To be scared at what will happen with next years GCSE

[Lemons1571]

My DC is due to take GCSE’s next year and the uncertainty of what’s ahead is starting to make me anxious. Most of the work set by the secondary school since March was holding activities and consolidation, very little new content was taught as the teachers weren’t allowed to teach via zoom etc (safeguarding).

Yet the recent consultation by Ofqual basically proposed keeping all the content in the course and removing some practical work (replaced by teach demo or YouTube). I can’t see how that’s going to make up for 14 missed weeks of new teaching material. Not to mention if there are further fortnight-length periods of isolation.

I feel quite removed from schools at the moment anyway as haven’t been near any of them since March. It feels like the school run was a different long ago era that we’ve left behind (also have a child in primary). So I wouldn’t know who to approach in the schools to ask them how this is going to work. But then they’re probably run off their feet with stress trying to work it all out themselves, last thing they need is parents on their case?

Anyone else getting (perhaps irrationally) worried about this?

No I’m worried too, I’ve spoken to DS15 about possibility of re-sits. It’s a disgrace that they won’t make allowances for the current Y10. This cohort will have suffered the biggest impact,

My dd was year 11 this year so hasn’t sat her GCSEs (which she was gutted about). However, I do really feel for the year 10 and 12 age group because they have missed so much. I too would be really worried. I wonder if any leeway will be given.

I'm concerned too. The only comfort, but it's a grim one, is that everyone sitting GCSE's next year has been seriously inconvenienced by loss of learning.
I hope they take all this into account.
I'd like there to be either reduced exam content, or the assurance that students will achieve the grades they might have without the situation that has happened that isn't anyone's fault, not least the students

There is also the risk they may lose more time when schools go back with possible local lockdowns, bubbles self isolating etc. It is a worry, I have a DS going into Y11.

The only comfort, but it's a grim one, is that everyone sitting GCSE's next year has been seriously inconvenienced by loss of learning.
I hope they take all this into account.

Well, not exactly. Some schools have provided far more than others in terms of volume and quality of remote learning since March. Not to mention disparities in personal situations for pupils across the country - many will have found it difficult to do any work at home.
It is going to be massively unfair.

Very very unfair. DS’s school have continued teaching the curriculum and are providing extra work to those behind over the summer. There will be a real disparity between kids knowledge next June. I’m very glad DS is going into year 10, not year 11. I feel very sorry for those who aren’t going to have time to catch up. The government should have revised the curriculum for all so that the disadvantaged aren’t penalised.

My Dd starts year 11 in spetember, my worry is her triple science, no way that can be taught without the lab surely, she's missed so much of it. Hardly any science has been assigned online during lockdown. Laguages, RE and math seem to have done much better and seem more teachable online. She has had lots of work in those areas.
Its a big worry.
She was saying how she's worried about the kids who don't seem to engage much in school, how are they going to cope without having even been there for the little they do anyway. I can see where she's coming from.

The whole thing is massively unfair in students. This years cohort who didn't get to sit exams are at the mercy of Ofqual and statistical modelling and next years that will no way have time to finish the curriculum.

I have one DD going into year 11 and one going into year 10. DD going into year 11 has worked her socks off over lockdown but still feels disadvantaged going into GCSE year esp in Science subjects.

I know there was a proposal from the DoE but after the consultation period and feedback might there be some additional changes?

My only hope is that they normalise the exam results. I mean, they can’t exactly go from 80% got 5 A-C in 2020 to, ooops, only 5% managed this in 2021. Do you think they’ll just give the papers their true mark and then shove everyone up by 2 grades so it doesn’t look too appaling?

Same here OP although I'm attempting to 'take a break from worrying about it' over the summer holidays!

My DS15, who will be going into Y11 in Sept was already lazy and lacking in motivation before covid so this has been the nail in the coffin for his education

Like others have said there is going to be a huge gap between children who have coped well with home schooling (and attend schools who have provided some actual virtual learning via Zoom/ Skype) and those who have struggled and/or attend schools which were lacking in their approach to providing distance learning

I posted on another thread about schools.
My ds is about to enter year 11 and I am very concerned.
Myself and dh have started to tutor ds in the core subjects.
I am not even convinced that schools will return back in September.
Many of my relatives are doctors and nurses and have said that there has been an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in hospitals over the past two weeks.

