If you have a Y11 DC, what's the school doing about GCSE assessment?

[GreenTeaPingPong]

Can you help me get an idea of what other schools are doing for GCSE assessment? I especially would like to know when they're going to be doing assessments/tests, if they've told you.

I was dismayed to hear from my DS's school on Friday that they'll be doing assessments in class over 8 weeks beginning in one week's time from 22nd March - meaning they'll have had just 10 days of teaching before they start assessing. They've had minimal teaching online, perhaps 5 or 6 live webinars per week since January, and DS has not been very engaged, so I was really hoping that he would be able to have at least a month or 6 weeks of school before being assessed, so that he has a chance to up his game. But now it seems they'll be assessing basically only on the work they've done from Sept - Dec 2020 .

Is your DC's school doing similar?

mayneedabiscuit gosh so horrible makes me think you will need to change your usename to mayneedaovodka...

I just don't get it all, there will be massive outrage won't there? What are the students going to left with? Also doesn't it just put some schools in a no-win scenario.

The dept of Education should have come up with a proper plan for this last summer, ok they couldn’t know 100% that this would all still be going on but surely having a back up plan wouldn’t have hurt?
Our kids have been totally let down

@nancy75 I totally agree. They should have a disaster recovery plan like any company or business...this should be no different.

It is not the schools fault but our government. When asked early on in the year about our year group , they said it was too early to decide...hey presto...no decision made...pass the buck to Ofqual who then gave lots of options to schools and each school is trying to device something different. I know they were trying to help the school but this is so much pressure for all the teachers.

I am calm in front of my ds but am so annoyed but what can you do! Roll on end of May and fingers crossed all our children come through this and enjoy a well deserved Summer!

@Thethingswedoforlove

NCS is running this year. Starts early July. My dd is booked onto one for three weeks.

Is it really?! I assumed it would be a virtual one if anything and we've all had enough of screens. I will look into it, thanks.

@worriedatthemoment

My ds had good lessons all through lockdown , the sat online mocks , then had a week of mocks last year and will have more in may, they will use these for evidence firstly along with classwork and assessments to help back up if needed. We have been provided with raw scores but they won't give predictions , all in all think School are doing well with it and best that can be done this year Ds is at state school that supposedly requires improvement yet the school provision and management , teachers etc I think have been brilliant

Make sure you tell them they've been brilliant. Staff will be thrilled with this kind of feedback; a real morale boost.

@SaucySarah yes! Places went very quickly for my dds favourite one so she booked on her next favourite. It includes a week’s residential.....

my DD will have mini exam series for six weeks as of the week of 12th April. They had a mini mock back in November, and have been taking tests during the lessons on some subjects. She has been revising like crazy now - during the 6-week test period, they will not have lessons only revision time when they have no exam

My Year 11 DD is in the middle of a gruelling 4 week exam period. Exams are coming thick and fast and she’s completely exhausted! I dread to think what the outcome will be as (like most) she’s been hugely affected by the time out of school for lockdowns and the difference in her performance pre and post Covid times is monumental. I feel so sorry for her as she is very unlikely to get the grades she would have done if circumstances had been different.

Inky If she gets the grades needed for the next step that is the main thing. Keep nurturing her through.