GCSEs will be cancelled this summer!

[AKissAndASmile]

So the Scottish equivalent of GCSEs have been cancelled this summer.

I posted in chat about this but barely anybody responded. Seems nobody cares because it's Scotland. I thought we were a united kingdom. Seems not. I can guarantee that if GCSEs were cancelled in England my post would have had numerous posts. Nobody cares because it's Scotland, even though during these corona days Scotland seems to be showing us a sneak preview of what will be happening in England in a few weeks. So my guess is that GCSEs will be cancelled this year soon

@LynetteScavo

I don't understand why exams would be cancelled when a whole year group is in a bubble anyway.

Because of the bigger picture?

I don't understand why exams would be cancelled when a whole year group is in a bubble anyway.

The argument for cancelling is that the preparation for pupils will have been so unequal this year that they aren't 'fair'. Disadvantaged pupils, those who have been ill, those who have had more than their fair share of having to self isolate will be impacted much more than well off families with all available tech, parents at home to help etc.

The argument against cancelling is that by the summer exams can be sat, they are marked in an unbiased way, whereas teacher assessment is still going to be all over the place, and we have an exams system in this country so at least pupils know what they are working towards.

@LynetteScavo because the provision of work last term was so different between schools, some children couldn’t access any work provided, many schools in some areas have high number of pupils and teachers isolating which is likely to continue on and off in the next few months. Therefore some pupils will be missing weeks of work and no time to catch up.

'Nicola Sturgeon is not being 'decisive' she is using the perfect excuse to take Scotland out next year due to their falling grades and abysmal track record. Scotland now feature nowhere on any international league tables at all - and anyone in Scotland with school age children will tell you that the education provision in Scotland now is at all time low'

Yes and how ridiculous to make this decision so prematurely. Let's wait and see what happens first surely? If by early next year we are still having high rates, high hospitalisation numbers and increasing deaths then of course it may be something to consider. Particularly if it has impacted on school closure or attendance, but it's just too early to say in October.

I'd be incredibly disappointed if I was in Scotland and a whole year group had been thrown under the bus at this stage with months to go.

Im seeing a lot of pushy parents who think this is the only definition of their child.

It isn’t.

Pity there’s no exams in kindness, not many would pass.

All because there will be an announcement next week doesn’t mean that will be the final answer, as we have seen so many u-turns from this Government especially in Education

Hope they are not cancelled as it will make classroom management very difficult and means some students will lack knowledge for A Levels. We have a number of students who are taking A Levels in subjects not appropriate for them due to CAGs.

It was gift NS could not turn down, she is getting serious flack for the failings of Scottish schools.

I think ongoing assesment through the year is better than exams.

I've got zero interest in whether or not Scottish exams are cancelled other than that where Scotland leads England seems to follow kicking and screaming some weeks/months later. I fully expect somebody in Scotland to have zero shits to give about whether or not the English GCSEs are cancelled.

@TeenPlusTwenties

I don't understand why exams would be cancelled when a whole year group is in a bubble anyway.

The argument for cancelling is that the preparation for pupils will have been so unequal this year that they aren't 'fair'. Disadvantaged pupils, those who have been ill, those who have had more than their fair share of having to self isolate will be impacted much more than well off families with all available tech, parents at home to help etc.

The argument against cancelling is that by the summer exams can be sat, they are marked in an unbiased way, whereas teacher assessment is still going to be all over the place, and we have an exams system in this country so at least pupils know what they are working towards.

In a nutshell.

When / If they do exams, then the raw marks will be interesting - and could say a lot about a school and what's happened at home, the school support, what a school normally gets.

I don't know what they will do - BUT they need to have this open debate NOW about it.

(Apologies for the Daily Express use of capitals)

I would also be concerned about the students that will completely check out, if exams are cancelled. Some have already lost so much motivation after a long lockdown. They need to remain focused and energised to learn - as you say massive shortfalls will set back their success at A level and this will continue all the way through - if we are not careful. We will have properly failed our children if they are unable to successfully complete their A levels and beyond.

Im seeing a lot of pushy parents who think this is the only definition of their child

I see a lot of parents wanting the best for their children, and do not want the pandemic to signal the end of their children's education.
You do understand at the end of this they need to ready for the job market, to be a successful part of the world. We need to do everything possible to support them.

I’ve seen many threads on Mumsnet get virtually no response......funny ones, dramatic ones, very serious ones, ones which are basically a repetition of thousands of others, ones from people across the U.K......OP you really need to take a breather and focus on the person in your life who’s GCSEs May actually affected, rather than trying to start a war on her over which nation of the United Kingdom cares more about its neighbour....

'Im seeing a lot of pushy parents who think this is the only definition of their child.'

I don't think it is the only 'definition', rather as we know so far Secondary school transmission hasnt been high so give the kids a chance to show their real capabilities.

Last year's shouldn't have been cancelled imo. They'd completed all the course content by March, all that was needed was revision and exams set later, rather than handing out over inflated grades. I feel sorry for the kids who will now be struggling with A level courses that they started based on their fake gcse results.

On going assessments are not exactly rigorous though are they.

It’s all very well saying the exam could take place. They couldn’t.

We didn’t have the knowledge of this disease to make that decision. I’m glad they put my child’s health above a few exam grades.

I feel sorry for the kids who will now be struggling with A level courses that they started based on their fake gcse results

I agree.

Worse still for those doing degree courses that are beyond them and are paying huge sums for the privilege.

I do care, and I wish we had a leader who was decisive and thoughtful. We don't and it's shit. I'm just jealous.

I also care about the north of England, about what's happening in Liverpool and Manchester.

But to be honest I care a lot more about what's happening at my local school where my kids go, and that's natural behaviour.

bluebells It is a global job market, if your child falls behind, then fine someone else's child will happily fill that space. Other countries are not allowing covid to define their children and nor should we.

Friends I think the A level students are the least of the worry.

What about the students who don't go on to A levels, for whom getting that grade 3/4 in English/Maths means they get accepted onto the right level BTEC or apprenticeship?

I have no idea what I want, apart from the 'last date' for assessments to be as late as possible. My y11 DD has been too unwell to access education since April. CAMHS waiting lists are horrific. The later the exams / last assessment dates, the more chance she will have got up to speed in a few subjects to get the passes she was previously very on track for.

@yellowmaoampinball

I was just about to post the same Hobnob! Ironic that the OP is ranting about us being a United Kingdom and has completely forgotten to mention Wales.

If we’re playing Insignificant Nation Top Trumps can I bleat plaintively about Northern Ireland?

If exams are cancelled and the situation improves greatly by next summer, people will be roaring about the exams being cancelled way too prematurely.

It is too soon to cancel. Pupils should be told exams are going ahead but should the virus persist as it is then work will be assessed. Many kids will rest on their laurels/not bother if they are led to believe there will be a 2020-style grades bonanza.

wearefromtheplanet

You bleat away

I dont think the OP cares about NI or wales 😩

Pupils should be told exams are going ahead but should the virus persist as it is then work will be assessed. Many kids will rest on their laurels/not bother if they are led to believe there will be a 2020-style grades bonanza

Agree with the first bit of this

Disagree that there was a ‘grades bonanza’ that stupid fucking algorithm gave the wrong grades out to many