University 2020 :7: Results tombola, roll up, roll up, pick a prize!

[MillicentMartha]

Well, it’s been a crazy few days.

Old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3962422-University-2020-6-The-one-with-the-results-at-the-end?watched=1&msgid=99082625#99082625

Divoc, the problem is that the government are sticking to their guns on the basis that grade inflation is to be avoided at all costs. The only grade inflation there appears to be under this system is in the private sector.

I might sound bitter - not a usual emotion for me, as it happens - but I am someone who could have afforded private education for my children, but truly believe that society would improve if children of all backgrounds were able to mix more freely at school. I offered private education to my daughter for the 6th form, but she was happy to stay with her friends,she is very bright and I always thought she made the correct choice.

Not now. I really feel that I have betrayed her.

I've discovered something that doesn't make sense. I posted yesterday that my DD had been downgraded 2 grades on one subject and 1 grade on the other two (missing both firm and insurance). Everyone has been downgraded on exam based subjects, only more practical based subjects remained as the CAGs. The awarded grades are across the board are far lower than last year or the one before. With mock upgrades, results would just about be on par with previous years.

I really hope no-one objects to me adding my feelings on the matter as I am not a parent of an A level student, (My dd has sld so was never able to sit exams of course.)

I think this algorithm system of "Awarding" grades is absolutely diabolical.

For anyone who suggests a downgraded student is whinging should be deeply ashamed. Of course every year there are numerous students who don't achieve the grades they expected but, in these cases, at least the students know it was due to their own mistakes. Distressing but you can work through and address this.

Being given a result by a computer is gut wrenching when said result is obviously a huge cock up with no obvious redress at this stage. FGS, youngsters have missed out on Oxbridge places and similar, universities where it has been their dream to study and they have worked for years to attain this. To then have it ripped away by a bloody computer and not your own mistake. Words fail me! 🤬

Can I just say my blood is still boiling for all those affected. I have just signed a petition to get this appalling situation reversed. I genuinely worry about the repercussions due to the horrendous distress caused to undeserving students. We need to put this right as a nation NOW!

My apologies for joining in when it doesn't directly concern me but I can't recall feeling so strongly about something for a long, long time.

@Divoc2020 Ftr my post in response to sunglasses was nothing to do with state v private, it was about the implication that children who prefer to start revision later deserve to do badly, and that children from poorly performing schools can't do well.

I don’t have a year 13 (eldest doing A levels next year) but wanted to share our schools experience. School submitted CAG within 1% of last years. Only 38 out of 220 students didn’t have grades downgraded. The results issued are significantly below CAG and significantly below any previous years. An example last year Biology 81% A*-B this year 66% - same across all subjects. School appealing entire cohort. School is a Grammar School. It’s devastating for the students many of whom are now without uni places.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8127793/amp/Boris-Johnson-promises-pupils-qualifications-how.html

Hmm, this makes me cross-so much for all the promises way back when .

Just hopping across from GCSE results thread. I am so so angry this has happened & I am sorry for all those so badly affected.

I have just come across this letter on twitter & though it would be of interest.

twitter.com/whitleybayhigh/status/1294251136095072256?s=21

This really is a shambles. At an individual level there’s as much angst in many schools. DS - at high ranking independent seems to have fallen foul of both the school playing it v straight (forecast grade through year A*/A) and put forward an A, and being downgraded on other subject based on rank order - large high performing cohort. He’s definitely of the work really hard in last 3m camp - so mock won’t help - who knows which way it would have fallen had he sat them but at least he’d know he got what he deserved. V lucky for him still accepted by uni. I really feel for all those children who lost out on uni offers. Clearly some children have been advantaged by this system - as results overall up - but it’s clearly not been v successful. Was always going to be a disaster waiting to happen. Personally I feel they should have still found a way to sit the exams.

Hog Well there's nothing Dgd can do about her grades now because:-

1. school is only dealing with appeals for those who missed uni places.
2. Her mocks were disastrous because of illness ( she was in hospital following them)
3. I think she just wants to put them behind her and look forward to uni life.

@KittyMcKitty

I don’t have a year 13 (eldest doing A levels next year) but wanted to share our schools experience. School submitted CAG within 1% of last years. Only 38 out of 220 students didn’t have grades downgraded. The results issued are significantly below CAG and significantly below any previous years. An example last year Biology 81% A*-B this year 66% - same across all subjects. School appealing entire cohort. School is a Grammar School. It’s devastating for the students many of whom are now without uni places.

That’s dreadful

@surreygoldfish sorry to hear about your son but glad he still got his place.

The problem with still sitting exams was it would have hugely penalised those kids who weren’t able to access work/revision in the interim. Kids with poor home lives, no internet access etc...Children at independents who were having lots of zoom tuition/work sent home would have been at a huge advantage. And actually I think that scenario would have been more unfair than what has happened, not to mention political suicide.

