DD got all 9s in her gcses

[lola71]

We are a bit surprised to say the least. The algorithm and the school predicted grades matched. She is thrilled, but feels a bit that she did not deserve it because she she didn't sit the exams.

What's the issue?

That's amazing. Just be happy. If she was predicted to get all 9s, she's got what she deserved. Congrats!

Very few children would be predicted 9s

How do you know what the algorithm grades were if they matched the CAGs?My son got 10 grade 9s and 1 grade 8 (CAGs) and we don't know what his algorithm grades were as the CAGs were obviously higher.

We're thrilled with my son's grades and so is he. Don't waste time and energy on feelings that she doesn't deserve them, her teachers clearly though she did.

Personally I think the whole thing has been devalued by the ridiculously high grades and feel sorry for the students.

Secondary teacher speaking, and I have always thought exams are not a particularly accurate way of assessing ability. They only show what a student is able to do on one particular day and in one circumstance, and often only measure one particular set of skills. An awful lot of factors can influence an exam grade negatively (nerves, tiredness, hormonal changes, learning style, etc). IMO a teacher predicted grade is often going to be much more accurate, and based on how a student performs in every single lesson. Be happy with the grades - she earned them by performing consistently well, not by having one good exam day.

Wow, very impressive, congratulations

She was given a sheet with the algorithm and the teacher's grades ,so that's why we know. it seems that they mostly matched for most students at our school. I think the key she is a brilliant student,hard worker rather than super clever, i would say, but no, on the day, she would have buggered a few exams with nerves, etc. She feels she doesnt' deserve them, I will speak to her in the morning, Reading your posts makes me realise that they are not grading her exams performance, but her overall capability.Thankyou.

It's sad that she can't enjoy them properly after working so hard. She should be really proud of herself!

Reading your posts makes me realise that they are not grading her exams performance, but her overall capability.Thankyou

Exactly...this is what some people are missing

As evidenced in her homework and tests over the last 18 months

We dont know the calculated (algorithm) grades unless they are higher than the centre assessed grades. The grades downloaded from the exam boards are the higher of the two. The complete set of calculated grades is not being released.

Congratulations to your daughter - mine also got her grades on Thursday and her happiness is tempered with a bit of a ? too. But none of this was in their control at all.

Oops - except the work they for the majority of their course. My DD sees it as a positive affirmation by her teachers for her future choices, and I think that's a good way to view it.

She should be really proud. A lot of women have impostor syndrome, it's a habit that needs to change.

Do the (primarily white male) CEOs of failing companies show one iota of remorse for their fat-cat pensions, bonuses and golden handshakes? No.

Do the privileged private school kids worry that they are only getting their spots in uni, their future careers, and their places in many sports professions because of their advantages? No.

So, sure, she benefits from grade inflation. Big deal. Life very occasionally does you a favour - she should take it, be thankful, and spend her life making the most of it.

Perhaps she'll turn her educational advantage to good use, and become a scientist or a doctor or a human rights lawyer.

Encourage her to own her success with pride, and to move forward in her life with confidence.

@lola71

She was given a sheet with the algorithm and the teacher's grades ,so that's why we know. it seems that they mostly matched for most students at our school. I think the key she is a brilliant student,hard worker rather than super clever, i would say, but no, on the day, she would have buggered a few exams with nerves, etc. She feels she doesnt' deserve them, I will speak to her in the morning, Reading your posts makes me realise that they are not grading her exams performance, but her overall capability.Thankyou.

Congratulations and to your DD.

Yes, she might have messed up a couple on the day - which is why exams aren't actually the best way to test ability (most efficient, yes, in terms of churning out numbers for a huge cohort of students, best in terms of actually assessing ability, no).

But the really important thing for your DD to remember is that a grade based on her teacher's assessment of her performance and hard work over a period of years is actually a better indication of her abilities and likely future success than a 2 hour snapshot which might go well or might go badly.

(And I agree with the PP who mentioned imposter syndrome.)

I see where your DD is coming from @lola71 as I think many will feel this. My DS has been so about his results and I suspect he feels similar - it’s all just too surreal. Doesn’t feel he’s earned them, even though he has. And the sneering in the media (and from some on MN it has to be said!) about grade inflation doesn’t help. No system is perfect and this year is far from perfect but your DD’s teachers clearly believed in her abilities!

