Anyone else's dc got lower GCSE'S results than expected?

[em2322]

Seems like a lot of students actually got better gcse results than expected. I'm wondering if anyone else's high achievers dc got lower gcse results than expected (especially if exams went really well and a really high score was expected)?

As part of a wider education agenda (which you may guess that I disagree with). To draw further distinctions and divides between schools and teachers who fit in with a government agenda including academisation and increasing privatisation, to please Tory voters who thought that rising attainment couldn't be explained by genuine improvements in education.... my kids are so much better taught than I was. To put pressure on our kids and their teachers.

A 6 is a good B, 7 is across the A/B boundary and 8 across the old A*/A boundary, and I think it's sad that some grades that would have been seen as great a few years ago feel devalued (perhaps especially 6s and 7s?).

As a way to reset from the grade inflation of the past.
To signify the change from old spec when most subjects had some sort of coursework / controlled assessment / modular towards terminal exams for most.
To give parents of kids who get 9s bragging rights (who needs a 9 anyway?).

And to make it hard for less academic kids to pass stuff. Especially any who can't hold vasts amount of info in their head. GCSEs are now a test of endurance as much as anything else.

DD got the lower end of what she was predicted - mostly 4s and 5s rather than 5s and 6s. She’s worked really hard and we were expecting a good improvement from her mocks, so it’s quite disappointing. She failed English Language but was only two marks off a 4 so school have offered to pay for a re-mark.

Grade boundaries weren’t kind and there were several subjects were she was three marks or less off the next grade.

For PE she had a 9 for her practical with the highest mark in the school, but ended up with a 6 (one mark off a 7) overall as one of the written papers didn’t go well and it looks like her PEP mark might have been moderated down. School are going to request scripts and advise whether to request a review.

She still has her place at sixth form college but has to wait until her course consultation on Thursday to agree if she can still do a mix of level 3 btecs and A-levels.

Lots of her friends had some subjects that were towards the lower end of what they expected, but she’s not mentioned any big shocks.

DS got 7s and 8s apart from some fluke 9s in French and Biology. Despite these being clearly good marks (A/B borderline and above) he feels he's failed because the cohorts above had such good results. The older two are aware that their GCSE results are essentially meaningless (2021 and 22) but the younger years don't see that and just see objectively good marks as a disappointment.

DS refused to revise so ended up with mostly 6's and 5's but also 4 and a 3. He was adamant that as his predicted grades were higher he'd be ok.
I'm praying he can still get the a-levels he wants. He's shocked tbh and learnt a nasty lesson as he knows he might not be able to do what he wants at uni, or even have much choice at all. I told him this for months.
Hope everyone find things fall into place next week.

Ds didn't do too well, but passed so no retakes. He did very badly in a subject he normally does very well in. This stunned him and me.

He could have tried harder/ done more and got fabulous grades, but didn't listen to teachers or me. Or his sibling. This is what is so frustrating. Hoping 6th form will be better.

Such a mixed bag and our school also have not uttered a word in SM at all.

Ds grades all over the place. Up 3 grades in two, a grade lower in a few others.

@KnittedCardi , the schools knew the 2019 grade boundaries but what they are finding is the mark scheme has been applied in a very harsh way. There are some really shocking sets of results out there held by top pupils at high achieving schools across all sectors and exam boards.

I find it really sad when people on here are disappointed with 6s, or describe it as something must have gone wrong. 6 is still a great achievement. No wonder teens these days are stressed!

There's far too much pressure on kids to get 9s when in reality it should be a tiny tiny percentage that should achieve a 9.

I don't understand this thinking unless you are saying there are massive inconsistencies in marking? Harsh or not doesn't come into it as long as they are consistent. The 'right' percentage got the grades.

The fact that some schools over estimated, or some kids had bad days or didn't revise properly doesn't mean the exams weren't fair.

Yep - all 8’s and 9’s (except one 6) in mocks. Ended up with 7’s and 8’s and one 6, so all good for 6th form entry, but they are a bit disappointed!

@TeenDivided , I don't think it's inconsistencies from what I've seen in my admittedly small pool, it's more the teachers are surprised at the strictness of the marking.

I hear you

It’s because some colleges for subjects like maths and science won’t accept less than a seven which now I’m on the other side I get but rewind 2 years ago sat in the little enrolment room with dd while the girls either side of us were crying as the enrolment staff told them they’re grades weren’t good enough to do the courses they’d selected my heart went out to them in our day a C would get you onto A levels

My son was gutted with his maths result he got a 4! He was at the top end of the 4 in terms of the marks so just missed a 5 and looking back over the previous years boundaries he would have way achieved the 5. He is going on to A-levels but keeps saying he wants to retake the maths - he won't need any higher than a 4 for for the subjects he is taking so I'm not sure if it is worth the stress.

Exactly the same as my son. He got a mark of 73 which is nearly a 5 I think? My ds has been accepted to A levels with the 4 so I don't think we will bother appealing.

We are unfortunately in this situation too.
Predicted 8s and 7s which would have comfortably got decent IB and A level options.
Mock grades were not her predicted grades and I did query some of her teachers if it was possible to meet predicted as I was worried early in the year.
I was told it will be OK as long as she revises hard and does past paper practice.
DD did revise loads and they did lots of papers in school as well as at home.
Somehow, things did not go as planned.
I should have listened to my gut and explored college options a bit more.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Bitter lesson learnt.
Hope next week brings better news for everyone on this thread.