it is useless. We would much rather see some work experience or evidence of a genuine passion for the industry rather than a 2.1 in a subject which fifteen other applicants also possess.

It is most likely not a parent but someone with an interest in introducing Govean "improvements". No normal parent would write that...

Rylzak Mon 17-Dec-12 23:22:40
"I have helped children with their GCSE coursework and sometimes done it for them. When you care for a child and want it to go to university, you will do anything even cheat. If an A* is required, and they are on a B, then I believe most people would cheat. If you wish to keep your beautiful ethics intact, then watch your children fail and get a rubbish job, whilst other people's children race ahead to a better life. "

Shocked at this even if the thread is a zombie.

If you care for a child, why would you want them to be failing, and possibly suicidal, at university rather than find a niche that was suited to their actual abilities? [shocked]

Even dyslexic DD1 who normally asks for stuff to be proofed hasn't asked for help with English CA preparation.

Well actually she did, she asked me to dig out some holiday pictures to describe

(Makes a nice change to sodding history projects for the last three years. Where DH, me, and even DD2 have been roped in to try and get the things stupid things written. Last years teacher kept adding sections.

DD1 likes history and is good at it, but the shear amount of HW it generated was ridiculous.
I think history = all other subjects)

THIS IS A ZOMBIE
Controlled assessments have changed!!! The assessed work all has to be done in class now, the only work done at home is preparatory, eg. Mock essays, or research, at the most.

ds 'school gave them a talk about plagiarism at beginning of Year 10 and this came under that.

Rylzak - my DD got A* or A in all her subjects without cheating as did the majority of her classmates. Controlled assessments don't even apply to a majority of subjects such as sciences (experiment element done at school nothing brought home), maths, Latin etc.

Well perhaps my childrens' schools are unusually honest. They have only ever written the work in school and just brought home bullet point notes that they bring into the exam.

IMO unless the teaching is appalling, there is nothing to be gained from a parent writing an essay - teacher has an idea of where the marks are awarded. Surely it is easier to get a child to study and understand the material rather than "memorise" an entire essay.

In my experience there have only been controlled assessments in English and History; also the MFL are split into bits which are done at various times.

100% exams - the only way to truly assess ability.

Controlled assessments - easy to cheat. Mum writes A* essay, child turns it into its own style - child memorises it - child writes it down at school within the time limits.

Where is the control here? Certainly not in the hands of the teacher or the examination system.

Controlled assessments - a gift to the middle (degree educated) classes who exploit it like crazy. And why not? They are only teaching their children early what the working world is truly like. It would be utterly cruel to tell their children to be fair, good, honest, truthful and kind in a protected environment like school, and them let them loose in the lion's den of work without protection. They wouldn't last five minutes - used and abused - a tasty offering on the altar of some other kid's career.

I have helped children with their GCSE coursework and sometimes done it for them. When you care for a child and want it to go to university, you will do anything even cheat. If an A* is required, and they are on a B, then I believe most people would cheat. If you wish to keep your beautiful ethics intact, then watch your children fail and get a rubbish job, whilst other people's children race ahead to a better life. All parents who work know how competitive it is out there. It comes down to accepting that raw reality, and helping your child to kick the other children into the way of oncoming traffic.

Anyone who does not accept this analysis is either in cloud cuckoo land or lying to themselves and everyone else.

Yes , it may depend on exam board as well. Our subject is dropping coursework but I know the other subjects within our faculty are going to controlled assessments. I had assumed it was the case with all subjects but maybe it isn't.

Of course, it may be different for some subjects - I meant Yr 10 and 11 will be doing coursework for English Language GCSE.

I think our year 10s will be our first cohort to do times assessments.

I am just ging through coursework now with my class and they tend to a lot of it too be honest in school in the library. I can spot fairly easiy if it is not their work and they wil be made to redo it or risk their work not being submitted.

I take in a first draft, give very general guidance and then take it in. Tbh with the sort of student who opts for my subject I tend to get very good quality work first time.