Year 12 #3: Open Days and Predicted Grades beckon

[whistl]

Yikes! The title has just hit me! It's too soon! I'm not ready!!

Thread number 2 link: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3443840-Year-12-2-Carols-commutes-a-few-stocking-fillers

If they look at attainment 8, then DS2's score is 88.

The attainment 8 for his school is 70, which is higher than average, but not in the league of fully selective schools or independent schools.

Ha ha, DS3’s attainment 8 is also 18 points above his school’s average. Not quite as impressive as your DS though!

Just calculated DS attainment 8 which is 87 because he did 2 legacy and apparently A will be granted 8.5 which is annoying as he got 100% and 98% for those 2 exams so assume he may have got 9s if reformed. No idea what school average is as indies don't publish them but school got 80% 9/8/A and 95% 9-7/A*/A so he is average I would guess for his school.

Dds attainment 8 is 72, which is 29 higher than her school.

Is this only looked at by Oxbridge? I don't know if she'll get a contextual offer because she's now at a high performing SFC.

stickerocks she is an apprentice trustee. She has an official place offered to her when she is 18. What she is doing is all relevant training etc in order for her to take her place up when she reaches 18. The process of becoming a young trustee takes at least 2 years. I didn't explain it properly sorry!

I had to look up Attainment 8 calculations - DS was way ahead of the average level for his school so he'll be very pleased to know that!
Glad to see pragmatism here about Oxbridge. I know a student who applied last year who was just thrilled to get an interview - she didn't get a place and in any case didn't get the grades she would have needed. But she enjoyed the process and is now doing very well at a top RG. She has no regrets about trying.

I don't get these attainment 8 calculations that are over 72.

I must be making an error because I thought it was calculated as the sum of the best 8 GCSEs, including at least one English and maths and, obviously 9x8=72.

What am I doing wrong?

I think I've found it! English and Maths are double-weighted. So, the best possible attainment 8 is 10x9= 90.

Is that right?

Yes I just had to figure that out too whistl!

It's because you count maths and the best English twice so you are adding up 10 numbers so max score is 90.

At least I think that's right. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

X post!

Kick andWhistl that's right - you double the maths score and the one for English language. Then add on the others. The next 3 are ebacc subjects and the last 3 can be anything you like.

Something glad to hear things have stabilised for your Dad.

Do all uni's look at Attainment 8 and compare school with applicant? Ds is an Oxbridge hopeful with Warwick as his option if no offer. His Attainment 8 is way above the school average (90 to 54). He's got to really smash the MAT and STEP though. He has not looked at anywhere else yet but Bath, Nottingham and Southampton all on the list for later this summer. I know warwick do a Summer school for offer holders to help them prepare for STEP but i don't know about additional rsources for MAT. Hopefuly the faculty Open day can advise.

KickBishopBrennan the university admissions departments will take into account the school where she did her GCSEs, not just where she is doing her A-levels.

I can't imagine most unis look at attainment 8 as they look at predicted A level results and school references. Sometimes the PS matters, sometimes it doesn't.
I know Oxbridge will look at GCSEs in the context of the school's performance but otherwise I doubt it makes much of an impact.

It used to be that it was oxford that cared about gcse s and cambridge less so - but don’t know if that’s still the case. Most courses that are not oversubscribed will offer automatically if predicted grades meet the criteria. With some others looking at ps. I think only oxbridge , some Med schools and a handful of heavily oversubscribed courses will care about gcse s. Of course that’s where some of you dc are heading so makes it more relevant for you.

DD got either 85 or 84 for A8, depending on which English counts. Her school got 50. At least the MFL & FM don't count. The school's Progress 8 score was second highest in the county if that counts for anything.

Sost I can sleep easy again.

Something the insurance offer accepted her. The problem seems to be that you may be towards the bottom of the list for accommodation.

DD is 17 today. We're going to St Ives for the day, not the Cambriidge one! She can't be bothered with a provisional licence as we'llb be paying for uni not a car.

Happy birthday sticker DD have a lovely day, weather should be lovely for feb

Kick I lose track of who else is at DD's super SFC, but they have a big university fayre coming up. They seem to be pushing everything at the lower 6th for a few weeks.

Happy Birthday to Sticker dd! Have a lovely day.

Looking at all these stats, it's thoroughly depressing that only 45% of DC in Hampshire & 36% in Southampton managed to get maths & English. There's something seriously flawed in the system if we can't get the basics right.

That does seem like sticker. Wonder how that compares to their areas - London for eg. Also a timely reminder for us that dc on this thread (and not just the high fliers) are a long way from average

Checked out Cornwall & the Isle of Wight now. Again, less than 40% got English & Maths. I have students who whip out their phones to work out 10% and they all have RG degrees.

On all of these stats, is it English Language or Lit which counts?

On all of these stats, is it English Language or Lit which counts?

They can use whichever is higher.

DS2 liked Oxford when he visited last summer and likes the structure of the Physics course there.

For comparison, he has gone to Cambridge today for an open day at one of the colleges. As well as the opportunity to look around the college, there will be some subject-specific talks (Natural Sciences: Physical).

DS2 wants to apply for a Physics summer school which takes place in the first week of July. If he is lucky enough to win a place, he will not be able to attend the summer open days at Oxford or Cambridge.

As far as I'm concerned, the purpose of today is for DS2 to rule out applying for Natural Sciences at Cambridge and exclude it from his shortlist. If he comes home inspired and enthralled this will not make things any easier.

So far, wherever he has visited most recently is the one he is most impressed by.