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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSE results day 2021 support thread

308 replies

HappySonHappyMum · 02/08/2021 16:22

10 days to go until results day. Thought I'd start a new thread for parents who are getting the heebie jeebies and are probably more stressed than their DCs. I personally am trying not to mention it AT ALL, so it would be really good to have a thread where I can worry along with everyone else!

OP posts:
portico · 02/08/2021 16:34

Awaiting both A Level and GCSE results for my sons next week, yikes 😢

ChnandlerBong · 02/08/2021 17:25

it's going to be a car crash isn't it? every school will have adopted a different approach so IMO it'll be almost impossible to accurately compare results from one school to another.

trying not to talk about it here.

Original poster
HappySonHappyMum · 02/08/2021 18:44

That's my worry - the car crash. Haven't discussed it with my DD, I'm not sure she's thought about that side of things at all. Just got to hope it goes well and her school have been fair. I think she will be OK because her school has a sixth form and they'll want it full of students! I'm scared stiff though and don't want to transfer my anxiety to her.

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ihearttc · 02/08/2021 21:41

I’m currently on holiday and trying not to worry about it…easier said than done. DS1 worked incredibly hard but it’s more the comparison to other schools/students I’m concerned about. His hard earned 7’s and 8’s (hopefully!) will mean nothing if other schools hand loads out.

HairyMaclary · 02/08/2021 21:48

Here too… Trying not to think about it, we are away for a bit between now and then which I’m hoping will help!

ChocolateRiver · 02/08/2021 22:05

For what it’s worth I’m a secondary head of department and we’ve worked incredibly hard to ensure a fair and consistent approach. I’m in a high achieving school and my students have achieved largely in line with previous cohorts who have sat the exams in previous years. I’m confident that there won’t be any nasty surprises come results day as most have got very similar to what we have been predicting. Those few who haven’t done well had been told and supported from very early on. For example there is no one who was expecting a 7 but has got a 3. Try not to worry.

Eaumyword · 02/08/2021 22:11

Checking in!
DS is really busy with his job which is a godsend bless him, but I'm utterly anxious. His school have given absolutely no indication of what outcomes might be in the offing, so I lurch from blind hope to sheer terror.

ChocolateRiver · 03/08/2021 08:18

Sorry, I didn’t mean they would know the results. More like they get termly progress reports with predicted results from early on in year 10 so anyone who hasn’t done well should be expecting it because they have been getting these reports which will have indicated this and the parents will have been spoken to by class teachers regarding the progress of their child.

Ipanemama · 03/08/2021 08:24

Our school say they have been completely rigorous about how they decided the results and have demonstrated to parents/students how they are using evidence of student work/mocks.

Chickydoo · 03/08/2021 08:37

Joining in here. Fairly hopeful that DS has done ok but you never know. Trying not to talk about it as I don't want him to worry

TeenMinusTests · 03/08/2021 09:25

DD only entered for 4 as missed all of y11 so also not much evidence (understatement). I'm hoping for at least 11 points total but don't know how tied the school's hands are.

clary · 03/08/2021 09:33

@ihearttc

I’m currently on holiday and trying not to worry about it…easier said than done. DS1 worked incredibly hard but it’s more the comparison to other schools/students I’m concerned about. His hard earned 7’s and 8’s (hopefully!) will mean nothing if other schools hand loads out.
oh no @ihearttc, they will still be meaningful, especially if hard earned. Well done to him in advance. Is it your ds that can't decide what A levels to do? What's he going with in the end?
ChnandlerBong · 03/08/2021 10:06

I reckon we just have to give our own kids a pat on the back and then look forward to whatever the future holds?

I have every confidence that his school (like yours @ChocolateRiver) will strive to be fair and consistent with their allocations. BUT not all schools will. A school near us openly boasts about the GCSE results last year (with twice the previous level of 8's and 9's) and are predicting stellar grades across the board this year. That will completely devalue anything ds gets......

nancy75 · 03/08/2021 10:15

Joining in with the nervous waiting!
Given the circumstances we know DD might not achieve what she could have in a normal year - all we want is good enough grades to get in to her chosen 6th form (should be achievable fingers crossed)
I have really pushed the idea that these results are just a stepping stone to the next phase of her education, once she does her A levels the gcse results don’t matter as much & not to worry/get upset about it.

