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Original poster

GCSE 2022 Results - the moment of reckoning!

807 replies

Rollergirl11 · 24/08/2022 19:48

Hello everyone, here is a shiny new thread ready for DC’s results day tomorrow and a much needed hand hold for us nervous parents. 🥴🤪

Tomorrow is the culmination of an incredibly turbulent 2 year journey that our young people have had to navigate. Fraught with ups and downs. They have done us all proud!!

Here is a link to the previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4566030-current-year-11-2-more-weeks-of-exams?page=37&reply=119483572

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5
MyOtherProfile · 28/08/2022 06:11

I'm interested to know why people request a review. I understand if they were 1 or 2 marks off and it makes the difference between a pass or fail, or if they need the higher grade for an A level or something. But other than that what's the point?

As I mentioned up thread DS missed a couple of 9s by 1 or 2 points but there's nothing to be gained really by requesting a review since it won't affect his A levels or anything.

NameInUseAlreadyAgain · 28/08/2022 07:59

MyOtherProfile · 28/08/2022 06:11

I'm interested to know why people request a review. I understand if they were 1 or 2 marks off and it makes the difference between a pass or fail, or if they need the higher grade for an A level or something. But other than that what's the point?

As I mentioned up thread DS missed a couple of 9s by 1 or 2 points but there's nothing to be gained really by requesting a review since it won't affect his A levels or anything.

We’ve done it because DS got a 3 In Eng Lit and was one mark off a 4 and a pass

I wouldn’t on any he had passed

House1999 · 28/08/2022 08:39

MyOtherProfile · 28/08/2022 06:11

I'm interested to know why people request a review. I understand if they were 1 or 2 marks off and it makes the difference between a pass or fail, or if they need the higher grade for an A level or something. But other than that what's the point?

As I mentioned up thread DS missed a couple of 9s by 1 or 2 points but there's nothing to be gained really by requesting a review since it won't affect his A levels or anything.

I think there are various reasons.

I have requested a review, even though 5 marks off a grade 6, because my DD needs a grade 6 to do A levels.

She was achieving higher in her mocks. 5 marks is quite a lot to find but there can be clerical errors and unreasonable marking. She scored about 50 marks less than in her mocks and she said the questions that came up were similar to past papers that she has done. So felt confident that she had done well.

Akite · 28/08/2022 08:44

MyOtherProfile · 28/08/2022 06:11

I'm interested to know why people request a review. I understand if they were 1 or 2 marks off and it makes the difference between a pass or fail, or if they need the higher grade for an A level or something. But other than that what's the point?

As I mentioned up thread DS missed a couple of 9s by 1 or 2 points but there's nothing to be gained really by requesting a review since it won't affect his A levels or anything.

Here my DD is 1 mark off on 2 subjects. Neither of them 'matter' as in, she's not doing them at A level and she passed all of them. But she was predicted loads of 9s and didn't get any. Her confidence is crushed. If she could get at least one 9, it would give her a boost.

TeenDivided · 28/08/2022 08:59

I think schools should be banned from predicting 9s. They really seem to cause unnecessary stress and lead kids with 8s to be disappointed. If they were never predicted but were just a bonus everyone would be happier.

MyOtherProfile · 28/08/2022 09:05

I would probably do it in your shoes too, @NameInUseAlreadyAgain and @House1999 as it could make a difference for their future course. I guess I can see the confidence thing too @aki

MyOtherProfile · 28/08/2022 09:06

Posted too soon somehow - I meant @Akite although it's a shame that she felt crushed by not getting 9s. I think @TeenDivided has a very good point about schools not predicting 9s.

MrsAvocet · 28/08/2022 09:21

Our school actually doesn't predict 9s, but it doesn't stop the high achieving pupils (or their parents) expecting to get them, so I'm not sure it makes that much difference to be honest. Though I guess if a pupil actually has it in writing on a school report that they are "supposed" to get 9s it is even more pressure than that which they put themselves under. But my DS does have friends who are disappointed that they didn't get as many 9s as they themselves were expecting, despite the school having the policy of not predicting more than 8s, so it's certainly not guaranteed to prevent the issue.

House1999 · 28/08/2022 09:34

Just wondering if anyone knows. Do all papers for one subject get marked by the same examiner?

For example, RE has three separate papers. Would all three be marked my the same person at the same time?

Thank you

LouisCatorze · 28/08/2022 09:49

Another school here that if anything underpredicts for mocks (and has a reputation for doing so). If only 18% of students get their predicted grades in A Levels, isn't it likely to be similar in GCSEs too?

I'm not contemplating requesting any reviews of marking for DD but there again she was someone who 'got lucky' with two of her highest grades, just scraping them.

Got caught up in doing it for DC1 (who was very close to higher grade boundaries across four subjects at GCSE), fuelled on by MN posts (!), and I ended up circa £200 out of pocket, with DC1 very disappointed because his grades didn't change at all (he lost a few points along the way). It was also very important for DC1 to get better grades because sixth form place was dependent upon it.

It's also yet another way in which the reasonably well-off can throw money at helping their DC (as with tutoring), in a way that those who are struggling cannot. I know some schools do absorb the cost of reviews of marking but based on my own experience, it's certainly not all of them.

