GCSEs Summer 2020 (thread 4) -the final countdown

[PostNotInHaste]

Thread 3
Thread 2
Thread 1(year 10)

Hope OrangeCinnamon doesn’t mind me starting another in her absence , feel twitchy without ! Apologies in advance if I have messed the links up.

The last thread ended with discussion of possible school closures, not really what we want to hear at this point - let’s hope things sound more positive as thread progresses.

Surely Grade 9/A* will have to be cancelled for this year. They couldn’t possibly give them when they are meant to be based on a top percentage, when nothing is moderated and they aren’t all sitting the same exams.

Still nothing from CCEA and the Stormont Executive have just said that they are awaiting further information from them regarding the exam situation.

I think people need to be very clear with their DC to stop revising as if exams will take place.

The Education Secretary said this afternoon: "Let me make it very clear, their will be NO exams this year."

Oh I'm so confused re exams

@PostNotInHaste a blog is a great idea. I may get my DC to do something similar. 4 DC ranging from primary up to Yr11 so they would have different opinions but obviously similar experiences being cooped up together in the same house. We have a lot of friends overseas having lived overseas ourselves so this would be a good way for them to keep in touch with friends too.

@PaddingtonPaddington I can't see the point of making them wait that long. In most cases if it is teacher grades they'll know pretty much what they're getting anyway if their marks and exams have been consistent.

Luckily DD really upped her efforts after her Year 10 results proved a bit of a wake up call so her latest mocks aren pretty good - 5, 6 and 7 in the sciences and 6 in Maths (hasn't got English yet) so if those were her grades she'd be happy with that. At the end of Year 10 she was looking at something like 4 4 5 5.

DS is pretty shocked.

Oakmaiden as I’ve mentioned up thread, I’m neither an ostrich nor a member of the 4 horseman brigade as my DD well knows
And yes, of course, it boils down to ‘bums on seats’ but the question I have raised is which ‘bums will be on seats’ in Yr12 come September - and where?- and then be allowed to resist GCSEs in November?
Not being arsey (no pun intended )

Some poor kids have had multiple changes of teacher and poor teaching which has affected their schooling and also their predictions (my DS in one direction from English and the other for music) but it is what it is.

Suddenly tonight I have had a flurry of NEA submissions from year 11s!

Thanks Stormycloud you right about revision.

Slayingdragons that would be great to keep in touch with overseas friends and add some perspective of how everyone effected.

Also this Is already hitting people hard financially. They are a creative lot and hopefully can come up with some ideas as to things that might be able to help people a little.

Will IGCSES go ahead

Are they getting predicted grades ?

Having a little panic here.

I’ve got 2 in GCSE year. Not sure what to tell them.

They had their mocks in December and hadn’t finished the syllabus in some non core. One of mine is predicted 6/7/8 so would be ok for college. The other one didn’t do so well and he’s put massive effort into revision since January.
All exams except PE and IT are just exams not coursework.

@PostNotInHaste do it please! When we think about stuff like the mass observation archive it is such a rich resource to use

Really hope exams go ahead. Completely unfair to base it on mocks, predicted or teacher assessment. What happens if you've had 4 different teachers for science this year, all of them supply teachers? How will they ensure private schools font inflate grades, that those from deprived backgrounds are treated fairly and that teacher student relationships don't influence the grades awarded.

Proggy

The last paragraph of my post wasn't aimed at you in particular- - just at people in general. The more "it isn't a problem and it will be OK" we can be about it, the less our children will freak about what might or might not happen.

This isn't something we have the power to change or influence in any way. So ti important to keep positive about "What might be" until we know for sure what is happening.

Very worst case scenario - some children might not get the grades they deserve and might have to retake their last year at school. Or take a year out, retake their GCSEs at the end of that year and then move on to college. Yes, it would be a shame, but it will not be the end of the world.

Is the particular course your son wants to do usually oversubscribed?

Seems like it's definitely cancelled and not postponed

twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/1240346896373288960

It sounds like Education Secretary has said no exams so that would include IGCSE as well would assume?

Redcrayons tell them for now exams are off but they will get grades, but you don’t know the details yet.

There will need to be some thought given about finishing syllabus to make sure have knowledge needed for next courses but that will be worked out in time.

I am with Oakmaiden here. It’s down to us here to keep positive as they will take their lead from us. It’s obviously a shock at the moment but will be the new normal soon.

Have had to calm a very distraught DD on two counts: school closing this Friday which means she hasn't finished all her syllabus in lots of subjects and the fact GCSEs are cancelled for this academic year

I didn't know what to say really except hug her tightly and let her cry and let it all out and to reiterate that 10s of thousands of students are in same boat.

I've no idea what this exactly means. Is Friday the last year 11 day?

Such a shame for our DC who wanted to take their exams and see how well they did but great for those who hate school (either for anxiety reasons or otherwise) as they get a reprieve.

I managed to hear - through the sobs - that DD had such plans for her summer and now it's all ruined as she'll have to revise as she'll probably be taking them in the Autumn. I told her her summer can start from Friday and she can have a well deserved break from constant revision and study periods.

Bless him, DS is still doing his homework because it's due tomorrow.

Anne it’s obviously early days yet but hasn’t someone linked something to say in Wales they will be assigned a grade plus the Education Secretary has said there will be no exams this year. So based on that she won’t be revising.

We don’t know for sure but I am taking it as Friday the last day of year 11.

Great work ethic Redcrayon

@slaying dragons Surely Grade 9/A will have to be cancelled for this year. They couldn’t possibly give them when they are meant to be based on a top percentage, when nothing is moderated and they aren’t all sitting the same exams*

I hope not, as quite a few of dd's predicted grades and mocks were 9s and that's what she's been working towards! Unfair to deny able students the grades they should get, no?

In Ireland the teachers are still assigning coursework online. Some classes are being conducted via Facetime or similar. Exams not cancelled yet(!).

*Oakmaiden^
I have a DD not a DS.
Like many posters on this thread she holds a scholarship/ bursary at an independent school and we have to give notice at Easter to say she will not enter 6th form
She has an offer on the same terms from another independent for 6th form
And no her A level choices are not oversubscribed
Hence, for those in a similar situation she does need clarification on what will happen in September as ‘it isn’t a problem it will be OK’

What is an A*. Is it a percentage or percentile?