The problem is that there is no perfect solution. Even what’s happened in Scotland has pissed the high achievers off who were granted their As as they feel they’ve now been devalued!

@KittyMcKitty

I don’t have a year 13 (eldest doing A levels next year) but wanted to share our schools experience. School submitted CAG within 1% of last years. Only 38 out of 220 students didn’t have grades downgraded. The results issued are significantly below CAG and significantly below any previous years. An example last year Biology 81% A*-B this year 66% - same across all subjects. School appealing entire cohort. School is a Grammar School. It’s devastating for the students many of whom are now without uni places.

It seems your school's experience is very similar to ours! Similar number of pupils per year, inner city comp which has about 50% new pupils between GCSE and A levels .

I can't find a thread for Btec but the whole thing is a shit show. DS waited until this afternoon (Fri pm) to get results along with I don't know how many others with delayed results (no media coverage for that though) to find internally assessed units downgraded and exam units not sat were graded entirely on a national algorithm. The school had to rank btec students but get this, not just upper 6, lower 6 were included in the ranking too. His 2 un sat exam units and the 2 downgraded units are the lowest marks he has except for one in all the units over the 2 years. It is outrageous on so many levels. He is angry and has every right to be.

@TheTeenageYears

I can't find a thread for Btec but the whole thing is a shit show. DS waited until this afternoon (Fri pm) to get results along with I don't know how many others with delayed results (no media coverage for that though) to find internally assessed units downgraded and exam units not sat were graded entirely on a national algorithm. The school had to rank btec students but get this, not just upper 6, lower 6 were included in the ranking too. His 2 un sat exam units and the 2 downgraded units are the lowest marks he has except for one in all the units over the 2 years. It is outrageous on so many levels. He is angry and has every right to be.

Btec students have been completely forgotten in all this, you are quite right. I have been wondering what the impact was on them and am really sorry to hear about your son. I think people may have assumed that Btec students weren't affected because it is continuous assessment. From what you are saying they clearly were and we aren't hearing about those students.

www.worc.ox.ac.uk/about/news/worcester-college-places-all-uk-offer-holders

This is interesting - one of the colleges at Oxford have decided to accept all they offered to, regardless of grades given. Presumably it is too late for most to follow suit?

That’s great about the oxford college - surely it will be down to how many spaces they have if international don’t take up places? As they tend to over-offer for uk? Not all might have space at this stage. We shall see.

Still can't get the CAG out of school, I asked them to contact his firm to make a case for them to hold it open pending appeal and they haven't confirmed that they have done anything, just that they 'are gathering information' meanwhile his insurance has offered rubbish accomodation because though he applied when they said he's well down the list as an insurance candidate.

Rafflesway, I agree entirely. You summarise perfectly this appalling set of injustices.

My DS has been one of the lucky ones - grades exactly as expected and Oxford place confirmed. However many of his friends have been unjustly downgraded. My blood is boiling too.

This is interesting - one of the colleges at Oxford have decided to accept all they offered to, regardless of grades given. Presumably it is too late for most to follow suit?

Problem is most unis tend to over-offer. Oxford tends to much less which gives them that flexibility. As a college they'd probably be dealing with fewer students to consider too, so they may have looked at the results when they got them and realised that pretty much all had got within a grade and so there wasn't any real drops.

Birmingham, for example, was full and refusing insurance offers who had made the grades (which they're not allowed to do) in some courses yesterday. It was causing a certain amount of stress.

Son’s school, consistently high-achieving grammar, has reported that 21% of grades were adjusted down. Knowing how scrupulously careful the staff were about ensuring accurate grades, this is ridiculous.

Who are the winners? There must be some with all these downgrades but marks up overall?

From what you are saying they clearly were and we aren't hearing about those students

Dd got what she expected

But hers was completely done and dusted before lockdown

Letter from D1's school says they had a third of their grades moderated downwards. Last year 60% of A levels got A* A or B, this year it was down to 51% and this doesn't reflect the trend of the last few years. They say they followed the grading procedure rigorously. State school in the North East.

A friend of my son who had given up on his A levels, received Us consistently throughout 6th form and didn't bother going in to get his grades has been awarded 3 Cs. One grade lower than my son who worked nonstop, predicted A*AA by teachers CAG and mocks AAB. He got BBB.

@Campervan69

A friend of my son who had given up on his A levels, received Us consistently throughout 6th form and didn't bother going in to get his grades has been awarded 3 Cs. One grade lower than my son who worked nonstop, predicted A*AA by teachers CAG and mocks AAB. He got BBB.

So sorry this has happened to your son. It is wrong. I hope this useless government does the same as Scotland. What a disgraceful shambles.