Current Year 11 - 2 more weeks of exams!!

[Rollergirl11]

New shiny thread!!

My over simplistic view was that more difficult exams would probably mean lower grade boundaries? DD definitely thought just about all the exams were more difficult than mocks (previous papers) they'd practised? So she didn't think she'd aced the maths papers (only doing foundation) although had got mid 5s in previous mocks. But if the exams are harder the % of getting a 5 could be down from 75% to 70%. Maybe?

Sorry a random of in that last post. I'm blaming the heat!

@LouisCatorze yes that is what I had heard, apparently the maths higher paper in Jan 22 a 7 was around 46% so fairly low compared to previous I believe.

Just realised of should be for.

Two weeks to go!

we are getting to school at 8.50am. It opens at 9am. Taken day off to be with DS unless he’s working which we won’t know until next week. We get them emailed too so unsure if we will get email whilst he is in collecting them

praying for a grade 4 or higher in maths and English because college have already sent enrollment day email so will be very sad if he doesn’t get in as not sure what we gonna do then !

i wont sleep the night before. DS is blasé !

I have all the 2019 grade boundaries and to get a 5 in higher maths needed 23%. To get a 5 in English need 52%. Everything crossed here !

This is what I made about a year ago….

Grade boundaries 2019

Maths H
4 = 52/240 22%
5 = 80/240 33%

Eng Lang
4 = 83/160 51%
5 = 94/160 58%

Eng Lit

4 = 69/160 43%
5 = 82/160 51%

Geog

4 = 105/256 41%
5 = 124/156 48%

RS
4 = 91/200 45%
5 = 113/200 56%

Biology H
4 = 57/200 28%
5 = 80/200 40%

Physics H
4 = 53/200 26%
5 = 75/200 38%

Physics F
4 = 106/200 53%
5 = 130/200 65%

Spanish H
4 = 92/280 33%
5 = 113/280 50%

Spanish F
4 = 155/280 55%
5 = 184/280 65%

Chem H
4 = 55/200 28%
5 = 75/200 39%

Chem F
4 = 93/200 46%
5 = 116/200 58%

Computing

4 = 45/160 28%
5 = 56/160 35%

Food combined marks
4 = 46%
5 = 53%

Mistyped a few in message but the ones under Grade Boundaries are correct

@NameInUseAlreadyAgain thanks.

That kind of makes sense, certainly for maths. DN was encouraged to do higher rather than foundation (2017) because school didn't think she could score highly enough to pass foundation. She answered about six questions on the higher paper and just scraped a 4.

I'm stunned that the pass %s are so low for the sciences, even the higher levels. So the papers are more robust (aka bloody difficult) but the grade boundaries have massively gone down to accommodate that they are so difficult? What on earth is the point?

In contrast, our school is not even open on results day. The DC have all been given log ins to access the results online. They will be locked from two days before and accessible at 6am on the 25th. You can phone if you then want to discuss with someone,

DD has from 8.30-10.30 to get her results at school, it's the only way they can get them. She's going with her friends so I'll be expecting a phone call. Reminded her yesterday that it's only two weeks and she was all "don't talk about it!"

Desperately need 5s in English and Maths and 6s in Science or else we need a plan B as only applies to school 6th and they are really strict. 4 in English or Maths and you're not in, they won't even let you retake like some do but I think they're really over subscribed so can afford to be strict.

I'm stunned that the pass %s are so low for the sciences, even the higher levels. So the papers are more robust (aka bloody difficult) but the grade boundaries have massively gone down to accommodate that they are so difficult? What on earth is the point?

The 'point' is so they have room to get not only grade 4s but also 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. To be able to separate 'pass' into 6 separate grades they need the actual pass boundary to be quite low. Otherwise the difference between a 6 and an 8 it would be far too much down to luck / silly mistakes rather than actual attainment.

Of course you could argue that we really don't actually need 6 passing grades at all, because if you need to discriminate the top students you have A levels and university for that....

TeenDivided yes I get that but it's ludicrous really, don't you agree?

Sorry didn't mean to open a can of worms with my comment. And it was made as the parent of a DD likely to get a very spiky set of results (hopefully all passes).

I recall a family member asking not so long ago why pass results aren't just reported as % rather than as grades. Anyone know?

I think they don't use % as they seem not to be able to keep the difficulty at the same level each year for some reason.

When DS did mocks I asked for his marks so I could match against 2019 grades and not what the school had decided were the grades

he got a high 4 in both English. Everything crossed here !

I think giving percentages wouldn't work with different exam boards as well as the boundaries varying from year to year. DS is also very spiky, we have been wondering if he might collect the full set of number grades from 9 down to 3 (or 4 if he somehow has miraculously passed French!)

He has to go into school to collect his results but he says he will just leave and not open the envelope there with all the other people around. He has to upload his results that day or the next day for sixth form. There was no option to get them emailed so it's a good thing we are not away. I didn't bother collecting my GCSE results, just waited for them to come in the post. I remember being annoyed that a teacher congratulated me on my way into the school to collect my A level results before I had picked them up!

We have had a busy start to the holidays with a family holiday and quite a lot of other stuff but not much planned for the next couple of weeks. Hope everyone is doing ok and coping with the heat. Some cooler weather forecast for next week thankfully!

Here the results are emailed at 8am to their school email address or they can go in and get them at 9am. I'd be surprised if many go in and if they do I'd be surprised if they don't already know the results anyway!

Our school said they wouldn't email results under any circumstances.
Either collect in person, nominate another person to collect or provide a SAE before the end of term ('which was I had to do for gcses nearly 30 years ago! )

No emails under any circumstances either at ours!

And they have to enrol for 6th form by early afternoon - doesn't give them long!

No emails from our school either. Has to be in person or you can send an already nominated family member. School is open 9 until 11 and then 2 until 4. I've got the day booked off work but not sure what DS plans to do. Can't believe the day is nearly here.

DS also has two job interviews next week which is good news. What have your children been wearing for their interviews? I was thinking smart navy trousers, school shoes and a shirt? Not sure if wearing a tie is over the top or not?

At DDs they are e-mailed from 12pm and can go in from 9am I think but just in morning, only pupils can go and only pupils get the e-mail. She says she thinks they do not want any children in person as no teenager wakes up before midday.

Wore dress here to interview, would guess it depends what interviewing for but the average job for that age would say trousers and shirt and no tie. Though look what people who work there wear and try to blend in with that. I think a lot of places have moved away from ties / suits.

DD is loving her job and signing up for 6 days a week. Also negotiated a better paid role there and first one was very well paid for her age.

I have finished my radiotherapy now and my chemotherapy and 2 surgeries just 10 years hormone tablets and 1 surgery to go. Also have endocrinology tests, one more of those to do, hoping they just sign off after that and don't operate but we will see.

Hoping can get to France for a week or so, will just be to see MIL, but nice for DH as he has not been in 2 years with lockdown and covid.

Thanks @Silkierabbit One interview is for a supermarket and the other is McDonalds.
Glad your chemo and radiotherapy is over and hope you don't have any side effects from the medication. When are you hoping to go to France?

I would go with no tie unless your DS really wants to wear one or feels more confident with one.

Not sure of dates for France, just some time in summer holidays. Have to get pets sorted and DH has to go to London to get his new French ID card from French consulate before we can go.

DS wore school white shirt, black trousers and tie for interview. Before and after turned up looking like had been backpacking (DS words). DS got the job. Tie every time