Oxbridge 2020 (thread number 9)

[DadDadDad]

What a year! Just as we've all become experts (at least in our own minds ) about how to write Personal Statements, Oxford admission tests and Cambridge STEP, the complicated dance of the interview process, and how to simultaneously boost our DSs' and DDs' confidence while preparing them for the possibility of disappointment, we have a new topic to learn: statistical modelling of expected grades.

Of course, like all those previous topics, we're not in control of teacher projection and OfQual rejection, but we have this thread to support each other through the coming months.

All welcome. For the record, I have a DS with an Oxford offer for a humanities subject.

Just found this on UCAS website. Maybe we can relax a bit..

Don’t worry, you don’t need to do anything. Your application will continue through the admissions process the same as it would if you had taken your examinations or assessments as expected. UCAS will still receive your grades from the awarding bodies and pass them on to your chosen unis as we have in previous years.

This means the universities or colleges you have applied to will treat your application fairly and consistently, and will consider these grades in the same way as any qualifications from previous years.

If you’re holding a conditional offer – your offer will still become unconditional if you meet the offer conditions (usually related to your grades).

Thank you SnapSnapDragon - this is indeed reassuring.

DD was sent an email by her college a couple of weeks ago saying grades would be treated in the normal way. Yesterday's email said it didn't have answers to all the questions being asked, but it didn't say which questions were being asked - I expect it's had a barrage of more or less complicated hypothetical scenarios to give a hypothetical decision on.

That’s interesting - my son’s college haven’t been in touch with him. Oxford are probably getting questions about whether offers can be kept open for the September resits. I think lots of students (and parents) are anxious that the 2020 ‘exams’ are cobbled together and that results may be very wrong. Personally I felt very confident that DS would meet his offer when all he had to do was sit A levels. Now I don’t know what to think. Do any of you feel confident that justice will be done?

The only thing D has had is an email from her college with the financial declaration to fill in and email back, and to say that reading lists will be sent out in the summer.

Just popping by to say hello and thank you for the new thread. Despite DS being in the fortunate position of having an offer (post A level applicant) I still follow you all and am really hoping that all your DCs get the offers they deserve.

Keep healthy and safe everyone.

Do any of you feel confident that justice will be done?

That’s a hard question. I think the answer is yes, to a certain extent, but I can’t see how it can be possible to replicate what would have been had exams gone ahead.

I expect the kids who show aptitude for their subject and have worked solidly for the last couple of years will have this rewarded in the grades the schools put forward. DS is in this camp. It’s a reasonable enough solution, akin to a GPA in the US.

I feel very sorry for those who were planning to pull it out of the bag last minute. It’s very hard on them that the rules have changed without warning. DD is in this camp with her GCSEs (although I have my doubts about how well she would have pulled it out the bag given her attitude, but that’s a whole different story).

The moderation aspect makes me very nervous. Hopefully, if schools apply the rules carefully there won’t be much need for moderation and, if there is, it will be gentle and considered, but I worry that sledgehammers will be used.

Flyonawalk, I think you might be right that Oxford are wondering what to do about September resits. I know I’m biased but I think they should accept the September grades as well as the July ones. If the system works there shouldn’t be too many people who convert up in September anyway. Famous last words maybe..

Thank you for your thoughts, SnapSnapDragon. I agree it would be fair if Oxford accepted September resit grades. Their offers after all refer to grades achieved ‘in your forthcoming exams’ - not possible this year. I suppose it may be logistically impossible to mark September resits in time for the start of term in October.

Moderation is exactly my worry as it will be impersonal, with no exam scripts to review and use as hard evidence. In terms of being awarded grades at school, my DS is in a decent position - very steady worker, and I am fairly sure he ranks 1st in two of his subjects and 2nd in the other two (the school is small so that is not as impressive as it sounds). I am not doubting the grades his teachers will put forward - my worry is the moderation/standardising system.

Like you I have a DD taking (nor not taking) GCSEs, and she has unfortunately been idle but was planning to accelerate in the last couple of months. This year students like this will be caught out...

I suppose we have to trust that Ofqual do not want shouts of injustice on results day and the resulting banner headlines criticising the government. I have everything crossed that our children get what they need.

Thanks Dadx3. And thanks for your wise words, @Coleoptera. We never know what's for the best and hoping all our DC have a wonderful first year of uni, however it happens.
My DD has an Astar AA offer for MML from Cambridge. She will definitely get two Astars (ranked 1st or 2nd in main subjects), but probably a low-ranked A in third (unrelated) subject, so worried about standardisation pushing her into a B, if "too many" people at their school get As. Out of her hands now. Luckily she's not stressed, but my fingernails are looking bad again.

I agree with @SnapSnapDragon's very good post. I'm sure those involved intend to be fair, but that doesn't always mean that everyone will get what they deserve.

I think an important point is that the normal process doesn't always seem to deliver results that match the ability and effort of the students. I'm sure we've all heard tales of "rogue" exam marks or coursework moderation affecting a whole class in a subject. (Sometimes re-marks fix these. )

Greetings to all. I have a DS with an offer from Cambridge for engineering. A in Physics and A A in Further Maths and Chemistry. Think I've bored on enough on previous threads about How He Should Have Listened To His Mother And Not Left Everything To The Last Minute.

