University 2020 :8: Use the CAGs, don’t use the CAGs...

[MillicentMartha]

...if you can use the mocks, then use the mocks but not if they're higher than the CAGs.

And hopefully on to university!

Old thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3993327-University-2020-7-Results-tombola-roll-up-roll-up-pick-a-prize?pg=39

MillicentMartha sitting the exams would be an option, but would mean taking a year out, at a time when he is unlikely to be able to travel and paid work will be scarce. So we'll see what college say, but it looks like it'll be the insurance choice.

morning all. Long time lurker here. Coming out of lurking to say we now seem to be facing results day mark 2! DD wasnt given her CAGs last week, school emailed last night to say they would email new results to students today, although with no time specified. So we are waiting ...again! She was meant to be working today, but has thankfully swapped her shift with someone.DD is really hoping 2 of her grades go up - she had made peace with them last week, but now faces possibly being dissappointed again if they dont! Like others, dd is very much a last minute worker so was just about to pull it all out the bag, but sadly that means her mocks were less than fantastic. The positive for us however is that DD had an unconditional offer as her first choice which has all been confrimed, so at least a lot less riding on it than many, and we are so, so thankful for that.
I feel so bad for all those that have missed out on uni places - what a total and absolute shambles.
This is my third dc to get A level reuslts, and obviously the stress of this year has been like noting before.
Also got a dd getting GCSE results on Thurday - at least the arrangements for that have been clarified before results released, although school had already emailed to say they would be using CAGs , not algorithm results to decide sixth form places.
WIll be glad when August is over tbh
Good luck to all those still waiting, or trying to re-sort uni places today.

We're still waiting for the CAG with nothing from school , I do understand that it's difficult for them ,but I really don't want my ds getting his hopes up for a return to his firm offer if the CAG are simply not going to be high enough for the uni to reconsider, so to my mind the school need to be very aware that he needs to be at the front of the queue. We aren't talking a huge 6th form where they have potentially hundreds to sort out, it's a small non selective independent where the whole year group is only 45 so to my mind they should be able to get the information to us quickly.

@Lightuptheroom I would be raising the roof if I were you. At an independent! - like you say maybe at a large 6th form college. My son is also at a small non selective independent and they’ve been great.

I really feel for you all. I hope you get some answers and a good outcome

DS does not have a university place. He was rejected by his firm and insurance choice on results day. He needed BBB for his insurance place but got BCD.

His CAGs are now ACC, but he was asked for a B in a subject he got a C in. He is going to sit this exam in October to up this grade.

For anyone who works at a university, should DS phone the department of his insurance place or the clearing hotline?

Just to add, his chosen course is still in clearing but with ABB, he got a reduced offer.

Thanks @Railingsohno, I'm well aware unfortunately that he's definitely a "last minuter' but I think it's really important that if the teacher assessed grades are way too low for any hope at his firm that ds knows now and can process that. The algorithm definitely took his grades down (given CCD on Thursday) but without the teachers supplying their grades I have no way of knowing by how much and whether his firm would still reconsider. His firm offer definitely had places prior to Thursday in clearing, so they may well be open to a dropped grade from their original offer, but without the right information it's impossible for my ds to discuss it with the firm choice

@MillicentMartha

That’s the downside of everyone getting their CAGs, it penalises those from less optimistic schools who tried to follow the guidance. Would he take the autumn ‘resits’ northender?

Will they still do the 'resits'? I had assumed the CAG announcement meant they wouldn't go ahead now...

@Skerryberry would get him to contact the head of admissions of his subject department as they have already seen his application. It might not make any difference but certainly worth a try

@Lightuptheroom are you getting hold of anyone at school? Do you have younger children there? Mad on your behalf.

Will they still do the 'resits'? I had assumed the CAG announcement meant they wouldn't go ahead now.

There will still be unhappy students...

Plus there are the external candidates who couldn't be predicted a grade, many of whom were resitting after disappointing results last year.

