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Original poster

Wrong GCSE Paper!!!

110 replies

TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 12:42

Hi, hoping someone will be able to help. DD16 went into school for her first Maths paper this morning, instead of being in the main exam hall she's in a small room to the side with half a dozen other kids. No idea how they've managed it but her and the children in their room have been given the wrong paper - they got the AQA paper instead of EdExcel (the main hall students got the right one).

Phoned school a little while ago and they're apparently trying to work out what happens now..........but what can they possibly do? They obviously can't give them the correct paper at a later date as everyone else has already seen it and they may get details of the questions, will EdExcel have to send a completely different paper, or them just take the grade off the other 2 papers and skip this one?

There's very few gaps in the timetable now until the last week of exams, but what if they don't all have the same day "spare"? Out of all the exams this paper was the one she was dreading the most and now to have this to deal with is crappy 😥

OP posts:
Fireflygal · 20/05/2022 12:45

I don't know but I suspect they may just use remaining exams to grade.

noblegiraffe · 20/05/2022 12:52

Sounds bizarre that they’d have papers from two different exam boards to get muddled up!

They won’t make her sit the Edexcel one, zero chance of that happening.

They may just use the other two papers to give her a grade, that’s what would happen if she was ill and missed the paper.

TeenPlusCat · 20/05/2022 12:56

Are you absolutely sure it was an error, and not that everyone doing Foundation is AQA and Higher is Edexcel? I mean, I presume you are sure, but why on earth would they have 2 different boards for the same tier, and how could they have not noticed?

HipsterCoffeeShop · 20/05/2022 13:01

That's a real shame for your DD.

Unfortunately no one here can answer it unless they are a current exams officer and they will all be up to their necks in GCSEs right now.

The school will be communicating with the exam board about what happens now. I'm sorry for the uncertainty, but it takes time to get the correct decision in cases of exam malpractice so things are fair for your daughter and everyone else who has done Maths this morning!

Hold tight, I expect the headteacher is spitting feathers and will be on your side. I hope you hear today about what happens next. I will say your DD will not be penalised for someone else's mistake.

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 13:10

@TeenPlusCat definitely the case that it was an error, the kids only realised when they were comparing notes with others in the main hall and they didn't have any of the same questions.......DD is doing the higher paper as are a lot of her friends so it was a definite mix-up.

@noblegiraffe I've no idea why they would have different boards to muddle up
either, seems bizarre to me but I'm not a teacher so don't want to comment.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 20/05/2022 13:14

Being given the wrong exam paper is listed as one of the reasons for being eligible for special consideration by JCQ so hopefully they’ll have a quick answer as to the process.

Johnnysgirl · 20/05/2022 13:14

They won't have used two exam boards for the same tier...
Is she sure she hadn't been entered for foundation?

Lougle · 20/05/2022 13:15

That is so sad! It's clearly a massive mistake because it was only picked up by the children after chatting with their mates. If the staff had picked up the error, then they could have sequestered the children and made arrangements then - e.g. hold them back to retake the correct exam. But if they've discussed questions with children who took the right exam, that's impossible now.

Sh05 · 20/05/2022 13:21

Why didn't anyone of the kids raise their hands and mention that they'd been given a paper by different board?
I'm sure they'll file a special consideration form and take it from there

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 13:21

I am in EO she will be graded from the other two papers.

Ensure your EO has done special consideration application.

MoonGoon · 20/05/2022 13:21

@Lougle
"That is so sad! It's clearly a massive mistake because it was only picked up by the children after chatting with their mates. If the staff had picked up the error, then they could have sequestered the children and made arrangements then - e.g. hold them back to retake the correct exam. But if they've discussed questions with children who took the right exam, that's impossible now."

In practice how would "sequestered the children" have worked? Some may have the business GCSE this afternoon.
Just curious, would they be forced to do a third exam this evening?

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 13:33

@MoonGoon yes exactly. But it wouldn't be the evening, you'd probably start them off ar 4pm after the second exam.

I've had a child walk out of the exam say 'I did the wrong paper' and I've turned them round and sat them down with the right paper immediately.

It must be a very large school if it is using two exam boards for one subject?

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 13:38

@Johnnysgirl definitely not entered for foundation, H is on her exam timetable for all subjects. Apparently waiting for AQA to decide what to do next

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 13:44

@actiongirl1978 thank you for taking the time to respond, it must be bedlam for you at the moment!

Just spoken to DD, apparently there is a sixth form student who came in from another school who had to resit Maths and his old school did EdExcel, the children in DD's room got his spare papers by mistake so that's how there were two boards mixed up.
The maths teacher they flagged it to wanted them all to resit this afternoon but some had already gone by that point, plus they had some knowledge of what was in the paper.
@Sh05 apparently the invigilator said the same thing until they were taken to one side by DD's school's exam officer and told that it was their job to check this and not the children's who are stressed out of their nuts as it is

OP posts:
Georgeskitchen · 20/05/2022 13:45

Assuming that it's the schools mistake, then they will have to sort it out

AskingforaBaskin · 20/05/2022 13:52

This happened to me. We were brought back in another day to sit the correct papaer

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 20/05/2022 13:55

Those poor kids - I hope they sort it out for them with no extra stress, @TheOnlyMrsW ! As if the exams weren’t stressful enough this year.

TeenPlusCat · 20/05/2022 13:57

Given all the stuff about what if you miss an exam 'cos covid, it seems to me to be a no brainer that they should get a grade based on the other 2 papers.

(And actually as you can get a grade this year based on only 25% being sat (that's right isn't it?), perhaps both AQA and Edexcel could give them a grade, and they get the better of the 2 Smile ?)

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:00

@TeenPlusCat that would be nice (DD actually phoned after the exam and said she was worried because it went better than expected, obviously before they realised it was the wrong paper!!!!).
I do hope if actiongirl78 is correct and the grade is based on the remaining papers they get special consideration - DD is decent enough at Maths but she's stronger on the non-calc stuff which was today's).

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:01

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius I know, school have been pushing so hard and she was really stressed before leaving last week 😥

OP posts:
AskingforaBaskin · 20/05/2022 14:06

TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:00

@TeenPlusCat that would be nice (DD actually phoned after the exam and said she was worried because it went better than expected, obviously before they realised it was the wrong paper!!!!).
I do hope if actiongirl78 is correct and the grade is based on the remaining papers they get special consideration - DD is decent enough at Maths but she's stronger on the non-calc stuff which was today's).

Just to mention we vehemently argued this when it happened to us but they said they can not allow it. Although it was before the pandemic.

I would just prepare her to have to sit it.
Extra study time etc

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:10

That's awful. The EO SHOULD have been on top of that and seen it coming. I'm like a dragon on occasion and go around the start of all the exams in the different rooms saying 'has everyone got the right paper'.

In addition the invigilator should put the name of the exam board on the board or wall or flip chart for the pupils to see so it may be malpractice if they didn't.

OP it is bedlam but my school only has GCSEs and nothing this PM so I am writing this to you from under my duvet where I've just had a cheeky nap 😄

Original poster
TheOnlyMrsW · 20/05/2022 14:10

@AskingforaBaskin they've already been told they can't sit the paper everyone else did as they know some of the questions, the only other option is that the exam board send a new paper out but not sure if that's feasible...........will update when school get back to us.

DD seems ok with it at the moment but I'm a flipping wreck!

OP posts:
actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:10

She absolutely will not be allowed to sit that paper.

The mark will be created from her other two papers.

actiongirl1978 · 20/05/2022 14:11

Highly unlikely the exam board will send another paper I'd say.

They do have them in reserve in the case of a national breach of security they are emailed to schools to print.