GCSE 2019 support thread 6

[DeRigueurMortis]

Hello All,

Welcome to thread 6 - results...

Last thread here:

Gcses 2019 support thread 5 http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3610608-gcses-2019-support-thread-5

It's been a fantastically supportive set of threads to date with a diverse set of expectations and challenges (for both parents and children).

I expect this thread may be the most emotive for us all (crikey how did the time fly!!)

Good luck everyone

I’m getting really frustrated now, have been trying to get in touch with DS school since Friday to request review of 2 of his paper’s but no one is in, I’ve rang, emailed, tweeted but still no access to exams officer. We had a letter in with results saying inform us ASAP if wanted reviews. I know they’re interviewing for 6th form today and tomorrow morning so school is open. Ds going to another 6th form and has already enrolled but one of his choices depends on a grade increase and he’s 2 Mark’s off at present.

@Hoooo re your son GCSE did you do all the filming for the 3 sports for analysis? If so did you do a trial run for the teacher to check and then re film at extra matches.

Or anyone else who’s child did GCSE. Worried I’m not going to capture all the elements 😳

*GCSE PE

Rugbylife can you go to the school and ask? I filled out forms at reception, took ds with me to sign them.

The email address may be the exam officer's name so First initial.surname@schoolwebsiteaddress. This usually works for me

Back to school today has anyone else gone back yet??

@Rugbylife We're having them same problem.

There are quite a few Mums I know who went Vancouver to school early afternoon after enrolling in 6th form and no one was there...and no response to emails.

Another parent has told me someone will be in the office tomorrow, so I will phone and email again. It's the same exam everyone has concerns about, from the people I've spoken to.

It's so, so frustrating not being able to speak to anyone at school.

No idea where Vancouver came from

And I've emailed quite a few of the staff in an attempt to get a response, but nothing.

Then the acting principle will wonder why he has so many angry parents to deal with.

Should the examinations officer be working now? I'd have thought they'd be on hand to deal with Alevel and GCSEs questions at the end of the holidays. At least an email to say they will be dealing with it.

I'm probably just panicking, and there's loads of time for this to be dealt with.

Maybe if the 6th form emailed on your behalf, that might help? @Rugbylife

I emailed last week about England language and have had no response so assume nobody is there until the beginning of term. I agree it's a bit poor - I realise people are entitled to their holidays but exams officers should be working at least a couple of days I think. Priority reviews had to be in by Friday 3pm so we missed that anyway but as it doesn't affect ds' A level choices/6th form enrolemnt we can wait for the non-priority.

Other schools seem to have contacted parents/kids proactively to say they think a remark is needed in whatever subject, but not ds' school.

@berlinbabylon I have the review deadlines and priority reviews are this Thursday so maybe school gave out an earlier deadline

Must say our school has been very proactive. Several teachers got in touch very quickly, even where the marks were pretty well off the next grade.

So, all our teachers have reviewed their papers, which they obviously see on-line, and we are now in a position to decide which ones to go for to get the possible extra one or two marks. It is quite difficult in some instances, as you have to choose where you think you might pick up the most marks, and balance that against cost/time/effort possibly going down (eeeekkk), etc etc.

I think from four or five, we have narrowed it down to two or three. So, the process is then to go to the exams officer to put in the requests, but this has all been done after a lot of work by the teachers, in consultation with the DC's and us.

I have the review deadlines and priority reviews are this Thursday so maybe school gave out an earlier deadline

Yes exam board said 29th but school said 23rd and no exceptions.

What is a review?

Exams officers should be in. I’ve been emailing ours since last Thursday to request a review. She spoke to the RE teacher, on her advice requested all 3 papers, they were received same day, and RE teacher advised which paper to review. We have been to school today for DA to sign the paperwork and pay our £55 (assume getting the 3 papers was free or school paid). Exams officer said she’s sending it today and we could get the response in as little as a few days. Constantly checking my emails even though I know it won’t be for a few days

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/schoolsweek.co.uk/how-to-apply-for-re-marks-and-appeal-gcse-results-2019/amp/

I just googled and answered my own question

Can I have a vent, please?

We have building work starting tomorrow.
Dd’s study is a mess.
Ditto her bedroom.
Ironing pile from holiday has just finally been completed (4 adults x2 weeks - dd has helped with this).
Dd still has homework to complete for start of 6th form.
I’ve been asking her to sort out a wardrobe for 6th form - still waiting. She went charity shopping the other day, got a few bits but what she did get mostly needs adjusting/sorting.
Still have to order her school bag (which I don’t think will be big enough and costs an f’ing fortune).
Just had to shell out best part of £600 on a travel pass.
And to cap it all, I forget next month she has a camp for an international event 2 hours away which muggins here with have to take and bring her back from, they’ve just sent a letter for it saying we also have to have passport details for in 2 months time when I’d hoped to apply after Christmas (that’s another £75 to find). She doesn’t know anyone to car share with to the event so it’s there and back twice (too busy and too skint to even think of staying over).
Oh and her father can’t afford the maintenance payments any more so has had to reduce them that starts this month.
I could cry. Luckily I have some savings but this is being rapidly depleted. Sorry to moan but no one else seems to get it

Oh, and a tax credit overpayment of £130 landed on the doormat last week.......and the car insurance needs sorting........🤦🏻‍♀️

Our exams officer printed their availability / office hours to take in remark requests etc on the 'remark request' forms for both A level and GCSEs. Yes, that availability is more limited than in term time, but simply knowing exact dates / times has been really helpful.

I've donated got a raw score of a teacher who has replied to me email.

So two of DSs scores are 3 marks off the next grade. In both subjects we expected one grade higher.

Would other people get a remark if they didn't have to?

Eh?

That should say: I've obtained a raw score from a teacher.

I'm not sure I would @LynetteScavo. We only asked for a remark because we were 4 marks off a 4. For any others I didn't bother (all 4s and 5s).

At last had response from exams officer, ringing me tomorrow to discuss.

That's good, @Rugbylife

@Maydayredalert - one of the results is a 4 which DS was disappointed with as it was by far his best subject, and to be honest I was very surprised. I think we're probably best to leave it, but I'd like to hear back from school to hear that from a professional.

@LynetteScavo of course I understand completely. Fortunately my DS English teacher happened to be in the exams office at the time.

Our remark is for English, and obviously they need English and maths for practically everything these days. Had it been another subject I wouldn't have done it.

DD will decide to go for the remark once he paper is recalled and back with the teacher. She was 1 mark off a 5 (got a 6) for English lang. I'm hoping theirs an obvious discrepancy else she won't risk it going down to 5. It's madness. When the teachers made a revision guide they used one of DDs answers as an example of an excellent answer.