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.

My poor Yr 11 still had to do his mock today and they have to do their final 2 mocks tomorrow.. they can sign shirts in between the exams

He also bought another pile of past papers home to help with revision over the next few weeks.

I assume they needed mocks to help with predicted grades but no idea why he has more revision materials ?

Teachers didn't even acknowledge the announcement about no exams..

He is so sad and confused

The schools going around madly collecting bits of paper . I don't know where to begin with that.

FFS - ds has come home having been told by his head that they should keep revising just in case (of what?); by his deputy head that they should keep working hard on those subjects that they want to study at A level (can see that) ... and by his Spanish teacher that she'll be running mocks in 2 weeks (how?!?). He said the teachers were clearly confused (fair enough) but the mixed messages are not helpful, people ....!!

It’s so frustrating being in limbo about how grades will be awarded. The confusing and conflicting advice is making it difficult for everyone to deal with.

DD home from school, she spent the day completing music composition controlled assessment so along with the recorded performance has completed 60% of that GCSE, then moved on to Textiles and has nearly finished her product but there’s no way she can do all the write up of manufacture and evaluation but she’s done what she could which counts for 50% of the GCSE. Drama tomorrow but they are not really ready for that one as performance was supposed to be in 2 weeks so who knows what will happen there.
As for the other 7 GCSEs with no controlled assessment who knows.
Lots in tears at school today (the ones that are still left) but they are planning shirt signing and getting together after school tomorrow to celebrate/commiserate.

Just got email from school saying that all their online educational resources are going to be for years 10 and 12, and not for years 11 and 13. So I guess that’s them hinting at what they know, but what can’t be made official yet.

Honestly don't know where this is coming from that schools think the exams are just being "postponed". The S of S this morning said there would be teacher assessment of some kind. You can't "hold them in September" because you can't be sure of the situation then. What happens if kids spent the summer revising and then get told AGAIN that the exams are cancelled?

There might be all sorts of problems with predicted grades or whatever but it's the only way that doesn't put students in an intolerable uncertainty.

This link seems well informed

schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-gcses-and-a-levels-will-be-based-on-moderated-assessment-says-cst-leader/

Mine have been told to carry on with homework and revision for now.

I suppose they’re still waiting for guidance from exam boards.

I am really not sure what moderated assessment means in that Schoolsweek article, though.

In my son’s school and the one I work at, there are no more lessons, even online, for Y11s & 13s. They are effectively finished school now till they move on to their next stage in September

My ds’s school isn’t taking kids back in until further notice as from today

He had a bit of a meltdown yesterday during a lesson (HFA) so he’s a bit wobbly and his wonderful teacher who is also his form tutor gave him heavy hints that he would be given the only 9 in the class if she has to decide on grades.

What on Earth is going on? I wonder if there’s appeals they will be asked to take an exam (queried) in November

Ds’s school have said they will set some work/extend the summer reading for year 11’s in the A Level subjects they’ll be taking. No news from DD’s school yet.

Honestly, I don't know what planet DD's head is on!
Just had an email from her, warning the year 11 girls and us that any over-excitement on the last day tomorrow and the students will be sent home early.
She says it's because of the need for social distancing, and yet they are still having lessons, sharing desks, still sitting next to each other in the school bus etc.bus

Smacks of wanting to squash them to me.

@HPFA I don’t think it’s the case that schools think the exams have just being ‘postponed’.
Whilst it’s useful to read various opinions about what should/could/may/may not happen, there is no clarification to date.
I’ve advised DD to carry on with her ‘remote learning’ which will be provided next week because the decision about how her grades will be determined has not yet been made.
That’s , in my opinion, is all we can do for now.

Just sent my year 11s a reading list!

*He had a bit of a meltdown yesterday during a lesson (HFA) so he’s a bit wobbly and his wonderful teacher who is also his form tutor gave him heavy hints that he would be given the only 9 in the class if she has to decide on grades.

What on Earth is going on? I wonder if there’s appeals they will be asked to take an exam (queried) in November*

It's one of the possible options - that each school be given a set number of each grade to distribute.

It's actually one of the things I'm picking up from edutwitter - that the exam boards idea of "fairness" is basically to make sure the cohort remains the same - that the "right" number of 8s, 7s etc is distributed.

The problem is that isn't how parents and children are going to think of fairness because they're concerned with whether their child has got the right grade or not. It matters less that child A got a 6 more easily than child B so long as both of them think the 6 matched their predictions, efforts and so forth. You're going to get situations where a child is saying "my mocks, my assignments , everything I've always got 6s - how could I get a 5?" And they aren't going to think it fair to be told "we didn't have enough 6s to go round."

@HPFA
How on earth can a school be given a ‘set number of grades to distribute amongst its own cohort’ without taking into consideration the national cohort?
So, surely, we all get on with it until ‘the details’ are given?

HFPA, so that means no student can surpass expectations in any exam year? Or they can, but only if their school peers flunk?!

This is the article suggesting that schools might be allocated grades - it ISN'T anything official from the govt - just one body's idea for how it might be done.

ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2020/03/awarding-grades-in-2020/

But the reaction on here just proves my point (which I've been trying to make on Twitter) that what looks "fair" to OFQUAL will not look fair to parents. If your child is totally dependent on a teacher assessment then you need to believe that will be based on the achievements of that child - you're not going to buy into any system that suggests YOUR child won't get a desperately needed 5 because too many other children in the same school also got a 5.

That's from the Fischer Family Trust : I think that's finger in the wind stuff , doesn't work for private schools, and will disadvantage historically disadvantaged students. That said, the rank ordering... hmmmm.... can see that happening.

It's a worry for large schools as well... how do you rank order 430 students in maths or English?

I teach a subject which outperformed every other subject in the school last year , but it's only one set of data. Most of these GCSEs are new (ish) so that's a flaw, too.

The outcome of this may eventually prove to teachers just exactly how much trust the government is prepared to put in our integrity. Historically, very little.

My son year 13 is not expected to do anymore revision or work. However he has been told to work on his DT assessment which is worth 40% of his final grade. So out of all his mates he is the only one expected to carry on working,

I read (not confirmed) that if pupils dispute results given by teachers there will be a mini exams timetable in the autumn. I’m assuming colleagues and sixth forms will have to be a bit more flexible.

@Alsoplayspiccolo DD came home and said they had been told no shirt signing etc and they have been told to ‘not make a big deal about it’. DD and friends are planning to ignore that. It IS a big deal. Huge! They’re missing out on so much it’s a shame to completely downplay the one or two little bits they can still have.

@Piggywaspushed would you be able to share your reading list or pm please. Just read all libraries in our area will close tomorrow at end of day. Such a shame as reading is a great activity for isolation but completely understandable.

Email this evening from headteacher, leavers assembly tomorrow, finish school at 10am to sign shirts etc. Then they’re done.

Specifically he said no exams and no assessments.

Said they would like to offer some comfort re prom etc but at the moment it is just wait and see.

That’s them done the for 5.5 months. The evening before I had agreed with dd to keep English tutor going as it really helps, now she’s pushing back!! I will try to keep her working on maths / English and a level choices otherwise september will be monumentally difficult!

It's on a word doc so not sure . Maybe I'll just copy and paste! Give me a few mins!