Surely they can't cancel GCSEs and A levels again

[Marcellemouse]

Heard there are calls for it. After what happened with this years cohorts surely it can't happen and it's a terrible idea.

@IrmaFayLear

Yes, I want this years exams to be cancelled, otherwise the children I teach will have no hope, thus the vicious circle of poverty and education will continue for them and probably their children.

Lots of them are working very hard, aiming to get a 4, however, they need so much support to get a 4, which they haven’t had, so those that probably would have got a 4 won’t; if they sit their exams.

@IrmaFayLear

But, EmmaStone, what you mean by a “decision” is that exams will be cancelled. Because at the moment the decision has been taken , ie exams will go ahead.

Or a decision to delay the exams, or definitively alter the content of the exams (what's been reduced so far is laughable). I imagine the exams have already been written, so they won't want to waste them.

The point of GCSEs and A Levels is to learn CONTENT, if they're not actually covering their syllabus, then the point merely becomes about testing. If at Uni, your medicine student had missed a term's education, let's say in gynae, but overall they passed their end of year exams because grade boundaries had been reduced, would you be happy about them diagnosing your ovarian cysts? I'd prefer our future workforce to have had their full and rounded education TBH.

If I had to put money on it, I'd say gcses cancelled, a levels go ahead in a dogs breakfast format. Universities whack up entry requirements and the 2021 A level cohort are predominantly fuxked.

Parents please let your MP know how you are feeling. The Education Select Committee are also questioning GW on these issues so the more information MPs have about our DCs education really helps.

Students, teachers and parents are trying to navigate their way through a very difficult and stressful situation. There has been no recognition that students have had massive disruption to 2 year exam courses, no recognition that teachers haven't been given any firm decisions on what changes there is going to be to exams. Obviously, parents are very worried and concerned.

@Thiscantreallybehappening

Parents please let your MP know how you are feeling. The Education Select Committee are also questioning GW on these issues so the more information MPs have about our DCs education really helps.

I've just emailed my (quite influential) MP. However, previous experience of writing to him has been quite a frustrating exercise - I always get a reply, but it tends to amount to a pat on the head and a patronising response about why I'm wrong and he's right.

@EmmaStone

Yes, I know exactly how you feel but hopefully if parents and teachers keep raising the issues there might be some recognition.

I have also copied my emails to: [email protected].

I always get a reply from them and they are questioning GW and other ministers on these issues. They actually sent me a link to the last meeting they had with GW where they raised a number of issues with him. Clearly, there are huge numbers of teachers and parents saying the same thing. At the moment he is saying "exams as usual but possibly a 3 week delay". He did recognise that the class of 2021 are probably going to be the most affected year group.

@IrmaFayLear I’m so pleased your dd’s reached grade 8 without lessons. My dd is not YOUR dd and needs lessons from our fab, local and well regarded piano teacher.
So fuck off with your smug comment

Not smug at all. Just pointing out that you need to practise. And can practise in the absence of tuition.

And please don’t swear at me.

Tbf Irma that did come across as unbearably smug.

They really do need to come to a decision either way, the uncertainty is causing the most stress. My dd has been working flat out all through the lockdown and all summer, and she wants to sit the exams! It is everything she has been working towards.

However, they have missed as a bare minimum six months of school, not including time to isolate/school closures and missing teachers. I don't know how fair it is asking them to sit any exam in these conditions. Many have mental health problems, or are now developing MH issues as a result of this. They are by far the most disadvantaged and should be given every chance and benefit to get them over the line.
Whole topics are entirely missing, the course is only 2 years long and a quarter is now missing.

It is grossly unfair. We need a decision to be made, a final decision so we can reassure our young people.

Well, sorry, I am definitely not a smug person. Not much to be smug about, tbh!

But I do think that piano is a subject in which you can carry on with in the absence of a teacher, like Art. Maybe not so well, but if you apply yourself even moderately you can certainly plough your way through the exams.

You can practise when you're not having lessons, but music is like anything else - if you get stuck, you need guidance. If you don't have access to that guidance it is very demoralising. A post Grade 8 student is more likely to have learned good practice skills, too.

@IpanemaFlowers is your local teacher doing any kind of Zoom / Skype tuition? I know of many who are, and while it's far from ideal, it might be better than nothing? Or even if your DD can maybe make and send some recordings for feedback and practice tips?

The point of GCSEs and A Levels is to learn CONTENT, if they're not actually covering their syllabus, then the point merely becomes about testing

I disagree - the point of GCSEs and A levels is to show that you can work at a certain level. If I study history at university, it matters not that I didn't cover one or two of the books I Was meant to cover for my English literature A level. It doesn't even matter if I didn't cover all the topics I was meant to do for my history, as I might be doing Tudor history for A level and modern or ancient at university.

I think reducing content would work perfectly well - offer more questions on all topics but require fewer to be answered. So for example if there are normally 12 questions and you have to do 4, have 16 and ask the students to choose 3 (I am obviously talking about essay subjects here).

@Janevaljane

If I had to put money on it, I'd say gcses cancelled, a levels go ahead in a dogs breakfast format. Universities whack up entry requirements and the 2021 A level cohort are predominantly fuxked.

Oh joy, I hope you are wrong. Still, the universities still need to fill their places and they won't have all the EU students next year, unless they are very rich. So maybe it won't be so bad.

@cologne4711 I totally agree with you re working at a certain level. Your list is really clear and I just wish those in control thought so clearly!

I also think that teacher assessment will prevail. Other options would cost more, and we know that the government don’t even give schools money for hand sanitizer let alone be up for funding ways of making GCSE’s possible. If teacher assessment is the cheapest way then that’s what they’ll get.

So according to the Guardian this morning, Gavin Williamson will make an announcement on Monday that exams will go ahead, but mocks will be held in more rigorous conditions in case the results are required.

A Levels probably pushed back 3 weeks, possibly GCSEs.

I wonder if this means children will be able to choose their mock result or their final exam result, whichever is higher? I guess learning full curriculum content no longer matters, they just need to be able to pass a test. And I suppose it means my daughter won't have to be working until 11pm every night, as she's doing now, to ensure every bit of homework is perfect in case of teacher assessment.

Poor kids ☹️, nothing perfect, but I'll just be glad there's at least something planned in place that they can work towards.

I guess learning full curriculum content no longer matters, they just need to be able to pass a test.

Yes, this occurred to me, too. Will all the content have been covered this autumn, when the mocks take place? Will there be any incentive to cover any more of the curriculum from the mock onwards?

My yr11 DS is having mocks next week. They were given two weeks notice 🥺
I, at this point, can’t see them sitting their exams as they may be off self isolating still. So continuous testing and teacher assessment seems to be the way to go.
I’ve already told my DS to make every piece of work he does count, in case of teacher assessment.

I don't get the point of the 3 week delay. It's like assuming a sticking plaster while heal a cut artery.

Guardian article today indicates mocks will be rigorous to avoid grade fiasco again.

Some colleges are in for face to face teaching full time, some just two days a week. Some schools in higher risk areas are on a cycle of asking students to self isolate repeatedly, some not at all.
Yet potentially they'll all sit the same exams?

DfE once more ignoring that a hefty number of subjects have coursework.

Their fingers aren't coming out of their ears any time soon.