Exam results day

[LightandAiry]

My ds will be able to log in 8am on results day to see his A Level results on the college portal. One subject is likely to be disappointing, as his grade on his final mock was an E, the other grades at each term end mocks were As and Bs. He says he messed up the timings on the paper, and his teacher gave it to him to sit again at home and he did well with an A. We didn't worry about it at the time as he could have pulled it back in the exam.

His uni offer is ABB, and without the exam to push the grade up after the very disappointing mock result, according to a college teacher friend, he is likely to get a D in one of the subjects reflecting the mock result and also he says he did not do well in some tests.

However, I heard from a another friend who works in a local university that many universities are very worried about student numbers and will lower their requirements. Has anybody else heard this? Just want results day to come now so the waiting is over and done with!

Thanks in advance.

Wait and see and call them
www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jul/25/sixth-formers-able-to-haggle-for-top-uk-universities-under-new-grading-system

I dodn't know why your college teacher firned, who doesn't teach him , would know!

I don't know him either but from the background you have given, if I were his teacher I would be unlikely to submit a grade of E or D.

Teachers rank ordered students and within that rank have awarded CAGs (centre assessed grades). The exam boards won't query the rank but might apply statistical moderation to shift grades down (or up ) a bit. Unless your DS is at the bottom of the ranks he should be OK. Even then, statistically in most schools, in many subjects, Es are rare and even Ds for some subjects. Have you got any sense of where your DS might sit within his usual class ranking (E grade mock aside)?

Don't panic! Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. There is always haggling on results day (very stressful) and the universities are expected (see above) to negotiate more this year, especially perhaps to students from less advantaged backgrounds.

friend!

Confusing messages from Ofqual who seem to be advising universities to not take into account the calculated grades when confirming places so its a case of waiting for results day unfortunately.
schoolsweek-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/schoolsweek.co.uk/ofqual-wants-admissions-flexibility-for-pupils-with-one-or-two-lower-grades/amp/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fschoolsweek.co.uk%2Fofqual-wants-admissions-flexibility-for-pupils-with-one-or-two-lower-grades%2F

I should have said focus less on the calculated grades instead of not take into account.

I don't know why your college teacher friend would say that, she didn't teach him. To give your son a D really would be out of the ordinary given the circumstances (he messed up the final mock which his teacher knew and got high grades on the others). It would be very punitive for your son's school to do that and having been through the CAG process myself I think it's very unlikely they would. Given the evidence they have I'd have thought a B would be realistic. However that doesn't take into account what Ofqual are doing with everyone's grades. I think we're all a bit uncertain about that. But I don't think you should panic.

I did find that article bizarre when I read it previously frazzled. Ofqula, who invented the system, tell universities to speak to schools (who??) who will then presumably tell the unis (if anyone is available to do so!) what the CAG was , which may have been adjusted by -oh wait!- Ofqual! And yet, annually, teachers are told their predicted grades (which is want the schools will tell the universities!) are wrong!!

They gave out the same message about admission to sixth form. So they are saying their own grades could be wrong.

It's all a bit of a mess...

OP, does your DS have any target grades/indicator grades. The school probably considered those, too. What was his UCAS predicted grade? Forgot to ask that before!

UCAS predicitons are often inflated to allow students to apply to aspirational unis on their applications. Thus they do not accurately reflect actual ability.

The centre assessed grades should more accurately assess the child's ability over 2 years worth of work including homework, topic tests, y 12 mocks and end of year tests, y 13 mocks, coursework not actually moderated this time and so on.

Unis appreciate that the grade is by assessment and may have been moderated down so can ask the school whether the C is a moderated down C or had the school assessed at a B.

Our Exams Officer and other staff in the department will be in 2 days before results day as they usually are to answer any of these type queries unis may have. The Exams Officer has access to the centre assessed grades.

The random college teacher has literally no idea about the DC in questions standard of work or ability and in view of all the work mentioned above one poor result may not affect the final centre assessed grade.

Ignore that person and their unhelpful comments.

I mean they are usually in school 2 days before results days rather than there to answer these types of queries as there haven't been these types before obviously.

Univetsities always over offer expecting a proportion won't make their grade in the exams. We've currently no idea which way it will go on results day. I teach on a popular course and we've offered double the amount of available places. I'm nervous I'm going to have more students than usual.....

Yes. The unis will be wanting to fill their places and are likely to be lenient in making the offer unconditional even with missed grades.

Even in a regular year my DSS got his BBB offer with a BBD at A levels and my understanding is that more unis will be flexible this time

I think it will depend on demand for a particular uni/course and how viable running the course with potentially low numbers is . It may be that choice of modules reduces for example. If unis can retain overseas students by remote learning the pressure to take home students on weaker grades may lessen. There is also a point at which taking students with less than robust entry grades may not be in either the uni or the students best interest. A foundation year to consolidate learning and study techniques may be an alternative option offered.

Thanks for replies and for links - really helpful.

Piggy I don't know his UCAS predicted grades but I suspect pretty high ABB or AAB I think - ds is very private and apart from helping him plan his personal statement I've not been that involved apart from poking him "it's coming up to the date for you to accept offers" and "it's time you applied for accommodation." He did get an unconditional offer from one university, but rejected it.

Teaandhobnob college teacher said taking his lower performance in one subject this year would lower grade - C in assessed tests, ds thinks he did badly in somr project work, he left it all to the last minute, misjudged how much he had to do and it was rushed. He only got it in on time because I had the day off work and drove him to college on day of the deadline. Then the E in the final mock. He was ill last year and it affected his motivation. He seemed to be Ok in the other 2 subjects though, but no project work.

I am pretty sure he'll be OK, just wondering if he will get what he wants, which is the prestigious university closer to home.