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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Applying for Uni 2019 Part 7: IB and A Levels are but a memory, we're relaxing and let's not even think about the 15 August yet!

970 replies

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 26/06/2019 19:51

Carrying on from the previous thread which filled up very quickly.

Gin, Wine and Cake for everyone Wink

OP posts:
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5LeafClover · 10/08/2019 23:17

Just caught up on the thread for the first time since A level week (and the horror that was edexcel maths).

I've been reading the reports from edexcel that it was only a few people with one eyebrow firmly raised.

But just saw a report in the telegraph with the headline maths expected to have the lowest pass rate in history. It's premium so I can't read all of it, but the implication seems to be to blame the kids for not being smart as other cohorts. Sigh

TapasForTwo · 10/08/2019 23:20

"but why would you do that? If you miss your firm you’re likely to miss your insurance too - not very good insurance"

DD's BF rather arrogantly selected universities requiring AAA as his firm and insurance, then got rejected from both when he ended up with ABB. He went through clearing and loves the university he is at.

errorofjudgement · 11/08/2019 07:15

No, no, no, I despair!!!!
The headlines in today Sunday Times are that 48% of the exam results for EngLit snd History are wrong!
That’s almost the same odds as flipping a coin. How can this be possible?

The article goes on to say that the pass mark for maths is 20%

Meanwhile Ofqual describes its marking as “among the best in the world” !

Applying for Uni 2019 Part 7: IB and A Levels are but a memory, we're relaxing and let's not even think about the 15 August yet!
Danglingmod · 11/08/2019 07:23

Ds normally spends Sunday morning devouring the papers. Going to have to keep him away from that article about English and History marking, aren't I?

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 11/08/2019 07:25

Error that's awful particularly for those students whose parents won't/can't pay for remarks. Isn't that article based on TSR one which someone flagged up on here very recently?

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Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 07:25

That's not new news, though. I read the same last year, so they are just regurgitating old news. To be honest, I am not surprised. Working in an English department, whenever we moderate exam marking, there is a huge difference in standards applied and we never know who is 'right'. The press won't care as much but there are the same issues in media subjects, in fact in most essay subjects.

Could do without this publicity , mind, what with the decline in uptake of A Level English.

Danglingmod · 11/08/2019 07:31

Oh, definitely. It just seems more personal this year Angry.

A colleague of mine who marks lit GCSE always asserts that other markers give out As and A stars the wrong way round effectively (yes, they're old grades; yes, I know markers give marks, not grades). She says the cleverest AT ENGLISH never get top grade, just the cleverest at remembering the mark scheme. I've always thought there was something in that.

strawberrieshortcake · 11/08/2019 07:34

I read that the ‘pass mark’ of 20% for A Level Maths the article refers to is not a C grade as it may appear but actually an E grade which is pretty standard for most subjects therefore I think the article is slightly misleading.

Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 07:42

The pass mark generally is around 40% at A Level. So, 20 % would suggest an acknowledgement that the exams were rock hard.

Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 07:47

The last time I taught A Level English, two boys got A*s : one a lazy genius who spent two years regurgitating big long words he had learnt in year 8 (to be fair to him, he understood them) and could bullshit for England. The other was a bright lad, a reformed layabout, but he often spouted nonsense. It seems examiners are still blinded by bullshit! One sample answer used as an exemplar at GCSE that I have seen has a glaring plot mistake in it.

A very very diligent and intelligent girl also got an A*, on the bright side. It was at the lower grades where disparities between marking on papers was very noticeable. One girl got a high B on one paper, and failed the other. Didn't get a remark because she was many marks away from a grade boundary. And the exam boards tell us off if we are slightly outside tolerance in coursework!

minesawine · 11/08/2019 07:47

So if 20% equals an E, then will a C be around 40%? I am so stressed my brain wont work.

Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 07:50

Probably, although it doesn't necessarily go up in 10% increments.

Danglingmod · 11/08/2019 07:52

The level 9 at GCSE examplars are full of nonsense using big words, arent they?

