The government should be made to fulfil their promise re Autumn GCSE sittings since there is now no appeals procedure. [Edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

[H0usePlant]

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2020/apr/22/schools-and-exam-boards-undermine-promise-to-pupils-of-september-tests

So having had the chance to sit GCSEs( understandable in the circumstances if schools don’t go back until the Autumn) the gov promised a robust appeals procedure and Autumn sittings. There is now no appeals procedure to speak off as regards actual results and it’s looking less likely there will be Autumn sittings.

They promised both originally and many kids are going to be really upset that through no fault of their own that there will be no chance to put right any issues with GCSE grades allocated. It will surely have an impact on the future chances of those wishing to attend Russel group unis.

Having read several year 11 threads it’s clear all schools aren’t adhering to advice that work from home after school stopped is not to be used.Many kids do cram( there is no gcse rule book prohibiting this), some kids will have had issues outside and inside school that will have an impact on grades being allocated without exams. Private schools have an added incentive for higher results and no Sats data. Teachers, schools and circumstances vary. As such it’s clear in all likelihood there will be discrepancies.

My dd has had an awful time and isn’t holding out much hope that she’ll get what she should/ could have done. She has been working hard since school left for Autumn sittings as that is what was promised. These appear to be disappearing too. Sitting GCSEs next summer whilst studying for A levels isn’t workable. They have hoards of free time and anxiety now. She is now feeling powerless to put right any discrepancies herself. We as parents will be powerless to do anything when results come out.

It’s shit and the gov should surely be offering money to exam boards to ensure exams are held in the Autumn as they promised.

We've interacted about thus before OP.

Working on pre A level work for subjects she wants to do at A level is great. Lots of this will be covered by GCSE revision anyway.

Why are you so bothered about subjects she doesn't want to continue?

It is not in the schools interest to down grade her. There are very very few cases where students make huge grade improvements from March to June. It is unfortunate if you really thought she would and now won't get to find out. But what alternative do you suggest?

No one knows when the resits will happen because no one knows what's happening with schools going back.

Calm down and prioritise what she wants to study at sixth form. Forget the rest.

Fund a gap year like most people by getting a job.

It’s only just been reported that Aut sittings may not happen. The alternative I suggest is the Aut sittings they promised on not just one occasion.

Decent GCSEs are important. She knows that. I can’t just tell her to stop working. The subjects she’s studying aren’t her Alevel subjects but they’re subjects that are weighty and important. If Aut sittings ran and she hadn’t worked she’d be gutted all over again.

Then you have to deal with her separately and appreciate she's a special case. Most students will accept their grades as a passport to further study and move on.

So nobody else will be bothered that Aut sittings were promised. No other kids were continuing to work? Oh ok then. It’s only her plodding away for nothing, that’s ok then.

Honestly there won't be many.

I don’t think you can say that as a definite. When results come out there may be several. Some may want to do one, a couple or several like my dd.

I agree op.

My niece is devastated. She was predicted 7/8 in most of her subjects but was struggling in maths in a low set and barely expected to get a 4/5.

So after mocks in January she started good no to a tutor. He identified gaps in her learning (stemming from having attended a poor junior school and missing secondary lessons due to mental health) and he also explained things in a different way (she’s autistic). Things just clicked and at the beginning of March said there was no reason she shouldn’t get at LEAST a 6.

But her school have no evidence of this. Ok, she may not need Maths for college/uni but the effect of this is that she’s just given up on everything as what’s the point. Probably part of the autism. She’s going to do a childcare course at college.

You're upset and you're catastrophising. Which is understandable, but not going to help.

None of us has any idea what things will look like a year from now, but the one thing that seems increasingly apparent is that very little will look how it did before. So there's little point catastrophising on the basis that systems and expectations after this will be as if it hadn't affected anyone.

The whole system your DD is part of will adapt and change to what's going on.

Even in normal times before this, unfairness affected lots of teenagers taking exams. People find their way through.

Just because things don't play out how you've pictured them doesn't mean they will be awful.

Things could work out better - your DD has a huge chance to get a head start on her A level work, and the opportunity to start that work relatively "rested" because she hasn't had to go through the mill sitting exams.

That is the approach I would be using to take control.

I’m surprised by the answers here. As a teacher I’m furious that they might withdraw them. I think this will put an awful lot of pressure on teachers and will direct an awful lot of public anger and resentment our way. Every student who doesn’t get what the grade they thought they should is going to blame their teachers and their school. The autumn exams were meant to be the chance to correct any errors without a complex and unwieldy appeals process.

It's the DfE - not the DofE- bless I'm sure he has enough to think about with the Royal a Family than the state of the education system at the moment!

There can't be an appeals process- every child who didn't get what they wanted (not expected- but wanted) would appeal. This also highlights the massive importance mocks are - I understand that there has been some bad situations however some attitudes of- oh mocks don't really count- will hopefully change now.

The Autumn resits I thought we're actually going to be when they're back at school in the autumn term to desire if they can actually reach the target grade- and if not they may be taken off the course.

