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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it’s time to cancel the 2021 exams

148 replies

Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 00:10

It just seems impossible with so much disruption and no end to that in sight and also the massive discrepancy between regions. Aibu to think we need to pack in the exams, use teacher asses grades and spend the rest of the year trying to fill gaps so year 11s have the full range of knowledge to allow them to move forward?

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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:08

@RilkeanHeart

I wouldn’t bank on next years year 13s having “normal experience” as they have gaps from GCSE knowledge and also have had a lot of disruption this year I do hope those doing exams in 2022 will find that things are more normal and that they’ve had more time in school than the year above them. If not (ie if we have another year of this), then the world is going to be in a very grim place. But frankly, it’s awful for all of them, whichever year they’re in.
Yes I think the best age to be school wise I’d year 8/9. I personally think the 2022 exams should be looked at also as year 10s and 12s seem to have been collateral damage in a lot of the decisions made with all the attention always being on the current cohort.
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Chanandlerbong01 · 30/12/2020 01:11

I think they will cancel them, but not until schools have paid for their entries.
I would like it announced soon so that I know where I stand, however I have a lively/spirited/naughty year 11 group currently and it has taken a long time (5 years) to get them to be willing to focus and do work. This has been achieved by reminding them of the need to focus to pass their exam - if they knew they were spending the next couple of months in school with no exams at the end I feel it would become a constant battle. So for this aspect not rushing an announcement is beneficial.

IHeartKingThistle · 30/12/2020 01:13

@Chanandlerbong01 I feel the same about my Set 5!

But yes, if we go to remote learning again they should cancel the exams. And after doing the CAGs once already, I say that with a very heavy heart.

Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:14

@Chanandlerbong01

I think they will cancel them, but not until schools have paid for their entries. I would like it announced soon so that I know where I stand, however I have a lively/spirited/naughty year 11 group currently and it has taken a long time (5 years) to get them to be willing to focus and do work. This has been achieved by reminding them of the need to focus to pass their exam - if they knew they were spending the next couple of months in school with no exams at the end I feel it would become a constant battle. So for this aspect not rushing an announcement is beneficial.
But don’t you feel that by age 16 they should be taking responsibility for themselves? I think in September would have been rushed (and I heavily suspect Nicola sturgeon deliberately got her announcement in prematurely for political reasons) but it’s clear now this disruption will only get worse and has been going on for months now.
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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:18

Wow 75% of people agree I am really surprised

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Chanandlerbong01 · 30/12/2020 01:18

Yes they definitely should be taking responsibility for themselves, but that doesn’t mean they do. My school is in an area of quite high deprivation and very little parental support, doing well in school isn’t high up on the agenda I’m afraid for a lot of our students. There are lots of issues with gangs/drugs in the surrounding area.

nancy75 · 30/12/2020 01:18

My Dd is doing GCSEs & a btec.
She has the BTEC exam on 11th January - we have no idea if it will be on or off or if school will be open. It’s in 2 weeks time!
How can it be ok for our kids to have this level of uncertainty all the time?

Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:20

@nancy75

My Dd is doing GCSEs & a btec. She has the BTEC exam on 11th January - we have no idea if it will be on or off or if school will be open. It’s in 2 weeks time! How can it be ok for our kids to have this level of uncertainty all the time?
Yes completely agree while I think making the decision in September was too premature I think the situation is clear now
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caringcarer · 30/12/2020 01:21

I just wish all kids could resit the entire year. Many kids missed from March till July and several more self isolating every time someone in their year group goes down with Covid. I don't want children being given a grade they did not earn, just the opportunity to show what they can do if they are taught consistently through 2 years GCSE. Giving them GCSE won't help their knowledge base going forward to A levels. Besides the teacher awarded grades are not always correct. My nephew was given A, B, C in his A levels and when he sat them in October he upgraded the B to an A and C to a B grade. So now has A, A, B. Very different from A, B, C.

noblegiraffe · 30/12/2020 01:21

But don’t you feel that by age 16 they should be taking responsibility for themselves?

