GCSEs 2018 (17) What will be in your coffee cup on Thursday?

[PeggySchuylar]

Thread 16 full to brim. Hope nobody minds me starting new one.

Wouldn't it make sense to just have one exam paper (in any subject) that covers the whole 1-9 range? That way pupils don't need to choose beforehand whether to sit foundation or higher?

I'm sure there must be a reason for two separate papers but I can't seem to think of them...

Loose that was nice of them. Nothing from DS3's first choice.

He collects results at 10. Why so late?! Then has to either hand deliver a copy or send a scanned copy of official results to them by 3pm to guarantee his place.

I suppose on the combined science adding the 3:3 means that they dont have to have a really low grade boundary for a grade 4 which I guess would have been the other option if they didnt want too many DC's to get a U?

Pipi, if you are probably going to get a 2 or 3 there would be a huge amount of the paper in subjects like maths or science that you couldn't answer. In essay type subjects you can answer the same question in a grade 2 type of depth and in a grade 9 type of depth, but in a calculation that's not possible.

Oneteen, they can't just lower the grade boundary for a 4/4 to stop too many Ud because only a set amount of DC can get that grade, roughly the same amount as got a C and above last year.

They also have to make sure that the lower grades on the higher tier are comparable to the higher grades on the foundation paper.

It would also be a nightmare for a lot of students sitting maths and science to open the question paper and find over half the material inaccessible if there was a single tier, because they were only ever likely to get a grade 2 or 3.

Ellen that's a good point - most students can at least attempt most of the English language paper even if the quality of answers varies a lot.
Someone did come up with a pretty cool idea to have 3 maths papers of increasing difficulty but students could sit the first 2 (capped at a 5) or last 2 (potential for 8/9). An even cooler idea was to have a numeracy GCSE for everyone and then a more theoretical maths qualification that more able students could take. I think they do this in Wales but I don't know how it's going - maybe too soon to tell.

Ellen - sorry I was assuming that most were capable of a C and that is why they were doing the Higher paper and would therefore have fallen roughly into the same percentage of DC's getting a C last year ...but obviously not.

Isn't it a bit like going back to O Level/CSEs?

If your school entered you for the O Level you could fail if you should have been entered for CSEs. Teachers had to make the same kind of call that they have to now except there is an overlap on the grades and no one will ever know if you took higher or foundation which seems fairer.

The big difference is that teachers were working pretty much blind this year due to the lack of past papers and experience of the grade expectations

Also can you imagine the length of the paper if the content covered 1-9? And the 1-3 candidates would still have found loads of the paper inaccessible which would be absolutely appalling for their self confidence.

Or have I got it wrong?

The old higher tier/foundation crossover was C and D. I.e. foundation was C to G and higher D to A*. Now the crossover is higher, 4 and 5 which is equivalent to C and bottom 2/3rds of a B. So less should be taking the higher tier. But with borderline DC is it easier for them to get a 4 in the higher paper than the foundation. Many fewer questions need answering. It's a new spec, no one knew what a '4' might look like. Tough decision that I'm glad I don't have to make.

My DS2 was just on that old C/D borderline in many subjects 2 years ago. Even then it was hard to know whether he'd be better off taking higher or foundation. In most cases (maths/science) he took higher and it paid off. He is a boy of few words, so the fewer questions the better! In geography he took foundation, got a very, very high C (the max on the paper,) and with his controlled assessment just scraped a B over all. In that case it just worked out, but he may have got a low B on the higher paper, which would have meant a more comfortable B. Hard judgment call.

Missed out a ? there. Is it easier to get a 4 on the higher tier? Some teachers obviously thought so.

Does anyone know when the GCSE results are actually sent to school? My DS media crazed school head teacher has been ringing pupils and asking them to come into school at 5:30am on Thursday as they will be appearing on GMB. How does she know who to call already? She got herself all over the newspapers and TV a few weeks ago so I suppose it's for continuity. Can't actually say what I think about this women on here as I would be banned but I can't actually believe they've got her on when her pass rates are appalling...

I think it was linked up thread by Noblegiraffe. Not until midnight tonight.

www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/results-days

For AQA at least.

Shit, midnight tonight!

I know from our PR team that an arrangement has already been made with a school we sponsor for a news crew to be at school for results day.

This has been set up because the school is in a good location for the news crew and we offered - nothing to do with results expected. Plus the HT is a minor celebrity in education.

The news crew will need pupils there for a breakfast time piece - hence the ring around today.

ggirls do they all have long blond flicky hair with a token geek thrown in for good measure and someone with a tale of hope in the face of adversity? That seems to be the usual criteria

Students chosen for media results opportunities usually have to be able to jump high, from a standing start, in unison with their peers. Well that seems to be the criteria around here.

Thanks Ellen, that makes sense. I hope pupils entered for the foundation papers aren't demotivated by the upper limit grade. It would somehow seem fairer for all pupils to take the same exams.

stickerrocks

I think I will be taking a set of handcuffs to stop DD's DF getting into the hall on Thursday (just to put this in perspective he was the DF who wanted to go to prize giving even though dD was not going to be there and he would have asked to go on stage to get her award). Unfortunately he is also the DF who chats up any single teacher (or married with they show any interest)..including DD's previous HT.

DD has surprised me by asking me to go with her to collect her results. Apparently she wants me on hand to help decide changes of A level if necessary. Very happy i worked yesterday instead of Thursday now, so i could keep the day free.

It's nice to be wanted. Do your DC all go to enrol by themselves? A friend is planning on going to the appointment with her DC even if there are no issues. DD won't even have transport from us & I'm wondering if I should feel guilty.

@elephantoverthehill - the school in question doesn't have lots of blonde flicky haired girls or high achievers so it should be a more 'normal' story than what you're describing. I think the journalist wanted some hint slightly more grounded than the normal GCSE results footage.

DD enrolling at her current school, at the same time as picking up her results.

2 years ago DS didn't want me anywhere near, hence my surprise! Yes, it is nice to be wanted.
DS still wanting me, I'm currently chief consultant on his drafts for applications for sponsorships for university.

The school in question has a love of silence...