RE remark - missed 9 by 1 mark

[Darbs76]

Ds2 did his RE exam one year early, as did the whole school. He was predicted an 8, got a 9 in mock (based on the previous year marking) and got an 8 yesterday. I was absolutely delighted but my heart sunk as I knew he wouldn’t be happy with that. Why does he put so much pressure on himself? His Dad and I have never put pressure on him, he did so much revision, the PS4 was redundant for weeks and he couldn’t have tried harder.

So we have asked school about a review and they agreed as 1 mark off. What is the likelihood? He is aware it could go down, but he would need to drop by around 20 Marks by the looks of it for that to happen.

We are trying to speak to him already about expectations for next year, how all 9’s is unrealistic and ultimately in about 10yrs time no-one will even care what grades he got, certainly no-one would question if he had 8’s or 9’s. That said I’d love him to get a few 9’s.

Just venting really as I really hate this new numbering - a B for example is now a 6 which doesn’t sound anywhere near as good. Why the 9? As if A star wasn’t high enough without a strong A star being introduced. It really piles on the pressure for kids like mine.

Thanks for listening

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

@Darbs76 sorry to hear that your DS didn't gain that extra point he needed for a 9. So frustrating and costly too . The 'so near and yet so far' chestnut of life. Good luck to him with his exams next summer.

[Darbs76]

Sorry to hear that @Snowglobes - it’s a real shame isn’t it. I feel for them.

[Darbs76]

Good evening all

Sorry for the delay updating this, we reviewed all 3 papers in the end - found out today no change. He’s ok with it, we tried. He did amazingly and I know next year he will come home with some 9’s. So he will always have an 8 but 1 Mark off a 9!
Thanks for the advice - DS didn’t pay, his dad paid for one (he thinks we only did one and found out today). I paid for the other 2. So £165 out of pocket but we tried.

[Fifthtimelucky]

@Snowglobes: the OP has been updating on a different thread. Two of the papers have been remarked, with no change so far. The third paper has now gone off to be re-marked.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

I have this feeling that the sooner the reviews of marking go in the more likely they are to change. Just a hunch but based on my son's experience (we are not ever very quick off the mark even with the A Level paper one), that would seem to be the case. Once they've reviewed marking on a certain % (and many have been upgraded), surely it's not in the exam boards' interest to carry on upgrading?

Call me cynical but...

[Snowglobes]

Did he get the review and the 9 OP?
My DD was 1 mark from a 6 but the review came back as no change. She’s gutted as predicted 8/9 all along. A 5 is way off. It’s all so bizarre!

[WombatChocolate]

People can be very chippy about others who do well or seek refuge-marks.

Wanting a re-mark doesn’t mean a criticism of the grade 8 or of the child themselves - it is perfectly valid to hope for a 9 and therefore to be a bit disappointed with an 8. It’s not being a perfectionist or unable to accept less than 100% to wonder if you might have wrongly missed out on 1 mark - so many papers ARE wrongly marked, so if it turns out you are one of those, you are fully entitled to that mark and grade. It’s not greedy or pushy.

And for those seeking the most competitive courses at uni or training jobs in the workplace where huge numbers have stellar results, having more 9s will only help. It’s not just about getting onto the next stage of A levels but how those grades can impact you through life.

I don’t understand the attitude of ‘you’ve done well, just be satisfied you’ve done better than most’ and ‘wanting higher grades is being a perfectionist and a bad thing and to be discouraged’.

Actually, isn’t having some ambition a good thing - hoping to gain top marks a positive not a negative. Yes, sometimes there is some disappointment and we have to cope with that, but simply to not seek the best (or a re mark) to avoid the risk of disappointment is such a shame when more could be possible.

Money is involved in re marks and fair enough that lots can’t afford it. However lots of children miss out on grades that are rightfully theirs - perhaps because parents can’t afford it, but also as shown on this thread, because parents very easily settle and accept what has happened - some don’t find out how close to the boundary the child is and so never know if 1 more mark might make all the difference.

