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Secondary education

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Original poster

English GCSE remark : expert objective advice needed!!

602 replies

Piggywaspushed · 28/08/2017 19:56

Ok, I have been batting this round on a few threads and need to preface this by saying I am an English teacher... but it isn't helping me at all!

DS got a 5 in Lang and a 6 In Lit. Both below (rather generous ) target grades of 7.
We d found out he was 5 UMS marks into 5 in Lang and therefore needs 8 marks (I think) to get a 6. Not normal remark territory and I'd be terrified of him being downgraded.

However, I have now found out his breakdown and it is bizarre:

Language paper 1

1.4/4
2.4/8
3.3/8
4.12/20
5.8/24 + 6/16

Language paper 2

1.4/4
2.5/8
3.5/12
4.6/16
5.18/24 + 11/16 (this is amazing compared to paper 1!)

The last wording is not mine but the HOD.

The discrepancy between P1 and P2 is marked and the section Bs are the real oddity given that they aren't very different tasks. I have checked and he did paragraph. You also need to know his spelling is highly proficient. He has that teenage predilection for commas and probably didn't use much punctuation other than full stops and commas. His handwriting is hard to read sometimes but he does tend to write quite lengthy answers and was (before the exams) quite confident in jumping through the hoops of each question.

I would be interested to hear from fellow English teachers who have no emotional investment in this what they might advise? I'd like Paper 1 looked at - but once seen it can't be remarked.

I know a 5 is 'good enough' but he is a better student than that. In one of his lit papers he missed an 8 by one mark!

Any thoughts gratefully received.

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 12:54

An d, indeed, all the stats will be drawn up again in a few years ' time once all these 'reforms' at both A level and GCSE have bedded in.

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 12:56

Off to start another thread to establish the actual difference between the two!

OP posts:
Teddygirlonce · 30/08/2017 14:02

Just like the success attributed to some children (and their schools/ parents) really masks the amount of private tuition that goes on in some circles!!

@Piggywaspushed, when DS's sixth form place was dangling by a thread, I did comment to his HT that our son had achieved his grades on his own (relative) merit, without helicopter parenting or any additional tuition. That has to count for something, surely?

Cafeconleche · 30/08/2017 14:32

Good grief piggy - it never ends does it!

yogabec67 · 30/08/2017 15:12

Hello, First-time post so please be kind.

DS very upset at his English Language and Literature AQA results - he scored 5 Language and 6 Literature. His College won't let him do English A Level because of his scores and he is left totally disheartened. Cannot get hold of breakdown of scores to see if any probable discrepancy at the moment. This was his overall lowest score in his GCSE's when he was predicted 8's and was the only person to get a 9 in his Language mock?? I was prepared for a drop between the predicted grades, but he said both exams went really well? Life has been turned upside down for us at the moment and plenty of tears... Any advice much appreciated :)

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 15:17

I am gobsmacked by all these colleges and sixth forms that are setting the bar so high for A Level study. What are children with 5s and Cs and Bs supposed t do with themselves?? They fall in the twilight zone!

Our DSs got the same results yoga although yours sound more of a crushing blow than mine. Get the breakdown as soon as you can and get a remark as soon as you can! If his grades go up, they'll have to let him do the course (although this experience may have put him off, poor thing)

English Lit A Level is perfectly doable on a 6, especially an undeserved one.

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tiggytape · 30/08/2017 15:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

yogabec67 · 30/08/2017 15:44

Thanks Piggy and Tiggy - all very helpful comments. They require 7's in both for him to do English Literature A Level and won't budge even though they know what his previous performance is like. Have tried contacting Exam Officer to get breakdown but not in today. Previously spoke to her last week about remarking, but still a bit 'in shock' at the time and didn't ask for breakdown. DS only has one A level choice as he is doing this alongside a Higher Level Diploma in Performing Arts at specialist college. Really hoping that breakdown in marks sheds some light on this for us.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 15:49

I sure hope this is a grammar school or independent :if not, those entry criteria are ridiculous especially given this has been the first year of a new (tougher) qualification.

