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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Surely using mocks for GCSE grades is hugely unfair.

271 replies

1nterstar · 19/03/2020 18:31

Our school did them before Christmas before the whole course was completed, others were doing them this week.

Many kids don’t revise as much for mocks as the real thing( if at all).

The content and marking varies hugely.

Just how can they be used?

OP posts:
FlyingPandas · 19/03/2020 22:21

We are not in a usual situation. No, it doesn’t feel fair. Not for the GCSE students, not for the A level students, not for the front line workers risking their lives to stop people dying in a global pandemic.

All the exam boards can do is try to ensure they are as fair as they can be in the circumstances. Of course our DC were planning on sitting exams in May and June. But they can’t.

CheriLittlebottom · 19/03/2020 22:22

Which is why it WONT be a case of a direct copy of mock results to real results, OP. Why are you not getting this?

AwkwardPaws27 · 19/03/2020 22:22

I was drunk during my physics mock Blush
Still got a B though. And a bollocking.

I'd imagine it's more likely to be extrapolated from a combination of mocks, predicted grades and coursework (where relevant).

Hercwasonaroll · 19/03/2020 22:22

OP but you are not understanding that it is mocks PLUS teacher judgement that determines the grade. No teacher will sit there and go "oh jonny was off for his mock so gets a U" or "oh Katy was feeling poorly, got a 4 when she's capable of a 6, so I'll give her a 4".

Unescorted · 19/03/2020 22:23

They were told their GCSE result would depend on an exam in May/ June not a mock exam sat at different times of the year with different papers and inconsistent marking. At the end of 11 years of study, not 3-7 months.

Empress yes that will present a problem & I hope that can be sorted out for them or they have the opportunity to sit them later without being disadvantaged.

lilgreen · 19/03/2020 22:23

She’s also completed all course work for drama and good&nutrition She started revising for mocks and carried on until yesterday. She deserves those grades.

lilgreen · 19/03/2020 22:24

Food

Original poster
1nterstar · 19/03/2020 22:24

11 years of study, no 2 years.

OP posts:
Hercwasonaroll · 19/03/2020 22:24

Empress that will be a problem.

November resists for Maths and English will be available.

I guess this is a risk with home Ed.

CheriLittlebottom · 19/03/2020 22:26

Unless your child skipped school from reception to the end of year 9, yes, 11 years of study.

Cohle · 19/03/2020 22:27

What's the alternative?

Prelims are always important - what if you are too ill to sit the final exam? Your child should have grasped that. I don't really have a problem with rewarding pupils who have worked consistently hard throughout the year to be honest.

Hercwasonaroll · 19/03/2020 22:27

Definitely 11 years in Maths.

Benjispruce · 19/03/2020 22:28

My DD sat mocks in all subjects in December then core subjects had extra papers in March. So, in my mind she has been thoroughly tested in proper conditions and she got great results, improving in the second round. All course work and practicals are complete too. She’d be delighted with those results in combination with her predicted grades. She deserves them as she’s worked really hard over the last few years and started revising in October/November for mocks and carried on.

Original poster
1nterstar · 19/03/2020 22:28

Didn’t study MFL, specific Eng texts and most other content in reception or indeed secondary. Year 10 and 11 has been very specific.

OP posts:
Hercwasonaroll · 19/03/2020 22:29

English is skills not just texts. You learn English from reception.

Why are you so angry about this? Has your child not worked hard enough and now worried?

ZombieFan · 19/03/2020 22:30

*CheriLittlebottom : "No-one is sitting mocks now, op, you are seriously clutching at straws now"
Huh? My Dc Y13 has more mocks tomorrow. The school brought them forward from next week so they have them to help predict grades.

CheriLittlebottom · 19/03/2020 22:30

Yes OP, but it all builds on what has come before. Which is why they have to go to school all the time and work hard all the time and can't do sweet fuck all for years and years and expect to turn it around in 7 months at the end.

Original poster
1nterstar · 19/03/2020 22:31

Be hi I’d have been happy with that and suspect most would improve on second round. Sadly not all will be assessed on this but pre Xmas mocks.Ridiculously inaccurate.

OP posts:
CheriLittlebottom · 19/03/2020 22:31

I stand corrected, Zombie!

CheriLittlebottom · 19/03/2020 22:32

Ok, OP is either very hard of reading or just refusing to listen. Either way, I'm disengaging now.

Unescorted · 19/03/2020 22:33

Did they only start to read, or form logic arguments and comprehension at the start of Year 9? These are common skills for all subjects that start in primary and develop through secondary.

Hercwasonaroll · 19/03/2020 22:33

Not ridiculously inaccurate. Students usually improve by one grade. Very very occasionally with incredibly hard work 2 grades. Your teachers will know which category your child is in and award the grade accordingly.

DoubleAction · 19/03/2020 22:33

Have exams ever been cancelled before ?My (ancient Wink ) exams officer swears blind it happened c. 1983 because of teacher strikes.

Original poster
1nterstar · 19/03/2020 22:37

Hec surely that will depend on when the mock was sat.

OP posts:
FlyingPandas · 19/03/2020 22:37

Why ridiculously inaccurate? When it is fairly well reported that they will also use teacher assessment (before and after mocks) to inform final decisions?

My DS sat mocks in December. Should have been sitting a second lot just after Easter. Obviously won’t be now.

His mock grades are still a reasonable representation of what he might have achieved in the real thing. Yes he might have notched up improvement by a grade in some subjects. He might also have had a bad day in the real thing and gone down.

But that doesn’t mean his mock results were ‘ridiculously inaccurate’.