MOCK GCSEs

[Tiredemma]

DS1 has come home with a full bag of D's an E and a G.

Wont get into 6th Form with this (needs 2 As and 3 bs)

How can it be turned around? (can it?)

The teachers are still using A,B,C etc for ease. So DS got a 3 (D) in maths higher and a B equiliviant in foundation.

B=5

"No,it changed this year along with new exam grading. Foundation now goes to a B and higher paper has been made REALLY hard. It's all been a bit of a shock at just how hard the maths exam was."

Are you sure? I thought all the new GCSEs had number grades not letters.

Sorry- cross post. But 5 isn't really a B- more a high C.

Yes they are numbers. I've used the 'old money' equivalent.

images.slideplayer.com/27/8935043/slides/slide_3.jpg

For clarity

DS reckons that his teachers say most kids get 2 grades above their mock grades at GCSE. I think he is kidding himself if he thinks that will miraculously happen without any input from him

I think this is possible but WITH a lot of work. It seems to have been the case with friends' kids. The danger is kids won't work.

DS got a D in Maths for the higher but a B in foundation. Do they get to do all papers in mocks? Up here we have prelims but they only do one level :/

It's an academy if that makes any difference- they seem to have their own rules. But yes, they are doing mocks AGAIN in March and yes some of them did two papers higher and foundation so they have an idea what to put them in for the real thing.

They also had pre mocks too at least the kids are getting used to exams!

My DD's school give us teachers predicted grade and also one based on their SATs levels in Year 6. The later on higher and to be honest I think are too high.

What are his school doing to help and support them? All of ours are being given further maths, english, science and music mocks. DD also has to resit one of her biology papers in the hope she can learn from it. Also, there are after school sessions for three of her subjects (unfortunately the same night for her so she has to choose). They also have compulsory invention sessions where if they are two grades or more lower than the prediction based on SATs levels, they have to attend. My DD hit teachers prediction for maths but is two grades lower so has to go back.

We have prediction grades too and imo it makes the kids complacent and think they don't have to put the effort in.

it doesn't make the kids complacent, if they understand what predictions are, it is the grade they are most likely to get if they keep working.

School should be putting intervention for him in place immediately. If he is missing his predicted grades by so much then they need to find out why and what he needs to do to get better. Don't panic though as I've seen it happen, especially with boys. Mocks of Es magically turn into Bs - it's called revision and hard work.

Sorry all for not replying back so sooner- work has ben a bit mental this week.
Evident that DS1 did not really bother revising for the exams and then got a bit overwhelmed in them.
Now have a plan in place that involves lots of structure and attending lots of clinics at school in lunch breaks.

I'm a teacher and would never give harsh marks to shock. I use the published exam board boundaries. There is time to turn it around.