Medicine 2021 - Part 4

[MaddieElla]

Fingers crossed for those final offers coming in!

Hope no one minds me starting the new thread...

Both yr 11 and yr13 dc here have 'mocks' starting in May. It all definitely feels like real exams. School have also issued tracked grades by using an average of grades from the start of yr 10/yr12 respectively. The grades are down but school have reassured everyone that the average-tracking system won't be used for final grades. The tests sat in year 10 were only small class tests, no one knew then that everything would eventually become 'evidence/ data'. Ds is worried about getting the grades he needs to get to uni in Sept but I've just told him to do his best. I think school may be giving them their mock results which is surprising as I thought they'd be released in Aug.

Everything seems very fraught at the moment, a very weird and unpredictable end to an awful 2 years of schooling. There is so much uncertainty, so much panic, so much worry going on. I'm trying to hold it together for both dc and keep them calm. So many of their friends are not doing ok, and I'm just trying to look forward to the end of mocks because by then it'll all be done and dusted. Our school is very strict, no asking about grades, or trying to change them, or querying them. Both ds are worried about the tracked grades they've received but school keep saying these grades are 'worse case scenario' grades. But, who's to say they won't have a terrible worse case scenario day during exams? All I want is for yr 13 ds to get the grades for uni (all his tests from nov-april have been marked A, but using tests from Sept yr12 have brought down his average in one subject) and for yr 11 ds to do his best. For me it just seems unfair that scores from 2 years ago are being used to calculate averages when at that time no one thought any of them small marks would be used as part of a final mark.

Fingers crossed for everyone this year.

@Powergower

Both yr 11 and yr13 dc here have 'mocks' starting in May. It all definitely feels like real exams. School have also issued tracked grades by using an average of grades from the start of yr 10/yr12 respectively. The grades are down but school have reassured everyone that the average-tracking system won't be used for final grades. The tests sat in year 10 were only small class tests, no one knew then that everything would eventually become 'evidence/ data'. Ds is worried about getting the grades he needs to get to uni in Sept but I've just told him to do his best. I think school may be giving them their mock results which is surprising as I thought they'd be released in Aug.

Everything seems very fraught at the moment, a very weird and unpredictable end to an awful 2 years of schooling. There is so much uncertainty, so much panic, so much worry going on. I'm trying to hold it together for both dc and keep them calm. So many of their friends are not doing ok, and I'm just trying to look forward to the end of mocks because by then it'll all be done and dusted. Our school is very strict, no asking about grades, or trying to change them, or querying them. Both ds are worried about the tracked grades they've received but school keep saying these grades are 'worse case scenario' grades. But, who's to say they won't have a terrible worse case scenario day during exams? All I want is for yr 13 ds to get the grades for uni (all his tests from nov-april have been marked A, but using tests from Sept yr12 have brought down his average in one subject) and for yr 11 ds to do his best. For me it just seems unfair that scores from 2 years ago are being used to calculate averages when at that time no one thought any of them small marks would be used as part of a final mark.

Fingers crossed for everyone this year.

My DD had her 9 set of exams in middle of March and now having the mini mocks till may end. I agree the year 12 grades were not that great as they were still in the learning curve. When you say tracked grade, is it an average and overall performance of the two years? If the mocks go very well then you don't have to panic. My DDs school having mini results day with marks given out. Don't think they will give grades. Its all very confusing and I am feeling very edgy. Hope We can hold it together till August.

Why on earth are they using data from last year 🤯. Should be as up to date as possible - we are not using anything before December. That seems so harsh. Not sure (will need to check) but could be a reason to appeal if grade not as expected. I'll have a look in morning.
This is the trouble with Williamson washing his hands of it all - everyone is trying to do their best but in v different ways. 🤞🤞 it will all be ok.

@mumsneedwine

Why on earth are they using data from last year 🤯. Should be as up to date as possible - we are not using anything before December. That seems so harsh. Not sure (will need to check) but could be a reason to appeal if grade not as expected. I'll have a look in morning. This is the trouble with Williamson washing his hands of it all - everyone is trying to do their best but in v different ways. 🤞🤞 it will all be ok.

yes School is definitely going to look at last year's data, which is worrying. Please could you check how much importance will be given to mini exams? This is so confusing.

@ljmutti unfortunately that is down to individual schools. Everyone will give the data different importance. It's stupid but no guidance was given (except I'm sure there was something about using most recent data - I'll check).

Here's the guidance if you want to read it

www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021#assessment-evidence

This is the bit I'm referring to. Most recent data most useful.

@mumsneedwine

Here's the guidance if you want to read it

www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021#assessment-evidence

This is the bit I'm referring to. Most recent data most useful.

Thank you so much. I feel it’s a prolonged and ongoing assessment period that is the worrying thing. Very scared of burn out. Will have a good look at the doc. Enjoy your evening. Already dreaming about seaside and lazy days. Running away in my head. I have got another dc. Give me the strength!!!

@ljmutti there is a reason for my username 🍷

DD is super stressed at the moment because of all the assessments. She had a Chemistry one last week which didn't go according to plan and is now thinking that an A grade is beyond her.

