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Original poster

So cancelled exams to be replaced with ... exams.

72 replies

motherrunner · 10/01/2021 11:30

Just going to leave this here so we can all reflect on another “great” decision:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pupils-to-sit-mini-summer-exams-marked-by-their-own-teachers-vml307tqg?shareToken=0363c25400b3f5b8b1a4e924619b490e

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 10/01/2021 11:42

You couldn't make it up really!

ihearttc · 10/01/2021 11:54

Seriously? What is the point? They had worked on doing the exams where the content would have been reduced, formulas given and the grade boundaries could have been adjusted to now exams anyway with possibly non of those measures. Just let them sit the exams they were supposed to sit! DS is in bits, doesn’t know what he is supposed to be doing and is completely overwhelmed by it all.

Pipandmum · 10/01/2021 11:55

How else are they going to ba assessed? One of the problems with last's years fiasco was the assumption of grade inflation and lack of robust evidence. Also if the children thought that these tests will be used to assign a grade they will be motivated to keep working.
I do hope they are given under proper exam conditions to prevent cheating.
However there is also the the fact that iGCSEs and IB are at the moment still going ahead. While my daughter would prefer to have the validation of sitting the exam, is it fair for her to spend months revising while others do not? One final exam marked by an independent body is not the same as a few tests graded by their own teachers.
It remains a truth though that to progress to the next level, be it A levels or University, the kids will need to know the syllabus of their current subjects. It does no child any favours to expect them to be able to handle intensive study in a subject if they do not have the background knowledge from earlier study, and it certainly doesn't help a child if given grades beyond their level.
There must be some accountability, and it is unavoidable that some children will suffer no matter what solution the government comes up with.

PaigeMatthews · 10/01/2021 11:56

Does this mean the marking of exams is free?

Appuskidu · 10/01/2021 12:00

So exams are cancelled but then they are being replaced with exams. Great.

When will these replacement exams happen and who will be expected to mark, moderate and standardise them?

MrsHamlet · 10/01/2021 12:15

In theory, you could redeploy your examiners to become moderators. But the skills are very different. And, having done both, I think moderation is much more time consuming.

Original poster
motherrunner · 10/01/2021 12:16

DFe and Ofqual discussion: So we cancel exams and then we don’t have to pay examiners but we’ll replace with exams and those lazy teachers can mark them in their 6 weeks holiday going spare!

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 10/01/2021 12:18

And the exam boards shouting from the sidelines:
Just make a decision because we've got to make this work.

ihearttc · 10/01/2021 12:20

@Pipandmum
You miss my point entirely. I don’t think the exams should have even been cancelled in the first place. I completely agree with you that it’s not fair that some children will sit iGCSES and some will have teacher assessed grades. My son wanted to the actual GCSE’s which he has been working towards and revising for not some random “exams”. If they can sit those exams then they should sit actual GCSE’s to make it fair.

bumbleymummy · 10/01/2021 12:23

@ihearttc

Seriously? What is the point? They had worked on doing the exams where the content would have been reduced, formulas given and the grade boundaries could have been adjusted to now exams anyway with possibly non of those measures. Just let them sit the exams they were supposed to sit! DS is in bits, doesn’t know what he is supposed to be doing and is completely overwhelmed by it all.
Yep. They should just put the exams back on in June. iGCSEs are going ahead so some children will have qualifications and some won’t. It’s stupid.
ihearttc · 10/01/2021 12:26

@bumbleymummy

I’m more angry about this than the exams being cancelled in the first place. They really haven’t thought this through at all.

mumsneedwine · 10/01/2021 12:28

Are you not aware that examiners ARE teachers ? We mark in our own or gained time on top of teaching - but have lost year 11 & 13 classes so have a bit more time.

Ellmau · 10/01/2021 12:31

At least they're going to be moderated this time - a lesson learned from last year's shambles.

Original poster
motherrunner · 10/01/2021 12:32

@mumsneedwine

Are you not aware that examiners ARE teachers ? We mark in our own or gained time on top of teaching - but have lost year 11 & 13 classes so have a bit more time.
Yes I am. Have been a teacher for 20 years and also an exam marker - a paid exam marker. If exams are taken ‘late summer’ that implies after the usual exam period so marking will take place in holiday time.
OP posts:
Judashascomeintosomemoney · 10/01/2021 12:32

[quote ihearttc]@bumbleymummy

I’m more angry about this than the exams being cancelled in the first place. They really haven’t thought this through at all.[/quote]
Indeed. And the suggestion in that link, that some may have to be taken at home, online, is ludicrous.

