Grade changes end y10 to final GCSEs

[TeenAndTween]

DD1 is currently doing end y10 exams. She has prepared reasonably well for them and is generally hardish working, and academically Bs / Cs.

When she gets grades for these exams, should I be expecting these will be her final GCSE grades, or is there an expectation that more focus on question taking technique etc. in y11 should lead to a grade increase?

Does the expectation vary by subject?

It would be useful to know as we have separate 6th form colleges here and it may affect where she applies / what she applies to do.

It depends on the exams. If she sat a full mock GCSE then you would expect an increase of a grade or more by the end of Y11. If it was an exam based on Y10 work only then it's more likely to be what she would expect to get if she performed similarly next year, but on the full content, however she should ask individual teachers as this will vary.

She should get a report with predicted GCSE grades, which will be what the teacher thinks she will get next year, which you can use to inform college applications.

Expect some variance from the End of Year ten to the End of Year eleven, they will hone technique and are very likely to improve. Saying that, in some subjects, my DS was getting higher grades at the end of year ten than he got at the end of year eleven

My DC did well in Yr 10 all As & Bs even one A*. Achieved Bs &Cs in the Mocks and who knows in the final exams. DC worked really hard for all exams sometimes it is just how you feel on the day and the luck of the questions on the paper. If it help DC grades never matched the target grades provided by the school.(in either direction) Advise your DD just to do her best and be proud of herself what ever the end result.

Thanks. That's about a clear as mud then!

We do encourage DD to do her best and then be happy with the result.

It's just trying to work out 6th form options that's a pain, as she'll have to apply next term. I think a dual prong attack will be needed.