Exams

[MrsElijahMikaelson1]

DD is distraught, she has worked so so hard. I really feel for this cohort of students who won’t have their chance to shine and will miss all those special times.

Y11 DD will be taking in a shirt for signing tomorrow. Y13 DD is still reeling and processing. She has a very social me year group though and tight friendship group who will make their own memories, and deal with whatever grades they receive as they would have if they had taken exams.

DS Year 13 is gutted as he got a temperature yesterday so has been off school. He just asked me if that was it and has he now finished school? I've told him to keep working on the last bits of his coursework in case they are used as a form of moderation to "prove" his potential grades.

He had a shocker in his Maths mocks and has upped his game considerably since then. I also think he was a bit relaxed about revision for his mocks as he is annoyingly a last minute crammer. His predicted grades are good so he is hoping that these are used instead.

Sorry if this has been asked, but what is Italy and France doing about major exams?

In France, the baccalaureat (A-level equivalent) is still going ahead - or, at least, hasn't yet been cancelled. My DSis is in her final year of high school there, and is very stressed about this, as the online teaching she's been receiving hasn't all been great.

It’s all such w mess, have had s very sleepless night with it all.

Looking at all exam boards this morning they are still discussing it. So nobody will know for a while how it will be done. There's been quite a lot of research into predicted grades, universities aren't blind to grades boosting!!! So they will be using predicted grades with things like this in mind:

Only 16% of applicants achieved the A-level grade points that they were predicted to achieve, based on their best three A-levels. However, the vast majority (75% of applicants) were over-predicted – ie their grades were predicted to be higher than they actually achieved. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds and state schools are more likely to be over-predicted, whilst those at independent schools receive more accurate predictions.

www.ucu.org.uk/media/8409/Predicted-grades-accuracy-and-impact-Dec-16/pdf/Predicted_grades_report_Dec2016.pdf

Gav has been on BBC Breakfast this morning. There will be an announcement tomorrow.

He would not be drawn at all on what to expect

He said that qualifications would be awarded on time (but not necessarily on the exact dates of currently timetabled results days, but around then), that there was no prospect of running exams this summer, that there were key stakeholder meetings still going on today, that there would be a proper and fair system, and that there would be an appeal process for those consider an awarded grade to be wrong.

He mentioned GCSE and A level by name. But not iGCSE, IB or BTEC , though other statements have said all public exams.

AuntieStella

“Gav has been on BBC Breakfast this morning. There will be an announcement tomorrow.

He would not be drawn at all on what to expect”

Because it probably hasn’t been finalised yet. I know this is the 24 hour media age of now, now, now. He is on Radio 4 now too. This is policy on the hoof in the most extreme of circumstances. A lot of dedicated, competent people are working day and night behind the scenes to make the best of this mess that they possibly can. Most of us have little inkling of what’s being done and they must be given the space to do that.

Nick Robinson has just started a question to the Education Secretary with “the Conservatives have never .....”. I have never voted conservative, I do not personally like Mr. Williamson but he’s a person too, a father, and he looks exhausted. This is not the time for politics, we are all of us human beings and governments of every political colour, everywhere, are out of their depths and flailing.

Ive been warning my yr 11 for the last couple of weeks that this was likely to happen and told him to prepare mentally for having his school life coming to an abrupt end. He’s now actually celebrating not having to do the exams but I know he will be gutted about there being no leavers assembly or prom and his mates are scattered around the county, some of which he’ll never see again. I think on the whole I’m way more upset than he is.

@EYProvider just fuck off.

Is it likely lower grade boundaries/special measures would be given to make up for the typical progress students make in the Easter hols and for the unfair disruption?

DD just sent me a text to say her and her English teacher are sobbing together in a classroom😢 Her English teacher is amazing and has gone above and beyond for her-and now we won’t get the chance to thank her properly.

Dc1 has just had an email from her first choice uni to say her offer has been changed to unconditional. She's over the moon, she's had a bad year healthwise and her predicted grades weren't great.

That is wonderful news lifeisntgoodritenow. Congratulations to your DD.

Great news for your DD

Pleased for your DD. Hope they do the same for my DD but she still had a couple of interviews to attend so don't know what they'll do for those.

@lifeisntgoodritenow - yippee,

Maybe change your name is lifeisalittlebetternow,

Congrats!

My DD got to school and they took them all into the hall and told them that this was their last day and to leave at 10am! No leavers day no shirts nothing
I got an email to say they would try using predicted grades
DD was pretty gutted about how things ended but she’s staying positive overall

So gutted for my Yr 11 child. If the exams are completely cancel all those 16 year olds with 'nothing' to do for 5 months. I've told my child to take sharpie pend and make sure they all congregate in the hall for the last lesson for chat, photos, shirt signing, laughs and tears. I hope the teachers will be in board with that. I feel for the teachers who've spent so much time getting revision packs sorted and info on the homework app etc.. sad and strange times.

@icelolly99
My year 11 inconsolable. I am fearing for her mental health. She is in shock.

www.gov.uk/government/news/further-details-on-exams-and-grades-announced

I have a houseful of cheery year 11’s! As they’ve been together all week anyway, I saw no issue with them coming here on their way home from school, to have a last hurrah before full lockdown commences. It’s DD’s birthday next month so have made her a cake for with her friends and they will party tonight!

There have been many many tears today from teachers as much as the children. But at least they got to sign shirts and say goodbyes although it was much too soon.😢😢😢

My child had normal lessons today and were told this wasn't their last day, they would be back and not to sign shirts....(they did that anyway...). Reading the updated info; will the work they have been set to do over the next weeks/months count towards the final grades? Otherwise what's the point of setting the work.......

My yr 11 was only told to finish off any incomplete GCSE work (he doesn't have any), other than that he is done. School haven't set any more work - it is pointless.
He's prepared to start looking at A level stuff - reading the books for English Lit for example.

My child school has set them work to do. What's the incentive if none of it counts towards the grade decision?!

Because it will give them a good start when they move on to the next stage. They need a focus and a goal. This will pass.