Newgirls · 28/08/2022 09:53

Feeling grateful for dd sensible good state school who predicted 7s and then she improved on that. It prob made her work harder. Surely being predicted 9s means a student relaxes?!

MrsHamlet · 28/08/2022 09:55

House1999 · 28/08/2022 09:34

Just wondering if anyone knows. Do all papers for one subject get marked by the same examiner?

For example, RE has three separate papers. Would all three be marked my the same person at the same time?

Thank you

It's unlikely. My subject has two papers and different teams mark each paper.

MrsHamlet · 28/08/2022 09:57

It's also yet another way in which the reasonably well-off can throw money at helping their DC (as with tutoring), in a way that those who are struggling cannot. I know some schools do absorb the cost of reviews of marking but based on my own experience, it's certainly not all of them.

This is one of the reasons why OFQUAL replaced remarks with reviews. Some pupils were being advantaged because their parents could afford to pay.

LouisCatorze · 28/08/2022 10:01

@Newgirls, you'd have thought so wouldn't you?

If universities only consider the top 8 grades scored at GCSE, does it matter if there are a few 'odd' grades in the mix?

And having listened to the podcast 28 1/2 days (ish) about the menstrual cycle and how much it impacts on women's mental acuity at different times of the month, it seems entirely understandable why even the most able of girls might have an off day and come out with a lower grade than they would have done if they'd sat their papers at a different point in their cycle.

LouisCatorze · 28/08/2022 10:06

@MrsHamlet well that's a good thing but how is the current review of marking any different in reality? It's still a gamble (you get your money back if the grade does improve) that many parents with less money just wouldn't want to make in the first place, unless school pays.

Newgirls · 28/08/2022 10:07

LouisCatorze · 28/08/2022 10:01

@Newgirls, you'd have thought so wouldn't you?

If universities only consider the top 8 grades scored at GCSE, does it matter if there are a few 'odd' grades in the mix?

And having listened to the podcast 28 1/2 days (ish) about the menstrual cycle and how much it impacts on women's mental acuity at different times of the month, it seems entirely understandable why even the most able of girls might have an off day and come out with a lower grade than they would have done if they'd sat their papers at a different point in their cycle.

We think alike

my dd has one lower grade (subject she found really hard) and I think it makes the others look more real

Newgirls · 28/08/2022 10:09

Very likely to be a menstrual thing with her too - I hope her cycle gets easier as she gets older - one to keep an eye on

MrsHamlet · 28/08/2022 10:09

A remark would actively change marks if the second marker disagreed at all. Reviews ask whether the mark was reasonable. If it was, it stands. So there's less incentive to take the punt, which used to happen a lot.

Workyticket · 28/08/2022 10:11

Some of my fellow teachers marked maths for edexcel this year and say the 2nd marking / validation process has been way more stringent this year

We're only sending papers to be checked if they're within 2 marks (total) and it's only funded for grade 3 to 4, not above.

TeenDivided · 28/08/2022 10:17

Workyticket · 28/08/2022 10:11

Some of my fellow teachers marked maths for edexcel this year and say the 2nd marking / validation process has been way more stringent this year

We're only sending papers to be checked if they're within 2 marks (total) and it's only funded for grade 3 to 4, not above.

I may be totally wrong, but it seems to me that with the review method, marks could jump more? Not for maths but a subjective subject like Eng Lang where an examiner bands things? If they assess the wrong band then surely marks could jump by 4 or so for a single question?

DFOD · 28/08/2022 10:27

Is there a difference between a review and a remark?

TeenDivided · 28/08/2022 10:28

DFOD · 28/08/2022 10:27

Is there a difference between a review and a remark?

They used to remark, and whatever the second marker thought stood.

Now they review, and the first examiners marks stand unless they are unreasonable.

DFOD · 28/08/2022 11:12

TeenDivided · 28/08/2022 10:17

I may be totally wrong, but it seems to me that with the review method, marks could jump more? Not for maths but a subjective subject like Eng Lang where an examiner bands things? If they assess the wrong band then surely marks could jump by 4 or so for a single question?

Show quote history

This is interesting as my DD was a grade down in her best subject that she is doing for A level (subjective subject) - she is 4 marks short - which is a lot of marks and a surprise as she was consistently scoring top of the next grade above (although that could have been generous marking by her school)

  • however school have said that the grade boundary is v narrow (8) so they are saying she could drop 4 as easy as gain 4 and not to bother?
DFOD · 28/08/2022 11:18

Also during this exam there was a significant disruption as the first invigilator put the wrong start and stop time in the board. My DD worked this out half way through the exam - raised it with the new invigilator who didn’t believe her - exams officer was called - she was taken out of the room to explain … they finally believed her and she went back to the exam room
with the new end time. They had stopped the clock when all of this commotion was going on and she found it distressing and disruptive.

She has SEN and was the only candidate doing this exam in this room.

Don’t know if exams officer reported this disruption or if any consideration would have been given at the time by the exam board?

MrsHamlet · 28/08/2022 11:19

4 marks out of how many though?
There is no automatic grade protection so a drop of grades is possible too.

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