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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (4 already)

999 replies

Stickerrocks · 24/02/2018 20:56

Following on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3152060-GCSEs-2018-3

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
BlueBelle123 · 13/03/2018 13:00

Maybe DS having all his mess on the kitchen table isn't so bad after all Grin

mmzz · 13/03/2018 14:45

@DD also has Geography notes stuck to all the picture frames in the lounge and the kitchen cupboards!
This is what DS's school is advising their students to do (and telling us parents to let them do). Apparently, it makes the revision more active.

DS hasn't attempted it so far. I'm not sorry.

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 13/03/2018 16:55

I managed to get tickets for the Rolling Stones this morning. DD is being given an official exemption from revision for one night only.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stickerrocks · 13/03/2018 16:56

Our school likes them to put English & RE quotes on post it notes everywhere. Resisted the urge so far.

OP posts:
mmzz · 13/03/2018 17:44

I've made one concession to the sticking notes everywhere. I made a series of photos (i.e. screen captures) of some Eng Lit quotes and I've put them on a SD card that plays on the TV whenever DS is in the sitting room and no one is watching (and I remember to switch it on).

It is annoying everyone, including DS1. I said I'd take them off when he could quote them accurately, including current act and scene reference. On the upside, Ds2 has started to memorise them too. So, that will save time in two years.
Actually the fact that DS2 is beginning to remember them too probably is an indication that sticking notes up on the walls, fridge etc is effective.

BlueBelle123 · 13/03/2018 17:47

If DS gives me any trouble I think I'll threaten to send him to your house Grin..........only joking!

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 13/03/2018 17:55

Oh my, mmzz you will be doing subliminal messaging next!

OP posts:
JufusMum · 13/03/2018 19:30

Well Dad's mock results were pretty awful, but she's happy with them so I guess that's what matters.

JufusMum · 13/03/2018 19:31

That's DD not Dad's lol

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 13/03/2018 19:37

Things can only get better Jufus.

OP posts:
mmzz · 13/03/2018 20:23

Subliminal messaging... I could maybe find a tape of some of the bible quotes that DS has to memorise and play them in his room whilst he is sleeping.
Only joking!

Jufus is it time to ask school what your DD should prioritise?

Sostenueto · 13/03/2018 20:44

7 jufus? Not sure.

JufusMum · 13/03/2018 21:04

Sosten that's what I would have thought....but no. With a grade 8, 6 and 7 her mock grade for combined science was 5/4. I have literally no idea! I've emailed the teacher. Mmzz the school is useless. I have no faith. DD is basically teaching herself. English Language was great, jumped two grades since November mocks (I have a tutor since Christmas).

Sostenueto · 13/03/2018 21:36

Oh, I don't know how that's worked out then Jufus. I thought you would get the average 8+7+6 divide by 3 =7.? Where has 5/4 come from?Confused
I know dgd doing triple science but they are not combined they are 3 separate GCSEs.

BlueBelle123 · 13/03/2018 21:56

Jufus I would email the science dept to find out how the grades are worked out.......it could be that one set of grade boundaries was used for individual papers but then a different set for working out the combined science..............personally I would get her to concentrate on the topics she lost marks on. This whole grade boundary thing really has to be taken with a large pinch of salt because as no-one knows where the boundaries will be they have to decide themselves and I bet if you took 50 schools you would probably get 50 different results!!!!

The results for DS's PE were atrocious..........turns out the teacher couldn't do percentages and so everyone's grade suffered as a result!

mmzz · 13/03/2018 22:11

turns out the teacher couldn't do percentages and so everyone's grade suffered as a result!

DS's geography teacher got it into his head that because a grade 9 is only given to the top 2.5%, you need to score 97.5% in the exam to get a 9.

AlexanderHamilton · 13/03/2018 22:18

Dd came home today completely ashen with a throbbing headache she’s had most of the day. They had to stop at the services on the way home so she could get some air. Thank goodness she didn’t go on tonight’s theatre trip as it wasn’t due back til midnight.

So she was in bed asleep by 7pm & I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a good nights sleep is all she needs as it’s her dance diploma funding audition tomorrow morning.

MaisyPops · 13/03/2018 22:20

DS's geography teacher got it into his head that because a grade 9 is only given to the top 2.5%, you need to score 97.5% in the exam to get a 9
I don't understand how schools can possibly be awarding 9s given a 9 is norm referenced against a national cohort.

Even if you norm referenced against a school cohort it's not representative. We got loads of 9s last year in my subject. Our intake is not representative of the national average. We never give 9s out internally.

Teenmum60 · 13/03/2018 23:29

@AlexanderHamilton - Good luck to your DD tomorrow hope she feels better in the morning.

No 9's predicted at DD's school, in fact, I don't think they predict A*'s (IGCSE) either - just don't like to put extra pressure on the girls.

Jufus - I may be wrong but I did wonder how they graded double science and I think its still on a percentage so an 8,8 is awarded if you got an average of 80% etc. I would have thought that the teacher has made a mistake with the calculation for your dD's science.

I have been just stocking up on stationery - new file storage boxes/flashcards etc ...

I've been looking at the grade gorilla website which does short timed online tests. Splits revision up: gradegorilla.com/igcse-physics-revision-questions.php

mmzz · 14/03/2018 06:32

maisypops couldn't the same be said for 8, 1 and 2 too?
Aren't 7 and 4 grade boundaries based on the % who got A and C respectively last year, with an adjustment for cohort ability? Converting that into a confident statement that x% on a particular set of questions equates to a 4 or a 7 would require more info than teachers (or anyone) has access to. So, how do you set any grade boundary at all?

MaisyPops · 14/03/2018 06:45

mmzz
Honestly, we looked at all the % over the last few years and worked out an upper/lower tolerance. Then ran with our higher boundaries internally and have been up front with students that whilst the numerical marks we give are accurate (e.g. 28/34) the corresponding grade could change.

So far both Summer 2017 and November 2017 boundaries have been within our tolerance.

Not a perfect science by any means but it avoids the 'but why isn't my child getting a 9' chats because some of our parents seem to think a 9 is the old A* so are telling their child they expect straight 9s. We got more than our fair share of 9s in the sunner anyway.

mmzz · 14/03/2018 07:15

You predicted that a 4 would be in the 18% ball park? I'm impressed. I think most people were shocked by that.

MaisyPops · 14/03/2018 07:22

It wasn't that low for our subject.
A 4 in English Language was 45%
A 5 was 52%

We were surprised how low the 9 was for language (77%) - that was a surprise.
The 9 was higher in literature and more like our predictions (89%), again still slightly lower than we inagined it would be

LooseAtTheSeams · 14/03/2018 07:54

I wasn't too surprised by the lower English language grade 9 but I reckon the percentage will go up a bit as everyone gets used to the questions. It also depends on the extracts - paper 2 last June was very fair but I think a lot of students were mystified by paper 1.
No post-it notes here - but at least mocks are over! DS1 looked very cheerful last night and thinks maths went well.

MaisyPops · 14/03/2018 08:07

loose
I agree. There's not that much consistency in the texts either.
Did you see the grade boundary jump for the November post 16 resits?
I'm continuing to teach to our higher tolerance mainly because anytging could happen

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