GCSE content not covered

[8Sense8]

I found out that the triple science Biology content hasn't been taught to the yr 11s yet. What?? They have been taught the combined content. But students aren't told whether they can do the triple yr 11. They've had mocks this month and were given physics and chemistry was the triple/higher papers. But biology wasn't as it hasn't been taught yet. The chemistry teacher has covered the whole gcse curriculum and is now revisitng content. Biology hasn't started the higher/single science content. I know they are short staffed so set 1 is being given cover work. But I'm worried. Is this typical at this point in year 11 to have not started the biology triple content??

Students are told in yr 11 whether they are doing combined or triple.

I can't comment on Biology, but I know Y11s at my DS school are obviously behind in many ways due to Covid, school closures, teacher illness etc.

It's not really surprising. Some exam boards/subjects have made allowances for this - History has dropped an entire unit, for example.

Nothing is 'typical' for GCSE students at this point after the past 18 months or so.

There are at least 5 months to go until exams start (if they go ahead!!) I think I would be more worried about the chemistry teacher...to be finished before Christmas have they covered in enough detail

I vaguely recall mine weren't taught the final third of the triple syllabuses till after Christmas and that was in a normal non pandemic year so wouldn't be too worried tbh.

I think the lack of honesty by many schools is appalling - I think some of the practices are not in the best interests of the students. I am aware that it will not have been easy to have taught online and in person but a significant number of staff and schools have used this as an excuse and continue to use it as an excuse for their actions. I think we will see this continue for a few years - this is an another example of lack of honestly.

Do you know how much content is left to teach? I’m a head of department (different subject) and we haven’t finished teaching all the content yet. We never have by this stage in year 11. We’ll be done by March. This is very normal and has nothing to do with Covid. It’s the same every year. We just based the mock on content that has been taught. There is absolutely no panic at all.

Thanks everyone. I'm not sure how much content is left to teach exactly but in the region of a third..

@8Sense8

Thanks everyone. I'm not sure how much content is left to teach exactly but in the region of a third..

Doesn't surprise me. The triple GCSE biology content is huge.

@twelly

I think the lack of honesty by many schools is appalling - I think some of the practices are not in the best interests of the students. I am aware that it will not have been easy to have taught online and in person but a significant number of staff and schools have used this as an excuse and continue to use it as an excuse for their actions. I think we will see this continue for a few years - this is an another example of lack of honestly.

Do you have any evidence of ‘many schools’ lack of honesty? What number is ‘a significant number of staff and schools’?

Your post is total rubbish.

I was told yesterday that there has been an announcement about rolling testing (not marked by teachers) for this years Year 11s. Is that not right? I haven’t seen any press about it but school apparently received confirmation at the end of last week.

This might have been lost in translation since ds is year 10 not year 11 and so I haven’t seen any official communication from the school

I think there is to be rolling testing but marked in schools. So another set of mocks in spring term.

I’m confused as I did combined a couple of years ago so worth 2 GCSEs but it still contained a third of content biology.

I'd be very concerned the chemistry is finished! Said as HOD of science.
I've never taught the triple so that it is tagged on the end? Seems a bit daft when many of the Biology triple content fits into the 'combined' work as extra detail. I suppose it's a good way of revising though. Triple content certainly isn't as high as a third. It should be, I agree. But it really isn't.
I wouldn't be happy set 1 are being given cover repeatedly. I've been taking a lot of set 1 lessons when I can (when teacher is off). I don't like any group to get cover over and over. It's fairer to share that over the whole yr group if possible.

Anyway. Don't panic yet! I think we roughly have 1 unit from each subject left to do for most of our classes. We are due to finish content teaching end of Feb (fingers crossed!).

Ds's combined content was finished before the end of year 10 and they moved everyone onto triple. It is not taught as an option just to those more able students within the normal science lessons. The year 10 mock was all on triple content and from there they decide who will go on to triple.

This is only for this cohort though, usually it is done as an accelerated year 10 thing.

So one hour after school each week plus form time every morning is triple content plus their normal science lessons. He has just sat his year 11 mocks and got 9s in all 3 separate sciences. They make a decision after February mocks as to whether they put them in for combined or triple. I believe they will finish triple content before the end of February.

Lots of examples of dishonestly and slight of hand in schools, choosing GCSEs that improve results for the league table but deny students the opportunity to achieve the GCSE they want to. This is another example , similarly moving students into subjects where there is greater coursework and the teacher has greater influence. Then we have the over involvement by teachers in coursework. The problem is that its not across all schools but many are engaged in some of these practices and therefore there is not a level playing field. Its only when people have children at GCSE age and ones that are impacted negatively do they become aware of these issues - and then its too late.

I agree, @twelly. It's not in an option block where I work, but I fought hard (and won!) for those students who wanted to do it but without the high targets. I'd rather have the right work ethic which comes with wanting to take an extra GCSE in a core subject. I am very proud of the fact that we have doubled the amount of students following triple (because they chose too). Unfortunately, they haven't got any extra time to do it though.

@twelly

Lots of examples of dishonestly and slight of hand in schools, choosing GCSEs that improve results for the league table but deny students the opportunity to achieve the GCSE they want to. This is another example , similarly moving students into subjects where there is greater coursework and the teacher has greater influence. Then we have the over involvement by teachers in coursework. The problem is that its not across all schools but many are engaged in some of these practices and therefore there is not a level playing field. Its only when people have children at GCSE age and ones that are impacted negatively do they become aware of these issues - and then its too late.

Evidence? Or just what you reckon?

moving students into subjects where there is greater coursework and the teacher has greater influence. Then we have the over involvement by teachers in coursework
Vanishingly few subjects, even at A level, have coursework these days.

@MrsHamlet

moving students into subjects where there is greater coursework and the teacher has greater influence. Then we have the over involvement by teachers in coursework Vanishingly few subjects, even at A level, have coursework these days.

Yes I’m trying to think of GCSEs with coursework. I think it’s just technology and PE now isn’t it? Other practical subjects like Dance and Drama and Music have practical elements that are assessed externally.

It's quite possible to teach the triple content in the time left before the exams, so I wouldn't overly worry. It's an odd way of teaching it though, it's better done in sequence imo, but that would involve making a decision about who does triple earlier. Are you sure that cover is cover, and not actually a supply teacher? A Year 11 class I've taken over this year complain endlessly about the "cover" they had last year, when what they actually had was a supply teacher for a term when their teacher was ill. That's unavoidable, it's not ideal that they didn't have their usual teacher, but it's not cover.

@twelly

I think the lack of honesty by many schools is appalling - I think some of the practices are not in the best interests of the students. I am aware that it will not have been easy to have taught online and in person but a significant number of staff and schools have used this as an excuse and continue to use it as an excuse for their actions. I think we will see this continue for a few years - this is an another example of lack of honestly.

Really? When teachers in Secondary schools have had to act as exam boards and examiners on top of their normal work that’s your response ? Last year my department had to set and mark all the assessments for English Language and literature on top of our normal workload with no additional time. No help from exam boards and given info st the last possible minute. I’m lucky- I’m in a well resourced school with experienced staff and we struggled but many schools don’t have that. Your attitude is ignorant and unhelpful.

moving students into subjects where there is greater coursework and the teacher has greater influence. Then we have the over involvement by teachers in coursework

@twelly yes as others say, which subjects would these be? Coursework only exists in GCSE subjects like DT and art tbh.

Meant to say you can't easily move a student to take art GCSE when they are not interested or talented; I've never come across it anyway

It might be worth asking the teacher for a list of topics still to cover. Lots of the Biology triple content is embedded into the previous topics, rather than being a stand alone topic.