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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (3)

999 replies

mmzz · 28/01/2018 08:40

Following on from:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3113917-GCSEs-2018-2

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Thread gallery
17
TheSecondOfHerName · 01/02/2018 23:17

mmzz thank you for the recommendation. Have ordered a copy for DS2.

Teenmum60 · 01/02/2018 23:22

Sounds really good ...just trying to get by head around exactly what DD's exam entails - I think its 30% coursework but I need to clarify this with DD's teacher next week....these different exam boards on driving me mad !

Original poster
mmzz · 02/02/2018 06:49

Teenmum, you could Google the specifications.
Eg here is the Eng lit iGCSE specification:
qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-international-gcses-and-edexcel-certificates/international-gcse-english-literature-2016.html

PS you learn something every day. I didn't know that the i in iGCSE stood for "international" and I didn't know that the iGCSEs were being revised too with the first sitting this year.

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Teenmum60 · 02/02/2018 07:10

I did google last night mmzz but it seems that there are options within the exam - 100% exam 70% exam/30% coursework etc so I do need to speak to teacher - I know DD is doing coursework- in addition on Eng Lit not all the Yr 11 are studying the same material - I think my DD's class opted to study - An Inspector Calls but I think they are the only class doing this ....

The main reason that Indies opt for IGCSE's is to have a qualification for International students boarding at UK schools (because our GCSE's are not universally recognised as well outside the UK). Some of the exams have been revised with 1-9 ratings - some schools may still proceed with A-G because of issues with foreign students. Most independent schools use a mixture of both IGCSE's and GCSE's - DD's school is sitting the new RE exam (GCSE) , Computer Science plus a few others... but most are still the old IGCSE where the syllabus is unchanged (the current Yr10;s at DD;s school will sit all 1-9 next yr on a new syllabus )...the grading is being reformed because unless the Independent schools change to the new format they will not be included within the league tables.

Original poster
mmzz · 02/02/2018 07:22

I found the URL but I have to admit, I didn't open it.
That does sound really confusing. I can understand the choice of books to study but not options for linear / non-linear exams or varied grading systems.

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user1469682920 · 02/02/2018 08:50

Hmm posted recently as to how variation in how far schools and indeed individual teachers are geared up to new exam requirements is affecting dc disproportionately. Can’t help think that proliferation of after school and holiday revision sessions is also giving some advantage over others that don’t get that opportunity. Not knocking it or the teachers who go out of their way to provide extra - just saying that in times of change such as this the playing field is even less level than usual.

LooseAtTheSeams · 02/02/2018 09:08

They've always done loads of revision sessions in Y11 at DS's school, so no change for the new specifications but I think there's a lot of uncertainty this year. The art department has worked out the requirements very late in the day so DS will have to do some rescue work on his portfolio to ensure all the boxes are ticked! However his art exam preparation is going very well, so fingers crossed he understands the mark scheme now - very pertinent to Mr Salles!
Mmzz I tutored a bright lad from a 5 to an 8 in his mocks purely on showing him how to answer the questions. The teacher told his parents it had nothing to do with exam technique but the parents disagree!

AlexanderHamilton · 02/02/2018 09:10

I misread dd's maths result. She got 6 not a 7. Headvof maths told dh she doesn't show her workings.

Original poster
mmzz · 02/02/2018 09:10

@user1469682920 I have to agree, but, honestly the non-level playing field starts from birth. Compare the life chances of the child of the parent who talks to their baby and attempts to stimulate and encourage them versus the other extreme whose parent doesn't even offer regular meals or bedtimes....

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AlexanderHamilton · 02/02/2018 09:12

After school & holiday revision sessions are not possible at dd's school due to the type of school it is so I guess she just has to fill in the gaps herself. Science is behind from what I gather.

TheSecondOfHerName · 02/02/2018 09:17

The only extra revision sessions DS2 has been offered are in geography. The geography department have been very proactive and have been running sessions at lunchtimes and after school. DS2 has been to two so far. Nothing yet from other departments, but that might change closer to the exams. They usually run various sessions during study leave.

AlexanderHamilton · 02/02/2018 09:20

There is no study leave at dd's school. They are in 9am - 6pm every day plus Saturday mornings (4-6 & Saturdsys are vocational)

TeenTimesTwo · 02/02/2018 09:20

Alexander I went through a maths paper (last years actual exam) the other night with a friend's DC. There were a number of questions that said 'show that ...' where if the reasoning isn't clear you don't get the marks. And scribbling numbers on a diagram isn't really good enough, they need to record the step by step thoughts.
(Also of course if they do other questions in their head and get the answer wrong they won't get any method marks either.)

