Bloody Gove! Dd in state of total discombobulation re early entry GCSEs - please help me get my head round this in practical manner!

[Northernlurker]

Because what I want to do is get a train to London, doorstep the git Gove and give him an earful.

So- dd1 attends a comprehensive school. Pretty good school tbh with conscientous and committed staff. She is doing 11 GCSEs:

Maths
Eng Lan
Eng Lit
History
French
German
Art
Textiles
Triple science

They also completed the RS short course whatsit last year. She got an A. Her targets for all of the above are A except for art where it's an A.
She's so far done some controlled assessments for English and also speaking and listening and achieved well in these. The school's plan has always been to enter all the cohort this November with retakes in June if needed. Dd1 has worked hard all term (plenty of stress on her and me both) with November in mind. They did a mock just two weeks ago. Last week we got a letter telling us about a meeting tonight, called due to the school's uncertainty of how to proceed in the light of the recent announcements re early entry. Upshot is they won't be entering any student in November. It's quite clear from the meeting that dh went to taht it isn't the school's league table performance that is their concern. They have some very able students who should achieve well above a C but they basically dare not risk putting them in because every sign they can see suggests that there will be further interference with grade boundaries. We are horrified by this but I totally take their point. In May their speaking and listening was scrutinised and the moderation moderated or whatnot. It was rated excellent. Yesterday they got a letter saying it would be reviewed. There's no way to see that other than as a threat to discourage early entry.

Dd1 is devastated by this. She's working well and was winding herself up (in every sense) to take the blooming exams next month, get A/A* and if she did that then it was done. Finished. Allowing her more time to stress about the others in June. Now that 'second chance' option has been taken away and she'll lose the speaking and listening marks already done.
School are also talking about doing Further Maths or similar because that's what the plan for the top set was anyway. I do NOT want her doing MORE bloody summer exams.

So my questions wise mumsnetters are:

1. What would you do in this scenario. Dh and I think we have to accept the school's decision. Are we right to think that?

2. How do you reglue a totally unglued 15yr old who likes structure and order and is struggling to accept that grade boundaries can be mucked around with and no it isn't fair (anybody giving me an answer that works on this one can pretty much name their price)

3. Should I resist any attempt to enter her for further qualifications?

4. has anybody else come across this scenario and what is your school doing?

Poor dd, 4 boubon biscuits and some popcorn have just disappeared in to the living room where she's trying to watch the Big Bang Theory wrapped in a blanket but she's still stifling sobs.

I am not even sure if average means he may actually be heading for D's and C's only?! Just don't have a clue, not been here long enough.

I can't get my head around it!

Bruffin is your argument that pupils are taking exams early or that they are taking too many?

bruffin it is my dearest wish that the DC's school stick to a reasonable number of GCSE's and no early entries unless it is definitely in the childs favour. Unfortunately, it is not up to me, or any other parents.

I don't see why the fuss tbh.

This new policy is long overdue imo.

It's there to stop schools re-entering pupils for the exams and giving the wrong impression in the league tables- exams taken and re-taken in order to achieve the magic C for English and Maths.

I cannot see why any child should be devastated by this change unless they are seriously wound-up over exams in the first place- back in my day at school you did 11 O levels, did each once and if you failed you did a retake in the November.

We all survived.

And another point is- if these pupils can only be certain of getting an A or a C, or whatever, if they take their exams at a certain time when they feel 'ready' what does that say about their ability?

If they are competent the timing of the exam should not matter.

What used to happen was that some bright pupils took a GCSE a year early to get it out of the way- then they could focus on the rest. Now, pupils are entered early to give them a double or even triple chance by re-taking it - is that any fairer?

Sorry OP but I think you have lost your perspective on this.

The fuss is because they've changed the goalposts just a few weeks before the exams. I know kids who found out this week whether or not the exams they are studying hard for will actually happen in 3 weeks time. That's just crap.

So are they going to forget how to pass an exam if they have to wait until June? If their ability to pass the exam is so fragile then their competence is in question surely?

missbopeep perhaps read back through the whole thread. Your questions have been answered many times over already.

missbopeep do you have a teen in Y10 or 11?
Sometimes they are very fragile. This is what we are concerned about - how making changes at such a late date can tip them over the edge.

Missbopeep
If their ability to pass the exam is so fragile then their competence is in question surely?
How utterly and incredibly rude about kids who may be under pressure to get top grades
and under pressure to pass at all for the lower abilities

Best course of action: write to press/MP/Gove and tell them how much they are messing around with hardworking, diligent, ambitious 15 year olds.

Nonno
The teachers are on strike today for pretty much that reason - plenty of press coverage there
Gove ignores everybody
What would an MP do ?

Early entry hasn't been banned. They now.look less appealing to schools who.might end up judged on lower grades.

nkf read my earlier post. First time entry in November has been banned from 2014. It will only be a resit session. You can only enter for the first time in the summer exam series eg at the end of year 10 or year 11. So not 'banned' entirely, but many, many schools entered in November for whatever reason and as of next year they won't be allowed to. The rumours are that anyone that enters this November is going to get shafted with grade boundaries being extremely harsh - of course no-one knows this, but that is the word in schools.

