GCSE Summer 2020 Thread 9 : Carry on Corona Cohort ‘Let’s Ofqual the whole thing off'

[OrangeCinnamon1]

Welcome all to the 9th Thread for this year's GCSE cohort - the Corona Cohort!

This is a thread for supporting all young people ( and their parents) taking GCSEs regardless of the institute they attend or the grades they need. It is respectfully requested that we are all supportive and helpful to each other.

If you want to start a debate e.g state vs private - please do not within this thread.

Similarly it should be recognised that the grades our children need/deserve/want will vary across the board- we wish to celebrate and comiserate with all. One same grade outcome can simultaneously cause joy and despair for different posters and their families. Please be sensitive when responding to threads about grade outcomes.

Some of us have been here since I started first thread back in yr10, 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 on the Secondary Education Board (at least until Mumsnet HQ chuck us out ) as from now on our DS/DD may go down various paths such employment, apprenticeships, higher ed etc so we decided not to be exclusionary.

Any new threads should have 'GCSE Summer 2020 Thread # : Carry on Corona Cohort' in title just to make it easier to find. There is no preciousness about who starts new threads!

At this precise moment in time we are still awaiting GCSE results . At first these were to be that seem to have been produced by an algorithm that also takes very little account of Teacher Centre Assessed Grades. There is an appeal process but it was changed to include mock results and coursework, then taken down again for review. Now it has been decided that the higher of Centre Assessed Grades and Calculated Grades will be awarded in two parts??!?!

We are all STILL trying to protect our young people's mental health, which the government claims is their priority...when they talk about wanting students back in schools/college in September...

First Thread

Previous thread

Still sorry to hear how I'll DPs been. Glad he's recovering and he was definitely spot on with that comment!

So finally had an email from the school......

Tone is dreadful and very defensive. Much detail that if students/parents are unhappy with allocated grades then they are to be directed to a specific member of SLT. Asking teachers why they have the grade they did will not be tolerated. As with every year some students will be disappointed and that’s the way it is.

Further detail to encourage students not to look to do any resists and that for those that do, there will be no support from the school.

So all in all unfriendly and in now reassuring. So happy she is moving on for sixth form!!

@FlyingPandas

I love the fact that a thread full of GCSE GAV related angst has now blossomed into a teenage dating service My DS has no interest in girls as yet. Faaaar too much of a geek. No interest in booze either as yet. I am sure both will change in time

I can’t settle to anything today, feel so antsy about tomorrow. DS gets results sent to him electronically but seems laid back about it all (don’t even know whether he’ll even bother waking up early to access them!) whereas I can’t think about anything else and will probably be awake from 4am. Anyone else feel like this?

Doesn’t help that DS is now having a frantic last minute panic about getting A level bridging work finished (aka he hasn’t done it, despite almost daily reminders from me) and is having a last minute wobble about A level subjects ....other than that we’re under control in the Pandas household!

I'm feeling ansty too! Can't focus on anything

I'm going to get up early anyway as I like watching students opening their envelope on morning TV so I'll set my alarm for 6. DS is going into school for his results so just until 11 to wait for that...

Blimey @Cherryonthetop2019 that's not very supportive, given what this Y11 have been through!

I do sympathise with teachers who might be in the firing line from parents, especially as that wasn't the plan to start with. But there are ways of dealing with it that don't involve being quite so unhelpful!

Just leaving this here

We've been told to direct all enquiries to SLT. But if a parent or student emails me I will be politely replying to tell them that, not getting arsy with them!

@Cherryonthetop2019

So finally had an email from the school......

Tone is dreadful and very defensive. Much detail that if students/parents are unhappy with allocated grades then they are to be directed to a specific member of SLT. Asking teachers why they have the grade they did will not be tolerated. As with every year some students will be disappointed and that’s the way it is.

Further detail to encourage students not to look to do any resists and that for those that do, there will be no support from the school.

So all in all unfriendly and in now reassuring. So happy she is moving on for sixth form!!

That's awful Cherry!!

We've finally had an email from school. Not much to say apart from the fact there won't be toilets available

Not much to say apart from the fact there won't be toilets available

Good to know

I must say I was expecting an email from school today reiterating the process and explaining what grades they're getting but we haven't had anything. Maybe it'll all be in the email containing the (gulp) grades.

My dd has just had a fb post of friends dad who says that there's a new post on cambridge website saying they get the higher mark.
I'm completely lost now.
I can see so many private schools leaving and just going to normal GCSE's after this, it's a farce.

Still, I can’t imagine the stress you’ve been under.
I hope your DH continues to recover. X

We have decided that grades we issue for the June 2020 series will not be lower than the predicted grade submitted by the school. Where a grade we issued last week was higher than the predicted grade, the higher grade will stand.
I'm completely lost now, as school have sent a different grade.

Cherry, that’s unbelievably callous!
I fully understand that teachers don’t need or deserve dozens of furious emails, demanding blood, but a gentle steer in the right direction and a bit of understanding wouldn’t do any harm.

DD’s school has finally emailed, but only to remind us that it’s a virtual results day and anyone needing/wanting to change their choice of A levels will need to contact them ASAP. Otherwise, see you at the start of term.

