Exams cancelled 2

[Orangeblossom1977]

Started a new thread as last one is full.

Ok have found this in case anyone is interested www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/09/assessment-of-england-pupils-sitting-exams-in-2022-likely-to-be-adapted?fbclid=IwAR1gHJSo33NlAtLRhX41hFniPJ5Q_YYbV6o0FDrwpDr9zPHVtahtEk6yjNU

@2020again maybe start another thread for that. This thread is about the kids supposed to be sitting exams this year. Yes I'm glad next years cohort will have theirs adapted but that doesn't really help my dd does it. Who is currently more stressed than I have ever seen her over this whole situation

I agree. With the best will in the world nobody cared about our Y10’s last year. There is no reason why they couldn’t have gone back when the other children went back in July. Maybe if they had we wouldn’t be in the mess that we are now.

Concerns raised about parental pressure: www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-56366197

We've had details from DD2's school re what they're going to be assessed on, and it's reassuring. DD2 has History case studies on Witch Craze to finish by Easter, but in Biology and Psychology they've completed the syllabus and are now doing revision in lessons. That helps DD2 because she's struggled to keep up because of illness (long term health condition) and things are looking pretty positive. The school have been very good, and I realise how lucky we have been.

That's worrying @Ellmau. Poor teachers!

I actually wanted to write to dd's school to congratulate them on all that they're trying to do to support the kids, as they are trying incredibly hard, but I decided not to, as I didn't want them to think that I was sucking up with an eye on dd's grades! I will still write, but not until after the centre assessed grades have been submitted!

Does anybody know when the students will be allowed to leave school officially and put a very stressful time behind them?

Don't know officially but our school have been pretty open with the kids about not expecting them in after the May half term.

We gave partial papers being done in our assessments Eng Lang just Reading section of one paper for a TAG

Last day May 28 here after a month of mini exams/ assessments.

Yep, last day now confirmed for us as 28 May too. I'm glad that they'll have a nice long summer!

Are they not calling them back for a ‘celebration day’ or other such assembly type thing? I hope ours finish end May too and aren’t called back for a daft day that no one wants to do.

@NotDonna, dd's school is going to give out a student survey on Monday apparently, to find out what kind of thing the kids want to mark the end of their time at school (they all have to move for sixth form). I guess we'll find out what they have in mind then.

It’s a big mess, honestly. But schools will do the best they possibly can.

That’s such a good idea Alexa
Every year they do a big assembly for both Yr11 & Yr13 that whole school need to attend. They’ve no results so it’s a bit odd and no one enjoys it. Not sure if assemblies will be allowed by July but most probably (very unfortunately in this instance). Our old school used to do a ‘graduation’ type evening for both years after results in the autumn term and hand out certificates. That’s was also stuffy and not enjoyed.
The prom is organised by parents and absolutely nothing has been mentioned. I think the yr13s are trying to organise their own thing. Our school has a new head so it’d be great if this was celebrated differently.

The thing my DS is most disappointed in is that their prom is cancelled. It was cancelled back at the start of September so he has had a long time to get over it but it’s really annoyed him. He is the classic story of the Ugly Duckling turning into a swan (and I can say that cause I love him dearly!). He spent years with no self confidence and feeling very unhappy in his own skin. However puberty has been very very kind to him and he has absolutely blossomed. He has a gorgeous girlfriend and for him prom was a moment to prove to himself just how far he had come. So with everything else taken away it feels doubly frustrating that he won’t even get that opportunity either. He is going to 6th Form so hopefully he will get to do one there.

we've had a detailed timetable of lots os assessments in the three weeks after Easter, a few before. It's a shame they can't have a bit of a break for the summer half term the end of May that would be helpful. Lots of revision to do here. They have given details of topics for some but not for others.

It's a shame they can't have a bit of a break for the summer half term the end of May that would be helpful.

They'll be off pretty much the whole of summer half term anyway.

@HercwasanEnemyofEducation

It's a shame they can't have a bit of a break for the summer half term the end of May that would be helpful.

They'll be off pretty much the whole of summer half term anyway.

Yes that is after the assessments though rather than in the middle

That's because we have a deadline for getting the assessments done, standardised, marked, moderated, checked and submitted! The exam period is normally early May-mid July from papers being set, sat, marked and moderated... we've basically got to do all of that AND teach everyone else.

How do you propose we give them a break?!

I'm sure you mean well but it's impossible with the Ofqual timing to give any sort of break aside from the normal holidays.

@Orangeblossom1975 I was initially really perplexed by your ‘giving them a break’ comment but I’ve got it now. You mean as per the usual Gcse timetable where they start beginning of May with approx 2 weeks of exams, May half term, then 2 more or so weeks of exams. These aren’t exams though remember, so they won’t need a week to revise (or have a breather). The numerous weeks of assessments are definitely not exams, so says the govt.
For the kids (and no doubt teachers) at our school regular exams would have been kinder. But there’s obviously some schools across the country where this method is better. Their parents don’t seem to post in MN (or exist?) Is this really a better way for anyone? I do wonder.

@NotDonna
It feels worse than the real thing, more stressful as all compacted in one short run, after months of uncertainties. Then they will find themselves pretty much empty handed at the end of May !
I really wonder what went on with Ofqual. We would have preferred sitting the real exams with some arrangements, maybe wider choice of questions 😟

@notdonna
This scenario is definitely more stressful for everyone.

The amount of work teachers are being asked to do is ridiculous. The pressure on students is high and sustained. 10ish weeks of ongoing assessment. I don't blame ofqual, I blame the DfE. This should have been sorted last year.

DS’s timetable looks horrendous on paper after Easter with mocks, assessments and then the Exam board tests, but I suppose the GCSE timetable would have looked horrendous too! So much stress for everyone too.

DS’s school is also supposedly doing a week of assessments after half term, which makes it really time pressured for the teachers working out the grades. But it is a small school so only 60 in the cohort.