University 2020 :5: Results day approaching and beyond

[MillicentMartha]

Old thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3855474-University-2020-4-The-wait-for-grades-and-better-days-ahead?pg=40

Less than 3 months to go until we have a better idea what the future has in store for our DC. Let’s hope that even if most lectures are online that accommodation is open and they can move up, across or down to their university towns and start their student life.

We should have been in the middle of exams, instead we have this strange limbo of lockdown. It could have been worse, though.

Ah I see, there are so many different elements to this year's results.
I hope she gets her firm.

Dd's insurance want higher than her firm, so that's our situation. If she gets her predicted grades.
If she definitely wants to go this year.

I would have thought that the schools and colleges would protect the DC with Oxbridge offers by giving a secure ranking... Not so easy if you have a smaller cohort and borderline results(one of Dds friends who goes to a local comp has an Oxford offer to study Chemistry and typically the school just gets 2 maximum 3 A*s in the Stem subjects so if their are a few medics in the cohort it's going to be tight.. they rarely get an Oxbridge offer so hopefully she will be ok).

Oneteen surely schools have to give what they realistically think that student would have got in an exam with no reference to what they need for their Uni place. It should not play any part.

Having said that most will be predicted and, more importantly, 'most likely'' to achieve their offer so hopefully most will be fine.

@Oneteen - I think it would be a dangerous strategy for a school to 'protect' their Oxbridge offer holders. DS1's school sends large numbers each year but has lots of high achieving pupils who either didn't get a place or have offers for other prestigious institutions and courses. There would be an uproar amongst parents and I'd expect the school will play by the rules as to not do so and be called out for it would be ruinous for its reputation.

I'm hoping DS1's record to date and the fact his predicted grades exceed what he needs will stand him in good stead but who knows. We'll know in 10 weeks time!

DD school has said grades won’t be allocated to match offers needed. They were very explicit about this to the students and I am sure that’s in response to guidelines.

With lower student numbers this year I think there will be a few unis ‘quietly’ allocating places even if grades are a little lower. Not sure on over massively subscribed places - they have a cap of 5% this year so I hope that is enough.

University offers certainly should not affect rankings as it would be unfair, but it is easy to see that schools are likely to be swayed if trying to decide which of 2 candidates should be ranked higher if one would miss their offer if it went the wrong way. For student recruitment all schools like to show plenty of students going to Oxbridge/Medicine/Russell Group, so there must be at least unconscious bias.

Hmmm I think there will be as @monkey2001 stated *

Whoops not finished post For student recruitment all schools like to show plenty of students going to Oxbridge/Medicine/Russell Group, so there must be at least unconscious bias

I'd like to think schools will be fair and there should hopefully not be an issue... but would you like to be the school that grades or ranks a child so they miss their Oxbridge place.... I think there would be an uproar either way... Not sure whether FOI requests after results day will mean that school rankings etc will need to be released to parents..

I would have hoped teachers and heads of dept. are better than that and do what's right not what would make the school look better. DS need A*AA for his offer, his mate in a small class has an 'attainment offer' from Brum of CCC because his course is less oversubscribed and another in the class is taking a gap year as unsure of what he wants to do. They are all of similar ability. DS should not be ranked more highly just to meet his offer.

@Oratory1... I can't see the schools ranking etc to meet Uni offers but I'm not sure about Oxbridge... Its probably contentious either way... Will be interesting to see Stats on how many places were offered and taken up.. Although I guess there maybe some deferrals etc too.

@oneteen - Oxford isn't keen on deferrals. There's a piece in The Times today. I quote ''a gap year is never an advantage from an Oxford University perspective. Some schools believe universities are looking for rounded people. But I say 'No you can be as flat as a pancake so long as you are good at the subject''.

On the other hand Cambridge are allowing deferrals.

DS1 isn't as flat as a pancake but he's definitely not fully rounded!

If every school ‘protected’ its Oxbridge students both universities would have too many students. There are always some who miss their offers, especially Cambridge. I would hope that schools would be aware of potential bias (in the same way they would about protected characteristics) and would make sure they guarded against it.

Cambridge have said that if the reason for wanting to defer is pandemic-related, they won't consider those requests until after results day. Perhaps they want to wait and see what the number of confirmed places looks like.

Sorry to labour the point Oneteen but I find it a bit offensive and insulting to teachers that they would care more about protecting Oxbridge offers than other Uni places or apprenticeships etc that may rely on grades. They should surely care equally about the futures of all their students not just the Oxbridge offer holders, and I hope wouldn't be swayed by potential flack from scary Oxbridge parents or lost press opportunities.

Having said that most probably will be fine anyway :)

It's so difficult...the Medics and Oxbridge applicants have already jumped through so many hoops (so have a lot of students who may have SEN or come from deprived backgrounds)... I think its a brave HT who gives an assessed grade so that a DC misses their Oxbridge offer... Although if its the right grade they also need appaulding.

Let's hope that all the Dcs get to go in the their preferred direction whatever that maybe... and the overall assessments are fair.

Very True

Dds final day 'in' school... They have a zoom call for all of them this afternoon.. Maybe a few tears... Its so horrible for the HT who retires next month.. Although they hopefully will have a Christmas Party and retirement event in December...

It would have been DS’s last A level exam today. I would probably have taken them out to eat as a celebration. And only now would the waiting game for results have commenced.

Oh that must be tough for teachers leaving a school now too

Dd's last a level yesterday, accompanied by 'oh I think I've missed it' joke.

Wearing thin joke!

DDs favourite teacher leaves today to take up a position in the far East. They managed to have a bit of a "do" in their final lesson and he gave her one of his physics textbooks. But it still feels pretty sad.

A few of Dds school teacher's are heading to the Far East too at the end of term...but on the other hand the new HT is coming from Harrow International school Hong Kong.. I assume a strategic move given issues in HK....wont be an easy transition given circumstances.. I really feel for Yr10s and 12s...