Page 6 | How were your DC's year 12 mocks?

lifeturnsonadime · 2023-06-30T21:46:13+00:00

What grades did they get and what will their predicted A Levels be? Do those match their planned universities?

Sycamorethanever · 18/07/2023 13:04

Sycamorethanever · 18/07/2023 12:38

Yes I deliberately covered that:
”Its all fine if you are going for an undersubscribed subject at a not popular uni or having a gap year and applying with grades in hand. Many aren’t. “

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And should we really be accepting that it’s ok for students to have shitty predicted grades because they can apply next year with grades in hand? I know my DD definitely doesn’t want to be left behind for the year.

Sycamorethanever · 18/07/2023 13:09

LaDeeDa123 · 18/07/2023 12:46

@Sycamorethanever schools give predicted grades in good faith and it’s not a precise art. I’m not sure what else they could do except advise a student to take a year out and reapply the following year.

Sadly not all schools are equal in their predictions. Some schools set great store in giving low TAGs and predictions.

Sycamorethanever · 18/07/2023 13:21

redskytwonight · 18/07/2023 12:46

There is a wide range between "undersubscribed" and "so competitive".

I think you're talking about scenarios where a course (say) typically makes offers of AAA but you need predictions of A star A star A star to actually get an offer. Then students at schools that make high predictions are advantaged over ones that don't.

There's still nothing to stop a student taking an (previously unplanned) gap year if they have their heart set on a very competitive course. Or simply settling for a less competitive but still very good university (one that takes students with say A star A A). Unfortunately the nature of very competitive courses is that some very able children don't get places there.

I did think universities had got wise to schools overpredicting and some of the "state school children are prioritised over private school children" rhetoric is fall out from private schools typically being more open to making those higher offers and an attempt to balance the books.

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And why should they “settle” for a lesser course/uni just bc the school doesn’t over predict like others schools do? So unfair.

Notagardener · 18/07/2023 17:58

But if you overpredict A star instead of A, in the hope that you are more likely to get into a course needing A, dont you think students will then apply for courses wanting A star.
Their insurance maybe a course wanting A.
Student gets B, and ends up in clearing. As mentioned before, DC school overpredicted and majority of the boys ended up in clearing

LaDeeDa123 · 18/07/2023 18:22

Really @Sycamorethanever? why would they do that?

Sycamorethanever · 18/07/2023 18:35

LaDeeDa123 · 18/07/2023 18:22

Really @Sycamorethanever? why would they do that?

I couldn’t possibly imagine 😂

lastdayatschool · 18/07/2023 18:59

Ofqual/UCAS published this letter for students today: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-letter-to-students-from-ofqual-and-ucas/a-letter-to-students-from-ofqual-and-ucas

One pertinent statement in it related to the recent posts in this thread:

If you don’t get your predicted grades, don’t worry, this happens very often. In 2019 only 21% of accepted applicants achieved or exceeded their predicted grades.

anonanon22 · 18/07/2023 20:10

Notagardener · 18/07/2023 17:58

But if you overpredict A star instead of A, in the hope that you are more likely to get into a course needing A, dont you think students will then apply for courses wanting A star.
Their insurance maybe a course wanting A.
Student gets B, and ends up in clearing. As mentioned before, DC school overpredicted and majority of the boys ended up in clearing

But, as long as they know the ropes in so far as the overprediction is concerned, as long as they have one or two bullet proof 'bankers' surely they wouldn't need to go through clearing?

Notagardener · 18/07/2023 20:49

Anonanon , yes but you then have to choose from your offers just two; first and insurance choice. I can imagine many will choose the eg Astar course as first choice and A course as insurance (if both have been offered).

Maybe they should have chosen the A star course and the B course for insurance....or ?

PettsWoodParadise · 18/07/2023 21:07

I think it is quite interesting to consider precision of offers. DD predicted three A stars and A star in EPQ. One university asks for A star and A A but doesn’t specify which subject A star has to be in. This non-spec of which subject for the A star is hugely more flexible than another Uni (lower tier,,ever so slightly) who specified DD get A star in one subject and then As in other subjects.

LaDeeDa123 · 18/07/2023 22:05

@Sycamorethanever I can’t imagine any school or sixth form thinking it’s ok to do that. You must have a very different experience to me.

BringOn2021 · 03/08/2023 09:39

Nottingham have also lowered their grade in clearing. Standard A*AA, clearing ABB. This was for physics

Nextlifestage · 03/08/2023 10:33

Our school does predicted grades and likely grades.
So one of my children did a language and was told their likely grade is an A but that, on a perfect day with the wind behind them, they were capable of an A star. So that's their predicted grade. This is based on all test results being in the top quarter/third of an A grade but very few tipping over into a A star. We (and DC) worked on the assumption that an A was the most likely and therefore a B is not completely unlikely on a bad day.
Likely grades are made clear to the students (and parents) every term based on current performance whereas predicted grades are only given at the start of September.
I like the system. They seem pretty accurate and don't over-predict significantly.

flotsomandjetsome · 03/08/2023 10:33

In all honestly DS yr 12 mocks were a 'shit show' his words!

They were in Jan, school hadn't finished teaching the syllabus, exams were the week before and after the Cambridge results, and he could barely bloody function with the stress of it all.

BUT... actual exams, we're all good. Happy with revision, felt relaxed and prepared (had been doing 2 practice papers a day for weeks over all 4 subjects) and thinks he'll hit his predicted grades - which is more than enough for his firm offer.

So, don't panic if mocks don't go to plan. It's a practice run and there is much that students can learn from them in terms of what works and what doesn't.

flotsomandjetsome · 03/08/2023 10:34

Edit... yr 13 mock's obviously 😬