To think there's another Boris U-turn fast approaching

[SackTheLotOfThem]

In view of Wales' latest decision to cancel GCSEs:

www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54888376

@Orangeblossom7777

She said: “One of the messages that came across really strongly from young people themselves last summer in the face of the calculated grades model was how much they resented not having the chance to show what they could do for themselves.”

I’m glad that that is being taken into account in decision making.

In some GCSE's the amount of work they have to do has been reduced, this is the case with English Lit where they have dropped one book (so reduced by 1/4). I know it's not really full compensation for the disruption, which is as much psychological as missing actual content, but it's something.

I’m glad that that is being taken into account in decision making

Me too. What she said re this and goals etc makes sense.

I would have thought adapting the exams is a much better idea than cancelling altogether?

It has suited some kids though, my GS did all his work during lockdown and is well on track with it. I think he has definitely been more relaxed since lockdown in March, I think he had time where he felt the pressure was off. It might be because he goes to quite a demanding grammar school and the break from it benefitted him.

He will be upset if they cancel the exams though.

If children are having insufficient schooling to be able to take exams , they are also having insufficient schooling to be teacher assessed . If they’ve not learnt enough to meet the standard to get a GCSE/ A level then what good does it do them to assess them and give them a grade. Surely they move on to the next stage of their education without the foundations to do well at the next level and will be continually playing catch up . My kids are younger so it doesn’t effect me yet - but nobody else seems to be saying this and I’m not really sure why.

I guess the same as this year...unless registered with an exam centre that has tutors authorised to submit grades, they will get none and will have to wait until the next sitting. Unfortunately exam centres able to do this are few and far between, and expensive.
Really difficult for those wanting to enter FE.

I home educated for some years but they were in school before GCSE. I knew families whose kids got into FE without exams, don't know if that still happens or if was just our local FE college. I do know someone who got into university without exams, he got turned down and made an appointment to meet with the head of admissions about what he needed to do to get in the following year. He left the meeting with a place on the course. I'm not sure if he made them an offer they couldn't refuse or charmed them.

It's not clear what it means for DD1 - sitting Welsh GCSE- her teachers were finding out the same time we all were.

It does sound at the minute like it will be like the controlled assesment situation some GCSE, like English, already do along with a couple of exams - at end Yr 10, January end of Yr11.

DD1 is already having English oral, welsh and drama assesments - this term all of which would be a % of the GCSE normally on top of exams.

She should have sat quite a number of exams towards her GCSE at end of yr 10 - which obviously didn't happen.

So they were already making changes to the GCSE this year- wouldn't have been possible to fit in all the missed Y10 GCSE exams into this year as well - so this is just another change.

We haven't got to A-levels yet but I believe 40% of the A-level mark is from the based the AS level grade - and AS exams didn't happen last year. So again the situation was already requiring changes.

I suppose it allows for some flexiablity about timing so if an entire year is isolating assements can be rescheduled around that.

In Wales at GCSE level contolled assesments are already part of some courses so data about differeing performance rates in different conditions already exits so is there if adjustments are needed- which I suppose isn't the case in England.

I wonder if they'll have to do something at some point as it becames increasingly clear different schools and pupils in England have received less direct teaching time due to isolating than others.

nobody else seems to be saying this and I’m not really sure why

It has been said but it doesm't necessarily follow. If I am studying ancient history A level and have chosen politics at university, it doesn't matter fi I don't cover all the Roman Emperors I was meant to. If I do English lit A level and want to do it at uni it doesn't matter either because I'll study different books at uni. What matters is skill level, now knowledge, and that could be assessed by shorter open book exams - say 50% and 50% teacher assessment.

I think there needs to be some level of exam because otherwise you let all the schools and teachers off the hook who didn't make an effort during lockdown one, and the ones that did, and eg did timetabled online lessons, may as well have not bothered.

