Do you think they will cancel GCSE’s in England ?

[FippertyGibbett]

Just that really. I believe Wales has already cancelled them, but not Scotland ?
My year 11 DS has just done some mocks and not done as well as we thought he would.
He worked really hard to keep up in the first lock down , but teaching yourself isn’t the same.
I’d like to see them cancel GCSE’s this year and concentrate on teaching the syllabus rather than teaching them to pass exams, then go maybe with a mock/teacher assessment result.
What would others with DC in year 11 like to see ? Is there any hope of them cancelling them ?

DS isn't bothered either way (whether exams go ahead or are cancelled).

He's self-isolating for 2 weeks now and the workload has been horrendous. Teachers taking the opportunity to set 5 hours of work to do in a 100 minute lesson slot with additional "homework".
The constant reminder that every piece of work needs to be to exam standard because we might need it for CAGs, but you need to go home and revise everything because we might not use CAGs but do exams instead.

He is too laid back to be stressed, but he is starting to get tired (and it's only November).

Personally - I think I'd like to see them cancelled.

Yes, but they won’t decide that until weeks after Christmas.

In some ways now it’s so late it doesn’t matter for my DC in year 11. He is so stressed and struggled so much teaching himself. He hasn’t done well in recent assessments and was previously top sets for all subjects and doing well. It is unlikely he can completely turn it around now whether they have exams or not. He also struggles with severe anxiety now which affects his ability to concentrate. This government has failed our young people and failed to support our schools.

@Notnownotneverever same situation with my DD, she is usually very good revising, full on focus and overall very good grades but she messed up in the recent mini mocks- finding too hard to focus, no concentration always in the mindset of assumptions- what of they cancel, what if this and that- they hear so many different scenarios at school too- I agree it is too late anyway the damage is done! I am hoping she can turn this around as she worked so hard all this time except recently lost in space

The constant reminder that every piece of work needs to be to exam standard because we might need it for CAGs, but you need to go home and revise everything because we might not use CAGs but do exams instead

Exactly this. It feels an unrelenting, impossible slog ahead. Poor kids. And they have no respite in terms of time hanging out with friends, which is what 15 year olds are suppose to do. There's nowhere for them to meet out of school apart from one-on-one for a walk.

What should they do and what will they do? Two different questions. Having just had to send 60+ Year 11s home today, working in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, because a kid had symptoms but was sent in for 3 days anyway “because Year 11 is so important and the government are saying there will be exams” I think if exams do go ahead, we’ll end up with most socially unjust set of results the country have ever seen.

I agree. Whatever happens, this year’s year 11 and 13’s will not get the results they deserve however they decide to test them.
I just wish they’d drop exams now and let them relax, then hopefully get taught the syllabus they should have had these last two years.

But surely if the exams are cancelled they would still need to be pushing them to work really hard as they would keep doing regular assessments - they can hardly stop now and say “don’t worry, we will assess you on what is less than a year’s work” (unless they started the course in y9 but DD’s school didn’t start them until y10). So not sure they really gain?

I think on balance I would prefer them to go ahead as it gives the most time for them to keep learning and make up for time lost. But as DD has just got really good results in her recent exams then if they cancel I’m pretty sure she will do ok as those would surely form a big part of any teacher assessment. So from a selfish point of view that might be better for her.

Scotland has already cancelled National 5s

@TickTickClock

‘The constant reminder that every piece of work needs to be to exam standard because we might need it for CAGs, but you need to go home and revise everything because we might not use CAGs but do exams instead

Exactly this. It feels an unrelenting, impossible slog ahead. Poor kids. And they have no respite in terms of time hanging out with friends, which is what 15 year olds are suppose to do. There's nowhere for them to meet out of school apart from one-on-one for a walk’.

Exactly this above. At DD’s school all the windows are flung open all day, they are not allowed to wear coats so are 🥶 freezing cold, working hard to concentrate in lessons, quite a few teachers are off isolating (so not even the usual teachers), pressure piled on them from all sides and they are not allowed to wear coats to keep warm even in mid November in the north of England, 50 odd of the year group bubble are also isolating. They are expected to attend extra catch up revision sessions in form time, do extra revision sessions after school as well as a hectic revision schedule at home until until 10pm each evening for the next two weeks before mocks, she also has dyslexia and so far hasn’t been given the extra time she is allowed in the mini mocks. It’s ridiculous either way the year 11 is screwed. If they cancel gcse’s they are just bringing the pressure forward to Nov or Jan or whenever the mocks are.

