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.

Private schools are actually the vet very worst at evidence gathering and Eton were at the centre if a cheating scandal, so...

Any way, as I keep saying, let's not panic and wait and see.

If schools set work, of course the Docs can do it. There is definitely a sentence that says evidence already gathered.

I am trying to help so no need to launch in on me. I have a year 11 too!

We only do one set if mocks just too. But I can't imagine why schools have done no interim assessments and progress tracking

I honestly don't know how much they have done, 16 yo DS's are notoriously not very good at discussing their school day with their mum,sadly. I would imagine that they have done tracking - it is a very good school to be fair to them - so I just feel a bit confused tbh.

I do also wonder whether private schools continuing to set work has juts as much to do with parents wanting value for money for school fees? I think there was a thread on this.

As soon as I have official notice, which I am allowed to share (some is after all confidential) I will let everyone know.

We're not a private school, it is a grammar though.

Thank you for any info you have to share, I appreciate it.

Mine was due to do a second set of mocks imminently having done first set in Jan.

Nothing in terms of work set here now either, I am really struggling to motivate DS to do anything other than some (very half-hearted) prep for A level subjects. He is now very much in the mind set of ‘I’m not revising because there aren’t going to be any exams, why should I revise?’ And to be fair he has a point. Can’t really say I blame him either!

It must be so hard for the dc being set more work to stay motivated, to them all and to all you parents! (Not to mention to all teachers )

It is making me nervous though that some other posters’ DC are being set so much work and of course impossible to tell if it’s assessment data related or just a strategy to keep teens on toes. Have to say our school does do a lot of interim internal assessments though (at least one per half term per subject right the way through) so they will certainly have plenty of data to go on so maybe that’s why.

And @Piggywaspushed to you, again. Can’t imagine the stress of being a secondary teacher and having your own Y11 too at the moment! Really appreciate your posts.

I wonder what part ‘prior achievement’ and school progress figures will play? DD’s school is private therefore no progress figures. She did SATs but most of the intake were from prep schools. I think they did CAT tests in year 7 but no idea what her results were.

She got a 6 in Maths, 5a in writing and reading. What would she be expected to get in GCSEs? I’m guessing schools like hers don’t need to do a lot of progress tracking as they know they’re not going to be judged that way.

crazycrofter, I think the FFT scores are based on SATs (along with other socioeconomic factors I think) and they set target grades for schools for GCSE. They are not predicted grades but based o statistics. There was a link somewhere about how these scores might be used but I don't know if they will be or not. I know there are two different 'target' scores on DS info at school, one based on FFT and one on CAT scores, but when his teachers have mentioned them they are slightly dismissive of both but more confident in the CAT scores.

I think this was the [https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2020/03/awarding-grades-in-2020/ link]]

link

Thanks, that’s an interesting link. Who knows how it will really work!

I really don’t think it is at all helpful to have a dig at Piggy who Is trying to be helpful , is unwell, has her own DC who is going through this and is supporting her own students through this difficult time. Thank you Piggy

DS emailed his tutor to ask if he could stop the work being set and do FM and the computer science GCSE, he now has permission for this and a lot happier. His new college are going to send them something once they have supported their current students.

Piggy could be really helpful by not posting as fact ,things that five minutes later she has to backtrack on and admit she was wrong,giving out fake information is not helpful.Pointing out that she is posting incorrect information is not having a dig.

There is a way of pointing things out Nolan and yours is not how to do it.

I don’t think Piggy is setting out to post ‘fake’ information. I think she is genuinely trying to help, we are all confused at the moment.

nolanscrack, are you new on this post?
I ask because we’ve been here posing as a support network to each other from year 10, and not once during all of that time has there been the slightest hint of unpleasantness.
Piggy has been endlessly helpful over the last week, despite being under a huge amount of pressure and uncertainty herself. She’s also repeatedly made it clear that the schools are as much in the dark about exactly what Ofqual etc will want from them in the way of evidence.

My DD hasn't been set any work at all. Just received an email today from school saying "we recommend that you start preparing for Key Stage 5. Use Firefly to read around the subjects you are wishing to study and use Unifrog to research universities that you are contemplating applying to".

DD had already decided not to bother to continue with some of her subjects but will keep working on Maths and A level subjects. She isn't doing anything at the moment which is fine with me. No rush, she is having a break and doing things she hasn't had time or the interest to do for ages (drawing and painting, reading). Some of her friends at the local private school are having to do 5 hours of home schooling a day... I did point out that although that seems excessive right now with no exams coming up they may well benefit come A Levels, so don't expect to not to have to work any work after Easter Hols..

I’ve always found the posts from @Piggywaspushed to be hugely supportive and helpful. The problem is none of us know what will happen and so much is speculation, but speculation with knowledge and experience and genuine insight behind it is reassuring.

This thread has been unfailingly good humoured, kind, supportive and positive in its tone so far, please let’s try to keep it that way

And it’s 5pm, must be time for wine surely.

Yes, thank you @piggywaspushed for your insights. We know nothing is certain yet - cancellation of exams was only announced 6 days ago!

My apologies,I didnt realise this was a private back slapping thread,silly me for thinking when someone posted nonsense it should be pointed out..anyway Ill leave you now..good luck to all your dc.

I was really pleased that DS’s new 6th formcollege took the time to email again, that’s the second time now and at times like this communication greatly appreciated.

DD is doing normal 5x1 hour lessons per day as per her usual timetable.
End of term would have been this Friday (27th) so it will be interesting to see what, if anything is set for the ‘3 week break’
The impression I’ve got from the emails DD has forwarded to me, which are from some subject teachers and sent to all students taking that subject for GCSE, seems to suggest a stress on ‘if you’re not happy with your grade which will be given in July you can appeal and resit’.
Therefore, stay engaged with subject work.
DD intends to focus on her A level subjects over ‘the Easter break’

DS is doing nothing at all & insists the school have told them there is nothing more for them to do. He says he trusts his teachers to be fair in their assessments. I’m going to try and get him to finish tassomai since he wants to do a science A-level but I’m not holding out a huge amount of hope.

Mine encouraged them to stay learning but also stressed the need for a break and no formal learning