How do you think school closures will impact on current year 10s GCSEs??

[mostwonderfultime]

My heart goes out to current year 11s and 13s.
My DS is year 10 and worrying about what impact missing all this teaching will have on his exams. What are your opinions? I keep reassuring him that all will be well, but have no idea really.

[zombieapocalypseisnigh]

I have a Year 10, and I'm quite worried about it. He was supposed to take one this year, too.

He will continue to do the work, luckily, as he is very organised and knows he has to keep revising. He knows what he has to do, as originally predicted mostly 9s, but at some point his school is going to have to pull its thumb out and start setting better work than they are at the moment.

[FreakStar]

I think the grade boundaries will be naturally be affected, as they based on the cohort anyway. So it's actually an opportunity for children who don't manage to fall behind and do continue to work hard through this to get better grades than they might otherwise!

[UncomfortableSilence]

Y10 DD here too, she is being set work in Google Classroom and having Google meets with her teachers but she is struggling being out of a classroom and not being able to ask questions.

She was due to have one exam in June which her teacher has told them will now be taken in November when re sits are traditionally done, not sure if this right as the school I work in say nothing has been said yet except there will be an opportunity to re sit in the autumn. Our Deputy Head said grade boundaries will definitely be adjusted for currently 10s & 12s but doesn't see how sections could be cut as schools don't all teach the same at the same time?

[enjoyingSun]

We've had the open day at college cancelled - not sure stopping where she is now would be a good idea though it gets very low A-level marks and has a very limted number of options at A-level.

Local collage has huge range and gets very good results across the board but especially in A-levels.

She has good predicted grades so far so hopefull that would help her get a place and there's time for other open days to happen - but it could end up being more of a jump in the dark than ideal.

[colouringinpro]

I'm really unhappy that my dd in Yr 10 is missing so much teaching of her gcse syllabus. I'm limited as to how much I can help. I also think it's hugely unfair for kids from poorer backgrounds

[PettsWoodParadise]

We’ve already received notice of one sixth form open day cancellation. DD is not unhappy at current school but did want to explore options. General feeling now is best stay put as teachers know you and what if they need to predict your grades...

I wonder how this feeling might impact others on potential sixth form or further study moves for the next few years.

[Titsywoo]

I'm really worried about it. DD is still working hard but she loves school and just won't learn as well from powerpoints etc. Definitely agree that certain subject teachers will deal with this better than others re organisation. Her French teacher has already sent a schedule to follow with very clear lessons set out which need to be completed and sent back the same day. Other things like history and science she needs to be in a classroom listening rather than just reading. Art coursework is a huge amount of work but she is doing an hour every day so I'm hoping that will get it all done.

[DakotaFanny]

Yeah it’s scary. As an English teacher and the parent of a year 10 (so vested interest in keeping year 10 ‘safe’) I’m trying really hard to set work that will basically act as constant revision. So my lit group are doing lots of practise exam questions on the texts we have already studied and my language group are focusing on the writing section of the paper, which counts for 50% It’ll be quite laborious for them and for me in terms of marking, but it’s the only way I can see to give them purposeful, continuous support. Unfortunately at least 20% of my group don’t have internet access so they will be dramatically behind when we go back. It’s really sad.

[BonnesVacances]

Completely agree. DS is doing online classes as per his timetable, whereas DH's school are emailing and posting learning packs as their students don't all have access. It's really bothering him that this is going to create a bigger divide between the haves and the have-nots and has already started thinking about how they're going to tackle that when the schools go back.

[DakotaFanny]

The biggest problem with this is how badly the already disadvantaged kids will be affected. Yes they can lower the grade boundaries but the fact is that some kids will have done loads of work at home in the next few weeks, looked after/prompted by interested parents, have their own lap tops etc and will have parents who can pay for personal tutors. Others will have none of this. They will really suffer.

[DakotaFanny]

Different schools will have done the course in different orders, so no waltzing, sadly.

[waltzingparrot]

Couldn't they drop a book in English literature?

[PettsWoodParadise]

I think I am the one stressing out here. Rumours abound about this virus resurfacing again in the winter and once the exams have been cancelled once it can happen again. I feel as though DD and her friends can never know when they are going to be judged so the pressure is on to always perform, or wonder if the opportunity has passed already. Maybe no different from the US system of the GPA but not something our children are brought up to expect or be conditioned to. Yes I know I am probably over analysing but as I can't say this to DD IRL so I am venting here.