Original poster
mmzz · 02/02/2018 09:47

There are a lot of revision sessions running at DS's school but they are by invitation only, and the invitations are going to those who need help getting the middle grades, not 7-9.
The school did extremely well on progress 8 last year and I think this is why. DS2 (year 9) is having a couple of cover lessons a day as a result, and on past experience that will continue until June.

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JugglingMummyof2 · 02/02/2018 09:59

DD got mocks results yesterday and was pretty happy with all bar RS. It was AQA and she got 84% across the papers which was a 5+ apparently. Does this sound possible? The teacher gave me the following information - 86% for a 6, 92% for a 7, 96% for an 8 and 99% for a 9. If this is correct - and no reason to disbelieve the teacher who is amazing and very supportive to them - you can get 85% on an exam and end up with a C.

AlexanderHamilton · 02/02/2018 10:02

That sounds very strange for a non tiered paper. Dd is doing RS & I think it's AQA (English is Edexel so I need to check). She got a 7 so I'll see if it was an exam board sample paper she did. Is it Spec A or B?

JugglingMummyof2 · 02/02/2018 10:08

@mmzz That might change as DD's school were only running 'intervention' for the weaker students since Christmas. Then at parents night last night they gave out 'invitations' for a number of subjects called '8-9 Interventions' which are classes before and after school and at lunch time.
I have to keep putting things in inverted commas as, much as I think the school has been great for DD, some of this stuff and the names they give it and the card invitations and other things I will not mention as they are so outing are not my words.

Sostenueto · 02/02/2018 10:08

Agree mmzz. I started flashcards with my DVD at 4months old! Just 30 seconds twice a day as fast as possible. I started with numbers, made flashcards myself. Plain white background black numbers up to 10. Then I progressed to lower case letters and numbers up to 20. Again just in 2 30 second sessions. By the time dgd was 2 she could recognise all numbers in any order up to 30 and write them and all letters of alphabet and write her name. It gave her a heads up and only a minute a day of my time!

BlueBelle123 · 02/02/2018 10:08

User DS is doing GCSE PE and he has just started the assessment, apparently the teacher gave very little guidance on how to complete it so DS who is doing OCR went on their website and he said there is really useful information giving examples of what they expect to be included for the levels, so he is using that as a guide........sorry I can't be more helpful but it sounds like DS could do with some pointer as well!!

JugglingMummyof2 · 02/02/2018 10:12

@Alexander - It was teacher generated and she left off the 'easy' ethics and just had the 'more challenging components' she said.
I don't know if it was Sec A or B but they had an Islam paper and a Christianity one if that helps. Clueless Mum ...

AlexanderHamilton · 02/02/2018 10:20

Virtually impossible to compare then I guess. Most experienced teachers can tell a Grade 5 level answer & a Grade 7 level answer & all they can do is work from there regardless of mark scheme.

BlueBelle123 · 02/02/2018 10:23

User....920 that is also my worry, I was in blissful ignorance until I joined this thread and as lovely as it is I do sometimes think that DS hasn't a hope in hell in reaching his potential, when I read what other schools are offering and teachers doing 1-1's with their pupils. Just one example there was no feed back on the mocks at all, how on earth can the DC improve if they don't even know where they are going wrong!!!

Also in a few years time there will be so many more resources available on line that DC can access themselves to help bridge the gap but as these GCSE's are so new there is hardly anything available so teacher input is even more important.

sorry everyone rant overBlush

Sostenueto · 02/02/2018 10:28

Totally agree bluebelle!

Sostenueto · 02/02/2018 10:37

Well a carefully worded email sent off to hod of English. I await reply with baited breathe!

Original poster
mmzz · 02/02/2018 11:04

I don't want to be too outing here (if the man himself reads it - remote chance, i know). I had a meeting the other night with one of the SLT. It was just routine. I think the point was for the school to tell parents what we needed to do to support our DC, except in DS's case the teacher concluded within a couple of minutes that we'd already worked it out and were doing it.
So, instead we wandered onto what the school could do. For the first time ever a teacher explicitly told me that schools will always at each and every opportunity deprioritize high performing students in favour of those who are less able. If that means that the more able students don't meet their potential, then so be it. That includes marking and feedback. (Hence the reason i bought that Eng Lit book)

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