Year 10 and 12 students should go back to school first

[Bewareoftheblob]

More speculation in the Hate ahead of PMQ today. Link

Exams have been cancelled for this year, regardless of the consultation suggestions of 'optional' assessments from the exam board for the current Year 11 and 13s.

Should we actually prioritise the return of Year 10 and 12 students who have missed such a huge amount of preparation time for their courses?

I know it's dreadful for Year 11 and 13 too, but they at least had a good six months before schools closed in March 2020. Still shit though.

Could not agree more! It's over for 11s and 13s. But our 10s and 12s could have their courses saved if they go back, en masse their year groups are so much more important than any others.

I was talking to my y10 ds just yesterday about how hard his year and year 12’s are going to have it. They spent the whole of final term from last year at home, have had periods of isolation and then back into lockdown again but I expect they will sit exams as normal next year even though they have missed out on so much teaching. I know it’s tough for all kids but I think it will have a huge impact on these years

@covidpostingname, that's what I'm thinking. I'm not suggesting that Year 11/13 stop their learning/assessments, just that Year 10/12 would benefit more from a return to school at this point.

@wejustdon'tknow, exactly. Out of all the year groups, they have my greatest sympathy.

I agree

IMO the current Yr12 are going to the year group most affected by the situation. They've already had their GCSEs affected. And there's the potential of their Alevels be affected to.

I actually think this is the correct approach - especially Y12s who also have the whole uni application process to negotiate this year as well as exams next year. Many of the Y12s are in a new educational setting so not familiar with the methods an equally the setting is not familiar with the students.

Disagree. If the year 11 and 13 grades are going to be based on teacher assessment, many haven't even done their mocks yet. Teachers need as much up to date data on them in these last five months.
Grades should not be given based on three to four months work (punctured with repeated self isolation) Sept to Dec.

I agree that the current year 12s should be prioritised, but I don't think the situation for the current year 10s is as bad.

And yes, I think years 11 and 13 still need to be the priority because teachers need to have the kids in school in order to be able to assess them fairly.

No. Yr 11 and Yr 13 need some F2F teaching for their courses so that subject knowledge can be established.

They have had BOTH years of their courses out.

@cptartapp Most schools are still assessing online, which I appreciate is not ideal. But there will be no fairness/parity in assessment this year, no matter what happens. But there could be more for Year 10/13.

I agree I don't think Y10s (even if they missed lots of school last term) have it as bad (and I'm not saying they have it easy, just if we have to prioritise years, I wouldn't pick them - and I have a Y10) are in as bad position as older years. There is time for them to catch up and hopefully there will be concessions for their exams/whatever next year.

Year 11 and Year 13 need to be given time in school both for assessments and to give them the best starting point for whatever they go onto next.

Year 12 were already behind in September after 6 months of no school and having not revised for GCSEs as they would usually do. They've since suffered additional disruption (area, school, child dependent as to how much). They were screwed over last year with the grades fiasco and no appeal thing. They should absolutely be prioritised as well.

Many schools are not assessing online. True, there will be no parity, but efforts should be made to ensure these year groups 11 and 13 are given as fair and accurate grades as possible based on face to face teaching and assessment right up to the end of term.
And then be massively lenient, far far more so than last year.

I think even without any further assessment for Year 11/13, their grades will be even higher than last year's cohort. Teachers won't enter low grades this year, especially without the threat of an algorithm.

I think Y11s and 13s should be in after half term, no reason not to.

But in sixth form colleges they could potentially move to a week on and week off so both Y12 and Y13 get face to face tuition every two weeks. Not sure how it would work in secondaries with some key workers kids in, but presumably they are only the youngest and there would be room to rotate Y10-13.

It won't happen though. 16-21 year olds are invisible to this government, sixth form colleges never get mentioned.

@Bewareoftheblob

I think even without any further assessment for Year 11/13, their grades will be even higher than last year's cohort. Teachers won't enter low grades this year, especially without the threat of an algorithm.

I am not sure about that at all. Depending on whether the mini exams are used, I think teachers will try to be scrupulously fair. If the mini exams are used, it will be largely out of their hands anyway.

I would like to see a no detriment policy along the same lines that the universities did last year - if you eg got CCC in your lower sixth exams or mocks, you can't do worse than CCC in your Y13 teacher assessments.

But there will be no fairness/parity in assessment this year, no matter what happens. But there could be more for Year 10/13.

It won't be ideal this year, for sure, but that doesn't mean that you can just write them off as a year group. Schools need to see the kids as much as possible in order to provide the fairest grades they can.

The current situation isn't ideal for any of the kids, but I definitely wouldn't put year 10 as a priority. Years 11, 12 and 13 have all suffered more and need to come first.

I would like to see a no detriment policy along the same lines that the universities did last year - if you eg got CCC in your lower sixth exams or mocks, you can't do worse than CCC in your Y13 teacher assessments.

That would definitely work for my year 11 dd!

Teachers won't enter low grades this year,

Unless the method of moderation is clear and transparent, then absolutely they shouldn't .
Last year, the children who went to schools where the teachers erred on the side of caution and internally pre-moderated ended up significantly worse off then those who went to schools where the teachers were more aspirational. After seeing this happen, why wouldn't all teachers enter more aspirational grades?

Year 11 would be my biggest concern. Most Year 13 students are reasonably academically able and reasonably motivated. They're probably managing to learn online. My Year 13 is struggling without collaboration and as much performance space/equipment but she is experiencing good quality teaching and learning. But all children do Year 11 and they are only academic qualifications some will ever get. Many will be unable or unwilling to engage online. They need their teachers and their classrooms.

But the govt seems to prioritise EYFS and KS1 every time which baffles me. They have years to catch up.

But the govt seems to prioritise EYFS and KS1 every time which baffles me. They have years to catch up

I agree, but it's about allowing parents to work. Nothing to do with education.

Year 10 (the now Year 11) were prioritised last year as well, weren't they? They were certainly the only year group to go back at my DC's school.

My son in Y13 had no virtually teaching at all from March -Sept as his head declared ‘school closed’, he had a few 1 hour lessons in June. There was no help re: UCAS, predicted grades were then based on Y 12 mocks taken in September, after not being taught since March. He decided not to apply to University, after being really keen before all of this. Now his final grades won’t take into account the fact that his school didn’t teach in lockdown and he’s likely to have to take standard exams in May or June this year to determine his A Level grades, after not being in school since December- how can this be fair? If he was going to University, how could he even be up to standard, with hardly any teaching in Y12 and online teaching from Jan of Y 13, then exams which will be marked by teachers to determine grades. teachers have been told not to apply the same rules as last year and predict grades based on how a pupil would have done, but to use marked assessments and standardised tests.

So I actually think Y11 & 13 have to go back if they’ve any chance of getting a fair grade.

No