Interim Report from school

[Trampoline11]

I feel a bit foolish but I am hoping that I can salvage something from this situation that my DS is in.

He is Yr 11 and studying Computer Science. I have obviously misunderstood previous reports as his target grade at the start of yr 10 was a D.

School have encouraged him re 6th form, college (needs 5 C's at least) but I was given his report yesterday and his target grade is a D. His work is up to date according to the report.

Am I missing something here? I have emailed school but no reply as it's the holiday now.

I mean, hasn't he improved at all since year 10? I feel I could get an E and I'm pretty useless with computers! Parents evenings have been positive and it's his favourite subject.

Maybe someone knows what criteria they use in year 9/10 that would make his target grade so low? Just for info, he's in top set for maths and 2 for English.

I'm baffled tbh and want to know if there's anything I can do for him? I won't of course but I feel like telling him not to bother putting any work in. A 'D'? Long time ago but when I was in school that was a fail.

Can anyone throw any light on this as I feel something isn't right but I may have left it too late?

Thanks

Just wanted to say FFT don't contextualise their grades. They're based on month of birth, sex and KS2 data (actual marks, not scores/levels, and including all papers not just reading and maths). Happy to bore you explain further of anyone is interested in how they come up with their grades, but essentially it is a statistical prediction based on how other similar students performed at GCSE in previous years.

It isn't personal to him.
It's not a predicted grsde.
Free school meals, LAC, address etc will make no difference.

OP, having read your updates, I can't see anywhere what grade he's working at or predicted. Just this target D, which he's on track to meet or exceed. So I'd agree, a polite enquiry as to his current working level. Try not to worry too much, if he's been getting positive feedback and encouragement re sixth form, then I think it's most likely a confusing report rather than a problem.

Happy to have a quick look if you want to DM me.

@SeasonFinale

Yes unfortunately that is the case and the JCQ guidance states the following:

"Students, or individuals acting on behalf of a student, such as parents/carers, might also try to influence grade decisions by applying pressure to centres or their staff. The awarding organisations anticipate that the majority of such instances will be dealt with by the centre internally – in such cases, we ask that the centres retain clear and reliable records of the circumstances and the
steps taken, and that students are made aware of the outcome. However, if a student continues to inappropriately attempt to pressure centre staff then please inform the relevant awarding organisation using the JCQ M1 form.

The awarding organisations will contact your centre if we receive credible allegations that such pressure has been applied in order that appropriate steps can be taken. In all the scenarios listed above, as well as any others that have not been explicitly identified here, the JCQ Suspected malpractice policies and procedures 2020-2026 continues to apply." (page 46 JCQ guidance)

The student could end up being disqualified!

We have another parents evening after Easter.

We've been told we can't discuss grades.

My plan is to ask what evidence he needs to provide to achieve his target grades and what he can do in the 6 weeks between the parents evening and grade submission. From reports etc through the last 4.5 years, his target grades are pretty attainable. Would this be OK? I don't plan to ask what grades they're going to submit. I'm not sure what the point is of the parents evening if I can't ask that.

@Hellohah yes that is the way to approach it. Ask what is it he needs to be doing now that will maximise his chance of getting the best grade he could realistically achieve?

That way they can say he needs to focus on xyz, or he needs to practise exam technique, or 12 mark answers or ....(fill this space). Then if he follows their advice hopefully they will see this and his grades will be at what you would hope them to be.

Me again! I don't like to @ anyone but hope that this will come up as I have another question.

I have found an interim report from November 2019. DS's CS target grade was a B and his current grade a B.

As I understood it, target grades couldn't go down but could go up. I've probably misunderstood but could someone clarify? Perhaps they're changed each year? Perhaps he hadn't done the work?

He is doing everything he can to improve his grade and has done in some of the others - just this one subject. His teacher did have a word and implied that he may get a C. I don't know whether to just leave it now and hope for the best.