GCSEs are important , however for Unis it's really A levels - it's the next step of learning and they mature so much through college /6th form. ( well some do). I honestly don't think there will be that many bothered about resitting. If they got a 9 at GCSE but then failed a levels they're not going to take that 9 and say that a failed Alevel is ok :) x

Decide not desire x

And my son had a science teacher who for most of two years refused in class to give him his reasonable adjustments such as a laptop for all written work. His mocks were done on paper.

He was predicted 2/3; that increased to 3/4. Another teacher took a class and Ds instantly understood a topic he’d not been able to r stand. The class teacher then told Ds he was allowed to teach himself on Seneca when the rest of the class copied from the board (Ds can’t copy long passages)

I’m confident (and his tutor was) he would have ended up with a Grade 4/5 but the teacher had written him off as going to fail. For context Ds is top set maths predicted a 7 but science is not taught in sets.

Sabine exactly. When parents find out they can do nothing and some schools were using work after they were cancelled they’ll be livid. I can see parents comparing and comparing. Good luck DofE is all I can say.If you had Aut sittings you can’t complain as your kid had a chance to show their stuff iykwim.

And as for just focus on her Alevels she can’t. They may run in the Autumn and I think not having worked for them would finish her off. She’d be devastated.

I also think several will want to pick up one or two. Revise from Aug until whenever they happen. Several of my ds’s friends were planning to. She’s only doing it now because she thinks she’ll need to do several.

Teachers get pressures anyway - even if it's through exams- they are always to blame! Easy targets. It's not their fault though as you can not give a child a grade in hindsight of them passing if they worked harder- mocks are to show them how it can be and people need to take them more seriously- and I bet it will happen now x

Sorry I don't know how to tag but the poster who's niece is devastated - bless her- great about the childcare course and I hope she gets through these next few months ok with that as her focus x

DfE🙄

come from away (sorry don't know how to tag)
Was this in your sons notes/SEN plan/ learning guide for him to have a laptop? X

I am concerned about children who have missed school and/or recently moved school or who were due to be entered as private candidates- there are quite a few. Not to mention those relatively new to the country. Their grades will likely be low, as schools (if they are on roll) do not have enough knowledge of their prior attainment. Taking the autumn exam is vital for some children.

I'm not sure I understand the exam boards - how can it be costly to create new exams when they surely must have all the unused papers that would have been sat in May/June. Why can't they use those in October? Am I missing something?
I agree with the OP that they need to make a clear statement as soon as possible so that y11s know whether they should be continuing GCSE revision or moving onto A level work.

Yes it was.

The same teacher told a dyslexic child it was tough that he didn’t have the correct coloured test paper. (My dh is a teacher, at parents evening it was clear this particular teacher used one very old fashioned way of teaching and would not make adjustments).

That's terrible 'come from away' x

@LeglessGiraffe the boards get paid per exam entry and have to not only develop the paper but also mark it and moderate the marking. They've obviously got papers ready to roll, but if up take is very low then I imagine that impacts the income generated and so makes the printing, postage, training of examiners, recruitment of examiners and moderation difficult to cover. When cancelling of exams was initially announced they emailed schools and promised to part refund fees if they found themselves in credit because they're not profit making. So I'm guessing that now they're concerned that they won't be able to cover the grading and certification process and a new set of exams with potentially very low uptake.
I do think very few students will want to retake papers other than English and Maths. Theres already October entries for this so that shouldn't be a problem.

Surely you can see you're absolutely catasrophising here OP.

You really are in a minority situation. For reference none of our students in the entire school have enquired about resisting at all.

Granted none of them have their results yet. I think you are overestimating students and parents investment. Most students will accept their grades, which will be enough to get to A levels/college and that will be it. You will never know if schools used work after 23rd March to grade or not. Discussing the process has been clearly defined as malpractice by the exam boards and most schools will issue a disciplinery.

I feel for students in your Dds situation but she doesn't need to be working like she is. You as a parent need to stop her and talk to her.

The info that has just come out is up for consultation at the moment so things might still change slightly. This isn't the only change from the initial guidance so with enough comments it might change?

In terms of uni, I've been supporting my classes with this for a few years and really notice that the unis look for the ks5 predictions (most!!) and personal statement (second) when giving the offers. The other thing to bear in mind is that the entire cohort is in the same boat, and admissions tutors are human and will know this. There is also space on the UCAS form to mention special circumstances, and you can ask the teacher to mention it in the reference - showing how you've overcome challenges could help as it shows resilience. You could try calling up some admissions tutors over the summer and asking them what they think.

Yes, some schools may try it on with predictions but my understanding of the document is that they're planning some thorough statistical analysis based on previous results (e.g. historical progress) as well as sats data - and therefore it is actually the ranking that well make most difference. We can state where we believe the cut off between 4/5 or 7/8 etc. is but their analysis is what will actually determine this iyswim.

How would your dd feel about doing the exams in the summer if they don't run autumn exams in the relevant subjects? Not ideal I know.

There will be teens who miss out in some way. (Dd has missed a tonne of school due to illness)
But it will be ok long term . It really will.
Your dd is clearly highly motivated and this will shine thru.
But you and she need to let go a little of what you cannot control. You ..she... is going to need that resiliency.