Sorry - have been away from the keyboard.
Unfortunately, LimitIsUp, the mock is no use to my daughter. She and her year bombed it (even though the teacher had told me it was the best class she had ever had) as it was pitched very high and marked harshly. That's the way all my mocks were handled back in the dark ages! She obtained precisely what she obtained at the mock in the two downgraded A levels even though she operated above that level both before and after the mock. In the most recent exam, she obtained an A in the subject matter she was given a C in.
How on earth can mocks be used when each school will have a different approach?
As it stands at the moment, we have no grounds to appeal on an individual level, although the school might appeal as their predicted marks were really savaged in the sciences. The powers that be need to either look closely at an individual's ability and make a decision based on that, rather than the past performances of the school, or they need to simply accept CAGs.
Just to add, my DD says that there has been radio silence from many of her friends and peers about what they achieved and many of those she does know about have had very disappointing results. These include youngsters from different schools and include a very clever young woman who was heading to med school - but not any more.
I cannot express to you how much anger I feel at the moment, when anger is a rare emotion for me.