A’Level disasters 😔😣

[OverTheRainbow88]

Any other schools been majorly hit?

schools, not scores, obv!

@SusieOwl4

So if all pupils have been downgraded surely the universities will have to reduce their entry requirements?

And if this is all unjustified, which it seems it is there is going to be a mass appeal by the schools?

The downgrades have not necessarily been evenly applied though. That is the problem. Some of the schools near me have had the best results ever whereas others the worst. It may depend on exam boards using flawed and/or different algorithms or class sizes but it doesn't look right and I am sure more will be revealed about this in the future.

So if all pupils have been downgraded surely the universities will have to reduce their entry requirements?

The percentage getting each grade has risen this year. Universities (especially top ones) can’t be too flexible because their courses will be already be filled by those who were awarded top grades. The problem is the distribution of the grades.

@Shabooma

As for fewer independent scores having their grades changed compared to state scores - this is statistically to be expected - consider the typical distribution of grades between the two and then you will see why this is the case!

Also the smaller class sizes.

Last post from me. It’s very hard to see this from the point of view of a disappointed 18 year old (regardless of if their ucas or school predictions were realistic) which is very much about the individual, and a much bigger system picture dealing with hundreds of thousands of students to deliver fair results for individuals which maintain the integrity of grades with the past and future.

Ultimately it probably isn’t possible to deliver exactly what every individual should have got (because we can’t say for certain without exams sat) and a system that works on a bigger scale to maintain integrity of grades without rip roaring inflation, that can also work for uni places.

I have sympathy with the government trying to do the impossible and sympathy with students faced with a terrible year to finish school. Stringing our the uncertainty with a promise of appeals based on mocks, but zero detail seems unforgivable to me...that’s a government in retreat and fearing criticism showing a knee-jerk reaction, rather than a proper thought through approach or the balls to defend the approach it had chosen.

Have heard from friends at top public schools, regular private schools and comprehensive. All seem to have been down graded. Mostly the higher grade students.

Lots with middling grades of Bs and Cs seem happy with what they have got. It was the ones hoping for A*s and As that seem the hardest hit.

@Shabooma

Only a tiny proportion have had their grades changed by more than one step.

Those who don't like it can use their mock result, or resit the exam.

I truly don't see any issue with standardising this year's scores against last year's distribution.

I can't understand the issue? It seems the mostly left-wing teachers just want any excuse to have a go at a Conservative government!

Shabooma,

Just think about the standardisation for a moment.

In a school with a small cohort doing that subject, the standardisation didn't apply, or was only given a small amount of weight, and (higher) teacher predictions were given much greater recognition.

In another school, for the same subject but a larger cohort, standardisation was fully applied.

Do you not see an issue?

What about a situation where this year's cohort is higher ability than last year's, but falls above the 'small cohort' cutoff number? In previous years, there has been at least one E, so despite the different cohort, there still has to be at least one E.

Do you still not see an issue?

I would also say that selective private schools will typically have a mucb more stable ability range than comprehensive schools / sixth form colleges, who will have a much more variable cohort from year to year - again,do you really see no issue?

@WombatChocolate this is Centre Assessed Grades not predicted grades. Predicted grades are formed on an aspirational basis with a view to getting university offers and were set in Sept 19 .

Centre Assessed Grades are the teachers assessment of their performance over the whole course, taking into account exam performance , mocks, coursework , attitude and following the parameters set out by Ofqual .

I can't understand the issue? It seems the mostly left-wing teachers just want any excuse to have a go at a Conservative government!

I mean, I could infer from this that you are a right wing Joe Public wanting an excuse to have a go at teachers buuuut....

I truly don't see any issue with standardising this year's scores against last year's distribution.

It discriminates against children who are in a poorly performing school, and takes away their chance of doing unexpectedly well. These are the children who the state education system is supposed to support, and who lack the resources to appeal or get a second chance.

Again, this is not just about not getting the grades for Oxford, its also about getting the minimum qualifications required to get on a training course or obtain an entry level job.

I truly don't see any issue with standardising this year's scores against last year's distribution

The trouble is the level at which it is "standardised" - in a school where no one has got above a C for Chemistry in the last 2 years no one would get above a C this year. Despite 4 of this year's cohort being A students - who all got A in their GCSE and all mocks - they have missed first choice unis, and have to appeal. You would have though an algorithm would be set up so as to acknowledge the outliers - but no...

@Northernsoulgirl45

Dreading GCSE results next week. I heard that done exam boards were worse than others for downgrading. Will be interesting to see if that is true. Horrible for students affected.

Really hope it works out ok for your DC

@SmileEachDay

Yes, that's exactly what my source said. Don't worry!

One comment - will this also potentially have longer term impacts on postgrad job prospects where certain careers ask for a degree and a minimum number of UCAS points at A level?

Can I mention that I actually know of plenty of small classes who have had downgrades applied. This small class thing feels a little mythical.

I think people who think dropping by 'only' one grade is no biggie haven't been in the land of university offers for some time! AAB becomes BBC is a whole different set of universities.

You would have though an algorithm would be set up so as to acknowledge the outliers - but no...

That's exactly what they should have done. Or, given the amount of time they had to sort this, they could have sent the grades to the schools a few weeks beforehand, and said get in touch if there's any very strong obvious outliers and let the schools make representations before the final grades were fixed.

DD2 is at a state grammar. We are expecting her GCSE results next week.
She was on course for 8’s and 9’s in her GCSE exams. She is a very able student
After reading this thread and hearing the stories of A level in dd’s grammar school ( where there were many downgrades contrary to the views in this thread) I am concerned .
It’s a complete shambles.
I always said that exams should have been taken

Plenty of downgrades at

Also, some subjects have NEA (cousework). this can be used nowhere in the appeals process and is not included in any November resit.

Mock results might well not reflect the student. Now, if it was mock + NEA grade ,w e might be talking...

Sorry posted too soon . Plenty of downgrades at all the local independents here as well . Seems very little logic to it . Can’t get over the fact that so little notice was paid to individual performance, seems so arbitrary

Bluntness is 100% correct. You cannot give everyone A* and A's. That is a silly suggestion. Next year's A Level students would then claim they have missed 6 months of a 2 year course and it goes on and on over the years. You would get a DDD student for example going to somewhere like Exeter or Bristol with say an over inflated BBB and struggling massively with the course. They would probably drop out. The universities wouldnt cope and I speak as someone who didnt go to university as in my day there wasnt the aspiration to attend from my bog standard sec modern.

What it has shown sadly is that some schools have used this situation for their ends to social engineer their pupils and themselves which wont end well for either side.

As I have mentioned many times. If you really think your child has been misrepresented then get the evidence and appeal. If there is no evidence then I am struggling to see what anyone can do.

Where has anyone asked for everyone to be given A*s and As??

@Shabooma

Only a tiny proportion have had their grades changed by more than one step.

Those who don't like it can use their mock result, or resit the exam.

I truly don't see any issue with standardising this year's scores against last year's distribution.

I can't understand the issue? It seems the mostly left-wing teachers just want any excuse to have a go at a Conservative government!

You don’t see anything wrong with pupils being pulled down because of last year’s class?

My DD’s year group outperformed the year before them at GCSE. They were expected to do do this year, instead the school have been given their worst results for several years.

My DD and two others who have been straight A pupils all through have been given Bs and Cs and that’s ok with you is it?

You also say resit like it’s nothing. That’s a whole year out of their peer group. Wave all their pals off to uni and stay behind. How is that fair?

Using their mock isn’t going to help with dome uni places. My DD has lost her first choice uni as they’re not prepared to wait for appeals