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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Another Path to Greatness - Part II

999 replies

BigWoollyJumpers · 11/02/2021 12:52

Here we are.

OP posts:
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9
DahliaMacNamara · 24/02/2021 21:08

POLAR is a very rough tool for doling out contextual grades, and is bound to disadvantage some whilst favouring others it's not intended to help. ACORN is a much more precise way of determining at least the likely economic status of applicants.

Chilldonaldchill · 25/02/2021 08:25

Looking at the list of Bristol schools was interesting. I know quite a few of my local schools and assumed that maybe four or five would be on their list but only one was. It's definitely the lowest achieving school of the ones I thought though so that's reassuring. My impression would be different from those above (about schools not POLAR which I agree seems a very blunt tool when I tried it earlier based on some of our most deprived local estates) as it would seem that the school achievement has to be very low to be on the list.

WarmAndco3y · 25/02/2021 08:26

Just seen in the news, this sumner exams are to be voluntary. Really ??? Can these kids be messed about any more?

SATSmadness · 25/02/2021 08:35

So, it's official.

It's all down to the teachers instead of formal rigorous independent assessment this year.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-56157413

Now I guess Y13s are just waiting to see if the grades teachers have predicted previously will be the actual grades awarded. DD's asked me if she can appeal if they're not. She's adamant that it's just a waiting game now for her following a catch up/discussion session with many of the medicine applicant cohort and a UCAS adviser from school The underlying message, apart from "no news is good news at the moment". seems to have been "bear in mind the value of an offer, any offer, compared to the uncertainty of potentially going through the process again next year" but "don't forget that applying for medicine is often considered a 2 year process".

The main problem that I can foresee is that 2020's level of grade inflation and presumably the same again this year will have totally devalued the currency of an A*.

If exams go ahead as normal in 2022, will a teacher assessed A* in hand from 2021 potentially be seen as worth no more than a predicted A if pupils want to re-apply through UCAS in 2022 ?

Whatever happens, I'm hoping that they keep the Y13s focussed on completing the syllabus to a good standard so as not to be setting off to Uni in the autumn with holes in their "knowledge bank", (although not relevant for some students' degree courses) but presumably there might be a conflict between how early grades are announced to allow for appeals if permitted and how late they are announced to keep pupils studying. It was seen that having the 2020 Y13s down tools with no need for further learning from a very early stage in the pandemic wasn't the best idea for everyone's mental health coupled with them being in lockdown for a long period too.

chopc · 25/02/2021 08:37

I know @WarmAndco3y . My mood which was lifted slightly after Monday's path to freedom was announced has gone right back down.

Would I be alone in thinking this would have been the best year to hold an Oxbridge offer? Even more gutted for DS that he didn't make the cut.

SATSmadness · 25/02/2021 08:37

Oops, that was intended for the medicine thread, although I guess it's probably still relevant..

SATSmadness · 25/02/2021 08:38

yes, @chopc. Conversations initiated by DD show this is exactly what she is thinking !

chopc · 25/02/2021 08:57

If results are to be released on 9th or 10th Aug, when do Universities have to confirm places by?

WarmAndco3y · 25/02/2021 09:19

@chopc, I know, right!!! It’s mentally and emotionally exhausting

WarmAndco3y · 25/02/2021 09:25

@chopc

Congratulations *@WarmAndco3y* to your DS. Perhaps he will be the second DC in the group to firm and insure. What do you think he would do?

Echo your feelings about a gap year. I think if this is what's decided, it shouldn't be with the sole purpose of an Oxbridge place. The disappointment of a second rejection would be too much to bear ........

He is thinking of firming Durham and KCL as insurance, (it was going to be either KCL or St. Andrews), because of the specifics of his conditions. Even though they all gave same points as conditions. Some have specified certain points in different subjects. Agreed Re gap year.
WarmAndco3y · 25/02/2021 09:28

@quest1on

Congratulations WarmAndco3y. Can I ask what was the statement from C? Are unis suggesting remote learning will go on into September?

Why would this be if the plan is to have all adults vaccinated by the end of July?

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I meant in terms of the places not being guaranteed for those offered places in Cambridge this year, even if they make their condition grades, and possibility of deferring to next year. As well as people reapplying next year, with good grades in hand
WarmAndco3y · 25/02/2021 09:30

@Revengeofthepangolins

Great news *@WarmAndco3y* in completing his offer selection. I didn’t know that St Andrew’s was up and running yet - has anyone’s child heard on history yet?
Yes, we know a few who have heard now.
WarmAndco3y · 25/02/2021 09:31

@chopc

If results are to be released on 9th or 10th Aug, when do Universities have to confirm places by?
Who knows? It will be another pleasant surprise for our DC!!!
SeasonFinale · 25/02/2021 12:21

My understanding is that it will be the same as any other year and that the unis will get the results prior to A level results on 10 August and that conditions for offers need to be met by 31 August. (That is why results are early to allow time for appeals prior to 31 August). Remember too that the "leak" refers to appeals being able to go down this year as well as up.

chopc · 25/02/2021 12:41

@SeasonFinale - are you able to explain how this works? Students who gets their offered grades will have their places confirmed on 10th August. Those who don't get the grades will appeal - but their university places may no longer be available? Or if a student gets the grades on appeal will the university honour their offer? I think not from my understanding........

