GCSEs 2018 (15) The Reckoning

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thread 14
The next step of the all new GCSE journey.

DS has work experience on results day so I will take him wait in car and then drop him off at his work......everyone will be totally calm relaxed and smiling.......

when DD got her results a few years ago I took her and waited in car (we are rural so plenty did similar) she came out very upset so we quickly drove home only to return a bit later to discuss options with the teachers.....some may also want to discuss re-marks

Also something to be aware of is that Edexcel allow schools to access pupils exam papers, very handy if the grade is a shock, plus I believe there are no longer re-marks but a review of papers, you should look at your DC's exam boards for more detail as this sort of thing is better to know in advance than trying to work out on the day..........

Bluebelle DDs school only has a two hour window to collect results and I expect she will not want us anywhere near the school. I also expect she will be arriving at school towards end of that window which will give us no time to discuss remarks with teachers if necessary

Don't worry you have until sometime in September to apply before the deadline (can't remember exact date). If your DD hasn't done as well as she hopes, is she mature enough to deal with it herself and / or you may find she turns to you for help, this is what DD did and she was very similar in attitude to your DD, they could be twins except for the age difference

Bluebelle I wish this was standard across all exam boards.
AQA charges for even looking at the exam paper. I think OCR is the same.
They won't remark but they will check the marking. For English this means that if they agree with the banding given by the marking examiner they won't change it, which can be frustrating if you were hoping for a couple of extra marks.
I'm not sure what I'll do on results day. I'd like to hover just outside school but may end up waiting at home as we aren't far away.

Our exam collection window is 9-12. Of course, I'm hoping DS will be there at 9 on the dot!

Results day... I will drive DS to school, and wait in the car park. I imagine I will watch him walk away with more anxiousness than I felt when I left him at nursery the first time! Then I will try to distract myself by reading all your results-day posts on my phone.
Eventually, he'll reappear and I'll be trying to read the results from him expression as he walks to the car.
I will try to wait until I've driven away from the school and parked somewhere quiet before I ask as it will embarrass the hell out him if I burst into tears and someone else from his year sees it!

I think my first question will be "What did you get for Physics?"! As long as he replies 7+, then I'm going to be happy whatever else he got because that's the thing that's in doubt for the selective sixth form.

At the beginning of the year, we all talked on these threads about what our DC might get, and we all said "as long as they get what they need for the next step". I think we all meant it, but it's a bit like when someone says they don't care if they have a baby boy or girl as long as it's healthy and you know they are thinking health is just a basic and really they want more than that (unless the health is actually in doubt). Well, I think I answered the expected grades question like that, when really I was hoping for mostly 8s and 9s and nothing less than 7.

Having been through May and June with DS, I think he'll do ok, but I'm not sure if the Physics will be good enough - he was predicted a 9, but got in the 50s in a past paper the night before the exam. So, that's all I want now: enough to get into the sixth form.

If he gets the results he needs, we will go home, collect up a bunch of preprinted forms and his passport and get on a train to the selective sixth form so he can register. I need to go with him as I have to sign more forms there too.

Then DH and I will take DS out to celebrate.

If he gets a 6- for Physics, we'll take DS out to celebrate the rest, and I'll be backtracking like crazy over all the things I've said about how the secondary school's sixth form is not the right place for DS.

I agree Loose it would make life alot easier but fairer to, as not everyone can afford to apply for reviews and at DS school they never even suggest it, whilst some schools do it automatically.

DS1 has work experience during results week but has negotiated a day off on results day. He wants me no where near school so I will probably work from home.

The results will be available on the parent portal (from 10am I think) so I'll see them then if he fails to return home or call!

No particular plans for the evening. Maybe a nice meal but keeping it quite flexible as he's being cagey about possible plans with friends.

I'm hoping for a 'good' set of results with 8/9s in maths, chemistry, physics and history. The rest could be 7s and I'd be surprised if there is anything less.

DISCLAIMER - Before I get flamed - DS attends a very selective and high achieving school so this is pretty much the the results profile the boys get , most do better.

DH has announced he has taken the day off, so I think I will go to the school with them, me and DH will wait in the car. We are holding three sixth form options so it will either be;

1. DD has got an average of 5.5 across top 8 subjects plus a 6 in English Language and RE and off we trot to first choice sixth form to enrol for A-Levels in Psychology, Philosophy and Sociology giving the finger to current school from hell.

2. DD has not quite made the average of 5.5 or has a 5 in English Language and RE and off we trot to second choice sixth form to enrol for A-Levels in Dance, Philosophy and Sociology giving the finger to current school from hell.

3. DD has had an absolute disaster and off we trot to the college to enrol for BTEC Dance Level 3 giving the finger to current school from hell.

I hope it's option 1, she has her heart set on it. Although apparently she had a dream she went to option 2. I had a dream that her results looked like the Periodic Table and her form tutor said there had been a mistake in them marking and all students had to resit the entire year

Picking up results from school is not a 'thing' at DS's school - they just post them on the parent/student portal. The boys are only encouraged to go in if there is a problem - remarks or change of A level choice.

