A’Level disasters 😔😣

[OverTheRainbow88]

Any other schools been majorly hit?

@Porcupineinwaiting

I'm not going to comment on the fairness or otherwise of today's grades. But please, if anyone has a child affected, do not make them feel that this is the culmination of their education and it was all for nothing. That's not true and it's not helpful.

Yes I agree with this. I completely cocked up my A Levels and didn't get the grades I needed to go to my chosen uni's. I eventually got a place through clearing at another uni and in the end I'm glad as I had a great experience there. I then went on to do a masters at the university I had originally wanted to attend. So on the day it felt like the end of the world but all worked out in the end.

yep. dd was predicted BBC , came out with BCD. B was in drama in which she had already done externally marked assessments so presumably not downgarded fr that one. Luckily her first choice was unconditional offer so that has comfimred, but still a bit dissappointing for her. we are focusing on the positives, but really feel for those that have missed out.

And to be very clear, the kids I teach have worked damned hard and deserve their good grades.

Some ridiculous downgrading here. As to Cs when they’ve never had less than an A in any of their tests.

I’m expecting lots to appeal and the students deserve to get their mock grades.

Does anyone know the rationale behind the down grading? I saw on sky news that approx 30% of kids had been downgraded but didn't say what the purpose of doing this was?

I’m absolutely disgusted that this has been allowed. If the mental heath of a lot of these children has not already been affected they sure as hell have destroyed it now

I now wait for them to destroy my child when the GCSE results are given

I really, really hope this is online hyperbole and not how you present things to your child.

I saw on sky news that approx 30% of kids had been downgraded but didn't say what the purpose of doing this was?

To keep results in line with previous years.

I totally understand that but I can’t see how specific students have been chosen to be the ones to have their grades downgraded, especially when it’s by more than one grade.

Does anyone know the rationale behind the down grading?

It has been done by an algorithm that takes into account prior data and prior schools performance- I think - bit a maths colleague might be able to explain more fully. @noblegiraffe maybe?

I work in HE. Please please double check with the uni if grades are lower than expected. I know we've lowered our entry grades significantly, universities are desperate to secure as many students as possible this year.

to hear all these downgrades.

Can I just offer some advice (as someone who knows something about Uni admissions):

1. Phone the university if your DC haven't got the grades. Many unis will accept lower grades anyway and are currently very eager to hold onto students who are prepared to start this year.

2. If no joy there, there are many other universities with clearing places.

I know this doesn't work for DC who had their heart set on a course which is difficult to get onto (but still try (1) - universities are quite aware of the problems).

I really feel for those who did not get as expected - but surely education is at least partly about the love of it?

Totally agree with the sentiment, but IME this is not the narrative that schools push. Universities also don't care about your love for learning, they use the grades to indicate this. I'm genuinely worried about the pupils who got several grades lower than what they were expecting; yes they can resit but it must be such a knock to their confidence.

louderthan got there first.

1) Phone the university if your DC haven't got the grades. Many unis will accept lower grades anyway and are currently very eager to hold onto students who are prepared to start this year

This! Unis are taking a massive hit on overseas students this year, so will be very much more flexible.

My daughter’s entire sociology class seems to have been downgraded quite a lot.

She got a B in mocks, was predicted a B but got an E!!

All her classmates with similar mocks/predicted grades have also been given an E - a couple have been given U. Other classmates with, for eg, A in mocks have been awarded Cs and Ds

Similar with psychology - solid C in mocks, predicted B, again, got E

School have appealed, but how does it work with the class ranking? I remember ages ago reading that if your child’s grade was improved on appeal another child’s grade would go down to keep it in line with the class ranking. Or have they knocked that idea on the head now and will just award the mock result?

We live in an area where education has historically been failing, DD’s (local state) school has been top of the local exam tables for A levels and GCSEs by a really big margin for the last few years - and from what I’ve seen they’ve had a big hit

I agree with HipTight. I know some people like to say they are being picked on but its not a class war here. I suspect there are some fantasy grades from school's who have no evidence of that pupils achievements. Of course if there is clear evidence that should be submitted.

Otherwise why not give everyone A and A*. Every year (and I have been through this twice) some will be disappointed.

It really is a horrible virus and has affected us all.

We (comp in deprived area) have wound up with worse grades than last year, despite this year group being stronger on paper (GCSEs etc). So it seems as though the only data used was previous school performance and then knock it down a bit.

School have appealed, but how does it work with the class ranking? I remember ages ago reading that if your child’s grade was improved on appeal another child’s grade would go down to keep it in line with the class ranking. Or have they knocked that idea on the head now and will just award the mock result?

There's no way that will be the system. You couldn't have a student finding out in a couple of weeks that their grade has gone down.

And we were really careful to be realistic - our predictions were only slightly better than last year's grades, in line with a stronger cohort.

Depending on the fine print of the mock offer, more than half of our grades will go up, some by a number of grades.

I suspect the downgrading is because a significant number of teachers are believed to have been over optimistic in their grading submissions. Of course it won't feel fair. But then isn't there a degree of luck/bad luck involved in exams too?

I think everyone that has been down graded should appeal, even if they don't have to. Put the pressure on.

@SmileEachDay

I help and support my child Positively in every possible way, I also see the damage that the last few months has caused them and others.

How I or any parent presents things to their child is of no business to you.

I'm genuinely worried about the pupils who got several grades lower than what they were expecting; yes they can resit but it must be such a knock to their confidence.

This is DD. Marked down 3 grades in one subject when others who'd been given the same centre assessed grade have only been marked down one.

Thankfully she had an unconditional offer to fall back on but she was hoping to go through adjustment for a better university.