IB results out tomorrow

[truelove]

DS expecting IB results tomorrow afternoon. He needs 7,6,6 at HL for Physics at Warwick (same for his insurance, Bristol) but has since decided he wants to try for Durham through clearing (because his GF is going there assuming she gets the results she needs . He knows it’s a long shot and that he will probably have to wait for A level results.

Anyone else’s DC awaiting IB results tomorrow?

...and given that obligation for "reliable", I continue to be puzzled by Ofqual's statement of 11 August 2019 that "...more than one grade could well be a legitimate reflection of a student’s performance..."

www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-sunday-times-story-about-a-level-grades

More than one grade? But there's only one grade on the certificate...

Given that exam grades are not accurate (www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/01/15/1-school-exam-grade-in-4-is-wrong-does-this-matter/), the point might be that a calculated grade in the summer and a different exam grade in the autumn might both be equally legitimate indicators of a student's ability.

But is that not referring to where a review is requested?

in normal years I meant to add?

@OneTeen well that seems a bit more hopeful. But will they be able to deal with it all before A level results are out? I guess not.

But is that not referring to where a review is requested?

No, although that's where it becomes most apparent. The article refers to an experiment in which papers were blind double-marked. Exam marks from subjects that depend on interpretation, reasoning & argument showed very low reliability, i.e. the same answers marked by different people would receive different marks.

Of course, for this summer's grades there is also the issue that exam-heavy assessments tend to reward crammers (predominantly, but not exclusiveley, boys) over conscientious, steady workers (predominantly girls). This was one of the criticisms made very loudly by traditionalists when A-levels moved to a modular form with a proportion of marks coming from coursework: that it caused boys' grades to drop and girls' to rise. So the way grades are awarded this year might favour steady workers, while crammers who do badly in the summer might well get decent grades in autumn exams.

No assessments are really accurate reflections of ability by themselves. The best systems for determining ability incorporate multiple different types of assessment, but this isn't really feasible when you have limited time, the government doesn't trust teachers and teachers don't trust managers.

@SirTobyBelch... or, for GCSEs and A levels, that this year's teacher determined rank order is more reliable than the rank order determined by exam marks:

www.hepi.ac.uk/2020/03/21/trusting-teachers-is-the-best-way-to-deliver-exam-results-this-summer-and-after/

/www.hepi.ac.uk/2020/05/18/two-and-a-half-cheers-for-ofquals-standardisation-model-just-so-long-as-schools-comply/

Well, well, well...it looks like Ofqual are saying "no" to the Select Committee... @sandybayley - you were right!!!

www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-ofqual-will-not-confirm-when-grading-details-published

As I said before the Select Committee's power is soft in that it can scrutinise, publicise and criticise but it can't compel Ofqual to act. In the same way it can highlight failings of the DfE, of which there are many, but can't directly do anything.

@katierussell - Here's a story for you:

www.forbes.com/sites/daviddawkins/2020/06/09/the-billionaire-barclay-brothers-and-the-battle-over-who-controls-the-family-fortune/

For some reason nothing about this has appeared in the Telegraph. Can't imagine why 🤔.

@dennishsherwood... Maybe the algorithm can't be released because its still work in progress .

...quite possibly! Interesting... and it looks like Robert Halfon hasn't given up:

www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-robert-halfon-ofqual-must-not-be-afraid-scrutiny

Allegedly this article says that the IBO will be sued by Norway if they do not release their algorithm. If you can read Norweigian you might like to read it!

www.reddit.com/r/IBO/comment...sued_by_norway

aha! Thank you... my younger son's girl-friend is from Bergen...

@dennishsherwood

aha! Thank you... my younger son's girl-friend is from Bergen...

Handy

Just posted to HEPI - it's about GCSE, AS and A level, but might have some relevance to IB too...

www.hepi.ac.uk/2020/07/23/hindsight-is-a-wonderful-thing/

Has anyone considered appealing?
Advice welcome as DD got 5s in two subjects when she was predicted 7s.

My daughter’s school are appealing. Results will be too late to reverse her rejection from her 1st choice uni though

My daughters school also appealed awards.Fortunately all the girls were offered their first choice unis with some intervention from the school.

Now that the Scottish schools (and I suspect the English ones will follow suit) are going to be using predicted grades rather than the originally assigned grades, the IB students are surely going to be at an even bigger disadvantage?

Yes, they will be at a disadvantage. I would contact the university who turned down your DC, and ask for consideration. Can you get school to confirm predicted IB grades to send to the University?

The IBO have corrected the results of their terrible algorithm! Grades will be adjusted to reflect the better of IA or PG as long as they are within a grade. This is great news and I hope it will salvage some lost Uni places.

www.ibo.org/news/news-about-the-ib/update-m20-dp-cp-results/