Controlled Assessments??/Predicted Grades

[louisea]

Am I correct in understanding that students aren't given the results of their controlled assessments? If that is the case, how on earth are they supposed to know how well (or not) they've done and what mark they are likely to achieve at the end of a course. In this case I'm thinking of English as the DTs are sitting this assessment next week.

When does a school tell the students what their predicted GCSE grades are? We were told at the beginning of the year that they kids would be given the grades but not to put too much store in the grades as they aren't always that accurate.

So, I have two boys sitting an assessment next week with no idea so far how their teacher feels they are going to do and with the knowledge that they won't know how well they've done at the end of it. Nothing like keeping them on tenterhooks.

I don't think there is anything stopping a school giving a child their controlled assessment results, are you sure that's the case? It may be an individual school decision because with all the messing around with grade boundaries in recent years the results won't be that informative.

You should get subject target grades with each report, so probably before Christmas. They are not set in stone and of course it is actually impossible to predict the future. Y11 is a long way off, so take them with a pinch of salt.

The school don't know the grade boundaries. Our school tell the DCs you got x out of 40 which is possibly a B depending on the grade boundaries. In music they now only give them a score and not possible grade. The DCs can look up previous boundaries and take a guess on possible grade.

I'm not even sure that they are given a score. I'll have to check with the school. It seems a little unfair that they put so much effort in to a piece of work and not find out a result until they have finished the course.

I'll ask for clarification from the school.

They've had quite a few tests in other subjects and have been given both scores in % and letter grades. These have been internal tests so of course the grades don't mean an awful lot. I'm usually more interested in the % marks though the kids like to know both as the lettered grades are what matter to them at the end of the course.

I can mark the assessments out of 40 but I always tell my students that these marks are not set in stone as the moderator can mark down and the grade boundaries change every year.

I am normally within range and don't often have my marks changed, but on occasion you can have a rogue moderator whom can take issue with any element and therefore the entire cohort is marked down

Thanks Cricket. Do you give your students the marks? I'm overly obsessing about the English because my boys have struggled over the last couple of years due to poor teaching and we are trying to do our best to ensure that they get that required C.

If it's year 11, they should have predicted grades by Dec/Jan as they are needed for 6th form applications.

We found last year, teachers were being cautious, mainly giving marks for CAs and saying what grade they thought it likely to be.

ds has had some CA marks as figures but they are still subject to external moderation and then the grade boundaries.

My DC's school no longer give an indication of grade boundaries for English, and give a band rather than an actual mark. So they may say that they expect a piece of work to achieve 60-70%, rather than say it is a 65.

It is a shame for the DC not to have certainly, but at least it doesn't build false hopes.

I'm not looking for exact predictions from their teacher. I'm just hoping that she gives them some sort of indication as to how they have done. They could do incredibly well this time, terribly next time or vice versa or a whole host of other combinations. One of them is a bit demoralised at the moment as he feels that he doesn't really know what is going on. The other is more confident. They are both in the same class but view their teacher in different ways.

Thanks everyone.

There is no reason why the teacher can't give an indicative grade. Although the boundaries change and work can be moderated down (or up) as lon as the students understand this I don't see any reason why the teacher cannot give them a ball park grade.

DD got her results yesterday.

Girls were given a mark out of 40 and a grade, along with an observation that there might be some movement in the long run.

And yes, OP, it was highly helpful for the girls to know they were on the right (or wrong) track .

Ds in year 10 has already had 1 CA & received a mark & grade. It was good he did as his attitude to it was very cavalier si when he git his mark (not as good as expected) it brought him up sharp!

Also, I don't know how other schools do it, but DD has a second CA coming up before xmas, so feedback on the first was invaluable.