Devlesco, what a saga!! 😳

Feeling very nervous here today. This year has been very stressful. Lots going on including a recent family bereavement. Hoping that the results will be positive for everyone tomorrow!

Still radio silence from school here, just think it’s rubbish there has been no communication at all for months.

DS is only 5'7" (still growing) and not sporty or musical. His interests mostly revolve around playing computer games and watching Netflix.
Pros: he is loyal, hard-working and responsible, good with young children, and can cook.
Unfortunately those attributes don't make him romantically noticeable to 16 year old girls.

Alsoplayspiccolo*

I know, it's anybody's bet what dd school end up with tomorrow. I know her school is different but it's private sector, and I'm sort of glad in a way that people on here and elsewhere, can see that both sectors are being messed about and it's unfair for them all whatever sector, whatever school.

I am feeling a bit defensive too cherry but will try not to sound it.

I am really anxious because I taught an (ex) very close colleague and friend's DD. The DD wasn't great and the DM had a funny attitude towards English. She wants to do medicine. the girl is very able but very very black and white (undiagnosed ASD : another story). Indicator grades 8 based on KS2 but that was always a stretch. Unfortunately said DD got more and more entrenched in an 'English isn't my thing' mindset and more and more lazy (even though I di try to repeatedly point out that for a medicine application she might need to do well in everything...). There was no evidence for more than a 4 or a 5 (3 in one mock!!), so the 5 went in. Ofqual probably wouldn't have pulled it down but it was feasible. I love DM but she is a firebrand --and very insensitive-. I was looking forward tot he layer of obfuscatory nonsense form Ofqual in that one case

Might just have to pretend WhatsApp crashed tomorrow....

This balls up has left teachers very exposed.

Did anyone see the head of admissions from UEA on BBC today? He even put his head in his hands at one point : he was hilariously honest! He told stories of parents barricading headteachers in offices 'until they changed the CAGs'. Obviously no one that bonkers on here!!

@Devlesko at least your DD is happy with the lower mark and it can only go up (and almost definitely will) which will amuse her for many days to come!

I agree that there is bad communication from both state and private which I suppose is good ?!

Cherry that's dreadful.

Ds HT very cleverly worded his email to say GAVs would mostly all be lower so I think it was setting scene for be grateful for what you got! Because he also said gavs were very unlikely to have risen a grade.

I understand that mindset a Piggy. It sums Ds (Also asd) and science up. Target 6 through secondary but very old fashioned teacher who refused to make adjustments) not asking him to teach differently just follow what was in ds’s plan such as using laptop instead of copying from the board. Science tutor said capable of 5/6, constantly achieving 1/2/3 in school and had pretty much given up completely.

Radio silence from dd current school since middle of July. Not surprised and glad she’s not planning on staying on there for a levels.

Just had lovely email from her intended (fingers crossed) sixth form today, wishing them luck and reminding them of bits they’ll need to do before enrolment next week, how to get in touch if grades aren’t quite what they need for a levels etc.

Slept really well last night but don’t expect too tonight. No going into school for dd - emails only - so hoping no unexpected crashes of internet tomorrow 😊.

@Piggywaspushed

I am feeling a bit defensive too cherry but will try not to sound it.

I am really anxious because I taught an (ex) very close colleague and friend's DD. The DD wasn't great and the DM had a funny attitude towards English. She wants to do medicine. the girl is very able but very very black and white (undiagnosed ASD : another story). Indicator grades 8 based on KS2 but that was always a stretch. Unfortunately said DD got more and more entrenched in an 'English isn't my thing' mindset and more and more lazy (even though I di try to repeatedly point out that for a medicine application she might need to do well in everything...). There was no evidence for more than a 4 or a 5 (3 in one mock!!), so the 5 went in. Ofqual probably wouldn't have pulled it down but it was feasible. I love DM but she is a firebrand --and very insensitive-. I was looking forward tot he layer of obfuscatory nonsense form Ofqual in that one case

Might just have to pretend WhatsApp crashed tomorrow....

This balls up has left teachers very exposed.

Did anyone see the head of admissions from UEA on BBC today? He even put his head in his hands at one point : he was hilariously honest! He told stories of parents barricading headteachers in offices 'until they changed the CAGs'. Obviously no one that bonkers on here!!

Oh that's a really tricky situation Piggy

I understand the mindset, too. Her DM would not go through any diagnostic processes which would have given her exam concessions, for reasons to do with military ambitions.

@Piggywaspushed that sounds difficult. Can you blame SLT for moderating results?

Most medical schools are fine with GCSE re-sits, but not many are happy with a 5 for English. In case you want to know, the ones which are OK are Aberdeen, Bristol, Cambridge, Exeter, ARU, Newcastle, Plymouth, QUB and Leeds (though GCSE scoring is a large part of their selection scoring so you would be very unlikely to get an interview with a 5 in English) and St Andrews. Some of those require very high admissions scores so she should definitely sit the autumn exam and see if she can get the grade up as she would get the best of the CAG and autumn result so there is no risk. Maybe you could encourage her to see it as a wake-up call and offer a strategy on how to get it up to a 6.