Do you think A levels will go ahead as normal next year?

[ITonyah]

Given how much education some (note the use of SOME!) year 12s and possibly going into year 13s have missed?

It’s not normal to revise in August.

Of course it’s not normal to revise all summer! Some students applying for things like medicine have exams for that in August as it is. These kids have already done online exams a couple of weeks back. So they were revising all the Easter break, now all summer and will be revising all Xmas as well as there will be the mocks straight afterwards.

The point of the summer is to have a clear, psychological break and recharge for the new academic year. Some families will have August holidays planned and in some cases these might still be able to go ahead - nobody can tell at this stage. Are they meant to cancel now? It is not normal to have exams the first week back in Sept.

They get a 6 week holiday. Take 3 weeks off and spend 3 weeks revising 🤷‍♀️

They have already done online exams, often with cameras enabled etc. I wouldn’t mind so much if they hadn’t. I don’t see the need for more.

I think A levels will go ahead. I'm hoping they'll be funding to provide extra tuition to disadvantaged students; for example, young people living in poverty, those with SEN.

Some posters should bear in mind that not having access to an internet connection or laptop and/or being a carer was already the norm for some young people.

If they've already done exams it does seem ridiculous to do them again especially if they aren't getting much teaching. Surely the time would be better used having intensive revision of what should have been covered to date to bring everyone up to standard.

Re the additional funding - I suspect there will be very loud cries for more funding when schools go back normally. IMO this funding should be based on the school proving that they provided on-going learning to students. I am happy for disadvantaged students to get funding but not the leafy comp that couldn't be bothered to educate the students.

Some posters should bear in mind that not having access to an internet connection or laptop and/or being a carer was already the norm for some young people

This crisis has opened my eyes to this - of course I knew this was the case but it has never been so crucial as now. Perhaps we should invest more in technology for state schools, education for both teachers and students and supply tablets? I don't see education bodies coming up. with ANY ideas about how to make this work though

they’ve just announced that the first week back in Sept (assuming they do go back) will be a formal exam week
All schools will have to do this because they need to know what the students have learnt after so long out of school. This is crucial information so the schools can figure out what needs to be taught.

That is why its so important to get Y10 and 12 back into the class room asap. And yes any sensible exam year student will be doing some revision during the summer.

I've heard from a relatively credible source that exam boards are considering altering arrangements for next year's exams but they aren't going to announce anything until they've got the arrangements for this year sorted.

However, they are worried about making next year's exams seem easier/lesser, so this may not happen.

My daughter was due to sit a piano exam this term, grade 5.

The exam board have altered the requirements significantly. I realise this isn’t GSCE/A level, but some of the practical requirement is missing and I’d say it’s significantly less stressful than normal requirements

All schools will not do a formal exam week, Zombie. When I say “formal,” I mean that exams are scheduled over a one or two week period and you only go in for that exam, like in GCSEs or A-levels. They will be full 2-2.5 hour long, or whatever a normal A-level paper is. They did two online papers per subject just two weeks ago, sometimes with cameras enabled on the computers if possible.

Two weeks ago? So exams at the beginning of September will be 4 months later. Sounds like a sensible plan to me. My dds private school have lots of exams.

All schools will not do a formal exam week

You are just disagreeing about the defination of the word 'formal'. All Most schools will have to do some sort of exams when students return to understand what they know and have learnt.

@Daffodil101 - the change to music exams for this term only applies to those students who are in Yr13 and need the exam for UCAS points for University applications (and therefore only for Grades 6-8). Candidates will still have to complete a large proportion of the exam in the same way with the remainder being teacher assessment. This was an important compromise for those students needing to complete the exam this term. Unless I’ve not seen it yet, no details have been released on whether any other exams will be modified going forward.

I won't need to do exams formal or otherwise as I will know what my students have learned, as they send me work every week.

Free Dobby, it’s not a GCSE or A level, it’s grade 5 independently

@daffodil101 yes I understand that. The details I was talking about are the ABRSM exams for the Summer Term which are being run only for Year 13 students taking Grade 6-8. No details have been released about any other exams yet, including any possible reduction of the requirements, probably due to them not being time-critical.

Ah I see. We are LCM board, not Associated.

Sorry, pressed too soon! They’ve set out their guidance, grade 5 to send video of their pieces, choose own scales, no sight reading, as I understand.

@Daffodil101 that explains it. ABRSM is very different, probably due to them being linked to UCAS points. All the sections have to be completed still, some as recordings and others assessed by the teacher.

I won't need to do exams formal or otherwise as I will know what my students have learned, as they send me work every week

So why bother in normal times

Don't your students need exam practice??

Yes, I have the impression that they are less stringent? My daughter did grades 1-3 with the associated board, however we switched because her teacher lost faith with the local exam process (the venue was very poor and the staff were unfriendly). LCM’s choice of pieces seemed more suited to my daughter’s musical taste, too.