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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

DC got a 5 in English Lit 5 marks off 6, worth remarking??

44 replies

Madcatperson · 23/08/2018 18:19

Just that really - DC predicted 8, working consistently at higher than a 5 all year (6/7/8). 5 marks from an overall 6 - looks like they got a 6 in one paper and a 4 in paper 2 (aqa). DC's first GCSE (y10), and first typing (due to handwriting but not much prior typing practice in class. No laptops were given to anyone for the first exam due to invigilator oversight, which was eventually sorted! ). Is there any point in a remark as 5/160 marks is quite a bit of movement? They're predicted 7/8 s in all other subjects next year and ideally want to study a subject with high average entry requirements (like vetmed/medicine). Seems a shame if one (still reasonable) mark may pull the rest down. Just looking for some initial views from anyone with AQA remarking experience as no teachers were at school today to speak to.....thanks!

OP posts:

Original poster

Madcatperson · 23/08/2018 21:19

Hopeful bump?

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PrimroseDay · 23/08/2018 21:27

We teach Edexcel rather than AQA, but used to teach AQA on the old spec. 5 marks would be an awful lot to go up by, especially as nowadays the person remarking has to show that there has been a 'misapplication' of the markscheme, which is really hard to prove in English as it is so subjective. Having said that, it is worth speaking to her teacher when she goes back as they may be able to see her paper (we can see all of ours) and to make a judgement. The deadline for remarks is usually some point in September.

Astronotus · 23/08/2018 22:03

Where were the teachers? They should have been there to guide you. 2) You have nothing to lose. Go for it.

Mrskeats · 23/08/2018 22:04

I marked for aqa and that amount of marks out would be unusual. Why the need to worry a 5 is ok?

justnotgoodenough · 23/08/2018 22:54

My centre is with AQA and we put in all up to 7 marks off last year and had a lot of success. Some went up by two grades. 5 marks is nothing spread across two papers, but I don't think there'll be as much success with remarks this year...

Original poster

Madcatperson · 23/08/2018 23:02

Thanks all, very helpful. I'll have a word with the teachers in sept - not sure why they had all gone home. Perhaps they don't see Y10 GCSEs as a priority? The reason she'd like a remark as per a PP is that she's been predicted/achieving much higher grades all year and wants to do A levels /degree where we understand you need acirss the board good grades e.g. sixth form wants 6s in English language and literature?. Probably thinking a bit far ahead there but she was really disappointed today and we had no teachers to talk to to put it in perspective! Thanks again,

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justnotgoodenough · 23/08/2018 23:18

What time were you there? They may not have gone home, but may not have been in a 'public' area. I wouldn't wait until September (not for any urgent reason) you can ring tomorrow and the exam officer will be there. They may well be able to deal with it, or the relevant HoD will be there or contactable probably. There's no mad rush, but also no need to wait if you'd rather ring tomorrow.

Original poster

Madcatperson · 23/08/2018 23:29

We were there 15 mins after opening for yr10 results ! ( I imagine they'd all gone after yr11 results which were the previous hour). Exams officer said they couldn't do anything till school opens in sept- i imagine we are just not a priority as there are yr 11s to consider, and it's a pass (although much lower than expected) so not a huge impact on the school stats?

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Astronotus · 24/08/2018 01:42

The English teacher should have been approaching you to discuss the score and a possible remark. I'm assuming there were not 100s of year 10s in the hall at that point?
Still think it is worth doing. If you're looking for vet/med you need the highest grades you can get so you are being sensible considering a remark.
Deadlines for submitting for remarks are from late August to mid Sept I l believe, depending on board.
Suggest you attend school tomorrow - there will definitely be someone there and put the request in writing to the Head, offering to pay the fee (around £50 - 60 at most). There is a form you must fill in - so ask for it.
Don't take no for an answer. Just be polite and firm.
Finally, yes, it is a pass, but there are procedures to double check that grade, so why not access them. Do remember after review grades can go down as well as up, or not move at all.

This whole situation comes from schools putting students in for GCSEs too early. Year 10 is too early for most.

ReservoirDogs · 24/08/2018 16:55

However I would just point out the grade boundary for a 5 was 86 and then 97 for a 6. So if she is 5 marks off she is slap bang in the middle of the grade boundary and grades can go down as well as up. So in theory it may go down a grade too.

We have applied for a remark where DS is 1 mark off the higher grade but still 10 marks above the lower grade boundary.

