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.

[DakotaFanny]

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

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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?

[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!

[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.