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Original poster

Do you think GCSE’s will really go ahead?

78 replies

Lemons1571 · 16/10/2020 21:11

Gavin Williamson says they will. Apparently though there will also be “contingency plans” Hmm

I can’t see how they can possibly make GCSE’s remotely fair, with some year 11’s getting far more time in school, than others who are constantly isolating repeatedly. I don’t think schools will have any legal requirement to provide a proper provision until 22nd October, so that’s 7 months since March of wildly variable opportunity to learn.

What scares me most is the thought of my year 11 sitting an exam where he doesn’t recognise a lot of the content. He works hard but his school have been limited in what they’ve provided to date. And across the country, year 11 are running out of time.

Someone tell me it’ll be alright ConfusedSad

OP posts:
JacobReesMogadishu · 16/10/2020 21:14

I don’t think so. My secondary school teacher relatives don’t think so.

I can’t see how it can do and be equitable.

I know a year 11 who got covid so was off a week, then the whole of year 11 were sent home for 2 weeks so they had 3 weeks off. They’re now back and their science teacher is off for 2 weeks.

So no chemistry lessons for 5 weeks for that kid. But other kids might have uninterrupted teaching. Others may have it even worse.

Dontrainonmyparade · 16/10/2020 22:57

No, I don’t see it. But I think it’s far too soon for the powers to call it.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 16/10/2020 23:00

No, i dont think it will happen

I’m so pissed off with this government of half wits I can’t even think straight

Dustballs · 17/10/2020 00:40

Terrible thing is though @JacobReesMogadishu - who is keeping tabs on which schools are most affected/ those that are not? No one is.

I'm concerned for my Yr 9 DD because her school has been similarly affected to the one you describe. Her learning has been almost completely interrupted this term - supply teachers, horrendous behaviour, days isolating etc

That plus the lockdown learning which was non existent for her school will have put her far behind kids from others. She'll never catch up. I don't know how she can. But by the time it comes to her GCSEs everyone will have forgotten Covid (hopefully) they won't remember that some kids have had more learning and a better education overall than others.

My point was/is that I think the kids that are missing out on there learning currently are not being noticed or considered. I don't think they'll cancel GCSEs unless we get to May and schools are closed.

AlexaShutUp · 17/10/2020 00:43

I honestly don't know. It's so difficult for the kids not knowing either way.

MoreW1ne · 17/10/2020 06:56

The real challenge this year is what's the easy and fair alternative. Some people claim teacher assessments should be done as they're better. Unfortunately a lot of schools dont have good data from recent months due to missed time to support teachers, so how to new teachers who have just picked up year 11 classes this year accurately predict?

There was already some extreme grade inflation in areas and some schools just took the piss with grades- this time willl be even worse due to what happened with the CAS u turn.

I think a standardised gcse exam really should take place. Perhaps the contingency enables staff to retrospectively adjust that grade if they feel the given result is not a true reflective of the student by submitting evidence. But with no test at all, I feel the results students get will be meaningless and devalued.

TW2013 · 17/10/2020 07:09

If possible then there should be a combination of the test and ranking with students given the highest of either their actual exam grades or the value that child of that rank would have achieved in the average of the few years before 2020 in that school. It is not perfect but hopefully the really clever child who is an outlier in their school will get their day to shine whilst the child whose whole schooling has been disrupted for 18 months will get a grade approximating that they might otherwise have achieved. They could also have time to develop a more sophisticated algorithm including teacher predictions, mock results etc.

I think A levels will probably need to go ahead but students at that level should be more capable of independent study.

Piggywaspushed · 17/10/2020 07:15

The biggest single issue is content . The DfE instructed Ofqual not to make any big changes to content, so very few subjects look even slightly different. Glenys Stacey, now in charge of Ofqual , hinted last week that they may still be looking into this.

The changes to scheduling have put my subject back by all of a week. Which is half term week...

Itisasecret · 17/10/2020 07:52

No.

FippertyGibbett · 17/10/2020 07:57

I don’t see how they can if we are still in the situation of having kids off school self isolating.
I would assume teachers are keeping an eye on their daily work so that they can give a teacher assessed score if necessary. They will probably do a couple of sets of ‘mocks’ between now and then too.
My DS is currently in the middle of two weeks of tests.

YardleyX · 17/10/2020 08:08

Absolutely mental, this.

My kids are getting the same message in every lesson, every day.

“Special focus on this piece of homework because I may have to use it for a predicted grade.......short test next lesson, and I may have to use it for a predicted grade........etc etc...”

Every day is exam day! What other cohorts have ever had to live under that pressure?

On top of having already missed months of schooling?

GCSEs and A levels are 2 year courses because that allows time for learning to be consolidated, the student to mature, and a real grasp of the subject to be achieved.

A level maths now is turning into “here’s a quick introduction to differentiation.......okay, great.......here’s a worksheet to do on it....... quick I need to mark it and record the results as this may count towards your final grade”

YardleyX · 17/10/2020 08:10

Teachers have also been very open about the fact that they are teaching at a pace never seen before.

