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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

iGCSE exams - is your school still doing them?

19 replies

CaraCruise · 05/05/2020 09:45

My DD is currently sitting (equivalent) iGCSE exam as her school says that the children must (they are compulsory) do these exams as a part of their grading for GCSEs. Is this even legal given that the Govt said no work after March 27 would count towards GCSE grades?
Is anyone else having to do this? Seems unfair when I hear that other children are starting their A level preparation.

OP posts:

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 09:47

They have been cancelled so how can the students do them? Assuming you're in UK.

Original poster

CaraCruise · 05/05/2020 10:26

Yep, we are in the UK.
School sends the exam through on Teams 15 mins before the start time and then we have 30mins after the exam to scan and upload it back to school. Even the kids across the world are having to fit into the BST exam start times.

OP posts:

SeasonFinale · 05/05/2020 12:33

So they are doing mocks rather than an actual exam. Some schools are doing this to help them determine grade levels and rankings. The guidance says work cant be set that may disadvantage a student. If they do well in the work set it can be proof they are working at a certain level.

ChateauMargaux · 05/05/2020 12:58

iGCSEs have been cancelled. They might be internal exams. Our school (not UK) is setting internal exams in line with what the iGCSE papers look like but they are not official exams. (Cambridge board)

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 15:22

They are having you on that these are real exams. They've all been cancelled. The school also should not be using them as evidence of performance.

MarathonMo · 05/05/2020 16:55

Many independents schools are doing this.

It seems there is some ambiguity around 'additional evidence'. I believe schools can legitimately:

Be used for internal ranking of pupils.
Be used to provide further evidence and information for those on grade boundaries.

I think many are 'open book' in style.

MarathonMo · 05/05/2020 16:55

MB: Use them, not be used.

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 18:54

The ofqual wording

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.

For schools going with the spirit of the guidance, this should mean they ignore everything after 20 March as no one know if it has been completed under exam conditions or not. All the state schools I know are ignoring work done at home.

MarathonMo · 05/05/2020 19:28

Schools are interpreting that as whilst a '5 shouldn't change into an 8' it's ok to look at assessments set after that date for ranking purposes and grade boundaries. Some schools set mocks in November and they need another metric.

Devlesko · 05/05/2020 19:39

Mine had a couple of igcse's they were cancelled along with ordinary GCSE's.
How could they allow some to use them and others not. Besides the parents could just do them. Either you haven't got the full story or someone is pulling your leg.

MarathonMo · 05/05/2020 20:13

@Devlesko, this is the plan in many schools. At least 6 I know of. All are doing exams this week.

MarathonMo · 05/05/2020 20:14

Not the same as sitting IGCSEs.

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 20:45

Schools should not be using work from now to inform ANYTHING!

Luckily ofqual will be statistically moderating all centres and if their grades need adjusting, they will be.

How is an assessment done at home a fair metric in any way?

Teachers know the students, ofqual are clear, give them the grade you think they would have got. Not get them to sit a paper at home and then decide ffs.

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 20:46

@marathonMo

Do you teach in the independent sector?

I'd be appalled with any state schools doing what you are saying. I'm appalled but not surprised that independent schools are.

TartanTexan · 05/05/2020 21:00

Could it be that some schools haven’t collated the data they need to rank pupils? Some schools had pre Xmas mocks too,

TattingerFizzer · 05/05/2020 21:03

My DS had mocks in November just when I was rushed to hospital v.ill. His mock results were disastrous, he is now sitting exams at school (online) which may help the outcome for his GCSE grading so I am hoping that whilst it is a pain for him as all his friends at other schools are not sitting exams, this may just be the golden opportunity in this crisis that he needs. Exams are ‘open book’ but they do seem to be taking it fairly seriously.

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 21:23

Ofqual are clear.... What they would have got is NOT mock data. There is allowance for teacher gut feel and knowing students.

Schools should not be using work students are doing now towards their decisions.

TartanTexan · 05/05/2020 21:40

Maybe they can’t fairly rank students without it? Additional evidence can be looked at I believe if it doesn’t lead to inconsistencies of outcome.

Hercwasonaroll · 05/05/2020 21:44

The ofqual wording is above. They can't disadvantage students who haven't done it /can't access it etc.

The teachers can rank them without it. They should know the students well enough. It's more unfair to use work from home that could have been done by someone else as part of the ranking process.

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