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

I see what you mean, Oratory but that’ll be from 18 months ago. I don’t think the teachers would take that into account at my school.

Yes, I work in a science dept and there’s definitely less of a progression made in skills than in arts subjects. There’s still some improvement over the 2 years but not that much. Once a topic has been taught and tested you move on to a new, often unrelated area and teach then test that. There are lots of opportunities for revision/support within school, mainly in Y13 which may help with understanding and improve exam technique to a certain extent but average results in end of topic tests and mocks are usually fairly accurate predictions of the final result, with usually only a few surprises on results day.

I wish my own DS would listen to me, but the more I ‘nag’ the less he listens.

Dd has just booked on this:

www.ucas.com/events/manchester-higher-education-exhibition-339371

Does anyone have experience of these events? Were they useful?

It looks like there are more coming up around the country so I'll report back to let you know if she finds it worthwhile.

In dgds school predicted grades on progress reports are the level they are presently working at and assessment test results. Aspirational grades are ones that they feel the student is able to reach with a bit more work. So dgd predicted AAA and aspirational AAA* but everything depends on exam day both mocks and real ones what with nerves etc.

Well we got email from one biology teacher who said that in biology it is usual the grades are one or two lower than others at the begining because of subject being hard in that the way questions are worded and getting used to the technique needed in answering them. The ability to see the science behind the scenarios they set the questions in and the ability to think out of the box. For example in maths the answers to questions are either right or wrong. In a subject like psychology knowledge of the subject must be full to take on arguments etc. But in biology the omission of just one word in a process or a wrong word can drop you points. Knowledge is very important of course in all subjects but in biology the mark system has to be learnt rigidly and become your 'god'. And the crazy scenarios are ridiculous. Dgd showed me a question with a graph on it. It asked what process did line b indicate? There was no info on what the graph was on.I.e say a graph on lung capacity in smokers, nothing at all just a graph with numbers and lines. How on earth they are supposed to answer questions like that is beyond me!

Previous post should read predicted AAA aspirational AAA*

Its done it again aspirational 3 A*s sorry about typos

I agree with you Ellen, I jut need to persuade DS of that !

Still in awe of all these A stars at this stage of the game - well done all

Mocks happen in May here. They have 1 x week of exams (to mimic the possibility of all exams being in a short period).
There are topic tests every month or so (in the hall under exam conditions) - all based on past papers but all questions must be answered eg 3 x questions on a topic pulled from 3 x past papers where as in the real thing they would only chose 1 of the 3 to answer.
They have personal 'Minimum Target Grades' but I am not sure what that means - I don't think it's the same as predictions. Anyone else know what this means?!?!

School have also said that because they use mocks to predict, which in turn impacts the unis they can apply to they are as important as the real thing....I assume there's some 'wiggle room ', but they are certainly not telling us that this is the case.

The target and predicted grades on DS's progress sheet are complete nonsense and he's been told by the school to ignore them. Which begs an obvious question!
I've registered him for an open day in Manchester in June. I'll worry about logistics nearer the time!

I've just had a look at the grade boundaries for last year's A-levels. Approx cut off for A*s for DS1's exam boards: Maths 80%, Bio 64%, Chem 80%, Music 86%. DS1 working above these marks (please let it continue!) so I am hopeful ..?

Bpisok dd has Minimum Expected Grades. These are a bit like GCSE targets ie are based on past performance and set by a computer algorithm. Dds are based on GCSE grades and I think some other test she sat in September.

They are used for performance measures for teachers and college and would trigger intervention if she fell below them but aren't the same as predictions based on performance.

Good job really because dds are all B or B/C and her actual grades are mostly A or A*. The teachers love her!

DD has mocks next week - she is doing AS this summer so they are real mocks. She has had folder scrutiny a couple of times now in all subjects, I don't remember DS having this a couple of years ago, but it seems her notes are up to date, thankfully.

