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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be angry at school predicted A level grade

189 replies

user29 · 14/09/2022 18:27

How can DD be predicted a lower grade than she has proved she is capable of achieving (by a margin) in her mock?

OP posts:
Eggza · 14/09/2022 21:30

user29 · 14/09/2022 21:28

the school, by not having a clear method , and communicating it to students in advance, risk opening themselves up to accusations or and actual prejudice

As the teacher hasn't given it to the class they may explain it then. Honestly just ask them why.

carryingawatermelon · 14/09/2022 21:32

user29 · 14/09/2022 21:28

the school, by not having a clear method , and communicating it to students in advance, risk opening themselves up to accusations or and actual prejudice

You know what would help here? Asking the school / teacher what their process for setting predictions is! Maybe this has been communicated to students, but either way, I’m sure the teacher will be happy to explain.

Givenuptotally · 14/09/2022 21:33

they should have a schoolwide policy ie not chemistry and maths doing it one way and biology doing it a different way

subjects are all different in what they are assessing and how it is assessed. I don’t think I’ve ever predicted an A* this early and rarely predict at all because they are so difficult to achieve - it really is the best students that get the highest grades and it doesn’t take much to miss it

Givenuptotally · 14/09/2022 21:33

Apologies, not sure why that came out underlined

Melawati · 14/09/2022 21:34

I just don’t get why you’re so dead set against just asking the teacher/hod who emailed you the predicted grade?
Each department will have their own way of doing things because each subject is different.
And if your DD can’t say ‘Mrs X, you know I’m applying to Oxbridge and I need to get my form in early, please can I have my predicted grades?’, she’s not Oxbridge ready.

Original poster
user29 · 14/09/2022 21:36

well to be fair she didn't know her PG until she got home from school at 4.30.
We will see what enlightenment tomorrow brings!

OP posts:
Original poster
user29 · 14/09/2022 21:37

Givenuptotally · 14/09/2022 21:33

they should have a schoolwide policy ie not chemistry and maths doing it one way and biology doing it a different way

subjects are all different in what they are assessing and how it is assessed. I don’t think I’ve ever predicted an A* this early and rarely predict at all because they are so difficult to achieve - it really is the best students that get the highest grades and it doesn’t take much to miss it

Does that mean you have never predicted an early applicant an A*?

OP posts:
ABBAsnumberonefan · 14/09/2022 21:37

Fucking hell, no you should not be angry. The teacher is the professional with actual knowledge on these things - you’re not. If you and your daughter are so ANGRY then she needs to speak to her teacher.

ABBAsnumberonefan · 14/09/2022 21:39

I applied to oxbridge when I was at college not that long ago and all my teachers were more than willing to help, so she really shouldn’t have a problem. If she can’t ask that how the hell will her interview go?

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 21:49

Whokno · 14/09/2022 20:48

It's the very definition of helicopter parenting. Young adult faces a challenge, young adult is not required to do anything about challenge (including a simple question) & parent takes it upon themselves to sort it out and get involved in some sort of "appeal" when in reality there are only two options 1) predicted grade is unfair, in which case young adult should have a sensible conversation with teacher or 2) predicted grade is fair, in which case over invested parent should stay out of it. The mental health rate at oxbridge is the reason I think that teaching your child to be resilient is more important than the name of the uni they go to.

Show quote history

Actually , this is lawnmower parenting... not just hovering anxiously but forcibly clearing all obstacles from the child's path.

OP your DD will also have to do an interview and possibly an entrance test and write a stonking personal statement. The predicted grades aren't the biggest thing.

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 21:54

This whole debating the UCAS grades is enormously stressful to teachers and directly leads to a load of parents shouting at teachers to raise them, and then shouting at teachers in August when the students don't achieve them. The whole TAGs debacle (the first year) illuminated to me that a lot of parents (not so much the children) expect the UCAS grade as some kind of foregone conclusion and - actually - didn't understand (and still don't) the aspirational bit.

GretaVanFleet · 14/09/2022 21:55

My DD was predicted a D in A level English lit despite doing better in her mocks. With hindsight the teacher kept under marking her compared to when other teachers had looked independently at her essays. No constructive advice was given from the under marking teacher despite requests. She got a C but then the head of English contacted me on results day to obtain DDs permission for the paper to be re-graded and that the school would cover the cost. She was upgraded to B. So I would keep communicating with the school, ask for second opinions on work and support your child emphasising the good work she’s been doing. Good luck Flowers

carryingawatermelon · 14/09/2022 22:00

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 21:54

This whole debating the UCAS grades is enormously stressful to teachers and directly leads to a load of parents shouting at teachers to raise them, and then shouting at teachers in August when the students don't achieve them. The whole TAGs debacle (the first year) illuminated to me that a lot of parents (not so much the children) expect the UCAS grade as some kind of foregone conclusion and - actually - didn't understand (and still don't) the aspirational bit.

This.