Having picked up in September a Y12 A-level maths group, some of whom had done no work since March (and we had, of course, set maths for them to do over lockdown and encouraged those wanting to take A-level to do it) it cannot be assumed that pupils will be that self-motivated.

If exams are cancelled, there’s nothing to focus on. As an aside, my Y7s this year are much less on top of things than previous years that I think stems from not having had SATs cramming - and these are kids that were back in school full time from June. Exam preparation leads to more progress.

AmyFl · 30/12/2020 01:22

Yes, I hope they cancel them, and soon too, so that the students know what's going on. They've had too much uncertainty already.

Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:23

@noblegiraffe

But don’t you feel that by age 16 they should be taking responsibility for themselves?

Having picked up in September a Y12 A-level maths group, some of whom had done no work since March (and we had, of course, set maths for them to do over lockdown and encouraged those wanting to take A-level to do it) it cannot be assumed that pupils will be that self-motivated.

If exams are cancelled, there’s nothing to focus on. As an aside, my Y7s this year are much less on top of things than previous years that I think stems from not having had SATs cramming - and these are kids that were back in school full time from June. Exam preparation leads to more progress.

Yes I can see that it would be difficult in terms of motivation with no clear aim.
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noblegiraffe · 30/12/2020 01:25

It’s easy to say ‘cancel exams’. It’s much harder to answer ‘what then?’.

Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:25

@caringcarer

I just wish all kids could resit the entire year. Many kids missed from March till July and several more self isolating every time someone in their year group goes down with Covid. I don't want children being given a grade they did not earn, just the opportunity to show what they can do if they are taught consistently through 2 years GCSE. Giving them GCSE won't help their knowledge base going forward to A levels. Besides the teacher awarded grades are not always correct. My nephew was given A, B, C in his A levels and when he sat them in October he upgraded the B to an A and C to a B grade. So now has A, A, B. Very different from A, B, C.
Yes there are huge problems with CAGs although the majority where in the right ballpark ime. Yes maybe summer schools during last years summer holidays for then year 10 and 12 (now 11 and 13) but I get that many students had been working throughout and needed a break and so had their teachers.
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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:26

@noblegiraffe

It’s easy to say ‘cancel exams’. It’s much harder to answer ‘what then?’.
CAGs based off all data from before the cancellation decision was made to prevent any chicanery and then the rest of the year focusing on filling up knowledge gaps and possibly bridging work for a levels
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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:33

I’m supprised how many people support this

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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:33

*surprised

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noblegiraffe · 30/12/2020 01:35

CAGs based off all data from before the cancellation decision was made to prevent any chicanery

Are you a teacher? You know when Gavin Williamson announced that pupils would be getting their mock results and then had to rapidly u-turn when the entire education establishment went ‘wtf?!’.

The range and quality of data available is going to vary massively. Some schools haven’t even done mocks yet.

the rest of the year focusing on filling up knowledge gaps

Talk to a French teacher who has had to continue teaching French to a class who knows they have dropped it as an option the next year to see how successful that will be.

noblegiraffe · 30/12/2020 01:36

@Exams2021

I’m supprised how many people support this
Do you not support it?
Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:36

Talk to a French teacher who has had to continue teaching French to a class who knows they have dropped it as an option the next year to see how successful that will be.

I think the point more is that many students will really struggle going forward as they will have knowledge gaps. I do completely take the point though.

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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:37

@noblegiraffe yes of course I do but I was expecting to be in the minority. On balance what’s your opinion?

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ekidmxcl · 30/12/2020 01:41

I’d prefer it if they went ahead and dropped the grade boundaries.

Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:41

@AmyFl

Yes, I hope they cancel them, and soon too, so that the students know what's going on. They've had too much uncertainty already.
^^
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Original poster
Exams2021 · 30/12/2020 01:42

@ekidmxcl

I’d prefer it if they went ahead and dropped the grade boundaries.
But that still doesn’t make it fair because of the huge amount of inequality
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ekidmxcl · 30/12/2020 01:47

It’s such a difficult issue though. Either way there will be winners and losers. In all senses of those words, not just regarding the grades.