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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that all private schools DO NOT cheat at exams?

142 replies

IsItJustUsOrNot · 19/07/2017 17:24

Firstly, hello all. Secondly, name changed. Thirdly, I'm not looking for all the usual anti or pro private education arguments or comments that we all already know and love. So here goes:

Some pupils at our Prep were given 'help' to pass their Common Entrance exams this year, whether they wanted it or not. After the exam sessions had finished and the papers collected in, some pupils were called back later the same day to do them again, rewrite them to neaten them up, shown where extra marks could be picked up and so on, or a whole paper was gone through before an exam. We are being told that this is only to help the pupils, there is nothing bad about it, they are not public exams and all Preps do it. Some of us are not convinced however, see it as cheating and, worse, that the children have been forced to cheat. Who is right?

OP posts:
Babypassport · 19/07/2017 19:47

Both my brother and I went to private school, and I now work at one, and I've never known any cheating happen on common entrance.

pointythings · 19/07/2017 19:50

I'm sure it happens occasionally. Just as cheating in SATs happens in state primaries. It always ends up being found out and never pays, and it's the children who end up the victim. It's a shame so much of schooling in the UK is data- and results driven from a young age, it does no-one any favours.

Original poster
IsItJustUsOrNot · 19/07/2017 19:57

Fertleby: it's not what I would want for my DC

This

OP posts:
SandyDenny · 19/07/2017 20:05

This reply has been deleted

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MrsCaecilius · 19/07/2017 20:13

That's cheating, and unfair on kids who get into a school based on fake results.

I went to private school and did Common Entrance. Never heard of this sort of behaviour.

Bet the senior schools these children are going to wouldn't be too impressed either...

BertrandRussell · 19/07/2017 20:16

"The only instance of cheating I've seen was in gcse in a state school. One teacher actually slipping written answers to kids" interesting. How did they do that when teachers aren't allowed in the exam room?

HarryDresdensLeatherDuster · 19/07/2017 20:18

Yes, it is cheating. Absolutely! And no, not all preps do it! We definitely don't. I'd move schools, quickly!

GavelRavel · 19/07/2017 20:19

that's outrageous

KarlosKKrinkelbeim · 19/07/2017 20:21

No of course, no cheating in state schools which are entirely populated by highly intelligent angels, both pupils and teachers. Yawn.
Never heard of this anywhere and if true, I should think it will escalate into a pretty major scandal imminently.

BertrandRussell · 19/07/2017 20:24

Of course there is cheating in state schools.

Just not in the way the poster suggested.

BertrandRussell · 19/07/2017 20:26

Don't get me started on language GCSEs, which I am sure are the most cheated exams going in all schools- the format practically begged schools to cheat! The new format will make it much more difficult. That's one good thing about it.

Original poster
IsItJustUsOrNot · 19/07/2017 20:53

Sadly HarryDresdensLeatherDuster it will be one of the last memories of our school for our Year 8s and their parents, most leaving to move on to their senior schools shortly after the CEs. Some do have younger siblings at the school. We have to hope that it won't happen again after the complaints, but I have to say that I am not convinced.

OP posts:
Original poster
IsItJustUsOrNot · 19/07/2017 23:42

artisanjam: they could be asked to leave the senior school

MrsCaecilius: Bet the senior schools these children are going to wouldn't be too impressed either

I do wonder what the senior schools' responses would be if it came out and I know this is a real concern for some of the parents and pupils involved. Or do the senior schools know that this sort of thing goes on? Anyone with any relevant experience?

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Original poster
IsItJustUsOrNot · 20/07/2017 10:37

If the general consensus is IANBU, what if anything should be done about it?

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AnotherNewt · 20/07/2017 10:40

The issue with your school needs to go to the governors. A weak head will blight the school rapidly. And I take cheating as a sign of weakness.

I do not think this is a widespread issue.

But if any parents do detect cheating - whether in CE or any other exam - then they need to take it up with the individual school. Or perhaps exam board, depending on what exactly has been going on.

Ktown · 20/07/2017 10:42

I would assume this goes on at some of the crammers in terraced houses in London, and also at some of the iffy international ones where they don't have charity status and huge sums are paid.

Cutesbabasmummy · 20/07/2017 11:52

My prep and private senior school didn't do that!!

BertrandRussell · 20/07/2017 12:06

"My prep and private senior school didn't do that!!"

How do you know?

Boredwithmyname · 20/07/2017 12:11

Of course it's not common or OK - it's just cheating. The school should be reported imo.

Fertleby · 20/07/2017 12:21

I'm led to believe that in the school I heard it happening in the head has been given 2 years notice by the governors, though that is just word of mouth.

Original poster
IsItJustUsOrNot · 20/07/2017 13:11

BertrandRussell has a point. Until exam week this year I and others had absolutely no idea. As I think Fertleby said, it just wouldn't have occurred to me that it was happening at our (mainly) lovely school. Perhaps at the sorts of places Ktown suggests, maybe. The vast majority of people at our school still do not have any idea. Even some of the parents and pupils of the relevant exam year do not know. This is either because pupils have not told their parents they or their friends were involved, or some pupils were absent doing scholarships or having already done their exams at their senior schools instead. It is being kept quiet, largely out of respect for the good reputation of our school and particularly for the pupils who could be damaged undeservedly by it. So yes, I do think that it could possibly be happening elsewhere. Like AnotherNewt I would like to think it is not widespread, although I am not sure if that would make it feel better or worse for us.

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BertrandRussell · 20/07/2017 13:21

The trouble is, it would take an exttraordinarily principled person to report cheating which may have ben fitted their own child...

AnotherNewt · 20/07/2017 13:25

..... and which won't really have had an impact on any other DC (as it's a confirmatory, not a competitive exam).

Unfair bigging up in references, or facilitating cheating in a pre-test (ie getting the offer in the first place, thus depriving another DC of it) would be a much more unfair issue. And I'm guesssing that as OP hasnmt mentioned it, there was no sign of that.

Steph999999 · 20/07/2017 13:26

I think the school that the common entrance exams were for have a right to know that they could be letting in pupils who don't pass the grade for this school.i think it's entirely unfair to put a child in a school that is maybe above their level as they will very quickly get left behind.

When I was at primary school we were given past papers to practice and learn how to take exams but to let someone re do the actual exam that they had failed and tell them how to pass is cheating.

Original poster
IsItJustUsOrNot · 20/07/2017 13:33

Two years seems to be a very long notice period, Fertleby?

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