Worth saying also OP that when looking for the ‘method’ of setting predictions, some of this is professional judgement. This might not be as clearly tangible as a mock exam score or the same across all subjects, but it’s still valid - just like in every job and every industry. A teacher might think about similar students they’ve taught in the past and how they performed, or note how a student responds to challenging problems in class, or use their understanding of the exam style / grade boundaries / likely trajectory.

Original poster
user29 · 14/09/2022 22:04

'Professional judgment' sounds suspiciously like a black box, to obfuscate conscious and unconscious prejudice

OP posts:
Wex · 14/09/2022 22:04

There is a difference between the grades "predicted " on a UCAS application and those the teachers actually expect the child to get. Usually a bit generous on the former.

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 22:09

Jeez, if your DD actually spoke to the teacher , they might raise the grade to an A*

TheSpringyGuyAndTheCheeseEater · 14/09/2022 22:11

IrisVersicolor · 14/09/2022 20:38

These are adults in a position of power who Students have been drilled for 13 years not to question.

What kind of school teaches students not to question adults? Very much the opposite of my school.

Most schools do this.

Follow a timetable. Dress like clones. Do not question authority. Do not ask for a rationale for the rules applied. Etc.

This is why so many people who are highly intelligent and very successful later in life, but happen not to have a blind rule-following mentality, really struggle to flourish in that environment.

noblegiraffe · 14/09/2022 22:13

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 22:09

Jeez, if your DD actually spoke to the teacher , they might raise the grade to an A*

Where's the fun in that, though?

TheSpringyGuyAndTheCheeseEater · 14/09/2022 22:14

carryingawatermelon · 14/09/2022 20:45

I understand why it’s stressful but refusing to engage with the teacher isn’t going to help.

There is no A grade in AS levels, which is why you don’t have that grade boundary when looking at the mock marks. The A work (the most challenging content) tends to appear in the second year of the course. Therefore, given that we are only a week or so into the A2 year of the course, it’s quite possible the teacher simply hasn’t seen any A quality work from any pupil yet, so cannot justify an A prediction.

I wouldn’t advise going in with a stack of ‘evidence’ like you know better than the teacher… A better conversation (ideally between your DD and their teacher if I’m honest) would be to ask about the A prediction and whether there will be any opportunity between now and submitting her UCAS form (which I appreciate will be early) to demonstrate her ability to achieve an A* grade, given that the mock won’t have contained that content.

The school may well have a policy about this kind of thing - it’s very difficult to predict an A* when that content hasn’t even been taught yet. I’m sure you can see how it can cause trouble later if there’s no evidence to back up what turns out to be an over-prediction.

(Just in case… I previously ran UCAS applications in a large school, currently an A level examiner)

So you believe that nobody gets predicted an A*? All predictions will be made at a similar time so the limitations you describe would apply to all schools. And the OP has stated already that this is not the criteria being applied in other subjects at the same school. Your post doesn't appear to explain what has happened here.

SkygardenTower · 14/09/2022 22:14

Not really the point, but where does the Oxbridge application deadline of the 23rd of September come from?

Oxford and Cambridge you need to apply for tests by the 30th of September. UCAT has to be sat before 29th September and LNAT for Oxbridge need to register by tomorrow.

The application doesn’t need to be in until the 15th October.

(On the main topic -she needs to talk to the teacher, not you. If she doesn’t get an answer she agrees with then you can help, but give her a chance first.)

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 22:15

Presume it is an internal school deadline for checking and feedback.

Original poster
user29 · 14/09/2022 22:20

Piggywaspushed · 14/09/2022 22:15

Presume it is an internal school deadline for checking and feedback.

Yes , checking and attaching reference

OP posts:
carryingawatermelon · 14/09/2022 22:21

TheSpringyGuyAndTheCheeseEater · 14/09/2022 22:14

So you believe that nobody gets predicted an A*? All predictions will be made at a similar time so the limitations you describe would apply to all schools. And the OP has stated already that this is not the criteria being applied in other subjects at the same school. Your post doesn't appear to explain what has happened here.

Show quote history

Yes, A star predictions are made (I’ve done it!) but it’s quite possible the teacher doesn’t want to do this solely on the basis of a mock exam that didn’t contain any A star material. Which is why I suggest talking to the teacher about any opportunity to demonstrate A star potential. It’s not uncommon for predicted grades to be reviewed as more evidence becomes available.

IrisVersicolor · 14/09/2022 22:25

OP, was Oxbridge application not discussed in the first A level year? That’s when schools give feedback to students that they’re likely to be a standard to apply, and that’s when additional Oxbridge classes start.

Are the school aware that DD is wanting to apply, has she talked it through with the teacher of the subject she intends to apply for? Are they thus aware that the prediction could impact her application?

Thatsnotmycar · 14/09/2022 22:27

OP you haven’t acknowledged the posts saying DD doesn’t require A* in Biology for Oxbridge. Is that because your dissatisfaction isn’t anything to do with the grades required for university?