Topics that would normally be 3 or 4 lessons are now half an hour, done, move on.

And then they’re getting tested on it straight away as well!

Sitting your A levels within 4 weeks of starting the course!

Hercwasonaroll · 17/10/2020 08:16

GCSEs are never equal. Every year people get tutors, schools have better teachers etc. Funny how everyone it getting wound up about it now.

They should happen. Coursework isn't appropriate for all subjects and trying to do coursework with students in and out would be a nightmare.

TheEmpressOfUtterBastardry · 17/10/2020 08:16

Please impress upon your dc that all tests and upcoming mocks / assessments should be taken deadly seriously! they will likely form the basis of their CAGs next year.

GCSEs and A levels etc cannot possibly take place in any meaningful way next year. If we had a half decent EdSec they would have made proper provisions for a plan B (and C), but currently we are saddled with a half witted ex carpet salesman who is truly thick as pigshit.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/10/2020 08:17

They announced they're going ahead, seems pretty decided to me. I'm a secondary teacher. We're doing our best with kids who are scared and angry. I suspect the grade boundaries will be lower this year and I think that would make sense. We don't want to do CAG again - it's an appalling process. We didn't take the piss with our grades last year and I don't want that responsibility again tbh. I will get my classes through the course because I've promised them I will.

TheEmpressOfUtterBastardry · 17/10/2020 08:18

@Hercwasonaroll

GCSEs are never equal. Every year people get tutors, schools have better teachers etc. Funny how everyone it getting wound up about it now.

They should happen. Coursework isn't appropriate for all subjects and trying to do coursework with students in and out would be a nightmare.

"Funny how everyone it (sic) getting wound up about it now".

Hmm yeah...hilarious. Hmm. A right laugh.

Hercwasonaroll · 17/10/2020 08:21

Empress I didn't mean actually funny fgs.

The inequality in GCSEs has always been there. Just now the inequality might not rely completely on how rich you are, people are starting to notice.

I'm a secondary teacher. I want the exams.

CAGs on our current year 11 would be so unreliable as we have so little data due to lockdown. Hopefully we'll get them to sit a full set of mocks at some point.

SeasonFinale · 17/10/2020 08:23

I think at least this year they do know what will happen if they don't go ahead ie. they could gets CAGS and therefore they are in a good position to ensure that they are indeed putting the effort into topic tests, homeworks, mocks etc now to ensure they get the best mark possible. Last year's cohort did not have that foresight.

DayKay · 17/10/2020 09:32

I think the exams should go ahead but maybe they could be shorter with 2 options out of how ever many topics that subject would normally cover or similar.
So many kids peak for the exams. I really felt for all the kids last year who coasted along but would’ve worked their butts off for the actual exams.

TW2013 · 17/10/2020 09:42

They announced they're going ahead, seems pretty decided to me.

Because this country hasn't done any u turns recently.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 17/10/2020 09:47

@TheEmpressOfUtterBastardry

Please impress upon your dc that all tests and upcoming mocks / assessments should be taken deadly seriously! they will likely form the basis of their CAGs next year.

GCSEs and A levels etc cannot possibly take place in any meaningful way next year. If we had a half decent EdSec they would have made proper provisions for a plan B (and C), but currently we are saddled with a half witted ex carpet salesman who is truly thick as pigshit.

I have...poor little sod

And thats the thing...i dont care what they actually do, its not like i have a choice in it but as you say plan B and maybe C

Thats the thick as pigshit bit, no plan fucking B!

Oh and while I’m here, yes i have been ‘wound up’ by the exam system before.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 17/10/2020 09:49

Because this country hasn't done any u turns recently

Theyve done more U turns than the sweeny

MagpieSong · 17/10/2020 11:34

@TW2013

They announced they're going ahead, seems pretty decided to me.

Because this country hasn't done any u turns recently.

This made me laugh. Grin

I think it’s complex as you’re always going to have some unfairness with exams, usually it’s more individual eg. Is there space at home to revise/Is child fed and able to learn/have the school got a teacher fir that subject or is it constant supply teachers etc. At the moment, it’s unfair across the board because of covid. Whether they change to an assessment using mocks etc or keep the final exams, it’s never going to be fair, and I think students have to be prepared for both. What they don’t want is to think one or other doesn’t matter and score poorly down to that. It’s adds to their stress though, I feel for them.

Perihelion · 17/10/2020 12:27

I'm pleased that the Nat5's, the Scottish equivalent to GCSE have no final exams this academic year. At least the kids and teachers know what is happening. The Higher exams are still going ahead.

noblegiraffe · 17/10/2020 12:32

One issue with the exams being pushed back is the GCSE schedule is pretty brutal and one of its saving graces is the half term break in the middle.

Pushing exams back means they won’t have this breather, it’s going to be very tough for them.

It’s all kicking off on edutwitter at the moment too as the GCSE maths exams have been scheduled in the afternoon with English Lit in the morning. This is not good as maths is particularly high stakes.

Whatever happens, we can trust this govt to totally fuck it up.