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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:
Cafeconleche · 30/08/2017 18:24

MsHarry - I'm not sure if you can request a review after you've seen the actual hard copy of the paper (Edexcel being the exception, where teachers can look at the script online)

Eusebius · 30/08/2017 18:25

Tiggy - Your post at 17:05pm is exactly the point I was trying to make on another thread where I said it seems the 9 grade is the new A-star. I perhaps did t word it well, but my worry was that the grades below an A will become more devalued with more streams added at the top end. I also mentioned that this will impact negatively on those in the middle more as we are seeing with the 6 grade which is a very good achievement but doesn't seem so to the powers that be in ad issions at the 6th form schools.

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 18:26

I think the bar is way too high for A Levels at some schools.Back in the day I got 6 Cs and a B at O'level and went on to get 3 A Levels at A, C and Blush E !! The E was down to me not working as I grew to hate Economics. I think it's all about school figures and marketing the school on that basis.

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 18:28

Cafe the email from HT says she can. I will check with DD later as she is at work at the moment.

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 18:43

Redsrule which exam board is that ?

Cafeconleche · 30/08/2017 18:43

MsHarry it makes so much sense, but was told for AQA it's not possible Hmm. I would really like to see my own DS's English papers before going for a review. Instead we're left with re-mark Russian Roulette Confused

Teddygirlonce · 30/08/2017 18:43

@tiggytape I totally get where you're coming from. Ds got 2 As, 8Bs and a C. Whilst not stellar results by any means, if he'd been at school with DH and me his results would still have been regarded as very good (and this even in a grammar school).

As it is, he feels very deflated with his perceived to be mediocre (his word not mine) grades.

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 18:45

Cafe DD relayed the email to me while I drove her to work, she specifically said if they get a copy of the paper they can then get a remark. It's possible HT said can't not can.

EllieFredrickson · 30/08/2017 19:08

Cafe

My understanding is you get to play Russian roulette for AQA but not the other 2 as Ofqual allowed it - which is bonkers and unfair - should be same rules for all.

Reds

Are those language reviews? We are waiting on a Literature one.

Ms

We have a similar pattern with lit papers with 100% in paper 1 and then a 6 (but only by 3 marks) in paper 2. Just looks odd against everything else.

I understood that language papers were split between markers but I thought I read it wasn't the same for Lit for AQA. Now wondering if I imagined it.

DD seems fine about it all but I do wonder if that's an act Sad

MsHarry · 30/08/2017 19:24

DD did OCR Lit.

Redsrule · 30/08/2017 19:51

AQA for both. We have had a mix back, Lit is less outrageous than Lang and so far only going up by one grade. I would guess, with the speed of response, most of our upgrades have been due to admin errors. One pupil got 20 extra marks for example and seemed to go from 8 to 18 and 3 to 13 on P1 Q5. For AQA a different person marked each question in Lang whereas it was a single examiner per paper in Lit. I would be interested to see the qualifications of examiners this year. I do know that on the 30/7 AQA had 70,000 scripts still unmarked in English.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 20:08

Oooohhhh P1 Q5is where I think my D has been shafted.

Conversations aren't going well tonight. he does not want me to pay for a remark because he is 'rubbish' and did 'rubbish'.

On another thread someone just said their DS 'fluked' an 8 in Eng Lang. I know it wasn't mean to be a harmful comment but I could weep at the complacency of this attitude.

OP posts:
MsHarry · 30/08/2017 20:12

This does nothing for the confidence of parents, teachers and pupils. All that hard work and not a fair marking system at the end of it. I hope the Daily Fail picks up on this thread, The system needs overhauling.

Redsrule · 30/08/2017 20:17

I have to say piggy, it is so difficult for pupils to accept the idea of a remark. Your DS must feel shell shocked by the recent events. I have spent the past week on e-AQA responding to e-mails from female pupils or the parents of male pupils. This is a real transition year and I really feel for the kids.

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 20:26

Haha. I love the emails bit.... the parents of male pupils

So so true....

I shall add that to my presentation on gender for tomorrow!!!

OP posts:
Redsrule · 30/08/2017 20:34

Ah tomorrow, we have Friday, I am at the stage of being pleased to be back at work since I have been working since results day and am feeling a little lonely!

Yes, mums of boys have been my main correspondents!

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 20:40

it's a challenge being a mum of a boy, that's for sure. I'm sure girls bring their own challenges...

OP posts:
Redsrule · 30/08/2017 20:46

I do feel, as a teacher of English rather than the mother of 2DD and 1DS (who is a cocky little 23 yo), that boys find it harder to accept that it might be a mistake and not their fault if the underachieve.

NotQuiteSureExams · 30/08/2017 20:50

Sorry to piggyback on this thread but after some advice too if I may?

DD2 was predicted 8's for Eng Lit and Lang. Squeaked a 9 on Language, but only just squeaked a 6 in Lit, despite feeling the papers went well.

We have no idea of the marks per question breakdown - the data person at school said he wasn't sure he could get that detail? The exam board is AQA.

DD is quite upset at not getting the grade she was expecting after doing very well at Eng Lit all the way through school. She is taking it for A level, but it is a huge hit in confidence. I am surprised at the big difference between the two English grades (though I know they test different things) - a 9 and just-a-6, despite predictions of 8s.

However, as DD just squeaked a 6, and it doesn't seem like we can get the question breakdown or have sight of the paper, would it be madness to request a remark (including review) as she could then go down to a 5 which would awful.

I would really love some thoughts and advice - thank you!

Redsrule · 30/08/2017 21:01

AQA offer a teacher service that gives a mark per question breakdown. Your DD's result would have resulted in a close analysis, I would suggest you contact the English teacher, they have probably been obsessing about this for a week but some schools will not authorise any remarks if over a 5. Good luck!

Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 21:01

This type of difference is definitely more commonplace this year that is normal. Must be frustrating for her.

The exams officer sounds a bit naïve or inexperienced . You definitely can - and must - get that breakdown!!

The 9 is amazing. Well done to her!

OP posts:
Original poster
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2017 21:03

And piggyback made me lol!

OP posts:
NotQuiteSureExams · 30/08/2017 21:33

Thank you. I will get back to the data bloke, but he gave me the distinct impression he'd rather I didn't!

We've not been contacted by school at all, so no idea if DDs result is being looked at. I have another post on here because DD didn't do well (by her standards and school predictions) on quite a few exams (Bs instead of A*) so we are just a bit confused by it all if I'm honest.

As her results were no lower than Bs, I suspect school aren't interested in working out what went wrong/or if there were any marking errors.

I am confused though as she is obviously bright, why she would get Bs where she had been performing consistently higher throughout her courses, and she did work hard too. Feels like there is no one to ask about this though as she is off to college so school have done with her now.

Redsrule · 30/08/2017 21:37

Try to get hold of her individual subject teachers, they will be more invested in her personally, good luck!

Decorhate · 31/08/2017 06:37

I think the school will look carefully at pupils who didn't meet their targets (or would be foolish not to) because it's all about Progress 8 now. Though I did hear that they will be given some leeway this year because of all the changes.

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