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Secondary education

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GCSE Support - the results are in

705 replies

SheilaFentiman · 24/08/2023 13:53

Continuing the threads we had going during revision and waiting for results day!

OP posts:
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Sadtimes1 · 07/09/2023 23:26

@bendmeoverbackwards well done to your DD, she has done incredibly well under those circumstances! It’s awful that some children have done so well but still feel like they have failed as they can’t get onto their chosen courses. My son is also in this situation. I agree with @PennywisePoundFoolish colleges can be good at supporting without the expectations. My son (ASD) couldn’t wait to get out of school and did really well at college. Would it be possible to buy clothes for college so that she sort of has a uniform? She could then have a pre picked outfit for each day. Just an idea. Most of the 6th forms where I am don’t have a uniform. I would also consider what job the course would lead to. My son has just finished college and is looking for work but his level 3 subject doesn’t really open many doors. It was difficult to persuade him to stay in education and it was the only course he would agree to do 🤷🏼‍♀️. Good luck I hope that you get something sorted out soon.
@PennywisePoundFoolish I sympathise with you. I had years of that attitude from the school. I was thoroughly relieved when I managed to get him to the end of year 11. I hope that he has a better day tomorrow.

Frenchyq25 · 08/09/2023 07:45

We decided not to request the papers he was close with. It wouldn't make a difference to his next steps as he'd already got his place at college.
He went for his induction yesterday and got his timetable, he's not too impressed that he has 3 hours of English on a Friday!

Piony · 08/09/2023 08:46

@bendmeoverbackwards the BTEC does sound like a good idea. A consistent group rather than 3 different ones might be easier for her to settle in. The uniform thing is frustrating but so many autistic kids end up coping better than expected with blazers and ties, so it should be one you can break down and overcome. A designated "personal uniform" is a good shout. Maybe start with black leggings and wash her 2 favourite dance tops for the first week, see what everyone else is wearing, and buy more then.

Making a list is a good idea. I would also talk with her about how the first days or week of a school year are always super challenging for most autistic students. An autistic brain usually hates transitions, so the negative things she is feeling about new places may be an automatic reaction her brain is making to the change. A bit like how you'd address anxiety by talking about the thoughts and feelings as separate to the physical and very real sensations, try to decouple the starting college or school from how she would feel once settled. In a panic attack those physical sensations are overwhelming, but they don't actually come from the stressor, they are a separate thing. So her negative reaction, while real and overwhelming, might actually be coming from the newness rather than the setting. It is hard to know which, so how about she sticks with the setting for a couple of weeks just in case it's the former?

Whether A levels at private school are the right fit for her academically is tricky with her attendance. We have steered away from private school for our autistic DC because of a norm we perceived of more social (compliance) and academic demands - more hoops to jump through I suppose, and they all use spoons. It works well for some kids though. I would imagine Dance has its own social challenges with group work. It sounds like her social skills are pretty good.

As she has struggled to attend in the past, I would weigh quite heavily whether the settings have somewhere she can go to escape and get some support, when feeling overwhelmed. That might be a key part of keeping her attendance up. Good luck.

bendmeoverbackwards · 11/09/2023 15:44

Thank you all, very much appreciate the support.

Dd is point blank refusing to enrol anywhere else. All I hear from her is that she doesn't want to move schools, doesn't want to go to a college etc. We are still waiting for the outcome of the marking review but I'm not getting my hopes up. Just wish the results come soon so we know one way or the other. I think she's just too anxious to start somewhere new. I'm wondering if she should take a year off, get a job and have a re-think for next year.

elkiedee · 12/09/2023 21:08

@bendmeoverbackwards Does the college which offers BTec Dance offer A level as well? Or qualifications related to her A level choices? What other BTecs do they do? Are there others in easy reach travel wise?

You say she enjoys Dance but I'd have thought that a BTec level 3 course in that subject would attract students aiming for that as a career, and that it would involve a lot of being looked at and judged. Are there other Dance courses there at a lower level or time commitment, part of a course of study rather than a whole course alone, that could be studied alongside Sociology and perhaps another A level choice?

Her own school sixth form may set the bar higher, but I would have thought 8 solid passes including 5 6s and 2 5s provide a range of options including A levels in subjects such as Sociology.

Then you can discuss a uniform or wardrobe with several of the same items for things which need to be washed frequently - and things which could be mixed up with others if she wants to change her look a bit when she is more settled/confident/sees how classmates dress etc.

Hersetta427 · 15/09/2023 20:35

We heard back from DD’s school today after her teachers had reviewed the papers we were considering paying for a full review. She was 2 marks off a 7 in English and the teacher said she was fairly marked but Pe )1 mark off a 9, one paper was fine and paper one they said they thought she should have had 3/4 more marks so just paid for a review of that paper.

we shall see. Her exams officer said no one’s grades had gone up so far in English.

Sadtimes1 · 15/09/2023 23:32

@Hersetta427 Hope that you don’t mind me asking but was that AQA English Lit? Interesting that no reviews have changed marks in English at your school as there are a few people reporting changes on Mumsnet. In general, it seems the vast majority don’t change.
Good luck with the review of PE, hope that your DD gets a 9 🤞.