What matters is skill level, now knowledge

What matters is skill level, NOT knowledge,

I'm probably one of the few people who thinks their child will do better if the exams go ahead, even allowing for the disruption. My year 13 son has been underestimated by his teachers since he was in reception but always seems to pull the rabbit out of the hat when it comes to exams. Its not just school, his music exams/competitions are the same. He works his socks off but he is pathologically shy so his teachers often overlook him and his day to day results are pretty average, but when he is under the spotlight, either literally or metaphorically he shines. It's odd, and very surprising given how shy he is, but he really thrives in pressured situations. I suspect his teacher assessments will be lower than he would have achieved in the exams. He also really struggled with home learning but is starting to catch up now. I'd hoped that he still had plenty of time to work on things and that the very mediocre results he was getting in the first tests on returning to school wouldn't matter. But that's life, he will just have to make the best of things.
At least hopefully things will be a bit more organised this year than last if exams do get cancelled.

I think there needs to be some level of exam because otherwise you let all the schools and teachers off the hook who didn't make an effort during lockdown one, and the ones that did, and eg did timetabled online lessons, may as well have not bothered

(and schools should be accountable for the decisions they made about the provision they offered, or didn't offer during lockdown one)

I'm probably one of the few people who thinks their child will do better if the exams go ahead, even allowing for the disruption

I think a lot of kids will, if they pull it out of the bag on the day. The thing that worried me about teacher assessment in small cohorts is the fact that a teacher may get an idea about a pupil, good or bad, and that colours their view. I know it's moderated but ultimately a head of department is going to accept his or her colleague's assessment unless it is completely against all the data eg predicting a D when the pupil has got a B in every assessment, for example. However, I think a mix of continuous and controlled assessment would be the fairest way.

I think it will be necessary. If too few people get “acceptable” GCSE grades because they’ve missed time, had patchy cover or need MH support, too few people will see the point of going onto do A Levels and onto University which will have a massive impact on economic viability of many universities, the local economy of many towns and unemployment figures (both young people and displaced workers). The Govt can’t have that or be seen to dumb down GCSE’s so a middle way will need to be found.

Alas for a ha’porth of tar...will be how he starts the waffle...

I think England has to revisit their decision. There have been widely differing standards of provision from schools. Ds1's school provided very scant materials, and no direct contact at all during lockdown 1. He's back at home now as his bible's closed and it's a bit better, bit nowhere close to a school day and little or no opportunity to ask questions of teachers.
I would like to know also where the promised 'catch up' money for schools is. Did I dream that financial provision was going to be made for tutoring etc?
I really think this year's examinees are going to lose the most in this debacle.

I think a decision needs to made sooner rather than later in the interests of fairness to students and teachers. It does seem impossible to expect exams to be held as normal when there is such continuous disruption with students and teachers isolating. It is also impossible and hugely stressful when you do not know what you are working towards. The Welsh solution seems sensible as there are still standardised exams not teacher assessed grades like this year.

I have thought this would happen for a while - it's just not a level playing field any more and it would be grossly unfair to put them through the exams when some missed a term of Y10 and are now missing chunks of Y11 through no fault of their own.

I have, however, been keeping this point of view from ds (Y11, just dicovered cider) as without the exams there is a real risk he just turns off completely.

Think the Welsh have said it will be externally set and marked assessments from about March onwards? So at least that is some structure - if it's just a teacher assessed grades then not sure ds wil stay focused until June????

YANBU.

I just wish he'd get on with it.

Some kids locally have been sent home 6 weeks out of 8.
My local Academy is a shit show, sadly.

So can you explain how the "Welsh solution' helps with the disparity in teaching between schools?

I hope England doesn't follow Wales, as does my Year 11 dc.

Same here Fizzydrinks

@Fizzydrinks123

I hope England doesn't follow Wales, as does my Year 11 dc.

Same here

DS is in year 10 in Wales. Started back on Monday. Since beginning of term he has been in 14 days, two periods of isolation and distance learning due to firebreak. He struggles in school anyway, I am worried sick. Have no idea if the continuous assessment will effect him or what will happen next year.

When circumstances are changing, you really can't call the changes "U turns". It's simply adapting to changing circumstances.

A "U Turn" would be a change of policy when the circumstances around it hadn't changed.

Northern Ireland have announced their exams to go ahead in the summer..

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-54882421