To think that this is excellent news in the absence of exams

[scoutingfornarwhals]

Gavin Williamson has said - He also reiterated that there would be "no algorithms whatsoever" used in determining A-level, AS and GCSE grades, with marks "firmly in the hands of teachers".

At last, the government are showing faith in teachers, i can relax about the exam results as my DCs teachers know them and they will get appropriate grades whether high, average or low.

It's about bloody time.

I’m a teacher so would be interested to know others’ thoughts on this. Nice to hear you have so much faith in your dc’s teachers :)

Likewise. Definitely trust teachers more than algorithms. Good news for a change.

That's great news- but I just wish they'd had a plan when they decided to cancel the exams so teachers and pupils knew where they were heading.
I really feel for teachers at the moment- constantly changing goalposts.

@EeeByeGummieBear

That's great news- but I just wish they'd had a plan when they decided to cancel the exams so teachers and pupils knew where they were heading. I really feel for teachers at the moment- constantly changing goalposts.

Yes, me too. Teachers and pupils have been messed around ridiculously with the lack of decisions.

It is good news, but I'm sure they'll still try and sneak in these 'mini exams' and strongly encourage schools to taken them up.

I'd like to see an even weighting between predicted grades, classroom assessment and any tests that have been taking place. My dd seems to have been doing endless assessments under lockdown so they've got plenty of evidence to base their decisions on.

Absolutely inexcusable to have left it so late in the day.

I don't think it's a good idea. Here in Ireland we had classes last year where everyone was given the highest possible grade by the teacher, where in a normal year about 20% of their pupils would get that. In these situations I think it's essential to apply some sort of algorithm, otherwise it could happen again.

DS is in Year 11 and this isn’t good news for him. His teacher assessments are lower than his mock grades.

Its not worth celebrating until he has gone in to the "granular detail" (WTAF) and told everyone what mess teachers have to wade through to give the grades.

Not sure that it’s all positive, TBH. Though I don’t think there is a perfect alternative. I know that there is a major concern regarding grade inflation. If that happens it does pose questions about the reliability of those results. We know teachers tend to overestimate results (not a criticism- inevitable outcome) so if they are sole arbiters and the pass rates/number of top grades are significantly elevated this year, it places a big question mark over the value of the results.

Let's wait and see the detail tomorrow and in the coming weeks before we get too excited in either direction. I'll be very happy if this is one thing they don't manage to fuck up.

@Cocopogo He's had teacher assessments already?

An algorithm is just a systematic, repeatable way of working through a process, like a cooking recipe. Exams/assessments should be marked to the same, repeatable method. There's nothing wrong with using a good algorithm.

The problem is from the humans programming it and making assumptions about social mobility and not testing it for fairness.

cocopogo

Teacher assessment doesn’t mean it’s just based on assessments in class. It means that they will look at the data. I wouldn’t worry if I were you. No school would ever give a school assessed grade lower than a child has achieved on a mock.

@scoutingfornarwhals

Gavin Williamson has said - He also reiterated that there would be "no algorithms whatsoever" used in determining A-level, AS and GCSE grades, with marks "firmly in the hands of teachers".

At last, the government are showing faith in teachers, i can relax about the exam results as my DCs teachers know them and they will get appropriate grades whether high, average or low.

It's about bloody time.

So the kids are going to get the overinflated teacher grades with all the personal bias tqt goes with it.

@KrisAkabusi

I don't think it's a good idea. Here in Ireland we had classes last year where everyone was given the highest possible grade by the teacher, where in a normal year about 20% of their pupils would get that. In these situations I think it's essential to apply some sort of algorithm, otherwise it could happen again.

That was the problem with the algorithm originally it was a little too accurate

Covid-19: A-level and GCSE results to be decided by teachers www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-56157413

It's all sounding a bit too good to be true..what's the catch?

I'm just glad they appear to be trusting teachers at last.

That was the problem with the algorithm originally it was a little too accurate

This really wasn't the problem with the algorithm.

Sapho47

Can you explain the moderation process that occurs within schools please?

This would have been disastrous for my DS. His teachers consistently under predicted with several grades ie he was predicted a 5 in English and got a 9! I don’t think it’s great for students who tend to smash it at exams and will favour teachers pets. Sorry but based on experience I don’t have that much faith in teachers. At secondary they hardly know some of their students and especially this year when they have mostly seen them on zoom.

I think this is terrible news, particularly since exams are socially distanced anyway, so could be run with just pared down content. Teachers absolutely work long hours, and it is a gruelling job, but many are under immense pressure to inflate grades, and that is what happened last year. There is a large emphasis in the UK as poor grades reflecting on the teacher's capabilities, when actually there are many reasons why a child might underperform.

I think this actually reduces meritocracy in our schools. There was a significant level of cheating that went on with ISAs / BTEC coursework, why would the conditions that encouraged that suddenly have become inconsequential?

I've worked with departments that chronically over-predict, for some children by multiple grades - why would that not be the case this year?

PandoraP

They use evidence. This is not based on teacher's pet. A teacher will check every objective has evidence and substantial evidence too.

This will be then internally moderated. That means someone else in their team will check the evidence against the objectives.

Some schools will moderate in clusters with other people from other schools in the same subject reviewing these.

Then it will be externally moderated. Someone who has no idea who is teacher is or the children and ask the teacher to prove, with evidence, how that child has met that grade.

This system is used throughout schools from EYFS every single year and helps teachers be more accurate with their grading - have you had issues with it before or do you just not understand that is happened previously?

Last thing I read was even though they had declared "no exams" there are now some "optional" exam papers being sent to schools. Just worried that DD1's school will make them mandatory - I hope not though as they have "mocks" as it is in a week or so, which will be used as part of the mark for the teacher assessment.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/25/summer-exams-voluntary-sparking-fears-mass-grade-inflation/

Announced a day after I'd booked a trip to see family and friends for May half term. Not something I'd ever do normally in GCSE year, but there were supposed to be no exams. DD1 needs a break, not hastily introduced exam papers.

So the kids are going to get the overinflated teacher grades with all the personal bias tqt goes with it.

Exactly. It's a terrible idea. There'll be massive grade inflation and whatever they get will be worthless.

ouchmyfeet

How do you inflate grades when evidence is needed and is checked by peers, within clusters and externally by independent bodies?

Not sure. I have a year 11 and 13 who perform well in exams, DS 1 did better than teachers predicted in over half of his results by up to two grades in his GCSE's.
As they were led to believe exams were going ahead right up until Xmas, I hope they don't look too far back for 'evidence'.
If grade inflation is the outcome then that's the least worst outcome. They have missed far more continuous schooling than last year and should be compensated accordingly, not penalised further. Many won't be working at their true ability level and that should be factored in massively.