Target grades at GCSE and maturity

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My lovely year 10 DS has had his target/ predicted grades and they are a mix of 5’s, 6’s and 7’s with a random 3 thrown in for good tech!!

He’s 15 after Xmas but hasn’t gone through puberty yet and is very young for his age and I wonder how much emotional maturity affects things like GCSE’s. He’s hardworking in school but a bit lazy out of school to be honest.

I just remember what I was like at GCSE too- I managed to pass them all with mainly b’s but did much better at A’level and then even better at Degree with a 2:1. I just wasn’t very mature at 16 and he’s even younger in his attitude.

any thoughts? The target grades seem so random too!

*Food tech

My thoughts are if he does his best that's what matters

We have found some targets are a bit off. Some subjects at my dc's school seemed massively conservative about this, presumably so the teachers can point to astonishing progress at GCSE.

But I sympathise with immature dc - I had one who only really knuckled down when he got to Y11

Are these predicated grades at GCSE or end of year predicated grades? I have a year 10, the school do the end of year predicated grades, anything beyond that is overwhelming. Try not to worry to much, he can only do the best he can.

These are GCSE grades which I have just noticed are based on KS2 results yet he’s in KS4! Seems really random!!

Not directly related but when I was predicted grades for my exams, I really needed a higher prediction for one subject. The teacher refused because she didn't think I would get it. Fair enough. I worked hard to prove her wrong and got the highest mark in the year (top grade - far above what she said I would get). Predictions aren't everything - take them with a pinch of salt.

Absolutely agree with this .

He just needs to try his best. That's all that matters.

Predicted grades aren't all that. Yes they can be a good indicator of how well a student is doing, and what they should aim for, but on the other hand they can be completely nonsensical. I actually think they demoralise sometimes.

My GCSE grades were predicted off my KS2 results as Ds and Es if I was lucky (yay lets condemn children before they've even started in life!). I came out with As. Same with A-Levels. My predicted grades there were EEU. I came out with As and Bs. Utterly bonkers.

If they are based on SATS they won't actually bear any resemblance to what he's doing in class. You need to find out target grades based on current working levels.

It's definitely the case that some Year 11s (dare I say particularly boys) are not mature enough to understand the work and commitment level required for GCSE. Some of them knuckle down in Year 11 (mocks are often an awakening).

Target grades from KS2 SATS are a terrible way to set targets, but they are what are required by DfE, I believe. I’m sure his teachers will have better predictions (which are different from target grades) once they have taught him for more than a couple of months.

IMO subjects like English and RE definitely benefit from a bit of maturity. My Oct born DS really improved during Y11 in those subjects but my late developer, June born DS didn’t really get to grips with English in time. He’s at uni doing a maths degree perfectly happily, though.

Them results are pointless as I've just learned with my ds same age as yours he got expected 4s for all subjects but done a mock history and English exam last month and got 6 on English 7 on history, its assignment week this week they have be doing test all week in the hall and at end of term we will get a report with more accurate grades.

Assessment not assignment