University 2020 :4: The wait for grades and better days ahead

[MillicentMartha]

New thread for us. Interesting times.

Old thread here

DD managed to break a second laptop by spilling water in it. She is now using OHs computer to do her essays.

@mumsneedwine I've been meaning to tell you how wonderful and gorgeous you are and these are for you

(on the off chance you work at DS's school)

@DuckyMcDuck 😂😂 many emails have arrived today saying much the same. Along with the highly stressed kids who just want some tlc. My on line lessons today were fun - I'm getting better at sharing my screen at the right times.

Dds school is deferring fees for this term until June and reviewing costs to look at reducing them too with further help to any families in financial difficulties. I'm surprised they are looking to reduce fees for the yr13s because they are providing a full terms worth of education next term with small yr13 groups being mentored by teachers and Alumni (with knowledge in specific degree subjects). Normally they would only be in school for 3 weeks until exam leave.

www.ascl.org.uk/ASCL/media/ASCL/Help%20and%20advice/Leadership%20and%20governance/CV-Emerging-principles-and-guidance-regarding-teacher-assessed-frades,-summer-2020-30-March-2020.pdf

Strong advice not to set more work for assessment purposes in any event, and not to give pupils the benefit of the doubt.

Interesting goodbye.

To be honest though, I have DC in four different independents and if there’s one thing they all like to do it’s publish their stats on their respective webpages every summer - ie “90% of students took up places at their first choice uni,” “Record year for A-levels..., “ etc etc. I just can’t imagine any teacher there not giving any student the strong benefit of the doubt. Nor can I see any student or parent whose son / daughter has been predicted AAA and who has gone on to earn a conditional place at Oxbridge or similar off the back of that, being in any way ok about a dropped grade and losing their place, at the discretion of a few teachers. I can picture the scenes now

That's going to be the problem isn't it ? @Solara

And how are they going to do results day? Can you imagine the scene if all the students and parents turn up at the school as per usual? It would be carnage.

There's a bit of science in there Solara and the threat of downward moderation, also the safety net (for both teachers and students, in different ways) of the prospect of optional exams.

NEAs won't be included in the post 18th March no more work guidance because they've been ongoing but special new essays will be, for sure. Our school mooted the idea eg of setting the final mock in English (not done because that part of the syllabus wasn't complete at the time of the mocks)/ a few History essays on the Thurs and Fri after the announcement of cancellation but had dropped the idea like a dead cat by the following Tues.

If they give not just the benefit of the doubt but the 'strong' benefit then they face downward moderation of the entire class, so they'll simply maximise the number of parents rushing at them with axes. Might be safer to do online delivery of the results this year! If pupils don't like it - prove yourself in the exams. It's quite a smart let out for teachers. It sounds as though Ofqual is going to check results every which way, so the independent sector shouldn't have a major advantage.

Wow thanks for that goodbye. I guess what we were expecting really. Don't envy all you teachers out there. Emailed results definitely the way to go I think!!

I know at least one of the schools one if mine is in are making all upper sixth (the ones who do A-levels, not IB) sit exams straight after Easter. This must be their strategy to deflect the axes! At least it will be some kind of evidence to show students and parents in the event if anyone taking issue with the grades awarded.

The thing is, in this school and others like it, the ability range is narrow, in the sense that I think over 80% of grades awarded at A-level are A* or A and at GCSE about 97% of grades are 9-7 every year. In other words, most of them are capable of at least an A at A-level, with the exception of a small few who may have had mental health problems or other reasons why they haven’t been able to keep up. The ones who don’t get the A, usually had a bad day in the exam - but the difference is, nobody can argue with that (apart from request a remark obviously).
Yes I think emailed results will definitely be the way to go - after schools have closed for summer, no doubt!

@Solara DIY post Easter mocks might flag up the students who will need to keep working in order to take the September exams!

@goodbyestranger thank you...

There are a fair few Dcs taking gap years or have internships arranged (if they go AHEAD) at Dds school so I guess these DC may opt for the exams if they are unhappy with their grades.

I don't think it's in the interest of any school to over inflate grades at the risk this could affect the whole cohort.. Its just a shame that grades won't be known to the DC until July so I would hope schools will encourage the DC who may need to sit the exams to keep on working... Although I guess the DC who do sit exams may have some advantage if they have 5 months to revise...

OFQUAl have still not released guidance. So we don't know how this is going to be done. Everything else is pure quess work. Wish they'd get on with it !!

mumsneedwine it absolutely is not guesswork!!!!This is collaborative and HTs are very much involved in the process.

I mean, not all HTs obviously....

My dd is taking a gap year and has decided to take the option of taking the exams in Autumn if her predicted grades are not A’s

My HT is very much involved in the discussions. Which is why we know there are no decisions yet. Lots of ideas, speculation and guessing but nothing is published as yet. We expected it yesterday but not happened. It is a minefield - home educated kids, retakers out of school. As soon as we know parents will know.
Unless you have inside knowledge of OFQUAL @goodbyestranger ? Be nice if you can send me the links as teachers would be very grateful for guidance asap.

I think we can speculate as much as we like. It’s obvious roughly how it will go but the fine detail? I shall be waiting for the official guidance.

mumsneedwine do you have a DC in Y13? Or are you just an interested observer/teacher? I’ve seen you on other threads but not this one until recently.

mumsneedwine I would of course send no link of that sort to anyone on MN! That would be supremely unprofessional. What I did link to was the advice issuing from the ASCL (so not 'speculation' Millicent, it was a carefully worded official press release), none of which will be retracted when OFQUAL publishes the decisions very shortly.

As mumsneedwine's HT should know, if consulted.

Lots more detail to follow though, obviously.