A level grades

[DolphinFC]

If feel that value of an A grade ar A level has been reduced dramatically. I feel truly sorry for those very bright, hard-working students who would've got an A grade no matter what. Their deserved A grade is now lost in a pile of undeserved A grades.

Why would anyone be surprised at grades being higher in the independent sector when they didn't stop teaching throughout the pandemic?

Very insensitive. It's been very hard for these young people and they have got what they deserved through testing but in a different way. It's probably more reflective of their actual ability than end of two year exams would be

Wind your neck in OP

it's next years cohort I feel sorry for, my DS15 included, who will have to sit exams despite missing masses of teaching hours.

What a mean unpleasant post OP. I for one think it is lovely that there is some good news in these hard times. I also think that teachers are professionals that have had to jump through many many hoops to justify the grade they have given. You are making yourself look like a twat.

Let me guess was your DC one of the students who would have got an A no matter what!?

When I was at school there were clever students who got poor grades because of exam nerves, hay fever, PMS or some other health reason. I am sure if in a normal year none of those had happened, exam grades in those years will have been a lot higher than they were.

I would have been very concerned if A level exam grades had not been much higher this year.

I think the spread of results is probably more accurate than normal.

What kids achieve and can do over the entirety of their course is a more accurate representation than what they can do in an exam hall in a one-off pressure situation.

If exams return next year, what then? The proportion of A/A* grades cant be allowed to fall, as that would further support the view that this year’s grades are massively over inflated.
I predict the introduction of the A** grade,

I am just hugely pleased that my ds got the grades he deserves and many children across the nation have achieved despite the hideous circumstances we have all found ourselves in. I'm not going to worry about next year as my children are not affected though I am vaguely interested what will happen for my youngest.

@JustLyra

I think the spread of results is probably more accurate than normal.

What kids achieve and can do over the entirety of their course is a more accurate representation than what they can do in an exam hall in a one-off pressure situation.

There has always been an argument for continuous assessment. It’s much fairer in my opinion.

I know it is very different but our local Primaries sat SATS to help with teacher assessment last term. The results across the board were not great. There is so much talk about catch up across the years and how much additional work will be required in Secondary Schools to get back up to expected levels.

So interesting to contrast this with these high grades.

Does it show that cherry picking certain topics to do assessments on, is much better reflection of what students know?

Does anyone know whether GCSE grades are expected to show similar rise, or do A-level students have the advantage of being more used to independent work, so remote learning not such an impact?

This is one of those issues where a polarised view is unhelpful.

It is entirely possible to accept (as I do) that teachers have graded fairly, but without the risk and vagaries of an examination cycle meaning pupils could 'under perform' while also being concerned that the increase of A*-A grades overall, if it were to be sustained into future assessment cycles would mean Universities were able to place less confidence in A-Level grades and impose their own exams/assessments for elite establishments/competitive courses.

This would be dreadful for social mobility, as pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds would be furthe rdisadvantaged by a system which was UNiversity specific, which their own schools/colleges may not know. Independent schools would 'teach the test' to the detriment of others.

It is essential therefore that A-Level grades do not continue the ever upward march, to allow genuine differentiation between the Good and the Excellent.

How can the teachers predict who will mess up? The grade boundaries last year were not well received, so what’s the other options? This is a pandemic

Ineedaholiday - I think primary aged children are far less likely to have been able to make good educational progress at home than 6th form students are. They struggle more with live teaching, were less likely to get live teaching and often needed adult support at home to complete work.

My dd got top grades but lots of her friends didn’t. I don’t think they were over inflated- rather fairer to kids who struggle in exams.

Doom and gloom as per on here. Can't be happy for anyone, take it yoir child or you were an straight A student 100%. Don't want the limelight taken from your self i take it. Bore off.
Every single student deserves what they have accomplished and more so especially working from home continually through the entire pandemic. Something you'll never go through as a student or ever witness again. We should all be cheering for these amazing young people. Take your cloudy lemon soul some place else dear

@blameitonthecaffeine certainly Maths has taken a huge hit across Primary. Possibly hard to teach to young children remotely and reluctance of some parents to help.

I take it you don't teach GCSE either, @DolphinFC, or you'd have some notion of the massive bank of evidence teachers have had to produce to back up the grades given.

I don't know if anyone has said this but I believe there are fewer middle grades snd more high and more low - almost as if the pandemic has polarised students into those who cooed really well and those who didn't (amd grade inflation may not therefore be as high as it looks)

Anyone getting the highest grades has done so I'm really difficult conditions

And as for the person commenting that it didn't make sense for 43% of people to get higher than average - really? Maybe look up the definition of median ...

not sure what could be done about it?

our school had to set aside a lot of evidence to support their grades.

I think some thorough checks need to be done, especially on schools where there is a lot of grade inflation since 2019. If anomalies are found, then more checks.

How fucking insensitive, of course they are not undervalued. The students worked just as hard to get the results.

In all honesty what do folk expect recruiters to think, faced with a farce like this

Oh I don't know. Oh here's an idea - recruit on ability to do the job, rather than ability to pass exams?

herecomesthesun But that suggests that you think the independent schools have been dishonest in their grading? I don't. I work in such a school. Our teachers are just the same as everywhere else and just as unlikely to be unprofessional. I think it's all the other reasons which have caused the discrepancy. And it's very hard to do anything about that now.

@igelkott2021

In all honesty what do folk expect recruiters to think, faced with a farce like this

Oh I don't know. Oh here's an idea - recruit on ability to do the job, rather than ability to pass exams?

👏👏👏👏

It's depressing that some recruiters literally can't make a decision without A level results, even though they may not be any indication of the applicants ability to do a job

Would the checking for anomalies already have been done, as grades had to be submitted weeks ago?