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.

Thank you @MillicentMarther we were early to reply and have received offers so this must have been done by the college.

New video from Mr Salles about "that" 33% downgrade scaremongering petition.

Well done Mr Salles!

DS has turned 18. Strange lockdown birthday, but he’s spent some time with his mates virtually and is having his takeaway of choice, (Five Guys) tonight. No buying a pint at the pub or having a party - but hopefully time for that a bit later.

Happy lockdown birthday to master millicentmartha.

Will he go for a pint when the pubs open? We are booking a table in one of our locals for the weekend so dd can buy 😬

@MillicentMartha - happy birthday to your DS. Hope he gets to the pub. DS1 turned 18 just before lockdown and is desperate to get to the pub!

Happy b'day! As others said, at least he only has to wait a few days to see friends. I am sure some of the ones early on had to abandon exciting plans when lock down hit like a truck.

@Newgirls your post made me smile at the idea that DS would think it anything approaching a good idea to go out with family to celebrate pubs opening!

Results of OFQUAL consultation out. No change (again)
www.gov.uk/government/news/ofqual-publishes-more-details-on-appeals-and-confirms-autumn-exam-arrangements

DS1 bought DS3 a litre of vodka for his birthday! DS3 doesn’t actually drink but I’m sure it’ll make him popular at university! 🙄

Happy birthday to your boy MM!

Monkey she’s quite shy so she will like the practise. I was quite different at that age 😬

Happy 18th to your boy, MM.

Thanks @Monkey2001 - I saw that Ofqual thing yesterday being reported rather badly - calling the summer grades 'coursework-based'.

As usual Ofqual have asked for feedback then chosen to ignore it all! Was there a SINGLE THING they changed from their original proposal? I don't believe there is.

I'm particularly angry about the NEA for subjects like Drama/ DT etc. This basically means that if DS doesn't get his grades in summer he is stuffed. I think he's particularly at risk because the school's results average for the last 3 years is lower than his supposedly 'very realistic predicted' grades.

Not taking coursework into account for subjects like DT or drama is awful. They are so coursework heavy for good reason. Really crossing fingers for your DS Divoc.

Divoc really hope you get good news in August. Surely OFQUAL must have heard the pleas relating to schools with statistically variable results. How much headroom does your DS have been offer and the CAG he might expect? Hope the university admissions people can look at students in context of school performance of results are disappointing. They must know that it would be RIDICULOUS for a music/drama A level to have no practical element!

Thanks Monkey. He's predicted AAB and his offer is ABB so we're hoping all will be OK.
We haven't told him about this latest Qfqual development. DH and I agreed last night it's probably best to wait and see what results day brings.

@Divoc2020 we have the same issue, each of ds A-level had some element of NEA involved so he definitely won't be sitting exams if that's all they are going to take into account.

DS had already made the decision to take a gap year, so his offers are for 2021.

I did wonder what would happen if he wanted to sit exams in Summer 2021 instead, wether he could submit all his NEA work for DT (it was all finished!) for the 2021 series instead and take the exam for the remaining 40%?
(He's unlikely to do that, but I just wonder from a theoretical point of view if that would be possible?)
Under 'normal' circumstances I believe you can carry forward the NEA mark from a previous year.

On the radio early this morning someone said, ‘Summer grades will be based on mock exams and coursework’ and I heard immediate bellows from two bedrooms of ‘NO THEY WON’T!’.

Still, good to see that my Radio 4 indoctrination is working well.

I was wondering that too Divoc. There is a chance DS will have to resit (although seriously hoping the summer exam process will allow for significant outliers in small cohorts) and if he does he would rather resit next summer than do something rushed in the Autumn. I was wondering if coursework would be involved in summer 2021 and if so would he be able to just update his completed 2020 CS project and submit that. I presume they would just be doing the normal exam series all current year 12 students will be doing.

Wouldn't they have to repeat Year 13 to sit exams in summer 2021? I don't know, genuine question as I can't see schools acting as exam centres, though independent schools might be willing for the extra cash!

DS is at an independent school and they have already said they will support them if they want to take exams in autumn or 2021, as well as providing UCAS/ careers advice for the next 18 months.

He wouldn't go back to school, but would have access to the online past papers etc and we would have to pay for exam entry etc, but the school would act as the centre.

Lots of schools are happy for ex pupils to take resits there. I know my school does and so does DS’s. You are generally charged the exam fees in that case. It’s usually only a handful of students.

And those are state schools in our case. I’m sure most private schools do too, like Divoc’s DS’s.