I really think people should write to Gove and copy to their local MPs. The more people that write the better. They have to respond to your letter/email (doesn't mean they will change anything but they will guage the strength of feeling).

Missbopeep I found your posts rather rude too tbh. Perhaps you would do me the courtesy of rembering that you are talking, at least in part, directly to me about my daughter? She has worked very hard, is bright, articulate and all round bloody delightful and she does not deserve the uncertainty and stress that she and her friends have been subject to this week. Nor for that matter do dh and I.
This is a talk forum and of course people may respond as they wish to posts but I would have thought it was clear from my OP that attacking my child and the other children involved for a 'lack of competence' is, to say the least, unhelpful. She was ready for the exam next month, she'll be ready in June. She just shouldn't have had this upheaval now.

Bruffin - I cannot change the number of exams dd is taking nor pick another school. I would need the power to tell the future as well as time travel to make 'better' choices.

I am in favour of the changes that Gove et al are making. I feel that children constantly doing exams robs them of childhood and makes teachers teach to the test. A school near me enters ALL the children early for exams regardelss of ablity and I feel that this is throughly silly. I would rather my son got an A at the end of year 11 than a C in year 10. I do not every holiday being wrecked by having to do revision.

However its unfair to inflict changes on the present year 10/11 cohort. Teachers and schools need warning about policies being implemented.

I don't believe that doing ten GCSEs at once in year 11 harms children. A the age of 16 children's thinking skills have had time to mature and many GCSE subjects have an overlap. For example improved skills in English help a child sitting GCSE history as they can write their answers in better English.

ReallyTired
I am in favour of the changes that Gove et al are making
However its unfair to inflict changes on the present year 10/11 cohort

But every one of his changes has been retrospective (Ebacc) or impacts on the current cohort (modules, retakes, grade boundaries, exam content)

THAT is why Gove is a fuckwit
He does not have an idea and say
"great, that will apply from the coming September"
he thinks
"yeah, screw up the prole kids: retrospective changes"

and the fallout from the Faith Free School is probably why he's skipped the country at the moment

I am afraid I have not read the whole post. I totally sympathise with the OP and am heartened by the comments I have read. Schools are in a no win situation, and they appreciate the support from parents.
Many schools decided the November entry would be best for students because of the speaking and listening grades still counting. A couple of weeks ago the rules were changed, so that only the first entry counted for the league tables. Some schools withdrew; others stuck with the decision.
My school has worked really hard to ensure the students are ready for the exam, but we are really uncertain about grade boundaries. We are all being put in an impossible position, which does not have the students' best interests at heart. So OP, trust your DD's school, which has reached a decision in very difficult circumstances.

Thank you

I think early entry should only be available to students who are virtually guaranteed an A* and for whom there is no point continuing at GCSE level.

They need to move on.

I think early entry for other students is utterly cynical. It turns years 9/10/11 into a treadmill of finish the syllabus/revise/exam...revise/exam...revise/exam. Absolutely horrible for pupils and the very antithisis of what an education should be about!

Or, it can be a case of get it done early and being satisfied with the grade achieved. Why? Because as long as it's a C, the schools figures are dandy!

That said, I think it is diabolical that Gove has brought in measures to deal with this for current students!!!

Anyone who is in the throes of this system should be allowed to finish it on the sma epremise they started it. It is utterly unfair otherwise.

That said, for schools who are sooooooo adamantthat early enrty is for benefit of its students (and not league tables)...why not plough ahead with early entry?

Gove isn't actaully stopping anyone.

My school have only ever used early entry for pupils who were unlikely to make it to the end if year 11. About 10-15 students who for a variety of reasons are at risk of leaving with nothing.

This year we are considering entering the whole cohort so that their speaking and listening can still count. It won count after the November exam. Otherwise they lose 20%. Which for some kids is important and could make the difference of the much needed C grade for college courses.

Head teachers might sometimes play the system, but the teachers are working so hard. Our English dept are knackered, working all hours etc.

Whose fault is it that Heads are worried about league tables? Results are how we are judged.

schrodinger I don't blame teachers in the least!

The whole horrid system is not of their making!

I'm sure for someone whose first love is English, the endless merrigoround that is controlled assessments, revising, exams, revising, resits must be soul destroying!

There can never be a term when they just breath and teach!

After the changes to the modular/linear aspect of GCSEs I had a parents eveing at my DD's school, and I asked several teachers if they were apprehensive about the changes. TBH I thought there woud be some seriosu managing of parental expectation, but to a (wo)man, they all expressed relief and were gald to see the back of modular exams!

Found him.
THe little ratbag is in Boston spouting tripe ....
www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/18/michael-gove-exam-grade-inflation

Completely embarrassed and ashamed of the spouted tripe of Gove internationally.

HE DOES NOT WANT SOCIAL MOBILITY. HE WANTS STATE SCHOOL KIDS TO FAIL. HE WANTS EXPERIENCED (MORE EXPENSIVE) TEACHERS TO LEAVE THE PROFESSION. HE WANTS THE RICH TO GET RICHER AND YOUR KIDS AND MINE TO FAIL.