9s are supposed to be awarded to the very top % of DC in the country but that is still going to be 100s of students getting a clean sweep and many of us will know DC who achieve 9 or more 9. Last year for example over 800 students across the country, according to the stats I’ve found, achieved 9s in 7 or more subjects. With grade inflation, maybe it will be 1000 or so this year (obviously we don’t have data yet). If you think about the millions who take gcse courses that’s still a tiny percentage.

Have a look at this link which gives the 2019 breakdown and tell your DD to be proud of what she has achieved, she’s done really well

ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2019/08/gcse-results-2019-the-who-what-where-and-how-of-grade-9s/

@HathorX fab post and very good points!

A girl at my twins school got all 9s. I absolutely wasn't surprised at all, I know her a bit from school stuff and after school clubs and she is very clever and hard working. I don't doubt that she would have got the same in her exams had they happened.

Well done to your DD, she definitely deserves those grades.

Whoops sorry - that link is data for 2018, published 2019, not the 2019 data. But still worth a read to back up the ‘top % getting all 9s’ theory.

We don't predict higher than a 7 so those of us that received 8/9s would have been surprised too. One student in particular is excellent in class but has full scale panic attacks during exams and would likely get a very low mark, atleast this way they got what they deserved. Congratulations to your Dd.

As for people getting grades they didn't earn, it'll all come out in the wash when they start their A level courses and find them tough. I imagine many 6th forms will offer 'Swap not drop' up to October half term so students can move onto more appropriate courses of study.

Be really proud of her and encourage her to enjoy the grades she did earn them! Ds got 5 8s and 5 9s he has been a bit down beat about them as well. It has been such a rollercoaster with the last minute changes. He is convinced that his main academic rival, a girl in his year has got all 9s (he does not know anyone elses results yet). Ds is Autistic and he is very single minded, he has convinced himself his results would be "better" if he had done the exams, so we are just trying to get him to look forward to his A levels and be pleased with the results his hard work has earned him. We should be proud of all the GCSE and A level kids they have had such a difficult end to their studies.

@HathorX

She should be really proud. A lot of women have impostor syndrome, it's a habit that needs to change.

Do the (primarily white male) CEOs of failing companies show one iota of remorse for their fat-cat pensions, bonuses and golden handshakes? No.

Do the privileged private school kids worry that they are only getting their spots in uni, their future careers, and their places in many sports professions because of their advantages? No.

So, sure, she benefits from grade inflation. Big deal. Life very occasionally does you a favour - she should take it, be thankful, and spend her life making the most of it.

Perhaps she'll turn her educational advantage to good use, and become a scientist or a doctor or a human rights lawyer.

Encourage her to own her success with pride, and to move forward in her life with confidence.

Great post @HathorX

That's great! Encourage her to accept that she does deserve them. Get her looking at Oxbridge etc. They often do "summer school" type courses for potential applicants - obviously Covid will have knocked that on the head but there may be some online replacement. Those results are a fantastic achievement and she should be both incredibly proud and aware that she's sitting on a lot of potential!

You'd have to look at the past results but the results are based on SAT and the school's past grades. So essentially a set of all 9s under the algorithm means that she was ranked by the school in the top handful that based on previous years with an adjustment + or - for the ability of the current cohort would have got a 9.

Of course we can't be certain she would have got all 9s, but it does sound like she was felt to be in the top of the school or thereabouts for all her subjects

Well done to your DD.
I do see problems ahead for some though.
Niece got 5 Gcses graded 4-6. She was predicted lower and struggles academically.
She had planned on doing a level 2 NVQ. All great.
However, now she's 'passed' and her grades mean she can get on at the local sixth form she's decided to do A-levels. Spurred on by her dm who is ridiculously happy and already looking at University courses.
I really worry. She will struggle. Massively.

Last year, only 120 pupils in the whole system got 9s in 11 or more subjects. Even with grade inflation, this might go to 200. If they took fewer exams (e.g. 9 x 9) that's still a very small number of people- possibly 1000.

If your child is one with that type of result, they are a tiny minority and have done fab!

High-achievers do often have imposter syndrome as someone said, so if they had taken the exams, they tell themselves they got lucky, or won't be able to do it again. There is a psychological burden being at the very top, but we can't feel too sorry for them!