Should I demand to be entered into the higher tier paper gcse

[CheeseToasty]

Hi all, hope you can give me some advice. I am retaking GCSE English this year and was entered into the foundation paper however I was not informed of this until very recently. The teaching of the course has been up and down due to the teacher quitting half was through which is why when we asked about tier earlier we did not get an answer. While I only need a C I was disappointed to be entered into foundation.
The manager at my college told me that if I only need a C then I would be better sitting the foundation paper. However I have been looking at the grade boundaries and to get a C in foundation I would have to score a lot more than I would on the higher. The exam questions a exactly the same on both questions, except that the foundation has a few bullet points on two questions for support. What shall I do?

And the tier can be changed on the day. There are always spare papers.

I'd go for higher. It's unlikely you'd drop below a C and you might get a higher mark.

If you're not going to finish in time, and you've not had any practicd papers marked, I'd go with the colleges opinion here. You are very unlikely to do better than a C if you've missed questions, in my experience.

No idea re level but re not finishing- that is literally the worst thing you can do.

I was talking to a friend who was really frustrated marking uni exam papers yesterday. They had a student who did two amazing, best they'd seen answers, high firsts in both. Then had barely started the third one. So they I think didn't get a 2.1, or if they did they scraped it.

So many people don't understand that all answers done in a mediocre way will score you higher than some done brilliantly and some unfinished.

Find out how much time you need to allocate for each section: I'm not familiar with gcse English but based on marks allocated for each question divide up the time you have.

Then during the exam, if you e ten minutes for section a, once you've got to nine minutes write a finishing sentence and move on. Or just stop. Being strict on timing is the most important thing you can do by a mile.

I second the answering all questions and not finishing them all rather than answering only some fully. You'll pick up more marks that way.

Divide the time equally and move on when it's time to move on.

I wouldn't. As it was explained to me the higher tier paper has a lot more focus on exam technique. If you could give us some examples of questions it might help but if it's like English language the higher tier requires much better time management, which you said you struggle with. On the subject of time struggles, I'd say go through the entire paper and do the ones you can easily do first. Then go back through the ones you have to think about and do those carefully and if you're two minutes from the end and you have absolutely no idea just put SOMETHING down, it can't be right if it's not there.

Thanks for all your advice.

I stuck with foundation but now I am worried I mad the wrong decision which is ironic as the writing question was about making and important. I didn't finish and missed one question worth 10.

I have looked at the grade boundaries and I need about 74/88 to pass! 88 because I missed a question. Passing is going to be difficult.

If I has done higher could have passed by getting these marks for each question:

• 1a. 2/7
• 1b. 2/
• 1.c 0/10 (question I missed)
• 2a 2/7
• 2b 2/7
• 2c. 2/10 and 20/48 for 3.

But in foundation where I understand that marks are more easily achieved I need

• 1a. 7/7
• 1b. 7/7
• 1.c 0/10 (question I missed)
• 2a 7/7
• 2b 7/7
• 2c. 10/10 and 40/48 for 3.

I think I will get D

I am wondering if I will be able to re-take in November as this is the last year that controlled assessments are done.

i dont get it- if you think you have only got a d on the easy one, why do you think you would pass the harder exam?

Yes, resits are still available in November. Good luck with your results.

Because I wonder if scoring 7 out of 7 on foundation with easier mark scheme is harder that scoring 2 out of 7 with harder marking scheme. Does that make sense?

I am a teacher and regularly teach a sixth form resit class, although not English. I would say if you need a C take the foundation paper. Yes you need higher marks but the content and what they are looking for will be different. The only reason for doing higher is if you want a B or above.

Honestly I cant understand why I am not doing better. Why can't I do better that someone half my age who has many exams to get through. Its not fair. I am obviously not as intelligent as I think I am.

but its not just a harder marking scheme- its harder questions, more difficult texts to understand etc

if you have failed/ not got the grade you wanted on the easy exam, you have little chance on the harder exam

Cheese- it's not just about being smart , exam technique plays a huge role in how you do. I remember perfectly smart people getting grades under their expectations due to poor technique.
The good news is that you can improve on it!
You've identified one area you can improve on - speed of answer. If I were you I'd talk to your tutors and ask for their tips on exam technique. Fwiw (and ive sat more than cams than had hot dinners) this is how I approached time planning

1. Know your stuff
2. Open paper. Skim quickly through the questions. How many? Are any really short and others long or all roughly the same?
3. Divide up your time, roughly, minutes per question plus however long at the end for going back over things. Stick to it!

A lot of this is practice- past papers are very useful. Get used to the feel and process of the exam - the better you feel the better you perform.

Good luck - I hope youve got the grades tou need

For this paper, the texts are the same, contrary to what previous posters have said.

It's done now. Remember that 40% is on CAs, only 60% on exam.

You will be able to retake in November if you need to, and the CAs will stay the same. There is also a final opportunity for this spec in June 2017 - resit only.

You don't know the exact marks you need though - the grade boundaries aren't published till results are out, so you may get away with needing fewer marks for the C.

It's really important you attempt every question. It is easy to get 5/7 on all questions than get 7/7/7 on three

Exam technique is so important. As advised above - split. The time per question and move on when the time comes.

Sorry - see you have done it! Well it's difficult to know how you have done so no point worrying about it as you will just tie yourself in knots.

Good luck!!

Sometimes knowing more makes it harder to write a condense answer to the required standard, being older you have a lot more knowledge and understanding of the world which can complicate things. I find this tough when filling job applications, you have to dumb down and spell out the obvious rather than inferring things etc.

Exam technique is key and a vital skill if you continue education, not so much for real life but time management is always useful. Intelligence is found in many forms and learning to pass exams may be useful but it isn't the most valuable form. I screwed up my a levels partly due to lack of technique which is partly due to less than amazing teaching (private schools have a reputation at being very good at teaching exam technique). However, I found uni quite different and suited the style much better, it's better suited to independent learners and exploring ideas rather than giving a set 'right' answer, although technique is still important and I only got this right in my final year and got a 2.1 (I had a D at a level for the same subject). There is hope!

Yes, you may be able to retake in November if the college is willing to put you in again. Some boards are allowing "legacy" old GCSE for another year (because of schools on 2 year courses) and my college has decided to go with the "legacy" qual for next year, so it's possible your college may do the same.

Have you thought about asking to be assessed for extra time in your exams? If your reading, writing or processing speeds are well below average, you may be allowed 25% extra time in exams. It's worth asking to be assessed.

On exam technique it is also acceptable to say ' if I'd had more time I would have covered [list of bullet points]. Or do an essay plan at outset so market can give credit for ideas there not fully explored.

If you do resit you MUST do and have feedback from a mock exam. You need to try and set a time limit for each question. You mustn't leave questions out.

Thank again. I have emailed college to ask about re-sit today. With a bit more practice I am sure I can do it. I wish we had done a mock at college but our tutor thought it a waste of time.

You say you don't know why you're not doing better. I don't know about Edexcel but AQA mark scheme is highly prescriptive and half the battle is knowing for sure how each question is marked.