GCSE Support - nervously waiting

[Hellocatshome]

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

Dd keeps on saying to me 'but what WILL we do if I fail?' I genuinely have no idea, I'm just trying to encourage her to stay positive as I just don't have an answer.

Or a Plan B.

Which now, seems stupid.

I know it’s really deep and cheesy but I try to think of how lucky we are to be here and to have all these chances to succeed and fail and to have faith that we have enough about us to find a way through anything (even if things don’t always go the way we hoped). Not always easy to hold onto though and the fact I was up all night last night feeling anxious is a reminder haha

We have no plan B either. I have a vague idea of online A Levels, but I really need to look into properly.

Neither DH or I got great results, but DS2 has been all about maths since reception and there's no course he'd be interested in. And he can't manage college currently (physically or emotionally) so that takes a lot off the table.

Online A Levels?! That's interesting.

My DD is veering around all over the place. We had a long talk yesterday and she told me she's come to realise that it doesn't matter if she doesn't hit her predictions (way above what she needs for 6th form) that her friend group who are fairly high achievers are just a small subset of people in the school and so people get a wide range of grades etc etc etc. then 10 minutes later she is in tears because she says her friends will think she's thick if she doesn't hit her predicted grades.

Having mentally parked GCSEs after the exams, I am now getting nervous. Maths and English are a worry due to teacher issues and the gaps were not really apparent until late in the day. I am confident in my DCs ability whatever happens but just don't want the stress or confidence knock of having to resit. Hoping for enough to move forward 🤞🙏

The issue here isn't choice of subjects, it's about needing 5 5s to get into her school sixth form, which is the goal. Subject choices appear secondary at this stage!

@PennywisePoundFoolish we'd actually looked into this for DD, as none of the local colleges would suit her. I would really worry about her lack of socialising though.

Taking A-levels online can unfortunately work out pretty costly, and then you also have the issue of finding an exam centre locally that will allow them to sit exams. It's not an easy plan B, although options do exist- most cost £££ and it can be difficult for sciences because of the practical endorsement.

I'd probably explore all the local options (e.g. other schools, colleges etc) before going down this route.

Most school sixth forms/colleges will in reality have some flex for students, especially if there are extenuating circumstances involved. Unless the school is really selective, they're more likely to redirect students towards appropriate courses than just turn them away altogether.

I don't think is a realistic proposition, just searching for an answer in the event she doesn't get the grades to stay. It's crazy, I just went to sixth form. I don't remember there being any grade boundaries or expectations. I did fail Maths but just resat it. I don't recall it being a drama at all, but I suppose 30 years will do that 😂

A pp mentioned the absence rate for Y11, here's the relevant graph. Given that the grade distribution is returning to 2019 levels, but the absence levels are so much higher than 2019, when you add in the disruption due to lockdowns it is hard to imagine that this won't impact on the performance of the cohort. I.e. performance will be lower, but the grade distribution will be the same, so my guess is that for whole-cohort subjects like maths and English, grade boundaries will be lower. Kids who have had consistent teaching, and consistent attendance will perform better than expected, because of those kids who have had poor attendance and inconsistent teaching.

Worrying about GCSE results because of what you're hearing about A-level results - from my experience the kids who suffered with their mental health post-lockdown generally dropped out of A-levels. My Y11 maths class (borderline pass), about 20% of them had shocking attendance, didn't see one of them at all after Easter, and they were all entered and sat the exams. That level of issues with attendance is not normal for my school, and matches the national picture.

@noblegiraffe
That's roughly my thoughts.

I do wonder whether we might see some odd grade boundaries eg 9s being higher, but 7s being considerably lower than 2019. Because you could find some of the top end using the lockdown as a time to really work hard and pull away.

If my oldest had been GCSE year I suspect she might well have all but completed the A-level syllabuses by the time she went back in September. She always worked hard and liked to push herself.
My middle one was GCSE year in 2020 and as soon as they announced no GCSEs I don't think she touched a book until September.
Similar abilities, but totally different approaches.

@noblegiraffe That's an interesting graph, sad though to see those absences.

Yes, I did wonder about that after the shocker of super high grade boundaries for some subject for A-level, including Maths which was higher than 2019! That said, those who took A-level Maths generally are very able at maths and, perhaps, due to the lockdowns etc, more people self-selected and opted not to take Maths due to this?

Whereas Maths/English is compulsory and so you would expect to see a much broader range of scores. But perhaps even there you will see real extremes - those that have been absent and other schools where they have been able to really optimise and tailor maths learning based on all the online/adaptive tools that are available?

Only time will tell but I can't say I'm not a bit worried (DD needs a 9 to do A-level Maths!!).

That's meant to say 'Maths and English GCSEs are compulsory...'

Thanks for the table @noblegiraffe

I'm also worried re maths grades as DS also needs at least an 8 (preferably a 9) to do the A'level.

Also needs a 7 in both his other A'level choices. Hopefully the schools will take this into account if the results are as odd as they were on Thurs

Yes, I did wonder about that after the shocker of super high grade boundaries for some subject for A-level, including Maths which was higher than 2019!

Much higher than 2019....but there was a suggestion on twitter that Edexcel had previously stated an intention to make their maths papers more accessible so that will have accounted for some increase. It does make it really hard to unpick whether the Y13 A-level cohort were less well prepared for A-level maths than 2019 though.

This Y11 cohort are definitely less well prepared for GCSE. The question of what will happen at the very top end is interesting - I haven't taught top set GCSE recently so can't really comment on the impact there.

Who are these schools requiring 8s and 9s to do maths A-level? That's just bonkers.

WE JUST NEED A 5

Yes, it is what it is! 😳
@Toffeesgirl hoping there will be some allowances as you say if results turn out to be 'unusual/unexpected'

Speak to any maths teacher and they will tell you that even kids with 9s struggle with A level maths - it’s unrealistic to think that a 5 at gcse will lead to an enjoyable A level experience…

I'm a maths teacher! Kids with 9s should not struggle with A-level maths...

My school requires a 6, which I disagree with and think it should be a 7. 7s will find it difficult, but not allowing them to take it in the first place when it is such an important A-level for so many future options is just wrong.

I hope I haven't insinuated that she is doing A Level Maths? Jesus wept, no. She just needs a 5 in it to stay at her school sixth for !

Form, even.

No, it was @madremia1 and @Toffeesgirl whose DC need a 9 and an 8 respectively.

She's just been downstairs, talking about it. It's all getting a little bit tense...