FingernailNibbler my fingernails are bad. Very bad. Having said that, DS is probably ranked 1 in Physics and near the top in Further Maths; he's predicted A* in Chemistry so if he slips then he could still get in...

Btw I hear from a teacher friend that her school is telling the pupils their grades then giving them the chance to do more work to show the teachers that they deserve a better grade -- totally contrary to the exam boards' instructions.

@panttwizzler your DS sounds a dead cert. good luck! ❤️ and I am floored that a school is flouting the rules so brazenly. How can they? Morally but also, surely the kids will tell and the school will be punished. And that means the kids will also be punished. Not on!

Btw I hear from a teacher friend that her school is telling the pupils their grades then giving them the chance to do more work to show the teachers that they deserve a better grade
And then they will be asked to sign a declaration in a few weeks to confirm that they haven't done that.

Checking in , thanks Dad for new thread. Thanks also for kind words re DH who is mending as am I having caught it from him.. at least we can get back into the fray very soon. DD had a questionnaire from her college yesterday asking among other things if she had the opportunity to sit Autumn exams and if she would consider deferral til 2021, cue tailspin. She really doesnt want a gap year but would , Ithink, take one if push came to shove.

Good to hear your DH is on the mend hobbema. Hope you have a swift recovery.

Yes get well soon hobbema and glad your DH is improving. And virtual fist bumps to the medical folk on here, and those with loved ones in the front line.

Hello everyone and sorry to be a bit late to the new thread. DS has a Cambridge offer for Maths, needing two A stars, an A and grade 1 in STEP 2 and 3. He is currently 'having a holiday' before hopefully settling back down to STEP preparation. Particularly strange for him as none of his friends now have any exams to work for, and his school has dismissed all the Year 13s and won't be doing anything for/with them next term. It's going to be a strange few weeks/months for him.

I'm jealous of the others who've reported children doing something productive/educational during this time. So far my DS just seems depressed and is eating and playing computer games, which is out of character. School coming to an end so abruptly and all the current uncertainty has hit him hard, emotionally. He has also admitted to a lot of worry over me and DH, who are both still working outside of home, in my case in a care home where we have had three residents test positive and have lost one to COVID-19.

Stay safe everyone.

Gin that is tough. No wonder MN has been far from your mind. DD is doing educational stuff because they hadn't finished their A level courses and they need to ensure they can all start uni without a gap in their knowledge if they are taking a relevant degree course. I don't think your DS is that unusual, but is he engaging with friends?

ofqual.blog.gov.uk/2020/04/09/arrangements-for-summer-2020/ Spotted this earlier, which gives some reassurance for schools/classes at either end of the size spectrum.

@GinWorksForMe The Cambridge webpage asks offer holders to make a note of disruptions etc which your DS might like to do. Schools seem to be doing/have done things very differently since they closed and it seems fair that these differences are taken into consideration by the universities.
I hope your family continue to stay safe.

GinWorksForMe
DS's school has taken a similar approach. He has been doing some learning himself, but I think it will be challenging for him to continue to self-motivate for 6 months with no input from school.

I think your DS's reaction is very understandable, and I doubt he will be the only one.

@ofteninaspin thanks for the suggestion. I think as @Ironoaks says, my son's situation is not unusual and Cambridge are already aware of the differences not just now but all the way through the years for state v private pupils. Apart from on here, we only really know children at state schools, and they all seem to have done the same. We have to hope it will build resilience and independence in these young people I suppose.

I suppose the one difference is that those preparing for STEP might be getting support from their school if the schools have some provision for Year 13s, but my DS wasn't getting any STEP support anyway. The biggest impact on him so far has been on his general happiness - he is a high academic achiever, like the others on here, and was looking forward to the summer and the exams. He loves learning and loves school so is struggling to adjust to it very suddenly no longer being a part of his life. He will get through it I'm sure. As most on here know, he's been on the fence about Cambridge all the way through - he literally applied to the universities he thought were the best for Maths and was surprised to get an offer. I'm taking the view now that if he decides he wants it, he'll go all out to prepare for STEP, and if he decides he'll be happier at Warwick, he won't do much STEP preparation. Just got to cross fingers that he gets the A stars he needs either way. Like another poster above, his school doesn't get many A stars so he could get moderated down I suppose. Que sera, sera.

I may have painted too bleak a picture of his current lifestyle - yesterday he did write some lyrics for depressing angsty rock songs and cut the grass in circles so I suppose that's showing some creativity. And yes, he's keeping in touch with his fantastic friends.

I'm thinking of all the young people on here.

Easter blessings to everyone

My DS would much prefer to do the exams and be in control of his situation (he needs x2 A* and an A). He is still studying a bit each day to “keep his hand in” in case he needs those Autumn series exams.

@ginworksforme what a great image of your son penning angry song lyrics then mowing the lawn in circles. I love it!