GCSE grades

[UndertheCedartree]

My DS is studying GCSE Maths and English at college. I'm just trying to figure out if he is doing ok as we haven't had much feedback. In the latest mock tests he got a level 4. He only started in September but will be taking the exams this Summer. What kind of grade could he be expected to get in his GCSE exams?

If he needs Access Arrangements for this summer the deadline to request it is pretty soon. They also have to be established as his normal way of working.

@LIZS - ok, thanks. His normal way of working? Well he doesn't normally take GCSE exams!! He can write neatly if he writes very slowly. He couldn't write that slowly in an exam.

Normal way of working means things like using a laptop to take notes instead of copying from a board or having a scribe. It has to be documented and evidenced.

In class and previous mock exams/assessments.

I mean he takes notes by hand slowly and they are not particularly legible sometimes!

At home he uses the laptop, but also does some writing in workbooks because of course he needs the practice for his motor skills.

I just asked him about the tests they have done. He says he has written them so it is legible but it has meant he couldn't finish all the questions. I raised this at his interview.

I have plenty of evidence to show his struggle with his motor skills, ongoing therapy etc. Not sure college themselves would have much evidence. A lot of the work is completed on computers but that is for everyone.

The college will need to gather evidence. laptops are usually more straightforward to arrange than scribe or extra time,

As your DS has ASD some of the access arrangements may fall under Reasonable Adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. I think there is a different procedure and the diagnosis plus an official document from an appropriate professional may be all that is needed. The document I’ve linked to does differentiate between RA for disability and special arrangements for SEN/SpLD.

My (also autistic dsughter) underperformed in her mocks she had some issues getting her ideas down on paper due to processing issues. I think she got 6 and 7 in her English mock.

Use of laptop was applied for and she ended up getting 8 & 9. It made a massive difference. She went on to get A at A level.

Interesting the question of whether home-educated kids tend to go to university or not. I suppose it partly depends on the reason for home educating.

I know a couple of families where they home educate because the kids are extremely bright and were bored in school, plus the parents are highly educated themselves and have a lot of skill to teach. These children I would assume will go on to higher education.

I also know some families where they home educate because their child was suffering mental health issues or behaviour issues in a school setting, or the parents didn't agree with the formal type of education in schools and wanted to focus mainly on play. These children, I would assume are less likely to go to higher education.

[quote Fireflygal]@BaconMassive, as someone else mentioned, retakes won't count. UCAS asks for first time grades to stop the grade inflation that previously existed through retakes.

Op, the jump to A level is seen as significant and my local (over subscribed) schools insist on 6 grades over 6. That is their entry to study any subject. Some schools won't allow Maths A levels unless the grade is 8. A level maths is still one of the most popular A level courses so they can afford to set these high thresholds.[/quote]
GCSEs don't carry UCAS points, so they can put their best GCSE grade on any university application.

You have to put all exams ever taken on your UCAS application so the university will see it was a retake.

Yes you can't be selective over which results to list. The date gives away resits anyway.

He’s scraping by- that’s around a C minus.
Our weaker students would be looking at targeting a 5 in key subjects if they aren’t very academic but in a stronger subject for them - say they’re good at English or Maths - they’d be aiming 6-9 at least and a lot of textbooks and revision books are divided into attaining grade 5 or grade 6-9z
Any child getting regulated getting 4 or 5 in Maths will not be capable of Maths A Level

@LIZS

The college will need to gather evidence. laptops are usually more straightforward to arrange than scribe or extra time,

Ok, thank you

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude

As your DS has ASD some of the access arrangements may fall under Reasonable Adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. I think there is a different procedure and the diagnosis plus an official document from an appropriate professional may be all that is needed. The document I’ve linked to does differentiate between RA for disability and special arrangements for SEN/SpLD.

Lovely, thank you

@Comefromaway

My (also autistic dsughter) underperformed in her mocks she had some issues getting her ideas down on paper due to processing issues. I think she got 6 and 7 in her English mock.

Use of laptop was applied for and she ended up getting 8 & 9. It made a massive difference. She went on to get A at A level.