Dickybow321 · 24/08/2018 17:42

Sorry to hijack the thread but my DS was one mark off a 9 in English lit. As English is so subjective what do you guys think the odds of him actually going down a grade if we asked for a re-mark are? Would you ask for a re-mark in our situation?

We were very happy and relieved with the 8 and know it is a fantastic result but only today received the breakdown and were shocked to see he was just a mark away from a 9. It won't affect him getting into sixth form but he does have ambitious plans for university and his future career in which most applicants have large amounts of A*s so it could potentially make him more competitive in his chosen field.

Dickybow321 · 24/08/2018 17:46

What I mean is if it was something like maths I'd say the chance of dropping several marks on re-mark would be tiny and you never know you may gain a mark. With English being subjective do you think it is risky to go for a re-mark when just one mark away? School haven't given any advice. If it was about passing or failing or that he'd received a grade much lower than expected I wouldn't need to think twice.

Dickybow321 · 24/08/2018 17:48

OP if she's only in year 10 can she not just sit it again next year?

Chestnut23 · 24/08/2018 17:57

He is too far off the boundary imho. It is a review of marking rather than a remark. Also be aware that it is £36 per paper and you will want to get both done to maximise his chances...

Chestnut23 · 24/08/2018 17:58

Sorry! *she

RedHelenB · 24/08/2018 17:58

If it was eng Lang I would but a c in one subject probably won't make any odds if the rest are all as.

catslife · 24/08/2018 18:48

Won't they prefer exams all taken in Y11 for medicine/vetmed?
A grade 8 is equivalent to A* so you don't really need a remark and isn't a grade 9 supposed to be a fixed percentage of candidates rather than a number of marks? So surely they can't change this post results?

Dickybow321 · 24/08/2018 18:54

catslife if we got it remarked and it went up one mark he would get a 9. It's based on grade boundaries.

People have been saying 8s are now basically As so that's the only real reason I am wondering whether to try for a re-mark. I wonder if Oxbridge candidates will need to have 9s to stand a chance in the near future.

catslife · 24/08/2018 19:45

People have been saying 8s are now basically As.
These people are incorrect - 7s are As, 8s are As and 9s are A*.

OP wordprocessed scripts can be much harder to mark so a review may be worth it to make sure that all pages have been seen.

Original poster

Madcatperson · 24/08/2018 20:32

Perhaps I'm looking at the wrong grade boundaries, I thought 91 was a 6 in aqa English lit, she got 86 and that score was 10 off the next grade of 76? Confusing myself now! My concern on the word-processing of scripts is that if it can pull a handwritten mock grade of 8 to a 5 that somehow something's gone awry ( maybe not the scoring, but the "flow" and detail of the answer?) It makes us worried for next year too as if this was replicated she'd go from predicted grades of all 7/8 s to 5s. Anyway, no word from school teacher or exams person so I'm resigned to dealing with it in a couple of weeks when school's back. Thank you all for your advice!

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pieceofpurplesky · 24/08/2018 20:33

OP you need to find out where the marks were taken off for use of a PC. There was an issue last year with this - and how much was taken off.

Original poster

Madcatperson · 24/08/2018 20:41

Ooh, I didn't know marks were taken off? Would that be something the school would know? I feel like we are floundering around in the dark at the moment! It was school who've suggested the use of typing to ensure DC got the highest grades as she's got what they describe as "doctor's handwriting" . She's top of the top set in English and they wanted to make sure she could get highest grades, sadly it's not worked out quite like that!

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Blueemeraldagain · 24/08/2018 20:54

I think 5 marks is too much of a stretch for the school to pay for it. If you’re willing to pay for it I’d give it a shot as your DD is 10 marks off dropping a grade (ReservoirDogs was quoting the English Language boundaries).

I feel your pain. I’m sitting here looking at my students’ results trying to decide who to put in (for English Language though). I’ve got one student 1 mark off a 4, one student 3 marks off 6 and one student 4 marks off a 7. I only had 5 students! (Small SEN school).

Blueemeraldagain · 24/08/2018 20:56

Also remark deadline for AQA is 20th of September so you have time.

justnotgoodenough · 24/08/2018 21:04

Not sure what you mean about predicted grades but they won't change as they're based on SATs scores. There can definitely be an issue with the marking of 'non-standard' scripts and those with extra sheets.

Three colleagues are markers and they have lost faith in the system...

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