Doesn't help that I have leave booked for tomorrow and am not able to cancel it under current work rules and seriously wondering what has gone wrong that I am excited about being able to paint half a shed. I can't paint a whole shed as I can't get more paint in the same colour. Gardening is compromised somewhat as our garden waste is no longer being collected. I am thankful for my shelf of unread books.

[enjoyingSun]

We're in Wales so my year 10 was due to sit last exam in one subject and sit 6 other GCSE exams in next few months.

They've said they will be treated differenetly to Y11 - but haven't said how yet - possibly being put in with Nov re-sits or something else.

DD has proven the hardest to get doing homeworking - she been very demotivated and younger child in same school seems to be having more work set.

[Travelban]

I have a year 10 too but I must say it's very early days to say how it will pan out. At the moment, she is enjoying the later starts, no uniform, comfort of thr home and online lessons, being able to catch up on gaps and fade timing friends. Long term, I don't know how effective this home learning will be and whether the enthusiasm will wear off.

Definitely worrying..

[mondaynoon]

My DS is worried about this too. His teachers have been brilliant so far and are setting plenty of work online. He is getting up early and starting work straight away. I just hope everyone can keep well and motivated for the rest of the academic year and that the schools start back in September.

[deepflatflyer]

My son is Year 10 (the other is Year 8) and I'm worried too. I suspect this will show which schools and, individually, which depts/teachers can make the best out of this and which can't. It already looks like the good, organised teachers at my sons' school are going to be far more useful than the ones who are always disorganised anyway. Wondering if anyone in the school is checking up on the various staff. I fear that, when they do eventually get back to school, it's going to massively stressful as the school will be worrying about their league tables.

[TheHumansAreDefinitelyDead]

Jellybabies, sorry to rub it in with my cross post. I was not aware that not all schools are providing lessons

[TheHumansAreDefinitelyDead]

My y10 and 12 not worried and are taking to online lessons like ducks to water. Both college and school are sticking to normal teaching schedules. I am pretty impressed with the teachers!

Not sure they get as good an education as they would at school, but at least they are happy not to have to be on the awful school bus, and I am trying to keep them not-stressed

What will be, will be

[JellyBabiesSaveLives]

It’s going to be very unfair though. Some schools are setting lots of work, and doing online classes. My sons school has just told them to revise what they’ve done already. And some kids have parents who’ll get them to do the work at home, and can provide laptops etc, and other kids will just ignore the work because no one is chasing them.

[TabbyStar]

I've got a year 12 doing A levels. I think they'll have to be more flexible in exam questions, e.g. giving a choice of more topics, to recognise that they are unlikely to have covered the syllabus, certainly not in as much depth. There is potential for real inequality with kids different home situations. DD has coursework that's due in soon, there's been no announcement about it, they're just carrying on via email at the moment.

[Powergower]

I have dc in year 10 and 12 and both are worried about missing a whole term. If you think of a levels and gcses as being taught in 5 terms, missing one term is equivalent to 20% learning. They are trying to keep up with the work but it's so hard when it's not face to face like in school, and they're struggling with the complete lack of routine . Going from have having school, sports, friends, meals out, dates etc to being at home is a massive adjustment and is affecting the mental health of my eldest. At their school they both already had daily period 6 after school to ensure the teachers had times to teach the full curriculum. I have no idea how they'll make up a whole missed term.

I don't know what the answer is. The most sensible solution at this point would be to lose the grade boundaries next year to make sure the kids aren't penalised. My friend is a teacher and said that it is the year 10 and 12 students who will really suffer with the fallout from this year's premature school end.

[PettsWoodParadise]

DD’s Emgineering course is 80% coursework - don’t know how that is going to work if they miss too much more time. First module was due in end of next term.

[PettsWoodParadise]

I am worried for DD too, she is in Y10. She will probably buckle down but keeping it up will be a challenge. She loves learning and this is a huge blow. We did homeschool at the end of Y6 but that was just one term and wasn’t such a critical phase. Her school seem to be organised in how this remote learning is gong to work. There are some horrific rumours that they might not go back until September, then it will flare up again in the winter and then they will be off again until spring 2021. I am praying it is just that, rumours and speculation.

However it is the emotional and mental health side I worry about most. I know they can keep in touch with their friends digitally but it just won’t be the same.

[WhatHaveIFound]

They'd obviously all been talking about at my DS's school yesterday and the general consensus from the teachers was that the 2021 grade boundaries would take this missing term into account.