GCSE re-mark?

[HarrySnotter]

We've just got back from holiday today so only got GCSE results today.
DS got a 3 in his Computer Science exam. He says that his friend also got a 3 (he picked his up from school on Thursday) but his is to be re-marked. How do you know if your paper can be re-marked? Should it say on his results paper?

All his others just have the grade beside them but this one has a score as well and I'm not sure why. Can anyone help? Sorry, I don't have much of a clue about this stuff.

He needs to contact his teacher. If he is one or two marks away from the grade boundary then it’s worthwhile getting it re-marked.

You should be able to find the grade boundaries online.

Thank you @Crikeycrikeyblimeymoses, I'll have a look. Fingers crossed.

Any paper can have a review of marking but it's only really a good idea if the student is very close to the next grade boundary up or the teachers think that something has gone terribly wrong with the marking i.e. possibility a question has been missed during marking or marked incorrectly.
If your ds doesn't have a breakdown of the a risk marks, he can ask the school for the marks. Then the grade boundaries are all available online, just search the name of the exam board and 'grade boundaries'.

Teacher will have expected his friend to get higher - and he will (probably) be a mark or two off a 4, so will have recommended a re-mark. If DS is not close to a 4 - or is closer to a 2 there is a danger in calling for a re-mark. Grades can go down as well as up. There is a cost involved for each re-mark.

I too was wondering why some grades had a score next to them but others didn't - 3 in ds's case
I checked the scores against the grade boundaries and all 3 scores were very close to the next grade up so geography was 3 marks below a 7, RE 1 mark below a 5 and maths 6 marks below a 7 - maybe something to do with that ?

You have to pay to have a remark.

And remember grades can go down as well as up

The score showing will depend on which exam board was used, some do , some don't. School will have scores and grade boundaries otherwise. Did he get 5 at grade 4 or above, including maths and english? Was he planning to continue comp sci?

You apply for a review of marking. It costs unless grade goes up.

I’m just surprised a parent would go on holiday without access to public exam results on day of issue. It strikes me now is a bit late to be interested in educational achievement. Funny message to give a child.

What was he predicted? Does he have reason to think that he should have done much better and therefore it's possible that mistakes have been made in the marking?

The paper won't be re-marked: the marking is simply reviewed to check that the marking criteria have been correctly applied.

I’m just surprised a parent would go on holiday without access to public exam results on day of issue. It strikes me now is a bit late to be interested in educational achievement. Funny message to give a child.

You can fuck right off @CherryPavlova. The reason that we were away when we were is because I have cancer and was in hospital for three weeks, including the week at the start of August that we were due to go away. DD also had chickenpox at the time so we decided, with DS's full approval (it's kind of been a stressful time for him too and he needed a break) to go to a friends caravan for five days. I don't even know why I feel I should explain to someone as unpleasant and you can stick your judgemental, unkind comments.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross he was predicted a 7. So he's a bit confused (as am I) how he appeared to so much worse than he expected. He didn't find the exam particularly difficult, so he's disappointed. In his school, they sit some GCSE's in Y10 so he's only 15 and I don't want his confidence to take a knock, but that's up to me to ensure that he doesn't feel that way I guess.

Anyone can have a paper remarked but it costs. If he is that far away from predicted then it might be worth doing it. Although if others also got 3 when anticipating higher it could be an issue with the way the teacher taught things or missed things from sillibus that were in exam

Although if others also got 3 when anticipating higher it could be an issue with the way the teacher taught things or missed things from sillibus that were in exam

That worries me more to be honest, as presumably there's really nothing to be done if that is the case.

Check out the grade boundaries online and if he’s close to the next grade nothing lost. My sons GCSE Geography went up 12 marks ! This was 4 years ago.

Or it could be that the examiner was wildly off. Firstly, contact the teacher for the grade boundaries and find out how close he was. If he was only a couple off he next grade, it’s worth a remark. Ask the teacher if there were a few surprises and if they will be contacting the exam board, given how many of them did so much worse than expected. If you don’t get satisfactory answers, go to the leadership member linked to KS4

HarrySnotter Was there nobody that could collect his results and phone you? Swearing is unnecessary. I don’t recall saying anything particularly unkind merely wondering the message it gives a child about the importance of educational attainment. I stand by that.

Of course you were unkind @CherryPavlova, that was clearly your intention. You made a judgement when you knew nothing about our situation and to suggest otherwise is disingenuous. There were plenty of people who could have collected his results but my son did not want that, he wanted to wait and open them himself. They are his results after all, not mine and that was his choice to make. I hope that's OK with you, but I doubt it. You may 'stand by' your comments all you like, I 'stand by' mine, swearing and all.

One of the many things I've tried to instil in my children, is never to be judgemental. It's not a nice trait.

How is getting results on the exact day published and not a couple of days later vital? Especially as the OP's DS is in year 10 and not waiting on then for college entry.

OP

Thanks @TabbyStar, it's not very nice when someone suggests you are not interested in your child's educational achievements, particularly when it's untrue.

One of the many things I've tried to instil in my children, is never to be judgemental. It's not a nice trait

Not is telling a total stranger on the internet to fuck off when they make a valid comment about something you have said.

Cherry made a completely unnecessary criticism that was nothing to do with the OP's question, and the OP is in that situation because she is coping with cancer. I've think we can cut her some slack.

Oh I agree, TabbyStar we can cut op some slack but hey, isn't saying fuck off a touch aggressive? She could have used a nicer way to put her point across. Not descend straight back to gutter levels of language.

@HariboForBreakfast
Now who’s being judgemental? The comments made were totally unnecessary, even without the back story!
‘’m just surprised a parent would go on holiday without access to public exam results on day of issue. It strikes me now is a bit late to be interested in educational achievement. Funny message to give a child.’
IMO, the message this gives is that a child’s exam results are not the sum of their achievements, and in the grand scheme of things there are other things that are much much more important. Not picking up results on the actual day doesn’t mean you don’t care and will not make a blind bit of difference to the result.

@HariboForBreakfast I don't believe those comments were valid at all. The poster knew nothing of the reasons we were away, nor did she know that my son (who, incidentally, could have stayed behind with friends if he wanted, but chose to come) wanted to open his own results himself. She chose to make her judgements without all the facts - which are not relevant to my original question. I always think that's a little silly.

I had my maths test remarked, got a D but was apparently one mark off a c, my maths teacher asked for it to be remarked, turns out they missed 12 marks and I ended up with a B. Not sure how they missed it, but needless to say I was happy at the result. They usually only get them remarked if you a few points on the boundaries. Maybe your sons wasn’t close enough.