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.

I doubt very much the exam boards will allow anything done after announcement day to count as evidence for the prediction

What's less clear whether it's worth continuing with the written parts of NEAs until their original submission date (eg the documentation in a DT project, even though build was suspended partnway through)

course the private’s are going to do everything to give out better grades

I’m actually not sure there is much private schools can do to (further) advantage their students in this situation.

Their students still won’t be able to sit the exams. There will be some sort of consistent measure that exam boards will request - possibly as I outlined above - that won’t include anything after shut down because of the massive inconsistency.

What's less clear whether it's worth continuing with the written parts of NEAs

Yeah. That’s a whole other level of complicated.

This week a teacher has said they are hoping for the cut off for work to be considered is sometime in May.....another last week said they would be setting work because they're obliged to provide continued education but there's not much point doing it.....argh! What a mess.....

Yes it’s a mess. I am at least grateful for the exam boards acting decisively re main exams. If the poor yr11/133 students thought they still had to do them it would be awful. They’d be even more stressed

DSs school have just sent us this link

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020

I’m actually not sure there is much private schools can do to (further) advantage their students in this situation

It sounds to me like the private school I am referring to is trying to create new evidence to support better grades.

I hope the instructions explicitly state only evidence pre announcement can be used to support teacher assessed grades & some spot checks are done.

I hope the instructions explicitly state only evidence pre announcement can be used to support teacher assessed grades & some spot checks are done.

But won't that hurt children at any school who were still working through the course syllabus, and children who tend to get working at the last minute (often boys)? And doesn't it make the last term and a half of year 11 pointless if none of the learning can be taken into account?

My son had worked solidly on his DT project. He had purchased a little part of an old aeroplane wing to enhance his project. As it was heavy I had promised to drive him Into school with it before the Easter holidays and well within the assessment deadlines. This never happened. The school, assessors and examiners therefore never saw this part of his project. So I would say my son has completely been penalised by not being allowed to complete his project.

My dd was upset about It all too, she is in 5th year at high school sitting her highers. All the portfolios, assignments and practical assessments all seem to be for nothing, we are just hoping that the marking and assessing by teachers is fair.

Last year dd just passed her national 5 English prelims but she worked her socks off and achieved an A in the actual exam but now she doesn’t have the chance to do better than prelims and needs to rely on predicted grades and her whole years work.

I think after this year it’s time to scrub all exams and pupils should have continual assessments throughout the year. It seems harsh that a full years worth of work relies heavily on a 2 hr exam. Surely it’s a fairer system to assess through out the school year.

empress yes, the last term and a half of year 11 is pointless this year. Once schools closed and exams were cancelled, that was inevitable. You can’t take into account any exams / assessments done at home after that time.

Looks like we should expect an announcement this week www.gov.uk/government/news/further-update-on-2020-exams