What is adding to her upset is the inequality of how each school are assessing their pupils. Her Chem assessments can be any combination of questions from papers ranging back from 2002. Other schools have told the pupils which papers they're using and the papers and mark schemes are available to download online. I am so cross about this inequality - an A grade from one school will not be equivalent to an A grade from somewhere else, grrr!

Keeping everything crossed for all our DC, and bucket loads of emotional strength to us as we support them over the next few weeks.

@Card1gan

Imagine how upset pupils are in groups for a certain subject at the same 6th form but taught by different teachers, when finding out that one group's teacher will mark and return their attempts at published questions forming part of the question base for timed assessments but the other group's teacher won't. Inequality of support within the same school !

@SATSmadness If that is genuinely happening within a school then the school surely should be investigating. Have the SLT been made aware of the indiscrepancy?

This whole system is open to so much abuse, it really isn't fair on our DC who are doing their absolute best to follow their dreams. Grrrr.....

I just cannot believe that anyone thought this was the best way to form grades this year. Every. Single. School should be following the same procedure. Yet what you're describing is happening all over, including in our town. DDs grammar is using their own assessments and only really telling them what topics WON'T be on the paper (leaving a lot that lote tially will be) and the other schools in town (boys grammar and comp) are using the issued assessments and everyone has sight of every single question in the bank.

DD did well in chemistry and biology mocks and unless something goes terribly in 2 weeks time she should have those in the bag. Physics though may be an issue as she got a B in her mock. 😫

We can only hope that the next (final) set of assessments go well.

*potentially

Not sure anyone thinks it's a good idea. But DfE didn't have any ideas at all and shoved it at schools with v little notice. So everyone is trying their best to make it work in their own way. It's ridiculous. But hopefully it will all work out ok.

biology went a bit meh....three more papers to go in biology.
did very well in mocks, so lets see. I can barely keep my eyes open and my poor heart cannot pump any more faster , so worn out already

I’ve been looking at stethoscopes for DDs birthday. I have read that Unis sometimes give offers for these but I’m not sure it’ll be in time for her birthday.

However, there are 4729482848824 different kinds. Is it the classic? cardiology? Please help. Which one do students go for?

@MaddieElla

I’ve been looking at stethoscopes for DDs birthday. I have read that Unis sometimes give offers for these but I’m not sure it’ll be in time for her birthday.

However, there are 4729482848824 different kinds. Is it the classic? cardiology? Please help. Which one do students go for?

got one from amazon for three pounds, it does its job

@Card1gan

TBH there are bigger issues than that with the school and frankly I've gone beyond expecting anything from them in response to issues raised.

@MaddieElla
DD got a Littmann Classic (pink!!) and was given reasonable discount voucher during freshers. Cardiology stethoscope not necessary yet. Make sure you get it engraved with name/initials and mobile number as they get left lying around and all look very similar!

@MaddieElla

Over on the thread for parents of DC with Oxbridge offers, someone posted that a tutor had been in touch asking their dc asking them to make certain option choices in respect of the course they had an offer for.

Either they anticipate that no school would be harsh enough to award grades below those required to meet the offer regardless of performance (so if you've got an offer you're in).
or
They intend to take the offer holders regardless of whether they fully achieve the offer grades or not. Oxbridge don't do clearing so can't pick up extra students that way and this year they've made far less offers due to the situation they found themselves in last year.

I can't help thinking that the above 2 scenarios will be applicable to Medicine/Veterinary/Dentistry courses too, assuming that the ratio of offers made to places available is similarly low this year for obvious reasons.

Inconsistency rules in our town too. DD's school is using the board issued papers, but I've heard of some schools telling their students which past paper they will be using. I've no real concerns that dd won't make her grades, but there is going to be a huge amount of kids delighted with the results they would never have received any other year. This is worse than last year and comes after a very fraught application process.

@MaddieElla most have the Litmun 2. It works both sides (for peads) and can be turned on and off. DD got a voucher when arrived at Uni. I'd wait as she'll want it engraved - they get lost - and also they come in so many colours. Raspberry is v popular

My DD has said that she thinks she needs an IPad for Uni as that is what students write on rather than notebooks. She has also said that it needs to be one of the newest models - can't remember the name but it costs around £750. She is hoping to go to Liverpool and apparently on a group chat they are all talking about getting them. Can anyone advise me on if these are what they use now, rather than laptops? I don't mind buying one if she really needs it but it's a lot of money for a nice to have! Thanks

@redtulip12 😂😂 love it. Mine turned up with a 5 year old chrome book and managed fine. She said a lot do have MacBooks but everyone has a laptop of some variety. They need a keyboard but I believe some like to write on lecture notes too - you can buy a pad to electronic all write on for £50.
However there are a lot of rich students who have state of the art everything 😊

PS mine at Notts but sure it's the same, Uni will send details on anything you need. And DD also for all her jabs when she arrived not before. She was a pin cushion for a few weeks but was all free.