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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE Coursework Grade 8 to Grade 3!!

38 replies

FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 10:58

My daughter has just been informed that her Media coursework, that was moderated (in school) and graded at level 5 (Grade 8) has now been selected by the exam board and has now dropped to no higher than level 2 due to an image that was not (origional). The image was declared, edited and altered significantly by direction of class tutor, and was assured it was acceptable to be included in the final production piece.

It would appear the teacher was following the old exam bodys guidlines and not the newly acredited body the school moved to? My daughter was hushed into the exams offier room with the class tutor, the day after the leavers assembly without my knowledge and consent and instructed to not appeal? I have just found this out and have asked for an internal investigation?

What can i expect?

OP posts:
clary · 09/07/2024 14:20

Hey OP this is not my subject but a glance at the AQA spec shows that any non-original image will pull the NEA mark down to a max of Level 2 which seems to be what has happened.

It’s poor of the teacher not to flag this though. Was your DD aware that it could be an issue? This just highlights how crucial it is to have a teacher who, above all things, knows the exam spec. Your poor DD.

The NEA is 30% of the AQA mark overall, so if her written work is of a high grade 8 standard then a (very rough) calculation by me suggests she could still achieve a grade 7. But I would ask the school to investigate, I agree. Sadly I doubt it will make much difference to your DD’s exam result – worth contacting the exam board maybe though, flagging that your DD was misinformed by the teacher.

Harassedevictee · 09/07/2024 15:54

This is not my area at all. However, I would be very suspicious that the school instructed DD not to appeal. This sounds like the school covering themselves.

I would certainly be talking to someone who knows about this and asking what options your DD has e.g. your DD submitting a piece of work that does meet the criteria as she was incorrectly advised by her school.

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 18:57

Ive contacted the exam board and setup a meeting with the school, who are stalling as my daughters work was the onne used for moderation and sample for the exam board. Looks like the class tutor is working from the old exam boards specification, and not the new one the school changed to in 2023?

Also looks like the school is trying to cover things up!!

OP posts:
Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 18:57

Ive contacted the exam board and setup a meeting with the school, who are stalling as my daughters work was the onne used for moderation and sample for the exam board. Looks like the class tutor is working from the old exam boards specification, and not the new one the school changed to in 2023?

Also looks like the school is trying to cover things up!!

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 19:29

The exam board are highly unlikely to deal with you directly - not for nefarious reasons but because there are protocols in place.

It sounds like this is a case of maladministration on behalf of the centre.

It would have been pointless for her to try to appeal at that stage because the work had already been marked and submitted. Centre reviews are based on a belief that the NEA policy hasn't been followed, and that doesn't sound like what's happened here.

What I'd want to know is on what grounds your daughter has been told of this grade change. Because exam boards don't give out NEA marks now... so I assume that this is actually that she has been accused of plagiarism.

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 19:48

Ive asked for the schools non exam policy and not had anything sent, thus far? I believe the tutor hasnt undertaken any standardisation, moderation or assessment, and that they were using the wrong exam boards criteria?

OP posts:
Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 19:52

Not sure, she was told by the exams officer on shirt signing day, i believe her work was sent off as a sample to the exam board? Wasn’t accused of plagiarism, as all materials used were referenced and non-original images identified and altered as per wrong specification.

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 19:54

If they were the sole teacher of the unit, there is no call for internal standardisation because the standard is achieved by the fact that one person did it all. So that's one thing.

For example, last year I was the sole teacher of a thing. I didn't do any training and my work wasn't standardised because it was just me doing it. That is absolutely reasonable and allowed. However, I've taught the thing since forever. If I was new to it, I would be asking an experienced colleague - maybe in another centre - for some support.

If they've used the wrong criteria, that is maladministration, and the centre should report themselves to the board.

MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 19:55

FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 19:52

Not sure, she was told by the exams officer on shirt signing day, i believe her work was sent off as a sample to the exam board? Wasn’t accused of plagiarism, as all materials used were referenced and non-original images identified and altered as per wrong specification.

Shirt signing day means nothing to me, I'm afraid. What qualification is this? A gcse?

