School refusing to give GCSE predictions

[BirthdayBadger]

DS is in year 11 (in an independent school). No mocks have been done at all and the school is saying that they are not going to give us any predictions and that there's no point in even asking. We know that predictions exist because DS applied to go to a different sixth form and his school needed to supply them for the new school to consider him.

Is this normal? I feel that we actually have no idea how he is really doing. We had a very inconclusive parents evening recently where some teachers gave test results which helped a bit but not all subjects had had any recent tests, or the teachers wouldn't comment. So, we are concerned that we don't actually know how well he is doing at all.

Is this what other schools are doing? Surely it's usual to provide some kind of prediction so that a clear idea of where the pupils are at is given and steps for extra support can be given if needed?

Value added is about how much the child improves. So schools that are highly selective and only have very academically able kids don’t add much value, even if they all get all A*/Grade 9s (because they were already high achievers when they arrived).

A school with a more varied intake, that really improves the grades achieved by a student has more ‘value added’.

We were told what was put on sixth form applications. In fact, could see predicted grades on applications. Also, letters from school reminding everyone to be mindful of situation/ covid etc, despite this.

My Y11 ds (state school) had exams in September and his mocks in December. We got results for both sets of exams and a mock exam report too.

The school bangs on and on about value added. I've never quite worked it out.

They base future target grades on SATS results. So a computer generated target grade. So if they do well in SATS the target grades are high & it's hard to add any value. I think it's probably hard for Independent Schools to add value.

@converseandjeans

How on earth can the students be expected to know their areas of weakness of they are not given feedback on exams?

Well they're not going to sit the exams so not sure it would make much difference? They just need to focus on working hard consistently over the next few months.

Yes, but they need to figure out what they need to work hard on.

They may not be sitting a normal external exam but we don't know how grades are going to be assessed this year. There may be some kind of external exam or schools may be required to get their students to sit some kind of mock between now and summer so it would make sense for the student to understand which areas of the specification they need to work on most.

How a student performed in a particular mock exam is not a prediction, it's a historical fact!

Schools just need to make it very clear to students and parents that the result of one exam is not their predicted grade - it's just one part of a whole set of evidence.

@converseandjeans

How on earth can the students be expected to know their areas of weakness of they are not given feedback on exams?

Well they're not going to sit the exams so not sure it would make much difference? They just need to focus on working hard consistently over the next few months.

Yes they ‘just’ have 6 months of giving 100% effort 100% of the time. 😬

Dd is at a Private school and we had predicted grades a couple of weeks ago, they needed them for their 6th form applications.
They are continually assessed though and we get sort of predicted grades at the end of every term, plus they had mocks in January.

@NoUniversity - more than that. I said to DS that I doubted that 2021 GCSEs would happen and to work on the basis that every single piece of work was a piece of GCSE coursework. Exhausting for them but possibly the only thing to go on ultimately.

Lots of mixed experiences and views on this. It's shocking that our schools are just left hanging trying to work out themselves what is the best way forward. Not fair on so many students.

How a student performed in a particular mock exam is not a prediction, it's a historical fact!

But the grade given from a mock only really applies to the students who sat that exam in that year. Mocks aren't always past papers either, so grade boundaries are 'invented'.

Same here OP. No mocks & no end of year exams. No predicted grades. I felt like you but I do understand the reasoning now and think it’s crucial for our children to ask for feedback. They need to be asking ‘how can I improve this’? And ‘what else do I need to do to get the best grade possible’? Then take heed. I don’t see what else they can do really. It’s such an unusual situation. I’m really not liking the idea of them being graded as ‘where they are now’. Especially with all the surprise tests this week. I think testing without warning is harsh at the best of times. But at the moment? Really?

Especially with all the surprise tests this week.

Was this just your school? This isn't a national thing.

@HelloDulling
'We get them about 24 hrs before. And often, if there are obvious anomalies, we ask for them to be remarked, which happens so quickly the students are none the wiser when they get their marks the next day.'

OK, that's changed a bit since my day - it was always the day before, but no one was re-marking in those 24hrs (pretty incredible turnaround!) But still not really an 'embargo' as the PP was call calling it!

It is referred to as the "exams embargo" in schools though in fairness to the PP.

@NotDonna

Same here OP. No mocks & no end of year exams. No predicted grades. I felt like you but I do understand the reasoning now and think it’s crucial for our children to ask for feedback. They need to be asking ‘how can I improve this’? And ‘what else do I need to do to get the best grade possible’? Then take heed. I don’t see what else they can do really. It’s such an unusual situation. I’m really not liking the idea of them being graded as ‘where they are now’. Especially with all the surprise tests this week. I think testing without warning is harsh at the best of times. But at the moment? Really?

Yes but how many 15/16 year olds do that. Not many I think. It takes a lot of guts to do that. Many just don't have that maturity.

I meant 6 months from the announcement (January wasn’t it?) IF it ends in June! I think the majority of children were told and have been giving (as near as they possibly can) 100% effort 100% of the time. But realistically how can that be sustained? Maybe I should suggest DD aims for 80/80.

@BirthdayBadger That is literally the learning process. Students from v young are used to listening to teacher feedback and acting upon it. Most of the 15/16yos I teach are great at it.

We have predicted grades for yr 11. Need to rtft but must feel odd.

idril

so it would make sense for the student to understand which areas of the specification they need to work on most.

To be fair we did give 1-1 feedback via Teams to students giving this advice. Also how to prepare for an exam should it take place. It's hard without giving grades out!

nouniversity

Yes they ‘just’ have 6 months of giving 100% effort 100% of the time. 😬

I know it's awful & just doesn't suit some students who tend to swot just before the exams. The ones who are struggling with lockdown will find this harsh too. Poor kids.

My DD had her mocks in November and they have always included what they call expected grades and have done it this year too based on mocks and course work.
The expected grades have been used in discussion for interview for 6th form.
It’s a state school

Mmm... I thought mine did but I’m wondering now. They better be. Without that feedback they’re screwed. Their teachers are THE only relevant resource they have. Past papers are irrelevant, so much of those are exam technique, which they won’t need if they’re not sitting exams. Grade boundaries, assessor notes (or whatever they’re called) are meaningless.

I mean I think a lot of kids have been giving as much as possible since September in fear of it going to CAGs. I think that’s hard to sustain.
Interesting that some schools have given predicted grades and some haven’t. It will be interesting to see if there’ll be any disparity between those predicted grades now & those that’ll be given in summer.

I think some schools may have given them before the exams announcement.

Predicted grades are based on years of collecting evidence from the school itself, based on a normal school year.
This is most definitely not a normal school year, and as PP have said, even the system used last year will not now be used.
The only thing that schools can do currently is to collect evidence (based on engagement / ATL and attainment (although exam boards don't like to confirm now that certain topic areas are considered to demonstrate understanding in that topic IYSWIM).
Schools have had no information as to how grades will be given this year, so are completely in no man's land.

I understand your frustration, OP.
All you can do is encourage your DC to engage, do as well as they can, and ask for feedback and help if they are struggling.