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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE Teachers is this right?

14 replies

EmmaStone · 02/02/2023 15:13

Hi there

Just been told by DC's Y11 tutor that some AQA subjects at higher tier won't be awarding grade 4s this summer? I've just googled and can't obviously see anything that corroborates this, but it raises some questions on borderline subjects for DC, where they might be able to improve and get up to a 6, but if they've had a bad day, I don't want it to mean they might slip from a 5 to a 3!

OP posts:
NotQuiteHere · 02/02/2023 15:20

Do you mean there will be no Grade 4 but there will be Grade 3?

It's nonsense. Higher tier outcomes range from Grade 9 to Grade 3, there is no gaps.

noblegiraffe · 02/02/2023 15:29

That sounds batshit.

Original poster
EmmaStone · 02/02/2023 15:41

Hmm, I may have misunderstood, although DH also took away the same message, and we did query it in the meeting. Going to discuss this further with him...

OP posts:
Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 02/02/2023 15:48

Would this perhaps be the teacher suggesting your DC might be better off doing foundation papers in these subjects? It doesn't explain the suggestion of "no Grade4s" which, as others have said, sounds wrong but it might have been a badly communicated attempt to suggest you think about your DC doing foundation papers to help them secure thebest grade?

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 03/02/2023 06:58

Most higher tier papers were never intended to award grade 3s in the first place. In combined science for higher tier they had to put in a 4-3 grade as otherwise so many students would have failed altogether.

This was always intended to be temporary, so now if students don't get a 4-4 on higher the fail.

This doesn't sound like what you are describing though. Can you share the subject?

I'd suggest speaking to the head of department possibly as they will hopefully be able to explain the situation clearly. Is it being suggested your child should sit the foundation paper?

Original poster
EmmaStone · 03/02/2023 08:21

Thanks All

DC performed poorly in Spanish higher tier mock (3), so was entered for a foundation mock and got a 5a. I was querying how they could do so well at foundation and so poorly at higher - would this be normal. The teacher in question was referencing her subject (Physics), and was wondering if it was similar for languages. She said it was new guidance for 2023 summer exams.

OP posts:
Original poster
EmmaStone · 03/02/2023 08:21

And to clarify, their school does separate not combined sciences.

OP posts:
redskydelight · 03/02/2023 08:27

That situation is very normal. The questions on foundation papers are much simpler, whereas all the questions on higher papers are much harder and there aren't any "straightforward" ones.

Therefore a more borderline type student (which sounds like your DC) will do well on foundation because they can answer most of the questions, but might struggle to answer (m)any on higher and hence get a lower grade.

This isn't new guidance though - it's always been the case that it will be better for some students to take foundation and "bank" a 5, rather than take higher and risk getting a really poor grade or no grade at all. Generally you're only advised to take higher if you are looking at a 6+.

(Disclaimer - this is my understanding based on sciences/maths. No particular knowledge of MFL)

whatsup44 · 03/02/2023 08:29

Sorry to jump on the post. What's the highest grade they can get on foundation for aqa?

Clymene · 03/02/2023 08:29

Yes it's harder to get a 5 at higher than Foundation. In maths several more tricky topics are missed out altogether.

redskydelight · 03/02/2023 08:54

whatsup44 · 03/02/2023 08:29

Sorry to jump on the post. What's the highest grade they can get on foundation for aqa?

You can get up to a 5 on foundation (any board).

clary · 03/02/2023 09:28

Not heard of the "there is no grade 4 on higher" and highly doubt it tbh.

But yy for MFL for sure that would make sense. As @redskydelight puts it very well, the foundation paper is overall easier, which boosts students' confidence and thus they can answer most of the questions. The H paper is much harder and a lot of it just defeats mid-range students and they fall down to a 3 or a 4. If you are not looking at a confident 6, then I would certainly advise F.

Anecdote: Ds2 did Spanish and was taking higher (got a 6) but one time did a F paper in class (teacher's error) and came home and said "blimey that was a lot easier." It was right for him to take H as he had ability for a 6/7 but even he could see that F was much more accessible.

LighthouseCat · 03/02/2023 10:34

My DD said something similar to me yesterday along the lines of you can't get a grade 4 if you're taking a higher paper. She was talking in relation to a friend who had failed one of the science mocks because they hadn't achieved a 5 on the higher paper - is that what you are saying OP?

LighthouseCat · 03/02/2023 10:42

That said, I've just quickly looked online and I think my DD might not be correct, or I misunderstood what she was saying (v likely)

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