It could be science is shorter if no time given for the kids to do practicals so home learning goes quicker.
They adjust the marks every year depending how the cohort has done anyway. Exam boards and subjects vary hugely how many of each grade are given out.
Imo the 4 exam years should be prioritized.

@Lemons1571

My only hope is that they normalise the exam results. I mean, they can’t exactly go from 80% got 5 A-C in 2020 to, ooops, only 5% managed this in 2021. Do you think they’ll just give the papers their true mark and then shove everyone up by 2 grades so it doesn’t look too appaling?

Marks don’t equate to grades anyway. Every year they ark and then work out the grade boundaries based in percentages achieving each grade, so yes, that’s exactly what they’ll do. Like always.

I'm worried too. DS (yr 11) also got given more time in exams recently, but only after they did the schools reports, they did assessments during lockdown and didn't get some of the work done in time so got downgraded despite the work submitted being pretty good.

It all seems such a muddle, we are meant to start this DT project with them over the holidays and I haven't a clue, i also have another DC starting year 7 too..

There is going to be a massive disparity. My yr10/11 (state) says that the teachers have said that they are on track or maybe a little ahead of where they normally would be, so those who have kept up with the content will be fine. Anyone who hasn't kept up will be in a difficult position. Probably not as far ahead as private school dc who have had whole days of zoom lessons. Really hard for those schools who stopped teaching.

Yes I am worried, and so is DD going into y11. She’s worked so hard at home, but the feedback from school has been non existent in some subjects so she really has no idea how she’s doing and if she’s understood new topics or not. I don’t know how they will manage classes in September with some students having done more work than others, and how will it work if some areas have localised lockdowns and others don’t. Those students will be losing out on education again. It’s a nightmare and I feel for every pupil in exam years.

They has said to us exams as soon as they get back, not to assess as such but to see where they are and what they have missed.

I'm worried for my eldest doing A levels. She has struggled to keep up with the work at home even though the school has done an amazing job of providing work and giving feedback. This is going to impact her university choices and consequently the rest of her life.

I agree, its a massive worry. The govt are consulting on putting measures in place for next year:

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-the-assessment-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2021

My child is year 10 and I’m extremely worried. There is a thread elsewhere about the real possibility of schools not reopening in September because of the risks to teaching staff and children. That has really worried me as I’m merrily going along assuming schools will be back to normal in September.

We are running an additional period at the end of the day for year 11 plus intervention during form time that doesn't normally start until January that's an additional 90 mins a day. The triple scientists who did not engage over lockdown will be asked to drop it as they won't catch up. Those who came into school in June, completed onlinework/paper packs will be ok and the extra 90 mins should help them. I'd expect a greater uptake to revision classes and Easter boosters. After the initial 6 weeks when we were locked down for the longhaul all year 10s who needed them were provided with devices and a dongle to access work, a teacher from each department was available each day to respond to querys unfortunately lots didn't engage and there's only so much we can do. Work is still available online with staff giving feedback weekly.

My dd will be moving into year 10 in Sept and I’m worried enough about that with the uncertainty of how things will work. It must be such a worry for those with children going to Y11 :(.

@PinkiOcelot

My dd was year 11 this year so hasn’t sat her GCSEs (which she was gutted about). However, I do really feel for the year 10 and 12 age group because they have missed so much. I too would be really worried. I wonder if any leeway will be given.

I'm really worried too. I was talking to somebody yesterday who was saying that this year's students have suffered more than anybody else because they have not been allowed to take their exams but unless I am missing something I think it'll be the current year 10s and year 11s with exams next year. The uncertainity is appalling, how can teachers even know what they need to teach without details of what is happening?

The triple scientists who did not engage over lockdown will be asked to drop it as they won't catch up. Those who came into school in June, completed onlinework/paper packs will be ok and the extra 90 mins should help them

That's somewhat reassuring since mine did, thankfully, engage.