@Lightuptheroom. This is ridiculous, my ds is also at a smallish independent ( year 13 of 100) . Our CAGs were sent out on Friday morning although I understand that if you missed grades etc then you got them on Thursday .

It should be a matter of looking at the spreadsheet submitted and reading off the result , a 30 second job. There is nothing difficult about this unless they are trying to hide something.

I would email this morning and say that if you do not have the CAG by 12.00pm then you will be issuing a subject access request not just for his grades but for all information they hold. This is a massive pain for the school if they get one so should spur them on! I would copy to the chair of governors and also point out that the CAG is the property of your son and as such they have no right to refuse to pass it over.

We had phone calls from school yesterday. First one mid afternoon to see what dd2 had sorted. Second one to let her know her new grades would get her into Edinburgh if she wanted to contact them.

No other children, he's my only, thanks for the info on the subject request

@Lightuptheroom i agree with the subject access request. That is a massive headache for schools. Every email had to be gone through. I would also be tempted to put in how disappointed you are etc....... however maybe better to keep emotion out if it!

@Ellmau

Will they still do the 'resits'? I had assumed the CAG announcement meant they wouldn't go ahead now.

There will still be unhappy students...

Plus there are the external candidates who couldn't be predicted a grade, many of whom were resitting after disappointing results last year.

There are always unhappy students but there are no 'resits' as such, you just have to sit the exam the next summer.

I appreciate that there is a specific problem with independents and home educated. I don't know the answer but I can't imagine it's nationwide full-on A level exams. (During Covid pandemic with all the problems schools will be facing).

I hope they still have October exams. Young people have not had the opportunity to show what they can achieve. At least they can seal their university places and get on with having a gap year.

Have now heard back, they will look into it but she feels ds shouldn't get his hopes up and should realise he will excel at his insurance. I'm now very cross, they knew about the problem on Thursday and are only now saying they will speak to the firm about him

@Skerryberry

I hope they still have October exams. Young people have not had the opportunity to show what they can achieve. At least they can seal their university places and get on with having a gap year.

I agree that they should have the opportunity - I'm just not sure that it can work. How will the grading work when very few A* and A candidates sit? How will schools support pupils who have left? There are many questions and many difficulties and I have no faith at all in this government's or Ofqual's ability to sort it out and get it right.

@Lightuptheroom my experience is of a very large state FE college with thousands of learners. Every A level student received their CAGs on Saturday. Being told to be happy with his insurance? That isn't their decision to make.

I'm really impressed with DS's school. They included the CAGs on a sheet with his results on Thursday and they have emailed saying the school is open today and tomorrow if anyone wants to go in for help and support with their next step.

It's reassuring as DS2 is still there and who knows how much of a knock on this fiasco will have in the coming years.

@lightuptheroom They cant do this can they? They have to now release his CAG grades because those are now actually his official A level grades. Surely this isnt difficult to do?

DD has just receieved her new grades. Gone from B C D to BBC. So happy for her as this is definitely a more realistic expectation of what she would have achived and in line with all previous assessments etc.

As said above, uni place already thankfully confirmed anyway, but happy she feels better baout her grades too now.

Haven't I read that nearly 40% of grades awarded/CAG determined now are A*/A? I cannot see how they can really do the October exams too with the potential for further upgrades?

Also, very impressed with how dd school (state school sixth form) handled it all. They didn't release CAGs last week, but all students got a phonecall from sixth form team to talk through results and options and uni places etc on Thursday after results email. School then emailed last night saying they would release new grades (CAGs) today by email. Email received by dd at 9 am, with details of who to contact if you had questions/needed supprt etc
Additionally, even before yesterdays announcement they had announced they would be using CAGs for GCSE results to determine sixth from places.

I think they are coming from the angle of he probably missed his offer anyway and should be satisfied with his insurance, but that's not realky their call to make as who knows for sure that the firm wouldn't reconsider even if slightly below offer?