Article about parents and pupils pleading for good exam grades

[QuinceSavedMyLife]

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/apr/19/parents-and-pupils-overwhelm-schools-with-pleas-for-good-grades

I liked the teacher saying he'd never had so many emails from exam year parents thanking him for teaching their child

Just finished reading this article too!
I'm not sure where they get this bit from:
"GCSE and A-level teachers have been told to stop setting work for pupils in a bid to deflect attempts to sway teacher assessments and the final grades teachers they submit to the exam boards."
Our school has clearly said that pupils' engagement with work set since closure and attitude to revision will be taken in to account when it comes to giving a grade and has said more work may will be set until its internal cut-off date of May 15th. The Ofqual statement also didn't say schools should stop setting work, unless I've missed an update?
It certainly contrasts with a report in the Times today that 2 in 3 kids "ignore online classes"!

Made me cringe a bit, the emails thanking them for teaching their child! 🤢

Unfortunately I think it will work in my cases.

Little - the adviser said that caution should be taken if setting and using anything set to be done after school closures.
Only schools I know now setting work for years 11 and 13 are independent schools who need to justify their fees.

Little - this was the advice

Should schools and colleges be setting students new work to inform the grade they submit?
There is no requirement to set additional mock exams or homework tasks for the purposes of determining a centre assessment grade, and no student should be disadvantaged if they are unable to complete any work set after schools were closed. Where additional work has been completed after schools and colleges were closed on 20 March, Heads of Centre should exercise caution where that evidence suggests a change in performance. In many cases this is likely to reflect the circumstances and context in which the work is done.

We are setting work but only counting specific pieces. (Obviously very little is being done... but that is not the point so say SMT).

Parents and pupils have been strongly warned NOT to contact teachers about specific grades. So far they are mostly complying. I think it’s important for teachers to stand firm and not engage with such discussions- no good can come of it!

Aragog, so the article in incorrect that schools have been told to stop setting work as it is just that there is 'no requirement'.
Ours is comprehensive, not indie, though views itself as academic and their approach isn't the same as others near us. The letter we got was carefully worded that work since school closure would count and further work would be set, but pupils unable to complete it will not be penalised.
My DD has 3 emails this morning with work (again, let your teacher know if you are ill/can't access a computer), one saying the teacher is waiting on a few essays from pupils, which was important as they were about to "start assigning grades". Also a feedback email telling her what was needed to make her essay a "secure 9". Last week, she had to drop off her art coursework book, with the work set since closure.
So they say too they won't discuss the grades, but it's a bit of a mixed message in that kids are being told to let staff know if there is difficulty completing work. I wish they'd just say that's it!

Dd's school are only counting work done before closure. She had her second set of mocks just before closure.

@LittleLebowski I have to say your school sounds as if it's on dodgy ground there and I think in your shoes I would be considering reporting them to Ofqual. The set work is one thing - exactly how any school will be able to absolutely verify that assessments done at home are actually a student's own work I have no idea. But most importantly no teacher should be specifying or implying what a student's individual grade recommendations will be! Final grades submitted to exam boards will not necessarily be the ones allocated to students anyway - they could easily be moderated down if the school are seen to be 'over generous' (or indeed up it school too harsh). So your poor DD could easily end up gutted if, for example, she doesn't receive her promised "secure 9". I would be very unhappy if my DS's son was doing this.

Back to the OP though - not at all surprised to read any of that re the parent/student grade pleading but would imagine most teachers will ignore, ignore, ignore. Our school have specified that a standard response email (basically saying that they can't confirm anything) will be sent to any parent or student who asks about grades.

*DS's school, not son!

Little, it sounds as if your school are gaming the system a bit there.

Regarding parents reporting schools to Ofqual, it's hardly likely to happen, though, is it, given that those parents' children stand to gain from the gaming of the system?

I have a good friend whose DD has been set maths papers to do under exam conditions, because her mock result wasn't good. I did try to tell my friend that this wasn't really acceptable but she said it was fine, because it wasn't a compulsory task. Obviously, it wouldn't be in her interests to report the school because she wants her DD to get the best grades she can.

From a teacher's point of view it's awful. I've had countless begging emails and it's really upsetting.

I know, @Alsoplayspiccolo, that's a good point. It still feels wrong, though, what some schools are clearly doing! Wish Ofqual had been more specific, although I'm sure there are very good reasons why they weren't.

I have a good friend whose DD has been set maths papers to do under exam conditions, because her mock result wasn't good Dd did mocks under exam conditions before they broke up, but it would be impossible to recreate exam conditions when the kids were not at school imo. On the other hand i don't think a school would be able to game the system as if they try to give inflated grades that are higher than the school usually gets and aren't justified by the cohorts sat results, the exam board will just adjust them down again. I'm glad dds school are going by what was done before closure though. I'd not like to think someone could leapfrog over dd in the ranking by getting someone else to do amazing work for them or cheating in an assessment "under exam conditions:"

Made me cringe a bit, the emails thanking them for teaching their child! 🤢

You see I really want to do this and in any other circumstance I would but I’m afraid of it looking bad.

One particular teacher has been a game changer for ds. He has SEN and had to change schools after year 8. And as the teacher has a health condition that makes him vulnerable he was sent home before the schools closed so we never got the chance to say thank you properly.

That must be hard Bridecilla. Dd's school sent a letter saying they can't give out any information about grades.

You see I really want to do this and in any other circumstance I would but I’m afraid of it looking bad
Could you do it after they have submitted the grades/ranking? I'm not sure when that is though.

I remember a parent of a child with ASD at dd's school was in the local paper a couple of years ago after results saying how grateful she was to the school in particular the SENCO and that she thinks teachers don't get enough appreciation, which was lovely.

DS’s school are still delivering content, and intend to continue to do so until 18/5. They have said that they do not want to put students towards a-levels less prepared than they would be under normal circumstances.

After 18/5 students will be required to undertake pre a-level transition work in 4 subjects, whether staying on to school 6th form or moving elsewhere!

Made me cringe a bit, the emails thanking them for teaching their child!

That’s a bit harsh.

I emailed several of my y11 dc’s teachers to thanks them, but I did it as soon as the school announced they were closing in March, and before the announcement that the grades woukd be based on teacher assessment rather than exams.

It had nothing to do with my child’s grade prospects, and everything to do with the fact that these teachers had really gone the extra mile to support and engage my child, and it was disappointing for the dc and the teachers to not be able to see it through.

I had a very emotional reply from one of the teachers, so I know it was taken in the spirit in which it was intended. :)

🤦🏻‍♀️ Do parents really think teachers will give their cherub more, essentially ranking another child lower, based on a would have/could have email?

I was planning on emailing some of ds's teachers, 2 in particular I want to thank, but I had already decided I will do it after 29th May which I think is the date all evidence should have already been submitted.

@weallhave the guidance said evidence will be asked to be submitted from 29th of May. So you won’t know exactly when evidence was submitted for your school.

Ah ok, will need to be later then!

Just checked and ours says The deadline for receiving estimates is 29 May.. We are in Scotland SQA so must be earlier.