Warning over (GCSES and A'Levels) results ‘looking different’ to previous years

[muminthesummer]

I apologise I've posted quite a lot about this year's exams over recent days but having a DC in year 11 and not having a clue what's happening with GCSEs this year I'm feeling quite worried. Just read the above warning given by GW. What does he mean? I'll post the whole article in a minute.

Here's the link schoolsweek.co.uk/revealed-williamson-sets-out-his-plan-for-replacing-exams-this-year/

Link does not work, I don't think.

When exams were going ahead, Ofqual had pledged that results would be as generous as those issued last year. However the new plan seems to have changed that.

Lebus warned it was “important that the consultation makes clear to all, especially those who rely on the results to make selection decisions, that overall outcomes this year will likely look different from 2020 and previous years”.

He said told Williamson this will be “important for your work with the post-16 and higher education sectors to secure orderly progression and to protect the interests of disadvantaged students”.

I heard that some colleges were oversubscribed this year due to overinflated grades last year- maybe they want to ensure that doesn't happen again? Not sure.

Or maybe they worry that grade inflation would become 'baked in' to the following years results too. I have seen something about that too.

I took it to mean they'll be a lot of low grades this year ie. not in line with any other year

“important for your work with the post-16 and higher education sectors to secure orderly progression and to protect the interests of disadvantaged students”.

Does this relate to perhaps allowing students with lower grades on to some courses I wonder. It is pretty competitive round here and think the entry requirements won't change for A level..

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't change round me either.

It would be unfair to be too different as would be applying for jobs etc at same time as pupils from previous years etc.

They'll be a massive difference between schools that managed to provide good quality teaching online during lockdown 1 vs schools that didn't plus really unfair on DC who didn't have the facilities to access home learning etc. What an absolute shambles.

It is an odd remark. I took it as meaning disadvantaged students - identified via e.g. school ofsted ratings or areas ofhigh poverty - would have lowered grade boundaries.

(Or assessed grades or by whatever method grades are allocated).

It might just be easier to pass or fail them this year though I know that's unfair too (I have a DS who's hoping for some good marks). I just don't know how else they make it equal between them all.

I think he just meant that results would be higher on average. There is no way that they'll end up lower with teacher assessment.

Before exams were cancelled, they already committed to lowering grade boundaries to make result look more like 2020 results. I can't see them going back on this.

You don’t want it to be equal.

You want your son to come out with the grades he’s deserves, only that means either others will do better and reduce his chances at higher education or others will do worse and your sons chances will increase.

Education has never been fair, it never will be fair it’s a round hole with a lot of aware pets.

*pegs

I was quite pleased that at least the pets were aware.

I'm now really confused what qualifications are for. I believed they were an assessment to prove that you had met an objective standard that was consistent.

5 years ago, if you were ill for 2 years and missed school you didn't get a grade just because you missed lessons. The qualification is not there to predict how you would have performed it is to state that you did perform - if you couldn't quite get there, you might need to learn kore and take a resit.

I now can't see any value in these 2020 and 2021 qualifications - they don't prove you ever achieved anything, just an opinion that you may have been able to.

Why not just take the exams when ready to do them? At the moment for no fault of anyone, many students do not have the capability to get their best grade, but that actually represents their current capability.

I am not saying this prediction can't be used as a basis for going to another institution, but neither does it make sense to award the qualification itself - maybe take it again in 2022.

@sandandseashores
Well my dd was awarded 6 grade nines in her GCSES last year. She worked bloody hard and continued to work throughout lockdown. Her mock results were all grades 8 or 9 in those subjects aswell.
I hate the way people are devaluing their work as
She damn well earned them. Although actually she would have preferred to have sat them.
Indeed she had a choice whether to sit a recent vocational exam and she took it despite missing lesson time due to self isolating.

You are not seeing or understanding the full picture @sandandseashores
What would happen if they all waited til next year to take GCSEs & A levels? Would they even go ahead? What would happen if they didn’t? 2023? 2024? And what happens to the year groups following. All stacked up waiting for the ‘right time’ then simultaneously several year groups applying to 6th forms & Uni? Do you really think they’ll be engaged for that length of time, learning the same stuff over and over, missing bits due to isolations or govt decisions? which demographic of society is most likely to pull out of education do you think? Start thinking of the wider implications of what your suggesting. It’d be madness.

Any grade awarded/earned should have the amount of time an individual student self isolated or lost face to face teaching factored in, maybe extra marks awarded on a sliding scale. Nationwide. Schools and colleges already have this data.
Any grade this year surely is not really a true reflection of what a student may have achieved due to the disruption and time away from the classroom. Any high grades will be really well earned, arguably more than in previous years.
They should be compensated accordingly.

This is in the Times today...

"Simon Lebus, the new head of Ofqual, warned that results would be less reliable this year and that appeals could prove difficult. In a response to Mr Williamson, he said: “We are of the view that exams and other formal assessments provide the best and fairest way to assess student attainment. We regret the fact that exams will not take place this year. We will work with you and others across the sector to put in place the fairest possible alternative arrangements.

“Without exams we will not achieve the same degree of reliability and validity as in normal years.”