So what's the point of the appeal? You might risk losing your insurance place as well?

ifinditkindafunny · 25/02/2021 13:02

I am expecting DDs school to be very open about the grades and that she will be 99% sure of what she is getting before results day. Frankly I will be very cross if we get to 10th August and it's a shock. Given this isn't being decided by an exam, the school will know well in advance of what pupils will be awarded.

With DDs school there will be no point in an appeal and I hope they will be closely managing this whole process.

Applepieco · 25/02/2021 13:12

DS has mocks timetabled week after Easter, it is when yr13’s traditionally do them at his school. They have been told to ‘approach them as if they were your A level exams’

mikeandike · 25/02/2021 13:21

Anyone else’s DC still on hold for Bristol? Getting rather worried now as every other Bristol applicant from DD’s school now has an offer. Exams still going ahead here for DD who feels very demotivated now as she feels unis will not be as lenient with students taking the IB should they miss their offers.

Olympicfan · 25/02/2021 14:04

There does not seem to be any mention of the students having a 'chat' with their teachers to establish realistic expectations before grades are submitted, which had been talked about previously.

I can see hyper grade inflation as all staff will want to give best case scenario grades. Is there any external moderation/standardisation?

chopc · 25/02/2021 15:10

@mikeandike I think the students who actually do the exams should be treated more leniently!

@Olympicfan that wasn't clear. Apparently randomly selected bits can be moderated

I just feel like what SATS said that this years grades will be worth even less than the CAG's of last year. Not really a concern in the grand scheme of things but I am sure the DC's on this thread would like to have a sense of actually achieving those grades.

And being one for justice- I worry about the inconsistencies between the schools

ifinditkindafunny · 25/02/2021 17:32

The problem with 'A' levels is that, for most, the grades will dictate if they will get their preferred offer of uni. What I can't understand is how most uni courses seem to be at least AAA with some at AAB, not everyone can get an A so where do the rest go?

I can't stop thinking about how this is going to pan out. DD is getting stressed, she has mocks this week and next (no half term at her school just revision) and a never ending amount of tests. I suppose schools may have the option to make borderline cases do the tests to prove themselves.

I agree with chopc inconsistencies between schools will be a problem and given the number of students there is no way that there will be enough resource to check all schools. Besides surely if they find a school has been over generous or not accurate then what will they do - ask to see all students work?!

SeasonFinale · 25/02/2021 20:18

@ifinditkindafunny

The problem with 'A' levels is that, for most, the grades will dictate if they will get their preferred offer of uni. What I can't understand is how most uni courses seem to be at least AAA with some at AAB, not everyone can get an A so where do the rest go?

I can't stop thinking about how this is going to pan out. DD is getting stressed, she has mocks this week and next (no half term at her school just revision) and a never ending amount of tests. I suppose schools may have the option to make borderline cases do the tests to prove themselves.

I agree with chopc inconsistencies between schools will be a problem and given the number of students there is no way that there will be enough resource to check all schools. Besides surely if they find a school has been over generous or not accurate then what will they do - ask to see all students work?!

Paragraph 1 - there are plenty of other unis that have courses with lower grade offers. If you use the whatuni search you can find unis at all sorts of levels below AAA offering most courses. On this thread supporting those who did not get Oxbridge offers most will be achieving grades that do access an AAA or even an A*AA offer.

Paragraph 2 - the tests are used to give an idication of how a student might perform but won't be the only thing they use to feed her grades. Just make sure she is on top of work set and handing in good quality pieces of work as she continues through the year.

Paragarpah 3 - There will be some external moderation done. They select a number of pieces of work to establish whether they are being marked in accordance with grade boundaries and if there is an issue they will investigate. They will not do a complete remark of all the work. If there are no issues during the external moderarion, then the grades will stand.

I do hope schools will use the mini assessments that they can. there will be mark schemes available for these and this would indeed provide some form of consistency across different schools. Part of the internal assessment is to check whether they are too harsh or too lenient compared with prior years so again there is some form of check as to whether schools are chancing their arm!

ifinditkindafunny · 25/02/2021 21:06

Thanks Season. My point about the grades is that (and hope I don't offend anyone saying this) to get into a top uni the grades are very high and competition is fierce. Even those that are redirected still need to get top grades. At DDs school they are all applying for these unis (DD needs 3 x A) so all need top grades so there is competition within the whole year group for these grades. Anyway she is working her socks off, doing all the right things and that's all she can do.

chopc · 25/02/2021 22:31

Hope you are right season and schools do use the resources available to them. However DS teachers told him that the guidance last year was vague and they expect the same. Plus using questions / papers set by the exam boards is optional. I felt GW basically said it is pretty much up to each school to determine their grade allocation methods.

Having glanced at student room I think it is mainly hard working high achieving students who wants to sit exams. Others will be less bothered they are cancelled. It is these students I feel for as yes they will still get good grades but what does it mean compared to the whole country?

chopc · 26/02/2021 06:09

Exams go from control freakery to freewheeling
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-56196295

This article reflects my feelings almost exactly