Exams cancelled 2

[Orangeblossom1977]

Started a new thread as last one is full.

2020again I know both my DDs would do self study over the holidays if content hadn’t been covered for their next stages at university and 6th form. I know that wouldn’t be as ‘effective’ as been taught but it would go someway.

www.gov.uk/government/news/2021-exams-a-bigger-disaster-than-last-year

Exactly this @Orangeblossom1977 To look at how we calculate grades without looking at learning loss and catch up at the same time leaves young people at risk of catastrophic unfairness. there seems to be zero data regarding lost learning. A few headlines about 2 months behind? But which years? Where specifically? Early years? Primary? Where they could catch up during their school years. Or exam years where it’s a bit late?

Just to go back to asking for a remark-my DS was given a grade 5 for both his English lang and lit GCSE's in 2019. ( he was predicted 7/8) I asked for it to be remarked on the advice of another parent and he was awarded 15 extra mark's between them. This brought his grade boundary into the high 6's for both. If I hadnt been given this advice to request a remark then he wouldn't have been able to apply to certain uni courses who require a 6 in English lit and lang to apply. Although I'm not sure how pupils can ask for a remark if no exams are taken....

I'm a bit confused about these 'mini exams' which can be taken in as much time as they want etc.

It says then, they won't be used for grades

Our school is doing formal mock exams on return to school

How will this work?

NotDonna YY. Interesting that that is on the gov website as well.

Where does this leave pupils who get extra time in exams when it seems all are given it now?

Agh! That gov doc is a month old!

Ds1s 6th form have been doing continuous assessments which will be used to calculate the end grade
He had one more in April then that's that

A few headlines about 2 months behind?

That was based on a study of Y2 pupils who incidentally were largely back to school in June, not September.

However their engagement with remote learning will have been very different to a Y10.

@nancypineapple

Just to go back to asking for a remark-my DS was given a grade 5 for both his English lang and lit GCSE's in 2019. ( he was predicted 7/8) I asked for it to be remarked on the advice of another parent and he was awarded 15 extra mark's between them. This brought his grade boundary into the high 6's for both. If I hadnt been given this advice to request a remark then he wouldn't have been able to apply to certain uni courses who require a 6 in English lit and lang to apply. Although I'm not sure how pupils can ask for a remark if no exams are taken....

So whoever reviewed the original examiner's marking felt that the marking criteria had not been correctly applied and adjusted the marks accordingly. That's what the review process is for - where, as in your case, grades were substantially different to what was expected and thus it was likely that a significant error had been made in the marking process.

The problem is when students/parents/schools use it to try to find the extra mark or two because they want to go up to the grade above. Those tiny changes are much much rarer now.

Wow. That’s huge nancy!
Given everything BelleSausage has said about the processes I think schools will be relatively accurate and likely not much cause for appeal. But if a grade is bizarrely low, the school usually appeals a students grade with that students consent. I wonder what the process would be this year?

@noblegiraffe

A few headlines about 2 months behind?

That was based on a study of Y2 pupils who incidentally were largely back to school in June, not September.

However their engagement with remote learning will have been very different to a Y10.

Yr2! And only 2 months. No data for older years? I’m skeptical that huge chunks of learning will have been missed by the end of June for the majority of exam years.

@Bee0808

Ds1s 6th form have been doing continuous assessments which will be used to calculate the end grade He had one more in April then that's that

Is that for A levels? Have they covered all the curriculum by April? How will they keep him motivated and engaged until July? It’s quite a balancing act for teachers, isn’t it?

I think schools will be relatively accurate

There is no such thing as ‘accurate’ this year and because of this there will be inconsistencies between schools.

Last year a lot of schools were cautious (sometimes overly cautious IMO) because of the algorithm.

This year teachers will be able to show pupils to their best effect. Set them mocks/mini assessments on the best taught topics and use those as evidence.

Yes its a level
Its been really tough for some kids
One of ds1s friends can only access online learning through his phone :(

Will there be more pupils who will not have engaged with work than usual, if they haven’t engaged with remote provision.
I assume some pupils will have struggled with remote provision who would have engaged at school. If they are at a school that did very little work in the Summer term then I assume they could be quite far behind.

For info, the exam boards will provide schools with assessment papers. These won't be mandatory but schools will be encouraged to use them for additional evidence of a student's knowledge. Teachers will be able to adapt the papers (ie pick which questions to use) based on what their students have been taught. Hope that helps

We have been doing mocks and practice questions all along for this eventuality.
All students will have a portfolio of work as evidence-essays/homework/mock papers.
I think it's the only thing we can do.
When these assessment papers come out we will incorporate those as well.
I don't understand why people are moaning.
Have you a better solution?

There were lots of better solutions, MrsKeats but it’s way too late to implement them now.

Such as?

I don’t think anyone is moaning @MrsKeats it’s a discussion.

I just get the feeling that this is just a veiled teacher bashing thread.
As usual on here.
I am an experienced marking leader and will apply the criteria so that my students get the most accurate grade I can give.
Students will need to do work and be engaged as I am not giving a grade that I don't feel is justified:

@Bee0808

Yes its a level Its been really tough for some kids One of ds1s friends can only access online learning through his phone :(

Are the school aware of this? A lot of schools are able to help with this if they are made aware.

Teacher bashing??????
Where???