This thread reminds me of the differing family situations and opportunities open to children and the knock-on effect. Children with identical academic profiles and GCSE results might end up with different final results and uni places and careers because of so-called pushiness - the difference between a parent (and school too) who puts in for a few reasons-marks and those that don’t; the ones who want the very best for their child versus those who settle for what was dished out.

And I’m not saying everyone should put in for re marks. Often a child is just into a grade and miles off the next grade or the grade is totally expected.....but finding out where they sit within the boundaries and being willing to challenge if there’s a surprise result gives possibilities of uplift.

What’s the worst outcome from putting in for a remark? Really it’s that the mark doesn’t go up and money is lost. So what? No one would encourage a re mark where someone is close to the lower boundary due to risk of marks and overall grade dropping, but as long as that risk is avoided, the downsides are low. Yes, someone may keep their hopes up a bit longer, but unless they are terribly fragile and won’t cope with disappointment at all, really by that point, the likely grade is already clear.

Op, go for it! Your son worked hard and a 9 was within grasp and he’s missed it by a whisker. There’s a lot to gain and pretty much nothing to lose by trying. Let those who mock you leave their children without the option of a higher mark, if they choose to do so on finding themselves in a similar position and could afford it....but it’s hardly doing them a favour is it!

[Arewedone]

No we haven’t had anything back we were told it should take up to 2 weeks

[dennishsherwood]

The appeals process is deeply unfair - see www.silverbulletmachine.com/single-post/2018/10/28/Biting-the-poisoned-cherry---why-the-process-for-school-exams-is-so-unfair.

And it will remain so until one of two things happens.

(1) Someone takes Ofqual to court on the grounds that the statement they made on 11 August that "more than one grade could well be a legitimate reflection of a student’s performance" (see //www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-sunday-times-story-about-a-level-grades) is an admission of their failure to fulfil their statutory duty "to secure reliable assessments", as defined by Section 22 of the Education Act 2011 (see //www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/21/section/22).

(2) Parent, schools, universities and employers kick up such a fuss that the authorities have to listen.

If you know a good lawyer, try (1).

And under all circumstances, how can as many people as possible be made aware of this great injustice? See, for example, //www.thetimes.co.uk/article/revealed-a-level-results-are-48-wrong-xsj33jvnh, //www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/can-children-trust-a-level-results-used-think-son-opened/] and //www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/07/16/students-will-be-given-more-than-1-5-million-wrong-gcse-as-and-a-level-grades-this-summer-here-are-some-potential-solutions-which-do-you-prefer/.

[QOD]

My dd had 4 papers re marked. School paid for one as they weren’t happy and that changed from a B to an A
We paid for the other 3 as it kind of made us look and they were all 1 to 4 marks from an A *
They didn’t change but dd was happy- the school announcing re mark on the one just unsettled her confidence in the exam boards

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

From what I've read on TSR AQA are notoriously slow with reviews, sorry to report.

[Maydayredalert]

Not yet for us. We applied on results day. Aqa say 20 calendar days.

[Powergower]

Has anyone heard back following a review?

[LimitIsUp]

and it's not just me that believes that

[LimitIsUp]

In your latest post you say that he doesn't strive for perfectionism, but in your first post you say "why does he put so much pressure on himself?"

Do what you will - no judgement here, but your initial post did rather read as if you were concerned that he cares too much about this issue and that you are worried about his future expectations

As a parent I would be saying (In fact i did say) a grade 8 is sublime - you should be very happy, but if you decide you really want to put it forward for a remark it's up to you. My daughter then asked what I would do in her situation and I said personally I wouldn't bother - so she didn't. Perhaps my perspective is too specific to my daughter, but I would rather she got an 8 and accepted it with the great satisfaction it merits than internalise the view that it's not really good enough unless it's a 9. I do believe that in some susceptible people this mindset that only the very top grade will do contributes to depression as they carry that forward through life

[ReTooth]

.

[PennyGold]

I've got my fingers crossed for him🤞
I don't think you're putting any pressure on him at all, I think you're being a supportive parent trying to get him a 9 when he's obviously capable of it!
Let us know how he gets on!