Ahlovetoloveyoubaby · 09/07/2024 20:10

If the teacher has not taught to the correct syllabus, then all other students should have had their marks lowered? At worse, it is a mistake by the teacher. These sorts of things often happen in schools, because teachers are humans, but I do understand that you don’t want your child to suffer for it- if what you have been told is true.

i would suggest that you go in and ask why the mark was altered and what happened that led the discrepancy between the original mark and the moderated mark. I would suggest that anything you don’t know for a fact you do not mention or argue about as it may, weaken your whole argument.

Furthermore, I would suggest that you do not share your suspicions without full knowledge of the facts. You may need to ask some hard questions or the could be a simpler explanation.

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 20:33

Where and how do i get hold of the schools (NEA) non-examination assessment policy

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 20:34

It should be on their website

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 20:42

Yep i looked there already, not listed so ive emaild the school office?

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 20:45

The exams office will have it.

That's unlikely to help though. It'll tell you the process for internal verification and how to ask for a review of marking before the marks go off, but that doesn't seem to be the issue.

You need to see the communication from the exam board about this issue. But be aware that they (the school) might not communicate with you about it because it's not your work: they might only communicate with your daughter.

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 20:46

Hi thanks for that, yes fully understand, issue is last parent teacher meeting in May my daughter had already submitted her coursework (early) and the tutor had given an internal grade of level 5 (8) and all work submitted was verified and checked? This is why the teacher used my daughters work as the class sample for the exam board??

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 20:48

Normal process is that the exam board select the sample based on marks. It's not selected by the centre.

I'm not sure what qualification we're talking about here but generally, grades should not be shared. Raw marks only until August, subject to adjustment by the exam board at moderation.

clary · 09/07/2024 20:50

It’s unlikely that the school was teaching to a spec altered in 2023 - that’s only last Sept. The spec must have been in place for two years.

@MrsHamlet it's GCSE. And I agree, the sample for moderation is called in by the exam board. If there was only one class I might expect all to be moderated tbh (unless it was a class of 30). But either way the teacher doesn’t decide.

RookieMa · 09/07/2024 20:50

Both my DC checked the specifications themselves for their exams

My DS was obsessed actually with checking and making sure he covered all the specifications which all DC should be checking themselves and have full access to

Lesson learnt at least for her A Levels

Sadly even though the teacher allowed her to submit it it is ultimately down to the DC to check the specifications

It is annoying though and I'd be just as upset as you because the teacher gave advice that caused this

It's a real shame and I feel for your DD

clary · 09/07/2024 20:52

@RookieMa hard agree with that. I posted as much at the start of this exam season after I had seen a number of candidates who clearly had not checked the spec. Especially for an NEA such as this kind of coursework or a speaking exam in MFL.

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 20:53

Hi thanks for that, issue with this is i have reason to believe both the class tutor and exams officer may be trying to cover this up internally, as i was not told about this by the school?

On shirt signing day my daughter had already legally left the school, and her Media teacher asked to speak to her privately and escorted her to the exams officers room where they had a closed door meeting and explained the mistake made by the school and that there was nothing they could do!!

Safeguarding aside, my daughter is still legally a child, and the school has a responsibility to in the first instance contact me, not try to gaslight my daughter!

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 20:56

Ask for the information sent by the exam board. You need to know what the problem is, from their point of view.

Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 21:07

Already asked the school for this info, not had anything back yet?

OP posts:
Original poster
FrenchPolisher · 09/07/2024 21:10

My daughter is dyslexic, and at no point has anyone read the T&Cs to her, nor has the school provided any specific information (altered) for her to read?

She has an IEP but class teacher was unaware?

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 09/07/2024 21:21

This is meant with kindness - you need to focus on what the exam board has said, and not the dyslexia or anything else.

It seems to me (and I don't know the spec) that the exam board have identified a problem in the work and referred that to the centre.

She cannot appeal against that because, as you say, the image she used was not an original image, and the specification identifies that as a limiting factor. She knew that at the time, because she acknowledged that it was not an original image.

niclw · 09/07/2024 21:23

This is raising red flags for me. My subject no longer has coursework but I would never know how moderation its coursework had gone until results day. I am aware of extra samples of work being called for by exam board. Personally, I would insist on a meeting with the headteacher as soon as possible to find out what has happened and why your daughter was put in this situation on a day that was supposed to be celebratory not a big upset. It sounds like the headteacher may not be aware of it.