GCSE Summer 2020 Thread 7 : Carry on Corona Cohort, Cruising or Crawling to The Final Countdown

[OrangeCinnamon1]

Welcome all to the 7th Thread for this year's GCSE cohort ...or the Corona Cohort as has been termed by @FoolsAssassin.

Some of us have been here since I started first thread back in 2010, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. It is hoped this will continue. Going forward we intend to stay in secondary so any new threads should have 'GCSE Summer 2020 Thread # : Carry on Corona Cohort' in title just to make it easier to find.

From now on our DS/DD may go down various paths so we decided not to be exclusionary and stay right here in Secondary

Thread 1 The first GCSE yr 10

Thread 6 last thread

@sandybayley; was so delighted to hear of your news and the other parents on here who’s DC made their offers. Celebrate well tonight

Thanks neutral. Fingers crossed for her and others in the same boat. It's difficult for them all but when your predictions are nearer a 4, there is so much more to lose. A 9 to an 8, whilst gutting will still mean that child's chosen A levels will go ahead. A 4-3, they won't

Congrats to your ds sandy

fantastic news Sandybayley , so pleased for you all

Someone on another thread has read the Ofqual thing and thinks that isn't right about the rankings. It was a biy hard to believe anyone thought it could be a workable idea

Congratulations, sandy - what a huge relief that must be!

Just had an email from DD’s school - their A level results are the best ever, with 30% A (22% last year), 55% A/A (50% last year) and 80% A*-B (same last year).

actionnetwork.org/petitions/scrap-the-algorithm?source=direct_link&

Someone has started a petition. Hope the link works above.

Yes I just read the Ofqual appeals info and I think the bit that is getting quoted is actually their reasoning for not allowing appeals against the school's ranking.

Also a petition on change.org
www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-boris-johnson-we-need-a-fairer-system-for-this-year-s-a-level-and-gcse-students

Ofqual have debunked the "if one student's grade goes up; another goes down" suggestion and tweeted that, as there is grade protection this year, no results can go down as a result of an appeal.

My child doesn't have SATS results as we were abroad at the time. I keep hearing mixed reports about whether individual data will be used to standardise GCSE grades. Does anyone know?

Congratulations @sandybayley!

@chuilc My understanding is that KS2 results are only factored in at cohort level, not individual results - so it doesn’t matter if your DC individually didn’t take KS2 SATS. It’s the cohort’s results that are taken into account.

@chuilc same situation here. SATS sat abroad but not as an external exam- they did the exams and teachers gave them levels but it wasn't an external process at all so not sure it's valid.

What is “value added” please?

Well done to your DS sandy - good to hear some positive news!!

Thanks @Janie74, that makes me feel a bit better. @seashellandsand, hopefully a lack of SATS won't make any difference for our kids. My DD was at an American school so SATS didn't feature at all.

Value added is just that. So they kids come into year 7 with a profile built in SAT scores. The value added is the average increase in grade to each child by being at that school. So a progress 8 of 0.44 will mean each child should see an increase of 0.44 of a grade by the time they finish KS4.

Congratulations to your DS @sandybayley! Enjoy your celebrations 🎉

@Alsoplayspiccolo - that’s really good news from your school. So many bleak stories today, it’s great to hear a positive one!

Thanks @Cherry

Do we think there will be a U Turn?

Nope!

Well done @sandybayley how lovely !

Sorry for my absence all ...been in the office ughh very hot and sweaty.

Dd is worried and anxious about next week her PPE grades were fine so we should be ok. I' ve told her she must reserve her energy for moving on and up to smash her A levels.
My nephew applied at the outset for a deferred place at Warwick for Maths ...this was rejected as he didnt get the A* needed. He seems happy with a place at Lancs though.

How will it work with the retakes in November? Do they take the exams in November and then take the rest of the year off and start A levels a year later or do they take A levels in the same subjects as the retakes even if they don't meet the entry requirements?

I think they just carry on with A-levels as normal and do the retake in November. Would probably need to do revision at home on top of normal A-level homework.

Congratulations to all those dc who have now firmed places. To those who got a shock, handholding with you till we hear further news about appeals. This has been a ridiculous yr,

What makes me even crosser is that it has been a really difficult time for everyone and this needed to be as easy as possible and for a lot has been the complete opposite.