@tunnocksreturns2019

Scotland has already cancelled National 5s

So Wales and Scotland have both cancelled next years GCSE/equivalents. So what are you waiting for Boris ?

I know of at least three Year 11 kids who are currently working through a second two-week self-isolation - ie 4 weeks out of the classroom in less than 3 months. There's no promise that there won't be a third and a fourth before Easter and the exams.
Plus I know of a school where 15+ teachers are also isolating so the kids who are in are being taught by supply teachers or babysat by unqualified cover supervisors.
I don't know why there isn't more fuss about this.
(And this is in London where the rates of Covid in the community are only a quarter of what they are in some northern towns)

Yes they will be cancelled

And I think that is bad news

Currently every test/mock is considered as the thing that may decide their grades

This amount of pressure is just shit.

Better to just do exams, kids deserve it. They can just lower the grade boundaries to account for Covid.

Wales haven't cancelled them, they are still doing externally set papers but will be doing them in classrooms (I think) and calling them teacher assessments.

Yes, England should.

@Pikachubaby

Yes they will be cancelled

And I think that is bad news

Currently every test/mock is considered as the thing that may decide their grades

This amount of pressure is just shit.

Better to just do exams, kids deserve it. They can just lower the grade boundaries to account for Covid.

Boris, is that you?

Yes I think they will be cancelled, be good to let students & families know ASAP either way.

we’ll end up with most socially unjust set of results the country have ever seen

Sorry but this is good news for my dyslexic son who won’t pass any exams, yet excels in lessons.

Shoes in the other foot for some.

All those saying exams are the fairest way for testing children are having the realization that those who can pass exams aren’t going to get the chance. Those who fail exams have a chance at passing.

It’s always been unfair.

Better to just do exams, kids deserve it. They can just lower the grade boundaries to account for Covid.

Unmoderated though that will be unfair. Dd has had live lessons and online alternatives throughout lockdown, they are actually ahead of the syllabus. Her bubble hasn't burst (yet). There is no way that her work could be fairly compared, even with a shift in grade boundaries, to a child whose school suspended the curriculum and has been in 14 day lockdown three or four times since September.

I agree though the pressure and 'every assignment matters' pressure is considerable. It would be good to have more certainty.

I hope not, it really throws home-educated kids (like mine) who are due to take exams next year under a bus

It will not be fair for anyone

My Dd's school is currently shut for two weeks and we are back to home schooling.

Numbers are rising in our area and we have no idea what will happen on 2nd Dec

Wales and Scotland have cancelled theirs, England will follow.

It is a disaster for ALL the children imo

Should say my Dd Is year 11

How in good faith can they award results that last a lifetime and are meant to be a mark of a certain level of achievement if the kids haven't actually done the work. Last years cohort had for the most part finished the courses, they missed the actual exams but they had 90% of the teaching whereas this year they have missed the material being taught. Whilst content can be reduced in some subjects, in the core ones like maths and English they need to prove the have reached gcse level surely otherwise it's like giving kids an achievement certificate because we feel sorry for them. I honestly think that assuming that the various vaccines mean school (and life) normalises next year, kids need to be taught through the summer and exams take place in late November, the a levels then run through the summer too to make up time, universities can either start them in January or the government can run a national youth scheme where they receive a modest payment eg youth jsa rate and they do community projects, adventurous stuff, maybe get the military involved, things to boost their confidence, self esteem and give them an opportunity to get away from home etc.

aaaargh ....dont know the answer was thinking teacher assessed for my dyspraxic ds -as exams not his strong suit would be better with coursework... but the constant pressure of everything maybe being assessed or maybe exams is really stressing him out and hes now knackered! lucky as no bubbles burst yet - but they have just shut the senior school down the road completely for 2 weeks so its going to be unfair either way......

I believe Wales has already cancelled them, but not Scotland ?

Scotland cancelled their equivalent exams over a month before wales. Boris is an idiot.

It will not be fair for anyone

It’s not fair as it exists.