Original poster
motherrunner · 10/01/2021 12:34

@Judashascomeintosomemoney Absolutely. How can there be parity if some pupils are in school taking exams in school under exam conditions but others at home with access to all their notes etc?

OP posts:
Whyarewehardofthinking · 10/01/2021 12:37

Well I mark GCSE and A Level Chemistry normally, so this just means yet again I'll lose around £2500 whilst doing the same amount of work. Like we lost last year (both DP and I mark exams every year normally to top up wages). Fabulous.

I won't even address how angry I am for the sake of the kids, becuase I'll shout or cry again, which has already happened this week.

Oblomov20 · 10/01/2021 12:38

How is that going to actually work? The mind boggles.

MrsHamlet · 10/01/2021 12:43

@Oblomov20

How is that going to actually work? The mind boggles.
There will have been zero thought given to how it will work
mumsneedwine · 10/01/2021 13:07

@motherrunner sorry wasn't directed at you. Few posts had suggested redeploying examiners to moderate exams. I'm sure this will all come down to teachers doing all the work. Not like we are doing much at the moment is it 😞

Original poster
motherrunner · 10/01/2021 13:09

[quote mumsneedwine]@motherrunner sorry wasn't directed at you. Few posts had suggested redeploying examiners to moderate exams. I'm sure this will all come down to teachers doing all the work. Not like we are doing much at the moment is it 😞[/quote]
No worries 😊

Nope, not at all. Don’t know about you but I’m back in my garden drinking gin 😉

OP posts:
Makingnumber2 · 10/01/2021 13:11

I am quite flabbergasted by what appears to be being suggested to be honest.
So schools have paid up for their summer exam entries now, which means the boards are siting on vast sums on money- YET- they won't be employing external examiners to mark these assessments?! That will be done by staff, moderated by staff and then samples submitted by schools to the boards.
Either teachers are paid additionally for this marking or the exam boards can refund the money back to the schools directly.
I cannot imagine the former will happen, so I wonder, if the latter happens- can schools farm the marking out to the examiners who would previously have been doing the examining for the boards this session?! If that could happen then surely it would make sense to just be centralised and for schools to submit all the assessments to the board for external marking just like what normally happens??
These poor, poor kids- they don't know whether they're coming or going and I cannot even imagine how stressed they must be. I know some of my Y11s are really concerned and feel like they're living in a limbo. WHO ON GOD'S GOOD EARTH DEVISED THIS SOLUTION?!
I hope they're deluged with responses to their lip service consultation to the extent it breaks their systems.

mumsneedwine · 10/01/2021 13:13

@motherrunner dry January lasted a week. Back on the wine to numb the madness.

Makingnumber2 · 10/01/2021 13:16

@mumsneedwine same has happened in our house. It just feels like every week, sometimes every day, there's another shit storm in education. Relentless. Williamson's incompetence seems to know no bounds.

Original poster
motherrunner · 10/01/2021 13:17

@Makingnumber2

I am quite flabbergasted by what appears to be being suggested to be honest. So schools have paid up for their summer exam entries now, which means the boards are siting on vast sums on money- YET- they won't be employing external examiners to mark these assessments?! That will be done by staff, moderated by staff and then samples submitted by schools to the boards. Either teachers are paid additionally for this marking or the exam boards can refund the money back to the schools directly. I cannot imagine the former will happen, so I wonder, if the latter happens- can schools farm the marking out to the examiners who would previously have been doing the examining for the boards this session?! If that could happen then surely it would make sense to just be centralised and for schools to submit all the assessments to the board for external marking just like what normally happens?? These poor, poor kids- they don't know whether they're coming or going and I cannot even imagine how stressed they must be. I know some of my Y11s are really concerned and feel like they're living in a limbo. WHO ON GOD'S GOOD EARTH DEVISED THIS SOLUTION?! I hope they're deluged with responses to their lip service consultation to the extent it breaks their systems.
Totally agree.

If we’re having exams let’s have the exams that were in place til a week ago!

OP posts: