Foundation science AIBU

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DD is in year 11. Has sat around the 6-7 mark for science throughout school, and was advised to consider triple science for GCSE. They chose to do double and have been in higher paper set.

Throughout year 10, good marks, predicted 6. Happy with progress.

However, Autumn mocks were a disaster. Exams were a couple of weeks after holidays, DD did minimal revision and, by coincidence, had unrelated family dramas the night before 2 of the 3 science exams. Got an overall grade of 33 including a 4 in biology which is her strongest subject.

This was hugely disappointing but proved to be a massive kick up arse and since day of results has been revising and generally getting head down.

We had a meeting a couple of weeks after mocks with science teacher who wanted to put DD into foundation paper (maximum possible grade 55), ideally immediately. I pushed back, based on previous results and because it ruled out biology as A-level which at the time he was considering (would need 66) and requested this happen after second round of mocks in new year.

Teacher reluctantly agreed, reiterated need to revise.

As above, DD has got head down, hugely motivated by threat of moving set. She's been assessed once since then and got great marks (over 70%).

So mocks are next week, and yesterday, DD teacher announced set changes. 1/3 of class are going to do foundation paper, including DD.

She came home absolutely gutted, totally flat and of course, demotivated to do any revision for any subjects this weekend..

I totally understand they don't want her to fail altogether so foundation may well be most appropriate, but going on back on agreed plans without any discussion is poor in my opinion.

Is this out of order or am I being unrealistic about what DD can achieve?

Advocate for your child and insist she sits the higher paper. If she fails the mock you can have a discussion but I would fight with the school on this one (secondary school teacher here)

Is this the second mock that she was expecting to use as the opportunity to show that she had pulled her finger out? If so, I'd be sending a polite email to the teacher and head of science reminding them that this is what your DD had been working towards and requesting that she sit the higher tier mock next week. It's possible the list given out was compiled at a departmental level based on the previous mock so the arrangement for your DD to do something different was overlooked. Either way, a polite but assertive email sent ASAP should get it sorted quickly. Once you've sent it, you can help your DD to ensure she's organised her revision so she has covered everything she needs to for the science mocks.

I don't understand that decision. She'l needs to do the higher mock and can always be put in for foundation paper if that one isn't successful.

Initially get in touch with the Head of Science and discuss her doing higher for this mock. It may be an error/someone has forgotten.

I am a science HoD and have had students do a higher mock to check where they are in similar circumstances.

I will say though, unless she is getting a solid 55 or above, she should do foundation. You don't want to risk her getting below the requirements for a 44 on higher and failing.

I know she wants to do Biology A-level but unless she gets a 7 or above, I wouldn't recommend it. A-level Biology is very difficult and a lot of students really struggle. She could look at a different science level 3 course, perhaps a T level or applied science, depending on what she wants to do.

Don't accept it. DD had similar in one of her subjects - I knew it was due to very little revision on that test and she'd do better. She is now predicted a 7 which she couldn't have achieved at foundation level.

My teacher did this to me! When I was a student. My parents convinced her to let me sit the higher paper and if I fail so be it. I did not fail and went on to do a degree in the subject.

I know she wants to do Biology A-level but unless she gets a 7 or above, I wouldn't recommend it. A-level Biology is very difficult and a lot of students really struggle.

I agree. DD achieved an A* at GCSE (taken before the reforms) and found A level biology hard. It has a very specific mark scheme that often trips students up.

As she’s had that dip, they are probably just seeing what grade she’s get on the easier paper and perhaps a confidence boost and then decide which one to do for the actual GCSE.

If she gets almost full marks for the foundation paper, then it’s obvious that she should be on the higher paper but if she struggles in any way with the foundation questions then they’ll consider it for the real thing.

I would let them do what they think is best and wait for the result.
In the meantime get some practise higher papers and mark schemes and get her to practice them.

Just wanted to update this post with recent events.

I spoke to teacher a day or so later who advised that DD WAS doing higher, and it was their (teacher) error that meant they were told they were doing foundation. Great.

DD carried on with the revision and went to Biology exam feeling prepared. Of course, they were given the foundation paper. DD spoke to invigilator, who checked and advised this was the correct paper, so DD cracked on and completed it.

I was furious when I found out, contacted teacher again who said that this was a mistake, and that they'd sit the higher physics and chemistry (their worse subjects), it was the invigilators fault, and that DD should have let them know. I replied, advising them she did, and querying what impact this would have on their final mock grade - no reply.

They sat the exams and got results 5 (bio foundation paper), 5 (chem), 4 (physics).

I thought great, reassuring they are not going to fail, will sit higher paper for real thing.

Went to parents eve on Tuesday and while all the other teachers were great, positive, and clear with what DD needs to focus on to maximise grades, science teacher was total opposite!

Said they need to revise (thanks for that insight!) and that were going to do foundtion paper because otherwise there's a good chance they will fail. I tried to get the reasoning for this - was told the physics grade was 3 marks off a 3 (it's also 4 marks of a 5 but that's not relevant apparently!). Also said the biology was a 5 and DD would have likely got a 5 had they sat the higher paper too. Of course, no way of ever knowing for sure because they were given the wrong paper.

At this point, DD has heard the message loud and clear that taking the higher paper means she'll fail and so wants to do foundation.

I need to email teacher to confirm which paper. AIBU to mention any of this in that email or do I just need to accept that my expectations for DD's achievement are misplaced and move on?

Do you know the marks of the individual papers?
How high was the biology (because she'd have got a grade 5 even if scoring 100% on a foundation paper).
If you are going to argue the case, you need to move fast - iirc, the deadline for free tier changes is mid April. There is a charge (per paper) after that, and school will be very reluctant.

I am a teacher. We strongly advise on the paper students should do. At the end of the day it is parents decision though.

They have to live with the results.

at this point, I'm leaving it to DD to decide, and pretty sure she'll pick Foundation. yes she got 73% in biology and then 30 somethings for the other 2.

I think my main issue is that he got told she got a kick up the arse in the Autumn, since then has worked hard (although still room for improvement), seen for the first time the benefit of revising, and it feels largely for nothing. Assessment at school have been very low key to date, and as said earlier, her tests in class always are 6 and 7s generally.

That sounds really frustrating for you both. How willing would your DD be to sit some higher past papers at home under exam conditions as a way of trying to demonstrate she can cope with the material? They are all available online (apart from the 2023 ones which were probably used for mocks anyway) so it would be easy enough for you to print some off for her, supervise the sitting of them then mark using the published scheme. If she comes away with a 6 or above in the papers then it is perhaps something to discuss with her teachers. If not, it'll give both of you a clear idea of where her gaps are and she can work on plugging those using revision guides, Seneca Learning and other resources.

I am sure why you are insisting when it sounds like A level Biology will be a big struggle. Is it not ok to accept it and let her pass with the foundation paper?

I'm sorry you're daughter is having a tricky time of it with the tiering decisions.

I have taught science for a number of years and done tiering as a head of science.

If I am being blunt, a 4, 5, 5 are not great for a triple student on higher. Especially if one grade wasn't far off a 3.

I'm afraid I would also be pushing for foundation.

A-level Biology is very difficult and a student getting a 5 on a GCSE paper will really struggle.