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yogabec67 · 30/08/2017 16:05

Piggy it's just an Academy school, even spoke with the Director of English and its a 'no go'!! Not sure why they're criteria so high, especially with new exams like you say. Hoping for this breakdown in marks sooner rather than later as he really doesn't think he went 'wrong'! It was awful watching his friends opening theirs and seeing their two 9's for English - they were literally gobsmacked on his behalf [schock]

yogabec67 · 30/08/2017 16:06

*at his results

Cafeconleche · 30/08/2017 16:14

Flowers and Wine for you yoga - am in similar situation with my DS - although 6 in language and 5 in literature, when Lit was by far his stronger subject (high mocks in both though) and he was really, really happy with the AQA Lit papers. Am also awaiting the breakdown of the raw marks from the Exam Officer (I've been told this will be next week Hmm ) before deciding whether or not to go ahead with review(s). We were also a little shell-shocked on results day and I don't even know where on the grade boundary his 6 falls (his 5 is smack in the middle of the boundaries...). I had a meeting with his HOY this morning and could say a lot more on the subject, but am holding back for fear of outing myself. I'm assuming however they'll let your DS do English Lit A Level if any remarks up his grades to 7s? In the mean time the best of luck to him (and you). I find the lack of transparency the hardest thing to cope with - at least with Edexcel the teachers can look at the actual papers online and see what (if anything) went wrong before asking for a review.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 16:28

In case it's not apparent, I am an English teacher. I know it isn't helpful to you in your situation but that is a ridiculous entry requirement. Pre the reforms were they asking for As??

I teach in a pretty high achieving state academy. the only subject that is allowed to ask for more than a 5 at GCSE is maths!!

My DH teaches ina private school and B grades are a standard requirement, although in practice most students have As / 7s and higher, of course.

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Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 16:28

State schools are in terrible financial strife: how on earth can they afford to turn students away??

Grrrrr

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LooseAtTheSeams · 30/08/2017 16:54

I was sure that B was the usual grade asked for most A levels, so a 6 ought to be more than enough.
In DS's school, they seem to be ok with 5s for some subjects and 7 is just for further maths, I think.
I have this all to come next Summer when all the exams are on the numerical scale so predict even more confusion...

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 17:02

It does vary from area to area and school o school a bit but B-C is the usual for a non selective school.

despite all their mock outrage, it does seem some schools have used the change to numbers to push up sixth form entry requirements (there was a thread on this a while back). It is then no wonder that some students think of 7 as 'not really all that good' and 9 as being what actual clever people should get.

The non vocationally minded top of middle ability being pushed out of the market as a result....

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Redsrule · 30/08/2017 17:02

Sounds ludicrous especially with the changes.
Remarks are flooding back to us now I am seeing ridiculous uplifts, 2 pupils today have gone from 6 to 8 . The minimum raw mark change today is 8 marks. I gather from the exams officer this is unique to English and the other subjects are the same as usual.
My HT has offered for me to challenge as many as I want because so far we have seen 9 pupils change grades, none have come back unchanged. I feel we must have been some of the last minute marking. Ironically we had amazing results with a very weak cohort at first and now our Progress 8 is going through the roof. Good luck to everyone else.

tiggytape · 30/08/2017 17:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 17:05

My new chequebook arrived today reds so remark form is being submitted tomorrow. I feel a bit sick.

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Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 17:06

It would tiggy. Nail on head is hit.

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Redsrule · 30/08/2017 17:11

Good luck, hope it works out for your DS piggy.

LooseAtTheSeams · 30/08/2017 17:27

Exactly tiggy
Very best of luck Piggy!

Pengggwn · 30/08/2017 18:08

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 18:18

Ok DD finally got mark breakdown today. English Language OCR.
Grade 8 awarded
Paper 1 - 56/80(Grade 7)
Paper 2-80/80!!!! (Grade 9 )

Thing is, she felt paper 2 went less well??!!! She has never got as low as 56/80 on any paper before. she has asked to see the paper 1 which is around £13 and can then request a remark/review but we will have to pay.

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 18:22

This is important to her as she is studying A Level Eng Lit and she wants to know where she went wrong on paper 1.
I can't remember the AQA Eng Lang breakdown but it was a solid 8, not close to 9 boundary but as others have said, there are only a few marks anyway between 7-9. I think she got high 56ish on each paper and needed to get 61 to get a 9.