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Yr11/13 parents take a look at the sneakiness

188 replies

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 16:42

The Consultation on how the GCSE and A level grades for this cohort has been released....... very quietly.

Consultation ends 29/04.

You can see the proposal here...... and it appears it includes SATs grades...... yes really......

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exceptional-arrangements-for-exam-grading-and-assessment-in-2020

OP posts:
Malvinaa81 · 17/04/2020 16:45

I'm not sure how "quiet" the release was- it was in the daily e mail on the virus sent to millions of people directly from the Government.

The end date is rather soon though.

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 16:49

Which daily email was that then?

I’ve received it third hand, and suspect there will be many parents who will be concerned at the ‘statistical standardisation’ which includes sats tests, prior performance of the school and some variable ideas about bias on other factors.

OP posts:
Waterandlemonjuice · 17/04/2020 16:50

68 pages! I can’t see any issue with it but have only skim read it.

FarTooSkinny · 17/04/2020 16:55

Where does it mentions SATS?

And what is your issue with statistical standardisation?

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 16:55

Well...... there will be no way to appeal the result other than if the process was applied incorrectly to your ‘centre’ and therefore no way to individually appeal- just sit the exams in the Autumn. Bad enough for those hoping to progress to A level, but worse still for those hoping to go to university.

OP posts:
GetUpAgain · 17/04/2020 16:56

Do you mean they are taking SATs from primary school into account when giving out GCSE grades? If so, that's outrageous and very unfair!

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 16:57

On page 28.....

Yr11/13 parents take a look at the sneakiness
OP posts:
FarTooSkinny · 17/04/2020 16:58

@GetUpAgain

Do you mean they are taking SATs from primary school into account when giving out GCSE grades? If so, that's outrageous and very unfair!

I can't see any mention of SATS in the proposal - OP has not explained where that came from

HandfulOfFlowers · 17/04/2020 16:58

Kids in private schools don't sit SATs so how would that work?

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 16:58

28

Yr11/13 parents take a look at the sneakiness
OP posts:
MillicentMartha · 17/04/2020 17:00

They are looking at the cohort’s SATs only to judge whether this cohort are expected to be higher or lower achieving than average to help the statistical modelling. They are not going to look an individual child’s SATs and predict their GCSEs from that.

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 17:02

See my photo above. I’m generally quite fair minded and appreciate that these are trying times for everyone. I have read the guidance in full and am a former Chair of Governors.

I’m very concerned for the students in this cohort. I know a PP has mentioned that this was in a daily email. I was forwarded this by someone who had forwarded it to them, now perhaps they received the email, but as far as I can see..... a Government consultation which makes for concerning reading, with a 2 week window for reply and with no real notification to two of the massive groups of stakeholders ( students and parents) is worrisome.

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 17/04/2020 17:02

It will take into account the prior attainment at school level, not individual level.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 17/04/2020 17:02

Not unfair for everyone. My Ds got very good SATs results and was predicted good GCSE grades too.

FarTooSkinny · 17/04/2020 17:03

@MillicentMartha that is correct.

Looks a reasonable way to standardise across schools and colleges

Thankful2020 · 17/04/2020 17:05

@Handfulofflowers- Kids in private schools don't sit SATs so how would that work?

Some private schools do SATs

GU24Mum · 17/04/2020 17:05

I think that means that this years Y11 did marginally better than the previous cohort which for these purposes is a good thing (I think....)

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-2-2015-revised

Dyrne · 17/04/2020 17:07

OP have you been involved with government consultations before? There’s shed loads.

  1. it’s a consultation, so people can respond saying “no”.

  2. As PP have said, it’s a statistical analysis, not a straight “Joe got a Level 5 at SATs so we’re giving him a C”.

BlackCatsRule88 · 17/04/2020 17:08

A two week window seems fair - a decision needs to be made in May or it’ll be too late to get results for everyone by the summer.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 17/04/2020 17:08

That makes more sense!

lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 17:10

So how do you take account of the centres who don’t sit SATS when they are likely to be a significant percentage, if not at GCSE, at A level at least. Not least of which because elsewhere in the document it makes reference to NOT standardising the evidence which schools can take into account when making their judgments, as this would mean schools with greater evidence have to use less to match schools which have less.

I knew this would be difficult, but it also says that at present the intention is where the same exam board is concerned that two certificates would be issued, one for the summer and one for the autumn, with all grades, which makes it very difficult as far as I can see. Students effectively will need to revise at full pace all summer in case they don’t make the necessary grade through some arbitrary model applied to their school, even though their assessment of teacher judgements appears to be somewhere between 0.75 and 0.85.

There is mention of teacher bias to boys and science/maths, and girls and English predicted grades. They also mention race and ethnicity. I am concerned about how they are going to arrive at the judgements and I think I am right to be.

OP posts:
lifecouldbeadream · 17/04/2020 17:11

Yes..... I know what a consultation is. How often does any feedback actually change the process I wonder.......... Hmm

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 17/04/2020 17:12

That is a ridiculous solution. I have read on here and know of children, who did terribly in their sats and are doing very well or excelling in secondary. This ruling doesn’t apply to my friends dd - yet at least - as she is year 10. But we an example, she was diagnosed with dyslexia as soon as she arrived in secondary. It is really not uncommon for children in primary schools to be diagnosed with some kind of additional learning need once they change schools.

Piggywaspushed · 17/04/2020 17:17

Have you read the literature that goes with it too?

I am more concerned that the belief that teachers are not accurate at predictions arises form research done in 1997 and 2010 and a widespread myth about UCAS grades being actual predictions.

SATs are widely sued to generate target grades for students in education. That's not new.

I agree there has been little fanfare about this consultation but it was , in part, driven by the clamour from parents of year 10 DCs due to do exams so there are signs of DfE responsiveness there.

Fil in the consultation OP. I have.

Piggywaspushed · 17/04/2020 17:18

It has been explained that it is not the SATs results of individual children that will be examined and scrutinised.