We are away with our church this weekend, hadn't trigger it was mocks when we agreed to go. However, she should be ok. She happens to have exams all at the end of the week, so has the second half of the week completely free!

Yes I think minimum expected are based on stats such as gcses taken and results and likely A level grades based on what you got in that gcse if doing that A level, also based on the actual combination of A levels you are taking, using old test results and ALIS etc.

I suspect my son doing 3 essay subjects has messed them all up with his late SpLD diagnosis.

Sost as soon as I saw the bold in tour attempt at 3 x A*s I knew what you were trying to do!

I must admit that I find it all rather confusing. She has TMGs of AAA, she has test results which give a working at A star A star B. Teachers say they won't do any predictions until May. She needs an A star AA prediction so she can apply to a residential course she is interested plus it would also help narrowing down potential courses and Unis - it would make a lot more sense to not have to think about it until after they have their final grades. Think of all the research time and effort it would save!
I sometimes wonder why they give us all this data without any proper explanation. Googling TMG wasn't very fruitful either, so thank you Bobble

The difficulty is different schools use different descriptions and use the terms differently. I’m sure the school would provide predicted grades for a course if she asked though.

I have seen some discussion and commentary on applying after final grades as the current system is becoming less fit for purpose. With proposals to start uni study in Jan with various options for the time between sept and jan. it may happen eventually but not for our dc

There were proposals around like that when i was at university in the mid-80s too, Oratory. I don't know why universities hold on to the timetables they have, but they do hold on.
Maybe its because it leaves lots of time for the academic staff to undertake lucrative research projects? Or they are fond of lengthy holidays?

I suppose it's purely commercial. If they did a deferred start from October to Jan in (say) 2020, each uni would have exactly the same overheads, as staff would be needed for the 2 year groups already in situ, but they would lose a term of fees from the new intake. It would have a knock on effect, as thousands of rooms in halls across the country would be empty, so services like cleaners and canteens would not be fully utilised. It quickly catches up again, but with university finances so precariously balanced, some would go under. Just Google "three universities on the brink of bankruptcy".

Well, then move A levels one month earlier, speed up marling so results come out on July1st and then everyone applies with their results before having a holiday in August.

Question from someone who was lurking/on this thread last year, as DS sat a couple of GCSEs in year 10 last year, and now doing the bulk of GCSEs this year.
Are your DC feeling more relaxed/positive this year, or is it really just about going from the frying pan to the fire? One just gets over the hump of GCSEs and then there are the A Level and university stresses?
I know it sounds crazy, but at the moment I feel that DS really needs a gap year after the GCSEs, not just A Levels!

Good question and everyone will probably be different depending on their situation. DS is actually loving this year. He enjoys his subjects having got rid of those he s not interested in. He is very dyslexic and found gcse s a long hard slog so he s really enjoying just doing three subjects. He has also matured a lot and coping better with school life in general.

BimKom - DS had the summer of his life but approached yr 12 with a far more mature attitude than his gcses where he didn't particularly work hard in yr 10, his mocks were a wake up call, Feb-Easter redoing his notes, Easter in revision. He has approached year 12 by writing up detailed notes as he goes along, revising properly for end of topic tests etc. He finds on the plus side he enjoys it far more as he has dumped off the subjects he doesn't like but had to do!!

As end of year 12 exams play very much into predicted grades and thus uni choices he soon realised it wasn't the "doss" year between gcses and A levels vut seems ti be ticking along.

He also works as a lifeguard, does an epq, does voluntary work, is having driving lessons and still finds time for a girlfriend and the party scene!!

Excuse typos - fat thumbs on phone after 10pm!

I think it's easier in year 12, rather than year 11.
DS has lots of deadlines and responsibilities this year - but he just takes them in his stride. I think he grew up last year and now he just gets in with things.

What I'm trying to say was that last year was hard going, but if DS was mature as he is now, it would have been infinitely easier.