That sounds great, thank you

@Isaw3ships

He’s scraping by- that’s around a C minus. Our weaker students would be looking at targeting a 5 in key subjects if they aren’t very academic but in a stronger subject for them - say they’re good at English or Maths - they’d be aiming 6-9 at least and a lot of textbooks and revision books are divided into attaining grade 5 or grade 6-9z Any child getting regulated getting 4 or 5 in Maths will not be capable of Maths A Level

That was achieved 2 weeks into the course so not sure he can really be described as 'scraping by'. Surely over a 2 year period a student can be expected to make some serious progress from a 4? He is not planning on taking Maths A level - he is stronger at English.

I would have thought the fact no reasonable adjustments have been made as yet would mean that a student at the beginning of Y10 achieving a grade 4 wouldn't be a complete right off?

Any child regularly getting a grade 4 is just getting by.
There are many other reasons why a student may not have performed well in a test - new to subject, special needs, not revising, not trying…
But you asked, so I’m telling you that a grade 4 is scraping a pass and not enough to continue a subject at a higher level.
If he knuckles down, studies, is given extra time in exams if needed he could do very well.

That is true but adjustments are to level the playing field, not to give advantage. There would be more opportunity to improve over two years but thought you said he was due to sit this summer?

If he’s able and gives it his all he could waltz out with two 9s - it’s a bit of a how long is a piece of string question.
The best people to tell you how he could do in the summer are his teachers.

@LIZS

That is true but adjustments are to level the playing field, not to give advantage. There would be more opportunity to improve over two years but thought you said he was due to sit this summer?

But it sounds like this student has been sitting tests/mocks without a level playing field in place. He is unable to finish the paper due to not being able to write.

Also you need to establish whether the level of teaching is geared towards the students passing, to get onto their next stage of education, or achieving each one's potential. The mark scheme for English is structured towards rewarding answers showing greater depth of analysis and language which needs demonstrating in class.

I would think that there's definitely scope for improvement given the circumstances, but I am a bit concerned for you regarding timescales if he is doing the exam this year.
Admittedly my experience is only of my children sitting their GCSEs in the conventional 2 year way, having always been in mainstream school, so I'm not sure what to expect from a one year course, but I would be concerned that there's been no discussion around adjustments by now. The exams are only 4 months away. My youngest is in year 11 now and the syllabus teaching is finished in pretty much all his subjects (one or two a little behind due to Covid) and between now and May the bulk of what they are doing is revision and exam practice. Obviously as he's doing more subjects he will have less time for each one, but all the same, I'd expect your DS to be well into the syllabus by now if he is to have a good shot at the exams in May/June.
My DS doesn't have any adjustments made, but his elder brother was entitled to extra time. I can't remember exactly when that was finalised but if I recall rightly it was quite a long time before his exams and he definitely did his mocks under those circumstances, to give the most accurate predictions possible. I know my youngest's year group have been having more assessments under exam conditions than usual in case there have to be teacher assessments again, and one of his friends who has extra time has definitely been granted it for the in school assessments. I'd be a bit worried about your DS's current grades potentially being used as evidence, if he is entitled to extra time or different arrangements that are currently not in place. I would definitely talk to the college about it.
Obviously I don't know the exact circumstances but this all just sounds a bit rushed and pressured to me. For a pupil who has additional needs, isn't used to the environment or the exam system and doesn't yet seem to have had the proper input for adjustments, getting the grades up significantly in only 4 months does sound quite a challenge, no matter how bright they are. Does he have to sit exams this year? In further or higher education terms there's no advantage to sitting GCSEs early but disappointing results could certainly be a disadvantage.
As I say, I'm no expert, just a mum of a similarly aged boy, but I think I'd probably be looking to slow things down, make sure he us getting any support and adjustments he is entitled to, and do the exams next year.

@Isaw3ships

Any child regularly getting a grade 4 is just getting by. There are many other reasons why a student may not have performed well in a test - new to subject, special needs, not revising, not trying… But you asked, so I’m telling you that a grade 4 is scraping a pass and not enough to continue a subject at a higher level. If he knuckles down, studies, is given extra time in exams if needed he could do very well.

But he isn't 'regularly' getting a 4. He got 4s in Maths & English 2 weeks into the course. And as I've already said he needs 5 grade 5s to continue to A level - however he is aiming higher.