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.

Herc - I think it’s so easy, retrospectively and As an adult, to say it doesn’t matter whether you get a 6/7/8 at GCSE. We all know this. But the point is, it does matter to a 15/16 year old. Otherwise, why bother at all if a 6 is the same as an 8? This is their life and their grades and of course it’s a big deal to them, relatively, no matter what any adult says. It’s an important life stage and something they’ve been working towards for years. So I don’t think it’s helpful to dismiss the concerns. We constantly tell our DC to do their best. The point is here, that this girl feels she has been denied the chance to show her best and that’s hard for a young person. She won’t be the only one struggling - this is a real thing.

Adults get stressed / irrational / depressed over far less than this. Yes, even in the midst of a pandemic!

I think you just have to accept that in the middle of a pandemic you’re not going to get any reassurances that exams will take place or not. It’s just too up in the air at the moment. I think you need to be honest with your daughter and talk about other options. Gap years might not be what she wants but if the autumn exams don’t happen and she’s not happy with the grades awarded then she’s going to have to have a plan B. Might be worth telling her to keep going with some study but Autumn is a long time away anyway so she doesn’t need to be doing hours every day. Untimely she’s going to have to consider plans B’s like many others

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-williamson-pupils-could-sit-shortened-autumn-papers%3famp

This looks reassuring. Obviously she’s aware she’ll have to look at plan B if necessary. It was more the point re money apparently being an issue and the need to follow previous assurances through.

The above looks promising though. Fingers crossed they do sort something for a time as soon as they can after schools return.

I'm sorry, but most teens don't make a huge amount of progress in two or three months. She may have to live with her predicted grades (my dds were very accurate). Last year dd was devastated to 'only' get a 6 in a subject she wanted to do at A level. She's worked really hard on it and is looking at a solid B at A level which is fine. I'm not sure from your post whether she is worried about the difference between 6s and 8s or 2s and 6s!

Most Russell Group state 6s are fine if they say anything at all.

To be brutally honest, if she has had very low predictions at this stage for whatever reason, then RG unis might not be for her.

No low grades were from being away with the fairies not ability. When she is well she’s fine and pulls off high grades.Russell group unis and courses vary hugely. Her “predictions” haven’t changed since entry ie v high. Her grades over the last year and a half have been all over the place reflecting her struggles and are a concern with this years system, wouldn’t have been normally.When you get ill you get treatment, get well and move forward which is what she has been doing and is beginning to reap benefits.She has put a huge amount of work into it.That is life. Most of us will get good times and bad.Pretty sure Russell group unis aren’t meant only for those with a life devoid of struggles. Resilience and knowledge/ work on health in a way are better done at home than away and part of the lives of many teens these days.

So she's predicted very high grades but hasn't hit those predictions for a year and a half?

I'm really sorry she's been unwell but if she is awarded her original very high grades, despite not showing work that backs them up, then the school will be at fault.

No she had some high grades over the last year and a half. A real mixture.

Think they’re looking at lots of other things too anyway.

She’s happy to sit exams to prove her ability and fingers crossed it’s looking more likely now.

I would have thought with some high grades and good original predictions she'll be fine anyway. Good luck!

Hi,

You said your daughter is now well, or on that road, and has started to work much better than before. Her teachers will be aware of that and will factor it into any of there considerations.

I also have a year 11 daughter that has had some serious struggles this years, nights in hospital due to suicidal thoughts and now being investigated for bipolar, so while I don’t know your circumstances I do know that life can be very hard and uncertainty makes it harder.

My advise would be to trust your school. It is good to keep busy academically so start looking at A-level stuff and things that interest here (futurelearn is really good). Have 2 plans in hand, 1 if she gets the results she is happy with, and 1 if she doesn’t. Don’t keep going over GCSE, that keeps the worry real.

A really useful technique in these situations is to control the controllables, there are some things you can’t control, so there is no point wasting time and energy on those. It takes a bit of practise (I’m still working on it) but is a good principle.

Your daughter is bound to get upset and confused and frustrated and as the adult you need to de-catastrophise the situation, reassure her that it will be OK, because it will be. Not the OK that you were expecting but a new OK.