Gcses Nov 2020 while doing A levels yr12.

[annaSab]

Ds got generally good results and starting a levels ( maths, bio, chem and another do be decided but will drop after 1st year) has a couple of gcses grades he was not happy with. Wanted to get all sciences at least 7 so we were thinking of 2 in Nov. Looking foward to ucas forms and what unis might want.
But he is now getting cold feet and worried about work load with yr12 and possible mocks at the end of term.
We were thinking of English(which he was v.dissapointed in not getting a 7 and a science.

What do you think?

This was my son's plan as well but now he's thinking it's going to be just too much work on top of what he is doing.

It is difficult. Only concern is ucas form in future and if up against someone with similar A level grades a 6 would count against him. Not an A level choice though. But if he doesn't will he always wonder...

I personally think he'd be better off concentrating on his A levels.
They are a big step up, chemistry especially seems to be pretty hard at A level.
Think of it this way, how many hours of work does he think he would need to put in? Would that not be better spent on the new A level content?
And would an examined grade of 6 not be 'worse' than a CAG if 6?

I suspect universities are very unlikely to make decisions based on differences between 2020 GCSE grades. Beyond university, they're unlikely to look back at GCSE grades. It's probably best to concentrate on the A-level work and making sure the predicted grades are as good as possible. Re-taking the GCSEs will distract from that.

I'd also just concentrate on A levels. Unless looking v top unis, what what I can see unis just want a mix of passes at GCSEs and it's the A levels that count. My nephew for example went to Uni of Bath to study Biology with GCSE grades C-A * but A levels of AAA.

Just wondering with that a level combination and the issue with GCSE grades if it's medicine or similar that he's thinking of? Some universities do use GCSE grades as part of their selection criteria. Not for particular subjects other than English and maths but more by giving a score to the top 8 They have to be taken in the same single sitting so it would he have to be November. I'd talk to his science teachers tbh and see what they advise. How strong is he in chemistry and biology? He can't afford to get behind in either tbh

I think the same. My dd was toying with retaking a science and English but it won’t affect her A level choices and I just think it would be too much to take on. I think they’re better off really concentrating and pushing their a levels now. That’s my advice to her, ultimately it’s her decision.

Another vote for concentrating on A levels here. Everything I’ve read and heard suggests they are such a huge step up from gcse and our y11s have had such a chunk of time away from learning. I think even the super diligent ones who’ve continued study at home are going to find it tough getting back to the classroom.

Your DS has also chosen some tough A levels and will probably need all his energies to focus on those. Maths has the highest drop out rate of any A level in the country according to our head of sixth form and at our open evening the chemistry A level students did a really good presentation about how the course was great but such a hard transition from gcse and how level 9 students really struggled at first etc etc.

I would definitely encourage focus on the As. Especially if he’s wanting to take 4.

I can't see the point in retaking 2 subjects he's going to take at A Level. The A Level grade will "beat" the GCSE one!!

Unless he has his heart set on a future direction that needs him to have 7s at GCSE, I'd also just focus on the A Levels. And, if he does decide he wants to retake, I'd most definitely drop the idea of a 4th subject.

Thanks for all these comments. We looked at a few uni pages and have decided to leave it. Much better to have a fresh start than dwell on the past.

I wouldn’t bother unless he’s considering top uni

English worth sitting IMO

Depends on what he's planning to apply for and which universities. For competitive courses like medicine, dentistry, law etc redoing the English to try to get a 7 or higher is worthwhile. A science that is 6 rather than 7 or higher surprisingly doesn't tend to count against you unless you're applying for the most competitive universities/departments eg Oxbridge, Imperial or veterinary medicine.

Universities making offers tend to look at GCSEs very closely as the students haven't actually sat their A levels yet. That said, all universities' admissions staff know that the GCSE grades from this year were problematic as the exams were cancelled. However he will still be in competition against other applicants who may have been more fortunate with predicted grades.

November 2020 is actually not difficult to fit in one or two exams - many students I know have covered A Levels in 16 months (ie starting in January) and got all As and even A stars; a small number have even covered it in 1 year and still attained good grades.

It also depends on whether the school will be supportive or expect him to spend every evening and Saturday in September to October playing matches or being in different co-curricular activities every night. If he has to choose between doing 2 exams and only having time to do enough work to get 6-7 for two or concentrating on doing just English so that he can get 8-9, I would aim for one subject that he could get an 8 or 9 in. Universities look for quality rather than quantity. A high grade (7-9) in English is worth more than medium grades (5-6) in 2 subjects.

Redoing a subject/2 subjects amid A level studies also shows motivation and diligence which is a positive quality that admissions staff will take note of among competitive/highly regarded departments.

Schools Still Used the Abandoned Algorithm.

Up to 1,900 schools still used a similar algorithm to the one the government abandoned due to "too many significant inconsistent and unfair outcomes". 1,900 schools sent their CAGs to FFT Datalab who sent back to them, information about how many grades to change to fit their school's 2019 data. 1,000 schools sent them to FFT again to further check their CAGs.

I'm writing to FFT, my MP, Ofqual, my school, exam boards, any journalist whose written about the algorithm. I suggest you share this information and do the same. My child's grades were at or lower than his most recent sustained, attainment grades.

Grades should have been, per Ofqual, "[a CAG] which represented the grade that student would have been most likely to achieve if teaching and learning had continued and student had taken their exams as planned."
AND
"Working At Grades" as well as "Target Grades" (FFT Target Data) were not to be used as per Ofqual, "note that these centre assessment grades [CAGs] are not the same as - working at grades (the grade a student is currently working at) [and] - target grades". Rather, the DfE and Ofqual stated when determining CAGs to use "student's knowledge, skills and abilities in relation to the subject. This evidence should inform teachers' professional judgements about each student's likely performance at the time of the exam."; "those judgements should be holistic, based on the range of evidence that schools and colleges have. So students shouldn't worry about one disappointing mock exam result"; "performance over the course of study"; "review data, classwork, bookwork"; "performance on any class or homework assessments"; "signed off by at least 2 teachers [or an equal] in that subject .... [stating] fairly represent the grades".

Please see the following: ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2020/06/gcse-results-2020-a-look-at-the-grades-proposed-by-schools/?fbclid=IwAR1i6OB4gEvjEcBa4yCWW9xYW83S5EM1K2WiWanh-BKoqTpo1Q0V2Z9-V1g

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/909035/6656-2_-_Executive_summary.pdf

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/887018/Summer_2020_Awarding_GCSEs_A_levels_-_Info_for_Heads_of_Centre_22MAY2020.pdf

2020 Students - Class Action Lawsuit Against DfEd & Ofqual.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/families-to-sue-over-wrong-marks-given-by-teachers-g2qjjc8x7