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.

@SeasonFinale For students with SEN, who may struggle in written exams and who chose their subjects precisely because of the 50-60% NEA, then I can't see how they could possibly improve their grade in an autumn exam.

I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere that this year's NEA's will be able to be carried over to Summer 2021 exams either? Presumably the same arguments for not using them will apply i.e. not all students had a chance to finish, weren't moderated etc.
And how could it possibly work for a subject such as Drama which requires live performances with other students? I can't see the schools letting all this year's Year 13s repeat the year?

I know the board and teachers are doing their best in difficult circumstances, but I do think our Year 13s (especially those with SEN) are being hung out to dry over the NEA issue.

MissJane - I hope the last minute.coms will benefit from lower international students and get good places anyway. Hope so 👍

Me too Newgirls 👍

Thanks MillicentMartin and Mumsneedwine. I think it was following a battery of assessments by the SENCO and information from her teachers that 50% extra time was applied for and awarded. She was unable to finish any timed assessments with 25% extra time but what she did was of a very high standard. There was evidence of this with all 3 subjects. Your posts give me hope that her grades will reflect this.

Divoc2020 - you are missing the point I was trying to make. The NEAs they have done this year even if not finished have been seen by the teachers and will feed into their assessed grade. It really should not be an issue.

@SeasonFinale - no I'm not missing the point. The fact is that in some cases, for whatever reason, it may be felt that the grades given in summer do not reflect what the student feels they should have received. I'm sure there will be some cases where the school proposals for a bright cohort are over-moderated downwards and someone predicted and deserving an A gets a B instead. Since there is no way for students to appeal they have been told their only recourse is to take the autumn exams. However, without the NEA component the autumn exam becomes meaningless in subjects like drama, DT, music etc.

If teachers are capable of evaluating the NEA work for the purposes of the summer exams, then surely they would be equally capable of providing an extrapolated mark for the autumn exam series (and presumably the following Summer 2021 exam)?
Students should be able to either appeal their summer grade OR take the autumn exam in the same format as the original syllabus. As it is stands it is a grossly unfair half-baked solution.
I just hope enough people complain through the consultation. However given Ofqual haven't exactly publicised it and the question about NEAs is deeply flawed in its design, and I'm not hopeful.

@Divoc2020 you are right that it is really strange that the boards will allow teachers to assess the whole thing, but not just the bit they usually assess!

I think they will get a lot of feedback that excluding NEA for subjects where they are a significant element does not work.

Hopefully it will all work out OK and your DC will get the right result. I think that it may be possible for the school to appeal if the results are over-moderated if they can support their teacher-awarded grades - my recollection is that it was left as a possibility after the last consultation. Students have never been allowed to appeal themselves, it always had to be the school appealing on their behalf.

Oh blimey, just had reality check massive cry over DC leaving home.
I hope we can all still be supporting each other on this thread by then.

sun, I was reading the thread about dropping Dc at uni and it suddenly hit me. I'm going to be a blubbering wreck when I drop my Dd off.

MissJane,
I know ☹️
All the prep, forms, thought processes, Coronavirus.

I've been having the thought in the background but the big cry just overtook me.
Probably needed! It's just me and her here and it's been a hard road.
I'm definitely happy she's wanting to go but it's a double edged sword.

X

I'm a lot calmer now about Dd going off to Uni... Its been nice that we have spent all of lockdown together... I'll still be a complete mess when I drop her off but I've seen her mature so much of late and I think she's more than ready for Uni...

It’s crazy isn’t it - really want them to go and willing unis to be open as much as pos. And also going to be gutted.

@Newgirls are you far from St A? We are 450 miles away! Will be very strange.

Yes we are! About 6-7 hours via train. Complete madness - wish I’d never taken her there!!

It is really strange, I want the unis to be open and my Dd to go off on the next stage of her life but at the same time I want her here with me forever.

It must be really hard for you Sun with just you and her. I have 3 other Dc with me still and Dh but he doesn't count.

No matter how upsetting it is for us, we have to let them go 😭

6-7 hours, wow.
I will be 3 hours away, I can drive but due to health condition, it would be to exhausting for me.
I'm thinking to move her by train, with two big cases, then pack up a box and send that on.
I read about a company that does this exact thing.

There are definitely courier companies. Our plan is to go up with bags and leave with empties!

Her back up is nearer - we shall see what happens on results day 👍

Warwick is about 1.5 hours from us so plan will be to drop Dd off in car with as much as possible and drop off anything else we could not fit in car when I am working in the area ... I'm fortunate that I cover Warwickshire with work so can always grab a coffee and a hug if she's free.

I was planning to make a trip of it and go up with DH, DS and his GF, leaving DS2 with dog, but Leicester have said they only want 1 person dropping each student off, wonder if they will all do the same. Bloomin' Coronavirus!!

I’m divorced so it was just me taking DS1 4 years ago. I thought I’d be tearful but he was just so happy to be there that I left on a high. And they come home so often, they’re here almost as much as they’re away. It’s actually harder now that DS1 is settled 3 hours away with work. I haven’t seen him since March.

With DS3 I’ll try to be as positive as I was for DS1, because it’s still a big adventure to leave home for the first time, even if it’s not quite what was planned.

I still have DS2 at home, tbf, but he’s autistic and quite self contained, so I’ll still miss DS3 quite a lot.

We are looking at hotel accom now and getting excited 👍

Millicent nice to hear that you felt positive at drop off - I think we will all breathe a sigh of relief too this year

@MillicentMartha... At least your Ds1 and Ds3 will be close to each other...so you know there is some nearby support.

I've been a single parent since Dd was 3 and in some respects life for me has been on hold because my priority was always Dd... So I'm looking to broaden my horizons once she is at Uni... I'll miss her but I'm keen to open a few more social doors...

I can understand that oneteen. I think DS2 and I are in for the long haul!

@MillicentMartha