Incidentally, the school do use FFT.

op only his school can tell you whether target grades can go down or up or neither. The system will be set by the school, even if it dies use FFT data.

For example, I recall being given the target grades at GCSE for one group and being told I could amend them, but I had to keep the same average (!) so if I lowered one as it was much higher than they could achieve, I had to raise another! What joy! That lovely system was just my school tho.

If he is on target for a C that's good, tho tbh teachers really shouldn't be telling him that at this stage.

I would reconsider the subject for post-16 tho if he hasn't already, as a C is low for an A level entry grade.

Thanks for your reply clary. I was asking as previously posters had said that target grades can go up but not down.

Oh don't say that about reconsidering! It's for college not an A level if that makes any difference.

Teaching sounds like a nightmare job sometimes.

I only said reconsider as it might be hard to do a post-16 course in something that he found hard - something that he did better in may be a better option.

Mate of DS2's was advised not to do a particular A level as he got a 5 (last set of actual exams) and had got 7 in other subjects; he did it anyway and has found it really difficult. I don't know anything about CS tho; I wouldn't advise my subject (MFL) at A level on a grade C/5 but CS may be very different.

Depends what's meant by that teacher by target grade - some of DD1 teachers seem to see it as what they are currently working at others as what they'll get others still an ambitious grade that's possible for them. I know because we've asked every teacher over several years over multiple children at this school.

We're in Wales there's only two weeks left for DD1 - there a final hour exam in most subjects though some have already finished. Not huge amout o ftime to change anything really. I doubt they'd be prepared to talk to parents about grades at the minute.

Probably wait and see and talk to the college later on.

Might be worth looking up appeals process this year and time frames.

www.qualificationswales.org/english/news/qualifications-wales-confirms-appeals-process-and-routes-for-private-candidates/

Qualifications Wales has confirmed more details about the appeals process, as first outlined by the Minister for Education on 20 January 2021. There will be a three-stage process:

Stage 1 – By June schools and colleges will share provisional centre determined grades with their learners. A learner can ask their school or college to review provisional grades and/or check for any errors before they are submitted to WJEC.

Stage 2 – After results day in August, a learner can appeal to WJEC that the grade judgement that their school or college has made is unreasonable and/or a procedural error has been made.

Stage 3 - Following completion of the Stage 2 appeal, learners can request an Exam Procedures Review Service (EPRS) review from Qualifications Wales to check whether WJEC has followed their procedures correctly.

Final qualification grades will not be issued to learners until the results days, which are 10 August for AS and A levels and 12 August for GCSEs.

Thank you for this information. Hopefully we won't need to use it. Not long to go now

I do feel OP that before committing to doing computing at college (would that be a BTEC Extended Diploma worth 3 A levels?) you do need to understand from the school why he only gets a C (assuming that is his final grade).
Because I agree with clary a C at GCSE does not on the face of it look favourable to doing well on a level 3 course.

If it is a BTEC then they are run and assessed differently so some reasons may not be so relevant. However if the answer is 'he's just not logical enough, and insufficient attention to detail' or similar then it would make me pause for thought.

Normally ability at maths is a good predictor of ability at computing.

Thanks for you reply Teen. I think you might be right. To be fair to him when I was telling him that he must complete all work, revise etc, he did say that if he didn't get the required grade, then he would have to do a lower course for a year.

He's predicted A in maths so you never know! Yes, it is the BTEC.

If he can get an A for maths he should be able to do computing.
You just might need to help him in the first term stay organised on assignments.

The BTEC DD1 did was split into units. Within each unit there were Pass, Merit and Distinction criteria. To get any grade for a unit you had to meet all the criteria at that grade and the lower ones. You couldn't miss any. So messing up an early assignment and missing a merit criteria meant you couldn't get higher than a pass for the whole unit. Then all the units added up to make the overall grade for the course.

Thank you Teen. All this information is great as it helps me give him confidence and at least sound like I know what I'm talking about!

Not sure if anyone will read this after all this time but we have a positive update!