I honestly have no idea what DS is likely to get. All I hope is that he does justice to the amazing teaching he has received...

Kingscote did the school never tell you what to expect in one of the year 11 monitoring reports?

Nope - it just had...

His work is above / consistently at / mostly at / occasionally at / below the standard expected for boys at this stage.

Hi All, just back from a lovely few days holiday. Very brief but the only time we could get all the family together. Ben enjoying reading all your news and views !

I will go in with DS on results day (and try not to embarrass him too much !). I think that's still the expectation at his school although they have said that for the first time this year results will be available on line. We have no worries over which school for sixth form which is nice and he is really looking forward to it. Only concerns are whether he should do maths and physics if his grades are comparatively low in those subjects. Requirements are 7 for maths and 6 for physics which he should get and even if he misses the 6 I think his teacher would say we know you're capable its just your intelligence doesn't fit the mark scheme or you had a bad day/not good in exams. But my concern would be he still has to sit A level exams and how do we know that will be any different. I will talk to him about options nearer the time. I really don't know what to expect on the as he did work hard but his results right from SATs to mocks have been below his and his teachers expectations, sometimes spectacularly so. I think I need to try and lower my expectations over the next few weeks and then hopefully may get a nice surprise.

The other thing just hitting me is he has decided to Board in sixth form. I don't want him to but at the same time am really pleased he wants to as it shows how comfortable he is there and how his confidence has grown and it does help form bonds etc as most boys board by sixth form. But having spent so many hours with him during gcse's and enjoyed his company I will miss him dreadfully, especially as I've had DD2 home most of the year on a gap year. I may have to talk to DH !!!!

Interestingly re talk of uni's I've just been working out my finances as DD1 goes in to 4th uni year (after a placement year) and DD2 starts in September. With fees and minimum maintenance loan they will both end up with loans of £40k for the three year. DD1 with relatively expensive accommodation and a fairly generous allowance from me will have had £23k parental top up over the three years. DD2 with cheaper accom but still a generous allowance for food etc with have had £18k. Neither worked so with a job and a less generous allowance the total could be nearer £50k than £100k. As someone said the loans are more like a tax than a loan so deducted from salary so effectively you only repay what you can afford. But the interest racks up quite fast. I think the two main issues are the figures can sound quite scary for those who don't understand the system or who haven't had peers or siblings go through it. And the maximum maintenance loan is not enough for those with out parental support.

There have been lots of threads as to whether you should pay up front if you can afford it rather than take a loan - or take the loan anyway and put the money towards a house deposit when DC s graduate. I think the debate balances on how likely the DC are to have a well paid high flying career where the pay the full amount off.

ie the interest rate is very high for student loans but the y don't repay if they are not working or not earning enough.

I'm hoping the day will go like this:

DS2 and I will go together. Unlike his siblings he doesn't yet find me embarrassing, perhaps that phase is still to come.

DS2 will get the combination of 7s and 8s he needs to do four A-levels at the school he loves. There might be some 9s in Maths / Sciences.
He will confirm his place there and email the back-up sixth forms to let them know.

DS2 will want to come straight home to continue his A-level prep and D&D campaign. I will give him the books I've bought him to mark the occasion.

DH and I will quietly share DS2's results with grandparents etc. whilst being mindful of DS1's feelings. I will attempt to distract DS1 from any thoughts of comparison/inferiority by helping him buy stuff he needs for university.

I'm having complete parent failure because I cannot find the letter the school emailed me about results day ...I think they go in at 10am ...plan is to drop DD off and wait outside ...I think the friendship group are planning to spend the day/evening together (she has the day off NCS). We were away on Awards evening so DD will also collect her Prize on the 23rd too - it may lift her spirits if things have not gone quite as expected.

My aspirations will be that she has passed all the exams .....I'm expecting spiky results....

Year 12 (16): Wait, there's more?! is my suggestion for the next thread and why I'm not a writer

And all this talk of results is making me anxious again - DD and I have almost forgotten about that part of the process... Guess I'd better find out from school how we will find out results, given that going in on the days is not an option now we live 6000 miles away....

We will be going g with dgd to results day and leave it to her whether she goes in alone and opens results, or if she wants to open with friends or open outside or in car with us. As long as she gets the grade for English language we will then have to go back in to register for 6th form there or go with tail between legs back home to local 6th form college to register there. We would like that 9 for geography but most likely 7s and 8 s in the majority. Actually as long as she get grades to get in her 6th form, and grades needed for A level subjects that is all that matters.

Do u get the marks the DC got as well as the grades when they get their results? Does anyone know please?

Year 12 (16): Wait, there's more?!
Perfect.

Sostenueto yes, it lists the mark as well as the grade.

With DDs we got the actual marks later. School had them but just issued grades on the day and we had to ask for detailed marks. I heard somewhere that they don't issue marks now with new GCSE's but that may be completely wrong.

When I said it lists marks as well as grades, that's what happened two years ago for DS1. It may have changed. The school certainly knows the marks, because they are needed for decisions about remarking.

Yes, the marks won't be on the results sheet for students but the school will have them.