GCSE Support - nervously waiting

[Hellocatshome]

Hopefully everyone from GCSE Support The Final Frontier can find this new thread!

A level results are in and education secretary says students shouldn't be disappointed.
Does this mean grades are lower?
Or the government realised education wasn't back to normal?
And what does it mean for gcses next week?

I don't think it means anything new.
%s are meant to be going back to 2019 levels. I guess anything better than that is a 'bonus'.

Just been reading the a level thread. Looks like huge numbers dropping grades from A*/ A to B or C. Grade boundaries are very high. Unis appear to be taking students with below offer grades as well, including the big ones. I think that says alot. I don't think it looks good for next week. So politically driven from the minister today.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/education-66454164
Link from BBC biggest grade drop seen in England compares to Wales and N Ireland.

From the graphs on the BBC page they have definitely on average gone back to the 2019 percentages (but not below) for A levels.

Interesting read of the a level results thread

Also really good results on the a levels coming from DS school which always helps

One roller coaster morning over and now to prepare for next Thursday. DD didn't get her predicted grades but did get her first choice Uni so that was a massive relief. I'm quite concerned for next week. DS is definitely borderline for getting his required grades needed for A levels.
I think the A level marking has been very harsh and the grade drops demonstrate that this cohort has still been negatively effected by the covid years - I don't think they were massively over-predicted. These exam year kids have been playing catch up on their education, in my opinion that can't be done in 2 years and grade boundaries should have been staggered back to 2019 levels over a longer period.

@jamimmi that was my first thought this morning when I saw the headline.

I am very much not confident for next week now A level results are out.

I am also feeling a bit concerned. Difficult for those on the A level boundary as if ds cannot do A levels we do not have a plan.

Can I join?

I'm feeling a bit sick now the A levels are in.

My dd needs 5 5s to get in to sixth form, but didn't get that in her mocks. Saying that, the arts weren't included in that and they're her strengths so she should have those in the bag.

She worked SO hard after the mock results, so we were feeling quite hopeful for her, but I have to say, not anymore.

The only other courses she would have been accepted for are subjects she has no interest in at all.

We spoke about it last night for the first time in weeks and she burst into tears and said she was sick of working so hard and then feeling disappointed in herself. The thought of her opening her results, filled with hope and then that sinking feeling of 'oh, I was right...I'm not good after all', is absolutely killing me.

She has struggled so much over the past few years, as so many have and I'm honestly not sure what we'll do if she doesn't make those entry requirements.

Not sure if I should prepare her more now, given the A Level results.

Sending lots of luck and strength to all those in the same position.

Hmm..feeling apprehensive now A level results are in. My friends very clever daughter is very unhappy and way below predicted results and now taking a year out and re taking next year. :-(
So many stories the same....

There's nothing to be done now, though. Might as well have a relatively relaxed week before GCSE results are out - and deal with whatever happens when it arrives.

This is very true but hard to do especially for a chronic worrier like me. We are away tonight until Monday so hopefully that will take my mind off it. DS seems completely unbothered but I know he will be broken hearted if he doesnt get onto his apprenticeship.

It is, I know. I try to take the approach that by sleeping well and relaxing now I’ll be better placed if all goes wrong and I need to step in. Worrying doesn’t change anything - it just makes you tired already if the worst does happen.(Though if I was truly chilled I wouldn’t be here now!)

Gosh the A level thread has made me worry a bit. I think DD's school was predicting based on 2019 results but to be higher than 2019 seems crazy to me.

I think I'm more anxious than my son is. He needs a 4 in maths and 3 in English and I know that doesn't sound that difficult to some but it will be an amazing success if he gets them. He has his heart set on catering college and if he doesn't get the grades I'm not sure what we will do.

My son very borderline in Maths and English too. He can't afford for it to be marked more harshly than 2019 either. Good luck to your son X

Yes my son is borderline for 4s in Maths and English which he needs for his apprenticeship. I actually feel sick already.

My DD, 18, is borderline on her maths resit too. She can do the maths but has stamina/focus/confidence issues and only lasted 1hr in any of the 3 exams. We didn't even put her in for Eng Lang this year and are going to try functional skills now which seems a lot more straightforward.
Luckily dogs don't really care how good you are at English or Maths.

Same with my DS. It's now looking more likely he'll get a 3 in English language.

The only saving grace (and I'm really grasping at straws here!) is that he doesn't know what he wants to do next. So he's not in a position where he has to pass to be able to take the course he wants or get on an apprenticeship. But I know he'll have to retake and he never wants to do English ever again!

Dd also borderline for a 3 in maths and English. She's been online and seen all the a level talk. Been on Instagram and seen all the disappointed a level students.
She's worried now. She has to have 3s for her apprenticeship and 4s to get into uni afterwards.

One roller coaster morning over and now to prepare for next Thursday. DD didn't get her predicted grades but did get her first choice Uni so that was a massive relief..

Same situation with my DD1 - not sure what it means for DS results next Thursday.

I have had a hell of a morning as a mainly sixth-form teacher. I might have had a few too many G&Ts since getting back home.

Roll on next week for DS!

Was it worse than pre-pandemic? I guess results day is always frantic for 6th form teachers.