Scottish Exam Results 2020

[Lidlfix]

After hearing DD3's deep sigh and worried voice observe "this time in four weeks..." I feel it's acceptable to begin the 2020 thread.

Over the years Scotsnet regulars and visitors have given great support, advice and even (tales of blissfully unaware snoring DC) light hearted relief to each other over the years.

This year has been particularly fearful for us and our DC and I know how much I have appreciated results threads in previous years. As there are plenty of threads with political discussions and chances for posters to express concerns about what politicians/councils/ schools/ teachers are or aren't doing, can I gently ask that we keep this to topic?

I have DD3 waiting on 1 AH and 2 Highers for a conditional offer and DD4 waiting on 5 Highers - results depending she'd like to apply for Law for the end of S6.

Expecting.....

My DD appears to have been downgraded in her Nat 5's. But potentially that is the grade that was put in for her by her teachers. She is not an 'A' grade student and does have to work very hard to keep up but she was on course to pass 7 National 5's.

She received 3 no awards and a D for 4 subjects she should have received C's and B's for. However nothing was flagged up by the teachers that she wasn't performing and wouldn't pass, in fact they were very confident in February parents evening.

Reading now that appeals appear to be very difficult to change grades it looks like no change for her and she won't be able to sit 5 highers this year.

The one appeal i would hope went ahead is Maths however I don't know what extra evidence could actually be sent. Zero maths has been done since March.

Can I ask any teachers what evidence was collected to conclude a predicted mark especially for Maths. I ask as my DD has peers who like her failed the prelim ( which was back in November) however achieved A's and B's in their awarded grade. I presumed there was a strict criteria teachers went with however there does appear to be differences between some of the maths class scores. Her friend who consistently struggled in Maths and scored lower every time than my DD was awarded a B! Naturally she is delighted as assumed she would fail.

Did the SQA look at previous nat 5 results when awarding higher ones? I have a DS going into S5 and I am concerned that because he didn't do as well as he hoped in one nat 5 subject that he can not hope to do better in higher if the exams are cancelled again.

Looked at the methodology. For the centre level moderation, no adjustment for the prior attainment of 2020 cohort compared to previous years just a blanket allowance for variability for all centres with prior data (centres with no prior data for subject/level were not moderated and got teachers estimates). No additional variability allowances for small centre/subject combinations. Centres whose 2020 estimated grades were above average 4 year grades could be additionally penalized in the moderation model to ensure the national distribution wasn't too inflated (looks like the more you went over the greater the chance of additional moderation). It would be interesting to see an investigation of the centres selected for additional moderation and centres who had most moderation overall. At the centre level all students in a band moved if not enough awards to go around at this band rather than just moving the lowest ranking students in the band (increasing waterfall effect).

Difficult job trying to give individuals the correct grade and ensure limited grade inflation. Shame there was no time to release results to schools first to allow dialogue/further adjustment.

Thanks. That is encouraging. We have a tutor for him in that subject so hope he can do better this year. I know he was disappointed with the grade.

Grovee I wonder if your family member is an acquaintance of mine. Posted on twitter about the only people to sue would be the school. [smile}

@sainsburyshopper

Grovee I wonder if your family member is an acquaintance of mine. Posted on twitter about the only people to sue would be the school. [smile}

If it is the same person who said COVID has been allowed to mistreat (their fav word) pupils then it must be 🙈

Grovee No, not them then, but someone else who said the only option was to sue the school

cocopops ( I had a bowl of you this morning for the first time in about 10 years- delicious!)

I imagine after this year's nightmare they'll move hell and high water to have exams next year, although if we are locked down again they may have no choice.

@sainsburyshopper It's not clear who they wish to sue. Nose is very out of joint.

What happens to a university 'conditional offer' when someone appeals their Higher grades? Is there time to get regraded and take up the place? Or is the offer already gone.

DD4 downgraded in 2 of her Highers not sure what the school's estimation was as they are one that has been severely impacted in by downgrading and are trying to plough their way through the huge volume of pupils impacted on.

Bowler School should put in a priority appeal by 14 August and you will get the outcome by 04 September (although I wonder if this will be changed because of the numbers of appeals). Some unis will hold your 2020 space to a certain date (Edinburgh is 31August) but will automatically offer you a 2021 space if successful appeal comes after this date.

according to twitter, Labour are calling for JS to go.

Also there seems to have been a 'leak' about it taking 9 months to sort out this year's mess and prepare for next year.

I said to someone yesterday that I thought JS would be thrown under the bus over this current shambles. Rightly so, in my opinion. Education needs to have someone inspiring in charge, and he doesn't do that

I thought John Swinney was in hot water anyway; some report on education that SG were reluctant to publish.

She said judge me on education, well we have and somehow I think that someone else will get chucked under the bus for it. Not that he shouldn't go anyway.

Hi Wax. I'm going to google as my memory is bad, I'm sure there was something recently on this.

Found what I was thinking of. Postponement of a review.

Link to BBC article

link

To be honest there is something coming out the woodwork every day but no-one really holding anyone to account.

I obviously appreciate that there is a pandemic and no-one had a crystal ball and that there will always be things that we look back at with the benefit of hindsight and think a different choice should have been taken, but there have been some every poor decisions here - and I'm going to stay on topic here and think there is so much about this exam debacle that could have been avoided.

There has definitely been an arrogance about it. That they just send out results based on their own bias and that they could just wait to see who complained and then deal with that. They could have put in some levels of checking, they could have even done some random testing to get a feel for whether they felt predictions were accurate. I think another reason that the results would be higher is that teachers don't factor in for the fear factor/exam day nerves etc. I can't see them thinking well, William has been working at an A and I have evidence to prove it however I know he gets nervous and will brick it on the day so I'll put forward a C.

Aye funny that it's now after the election. We should also delay the election due to CV as well.

Aye, I'm in Aberdeen, and although she's been making out since Wednesday that she hates all of us, secretly she loves us because we've provided three days of distraction from the education shitstorm

DS2 due back up to Aberdeen in a few weeks Tomorrow. Hope you are all fairing well up there :)

Ach, fine. Just had 4 months wasted because some establishments couldnt follow the guidelines. I know there were people involved as much, but a very few establishments behaved appallingly

@Tomorrowisanewday

Ach, fine. Just had 4 months wasted because some establishments couldnt follow the guidelines. I know there were people involved as much, but a very few establishments behaved appallingly

It's just awful, and I'm pretty confident the other big cities will be the same, right about now. Just hope there's no one with covid in the pubs tonight.