Hersetta427 · 15/09/2023 23:34

Sadtimes1 · 15/09/2023 23:32

@Hersetta427 Hope that you don’t mind me asking but was that AQA English Lit? Interesting that no reviews have changed marks in English at your school as there are a few people reporting changes on Mumsnet. In general, it seems the vast majority don’t change.
Good luck with the review of PE, hope that your DD gets a 9 🤞.

Yes it was AQA for both actually.

Sadtimes1 · 18/09/2023 17:21

Good news, we have had one paper back and it has gone up by 3 marks so DS is extremely happy to now have an 8. It came back in less than a week!! Still waiting for the other subject.

WaitingforThursday · 18/09/2023 17:39

Great news Sadtimes1! Was that for English?

Sadtimes1 · 18/09/2023 17:50

@WaitingforThursday thank you. No, it was computer science. We haven’t put in for English Lit as we are asking the school first.

Piony · 18/09/2023 18:10

So grateful for this thread and @NCTDN and @MrsHamlet in particular. My daughter's now got an 8 she didn't have before. Without this thread we've have missed the main deadline for requesting scripts - which wasn't advertised anywhere. I'm still a bit confused why it was so constrained, especially as it wasn't an AQA exam. Anyway, it's done and she is thrilled so thank you.

Plus we get to spend our returned £44 on pizza!

@bendmeoverbackwards I hope your daughter is managing ok.

Neversaygoodbye · 18/09/2023 19:33

We paid for submission of an AQA geography paper for review on 4th September and haven't heard anything yet. Not sure how long these things tend to take.

SheilaFentiman · 18/09/2023 19:39

We have had two reviews back already, it does vary a bit by board

OP posts:
Dancerr · 18/09/2023 20:18

Neversaygoodbye · 18/09/2023 19:33

We paid for submission of an AQA geography paper for review on 4th September and haven't heard anything yet. Not sure how long these things tend to take.

School have paid for my ds Geography paper to be remaked, 2 points away from a 6. I was surprised they offered to be honest. He was fine with the 5 however much lower than expected.

MrsHamlet · 18/09/2023 21:07

SheilaFentiman · 18/09/2023 19:39

We have had two reviews back already, it does vary a bit by board

It also depends on the volume of requests.

NCTDN · 18/09/2023 21:13

Piony · 18/09/2023 18:10

So grateful for this thread and @NCTDN and @MrsHamlet in particular. My daughter's now got an 8 she didn't have before. Without this thread we've have missed the main deadline for requesting scripts - which wasn't advertised anywhere. I'm still a bit confused why it was so constrained, especially as it wasn't an AQA exam. Anyway, it's done and she is thrilled so thank you.

Plus we get to spend our returned £44 on pizza!

@bendmeoverbackwards I hope your daughter is managing ok.

Fantastic!

Sadtimes1 · 18/09/2023 22:57

@Piony great news, we’ll done to your DD! Hope that you don’t mind me asking which subject that was?

Piony · 18/09/2023 23:44

@Sadtimes1 it was Maths. Not much help to you I imagine.

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 16:48

Posted in aqa thread but posting here too for traffic!

Can anyone advise what to do if school is refusing to request access to scripts to help decide whether or not to go for a review of marking?
They've said their policy is only to request scripts in advance if the mark is within one or two from the upper grade boundary, if not we just have to go in blind and pay for a review, very frustrating!
Dd got a lowish 5 in aqa eng lit (mark 76) - predicted a 7 and from what she said no obvious screw up, I did lots of revision with her and she knew her stuff I think but feels high risk to request a review without checking she hadn't fluffed a question or two....
Can I insist if they're refusing and on what grounds? Any advice welcome....

WaitingforThursday · 19/09/2023 17:21

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 16:48

Posted in aqa thread but posting here too for traffic!

Can anyone advise what to do if school is refusing to request access to scripts to help decide whether or not to go for a review of marking?
They've said their policy is only to request scripts in advance if the mark is within one or two from the upper grade boundary, if not we just have to go in blind and pay for a review, very frustrating!
Dd got a lowish 5 in aqa eng lit (mark 76) - predicted a 7 and from what she said no obvious screw up, I did lots of revision with her and she knew her stuff I think but feels high risk to request a review without checking she hadn't fluffed a question or two....
Can I insist if they're refusing and on what grounds? Any advice welcome....

Not sure I can give any advice (our school have been very helpful) but do you have a breakdown of how she did on each paper? Is one clearly lower than the other?

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 17:38

No breakdown although I've emailed to ask if they have this as that would be a start at least

Piony · 19/09/2023 18:19

@7forwardorsplit I'm not an expert but my understanding from PPs is the window has now closed for Priority access to AQA scripts. Any requests made after 7th Sept can only go in as an Original Request, which are aimed at teachers using them in class rather than candidates, and they give themselves 6 weeks to fulfil those requests. Whether the scripts come back quicker in practice I don't know, but you've got less than 2 weeks now before the Review of Marking deadline (28th Sept), so even if they were willing to submit the request, it may well not come back in time.

Maybe someone more knowledgeable will be able to advise.

The paper we put in for review was actually DD's highest mark in the subject.

7forwardorsplit · 19/09/2023 19:04

Thanks piony, yes think we might be too late, did make the original request prior to the deadline but was fobbed off by school, even more annoying!

Piony · 19/09/2023 20:09

That's very frustrating!

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