Original poster
HappySonHappyMum · 03/08/2021 10:31

Isn't it strange how we're all 'trying not to mention it'! I wonder if our DCs are trying not to mention it as well. It's definitely feeling like the elephant in the room here. My DD has arranged very many days out with her friends over the next week. I wonder if this is to eat up the time and cover how she's really feeling?

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Hellohah · 03/08/2021 10:33

DS goes in to school to collect between 9-12. I'm not sure if I'm going in with him or not, one parent is allowed.

His friend is having a party that night, he has no idea what results he'll get and said at least he can celebrate or drown his sorrows 😂.

He put in zero effort and has finally admitted he wished he had done some revision (mentioned in Year 11 thread), so he isn't expecting the results he could have got, we're just hoping he gets enough for college at this point.

Main concern is out of our control as the head seemed really gutted when she told all parents the grades would not be reflective of their ability due to them needing to be in line with 2019. (This years cohort is much better than previous years at a historically very poorly performing school).

GoWalkabout · 03/08/2021 10:41

I have to work that morning and I will be in a building with zero phone reception and rubbish data/Internet reception! Dd has been instructed to keep trying me on WhatsApp while I walk around the room! I'm a control freak so leaving this in dh hands is hard! However she worked really hard and I am beyond proud even before knowing what she gets on the piece of paper. School seemed very balanced with dd1s results last year - she was a grade higher in one than expected, a grade lower in another and their 'top results' seemed similar to what we have seen in the papers in previous years. Here's to all the teachers and heads who have had this huge extra job this year.

CowboyClint · 03/08/2021 10:49

We've been considering the options if DS doesn't get the grades he needs including looking at the review/appeal process.

Workyticket · 03/08/2021 10:54

I'm a GCSE teacher in a college

My students had a good idea of where they were sitting grade wise before the holidays as our assessment process was very clear (1 year re-sit programme so only this year's data to take into account)

However I know that some who have scored high 2s and low 3s all the way through are still expecting 4s

A few have uni places resting on it so I'm bracing myself for a fall out next week.

Original poster
HappySonHappyMum · 03/08/2021 10:59

@Workyticket We have had no indication at all of what grades to expect. My DD had 36 'internal assessments' over the course of 3 weeks and has not been given any indication of how she has performed. The unknown is the worst thing - working alone at home for so many months with just Zoom lessons was so tough, she has no clue how things are going to pan out.

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Workyticket · 03/08/2021 11:02

Wow. Mine did 3 exams and 5 shorter assessments in the last month. They got scores (not grades) back for all of them. The marking half killed me

They coukd easily Google grade boundaries to see what range they were sat in.

storminasnowglobe · 03/08/2021 11:04

@HappySonHappyMum yes we are in the exact same position. DD2 never even sat mocks so we haven't got anything concrete to base expectations on. All the many assessments under exam conditions were shrouded in secrecy with no results given. It is very disconcerting.

CrustyBuns · 03/08/2021 11:22

Not stressing out too much here as we are only awaiting the Maths GCSE results this year and can resit next year if it all goes badly.

DS (14) is not at all bothered about results day and is quite confident he wil get a 7 or above needed to move on to Further Maths next year. I know he put in the absolute minimum effort, so am less confident but hopeful.

DD (15) is stressing about the day though as she also has a History mock to sit then too. Maths has always been her big struggle; to the point she still has never mastered the times tables. She is hoping to just pass so she never has to do maths ever again! Strangely I'm more confident for her than DS due to good feedback she got from her teacher during the assessments.

We have planned to go to a local outdoor bistro for a family breakfast in the morning while we wait for the results (they should be on their portal from 8.30am). Then the funfair is in town so they are going there with friends later, to either celebrate or take their minds off the results.

blametheparents · 03/08/2021 11:38

DD is waiting for GCSE results next week too.
I am confident that she will get what she needs to progress to 6th form at her chosen school, so that is good.
She will be disappointed if she does not do well. She worked hard and generally achieves well.
They can book a slot to go in a pick up their results, or wait for an email that will be sent around 11am. I imagine that she will go in with some friends. Hopefully they will all get what they need and then head out for lunch together or something similar.

ChocolateRiver · 03/08/2021 11:58

@ChnandlerBong the process that me and my department have had to go through has been MUCH more rigorous than last year and there have been many more checks. Hopefully this will help with keeping the results more accurate.