Edexcel maths fiasco: I really hope this doesn't cause too many issues for individuals. You should be able to rely on the marking in this subject, at least, and it's a bugger if the criminals who leaked the papers have messed up people's futures instead.

strawberrieshortcake · 11/08/2019 08:06

The pass mark of a C is normally 40%-50% but for an ‘E’ which is what the article is referring to, then 20% is very normal.

strawberrieshortcake · 11/08/2019 08:10

The confusion comes form the fact most people think of a pass as ‘C’ but for A Level anything above a U is a pass technically so ‘E’ is a pass at 20% but not many universities would accept that grade.

ZandathePanda · 11/08/2019 08:24

Great.Confused Dd is bound to see all this worry mongering on Twitter. Good to know it happened last year too. I will tell her that. From my teaching experience I kept reinforcing what her teachers were saying to ‘write what they are looking for’. As an NQT, I got told off by the head of department as my lower/middle GCSE set beat his top set. I had got them to write out and highlight the syllabus info. It was a multi choice module and they took the questions directly from the syllabus booklet. Boring teaching but got results. Pupils delighted.

Original poster
NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 11/08/2019 08:38

As an NQT, I got told off by the head of department as my lower/middle GCSE set beat his top set. Well done to you @ZandathePanda! I bet your were doubly delighted - for your pupils and yourself.

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ZandathePanda · 11/08/2019 08:59

It was bitter sweet. My dept wasn’t too happy with me but they had never given me any resources so I studied the multichoice exam questions and the syllabus. I said that I would promise the pupils the best marks they ever had if they revised the highlighted bits in their books. This appealed to them and some probably revised more than they would have done as there was so little to learn.
Demoralising because I wanted to make them love the subject not rote learn.
Left that job soon after though.

My Dd was very into looking at the (few) A Level exam exemplars and criticising the A* ones for plot inaccuracies! Grin

Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 09:12

strawberries, I have no idea where you are getting that form : conventionally it has always been 80% A 70% B 60% C 50% D and E around 40%. Variations from board to board and always a bit lower in maths.

Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 09:15

I also think it is only at GCSE where students have always wailed about 'not passing' when they have achieved lower than C (in old money).

Certainly, in the world in which we live in nothing lowered than a C at ALevel will be seen on a university offer/in their prospectus.

TapasForTwo · 11/08/2019 09:24

ZandathePanda isn't part of passing an exam all about exam technique and understanding what the examiner is looking for?

DD took A level biology. One of the criticisms of it is that it has a very specific mark scheme. An answer could be technically correct, but the student had to be familiar with the mark scheme to get a good grade. (I think it was Edexcel BTW)

Piggy one of the reasons that DD prefers sciences is that the answers are more clear cut. She isn't a bullshitter and hates subjects that are a bit "woolly". She did take an essay subjet at A level, but as it was geography where she could apply actual facts that she could learn it was easier (for her) than say English literature.

Piggywaspushed · 11/08/2019 09:28

Yes tapas that is, disappointingly, what my DS also said the other day. However, he also realises science and maths are not his strong subjects. It would seem though that this backfires by a lot of students then choosing Maths A Level for its clear cut answers , which they can't work out! At least in English/ film/politics etc you can blag a bit! Blagging is a much underrated skill in teens at the moment!

Ingles2 · 11/08/2019 11:41

Hey Everyone :) I've got 2 ds' and both waiting for results on Thursday..ds1 wanted Economics at Loughboro last year, didn't do any work, didn't get the grades so has had a gap year.. applied again this year and still doesn't think he's done it.. Chemistry was much harder than last year he says... so I'm getting ready for clearing with him... he WILL be going somewhere this year! I can't live with him any longer... :D
Ds2 is trying for physics at Durham and has the highest offer I've heard 2A* 2A and has of course taken Edexcel Maths & Further Maths, so no idea what is going to happen there..his insurance is not much lower, so we'll have to see what happens.. All I can say is prepare yourself! get everything you need together, clearing last year was a nightmare of engaged phone lines and panic, hence the gap year..

bizzey · 11/08/2019 11:43

Woohooo ...i did a link !!
Well ok i woke ds3 up to do it !
Ofcals response to the Times artical