[Darbs76]

Also I don’t believe that by reviewing this is putting more pressure for next year. How do you know he won’t put more pressure on himself for missing that 9 and want to get 9’s across everything else to compensate. Yes if he’s one mark off next time we will review them too. Whether that’s a 9 or 5. As that’s what the majority of parents will do. The school confirmed today pretty much all students who are short by a few are having reviews. It’s just normal practice since they started giving out the marks.
My son isn’t a perfectionist - he’s driven to do well in what he likes, his football and eduction. I see nothing wrong with having drive and determination and I think it will get him far in life. He has disappointments, penalties missed, cup finals lost etc. He’s doesn’t strive to be perfect. He’s a really lovely young boy, modest and driven and I think many of you have got the completely wrong impression of him. He just wants one more mark. Anyway enough justification - annoys me having to defend ourselves, but grateful many of you can see this for what it is. I’ll update when we get the result, maybe early next week.

[Darbs76]

@WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles

In answer to your questions. Of course certain grades are better than others. We don’t need to pay him different amounts for him to know that. My parents paid me for certain grades. He isn’t motivated by money and that has absolutely ZERO reason for the review. He’s got plenty of money and doesn’t need extra for the 9.

Yes I contacted the school as he wanted a review. The school said today they are contacting all parents whose children are 1 Mark off. I don’t see the big deal in wanting to increase your child’s mark when they are so close. Pretty sure in anything in life when you’re so close to something and offered an opportunity to review to get what you wanted you’ll do it. Anyway I don’t need to justify why we are getting his paper reviewed. I think some people have nothing better to do in life if they are sitting here questioning the motives of parents and children who want a paper reviewed. We are not pushy parents, DS knows we are proud of him. We won’t be any prouder with a 9 than an 8 with 1 Mark off a 9. I’m proud of him and his desire to get the best he can. I know 1000% we aren’t pressuring him one bit so those few on here who like to think they know him better then as I said earlier, think what you like. We are doing just fine and DS will do just fine next summer knowing we are proud. We tell him all the time how proud we are of him for the awards he gets in school and his hobbies. He knows that.

[Darbs76]

Good luck @MaudBaileysGreenTurban

[Darbs76]

@Ineverwinthelottery - wow that’s amazing! Well done to your DS. I know exactly what you mean, you’re super proud anyway but if he’s so close to a clean sweep why not request a review. Good luck

[Darbs76]

Thank you @howwudufeel for your comments. People on here can think what they like but anyone who knows us and our DS knows we are putting zero pressure on him. He wants to get top grades at GCSE for himself and no-one else. We are about as far off pushy parents as you can get. If certain posters feel like they know me and my son better than we do from this thread then let them think what they like, it’s ridiculous and I do agree that people like that and the way they phrase their responses bring down what is essentially a good forum for parents. I’ve got thick skin and don’t take any of these comments to heart, if anything they make me laugh as some of the things said couldn’t be further from the truth.

We have been to the school today and done the paperwork and submitted a review of one of the papers. It might be back within a matter of days. Exam co-ordinator said they are contacting parents of students who were 1 mark away from the next grade to see if they wished to have a review. We will see what happens. It has given us the opportunity to have a chat with DS about expectations. He is a bright but very modest boy. It’s not completely unrealistic for him to get a number of 9’s next year. But he knows he’s won’t get all 9’s and is fine with that. If he has some with 1 mark off next year and wants to review we will do the same. I don’t need believe so many wouldn’t when just 1 mark away. The money is refunded if the grade changes. It might not seem like it matters in the long run but it matters to my son right now.

[worriedandannoyed]

I had a gcse paper remarked and an a-level remarked and got the higher grade in both cases. My parents didn't have to pay, the school suggested it for both papers as I was only one mark away. It's really worth it. You have nothing to lose!

[Ineverwinthelottery]

@Ligresa no you miss my point. I think the grade 7and 8 should share an upper and lower grade not the 8/9

[Ineverwinthelottery]

Yes I totally agree, 9s exist for a reason and if you are so close then why not go for the review if that’s what you want. We are doing the same here, 2 marks off in 1 subject in an otherwise clean sweep of 11 grade 9s. Ds really wants a full house, we think it’s already a stellar result.