Year 11 - 2024/2025: The Results Day Thread

[QueenMabby]

New thread for results day. Deep breaths. We can do this!

I looked at the requirements and honestly she would struggle to get more than a handful - I think there were 7 levels and it would be a miracle if she ticked everything for level 2. Her spelling is entirely phonetic, punctuation is generally missing, and the worst is probably her syntax which makes everything read as if she's not mother-tongue English.

She uses editing software except in exams, and the difference in her scripts is night and day. I do worry that examiners get bored/tired of trying to pick out the points and that drops her grades.

We tried a specialist dyslexia tutor earlier this year who just made DD cry. It's very sad as verbally she's extremely able - huge vocabulary and considered gifted at creative writing and song lyrics. But exams are always just a misery... she had so enjoyed the actual GCSE papers (literally bouncing round the house after the Macbeth paper) that I had dared to hope she might get somewhere near her targets (8s).

Happily there are no exams in her future - off to study music - but I've had to do some serious pep talking today as she's really doubting she has any ability and a big part of her future will be song writing. I pointed out there was no need for punctuation there!

I promised hi no one he knew would read his English exam!

Ah. That might be a barrier then ;)

Like I said, I can't comment for Eduqas specifically but I'd be surprised if it was a bad as you think.

Did she have a scribe? Or did she type?

It's worth breaking it just to see if there's a good case for review. Just ask for them back and get his teachers to read through and see what they think. If they don't think he should get a review then move on. But if they do, it's worth having a higher grade foe univeristy applications, job applications, internships etc. It's more important than him stressing over anyone seeing it. His teachers won't remember it, unless it's the best paper in the world and they'll be reading loads. Plus be doesn't have to read it at all.

It's horrible when things don't make sense.

DD was totally fine with her 3 in Geography (bar feeling sorry for her poor long-suffering teacher) and delighted to have passed maths after hating the papers.

But the English exams went sooooo much better than mocks, she did stacks of revision, great tutor etc and then grades nowhere near what she hoped for.

I don’t think he cares, he might when applying to uni, he’s into a very decent STEM 6th form doing maths physics and chemistry

but I can ask I guess

do I just email school?

We, I say we, it feels like we, he was Eduqas as well

I might ask for script

Yes email the school and at least get the script - make sure subject teachers look through as its their opinion which is the most important. What grade was it again (some universities especially in London actually want 6s in both English and Maths GCSE but most want 5s or above). What subject English Language or Literature? Sorry have been getting confused with all the different posts.

It's important to remember that an entry requirement for jobs, universities etc is the bottom tier so yes a 5 is acceptable but people will be applying with much higher and they will have stronger applications and profiles as a result. So will be more likely to get the positions, internships, place at uni as they'll pick the top first and work their way down. So having it higher can really benefit in making you stay competitive.

I appreciate people are trying to help when you say ask for the papers but then as someone who is not an English examiner - what are we supposed to do with them?!

If it was the drop of a grade I wouldn’t bother and would just put it down to a bad day / papers they found tough but like pps I just find it odd to plummet a couple of grades with no real reason why that would be when all other subjects have been pretty much spot on based on their mock results or indeed increased.

My DC is ok but a bit disappointed in English results based on their previous performance.

Get the subject specific teachers (sometimes a few different teachers in the department will look and then decide together) to look at them and sort of mark them (not actually just see what they think). You have to request them - actually our child because the school cannot without their consent. The teachers cannot see them till your DC requests it and gives them permission to look at them.

That gives me some hope!

She types everything.

He will probably have to do it - but contact the exams office.

Definitely do it from your child - I got a panicked email from EO to check it was DD and not me.

I really worry about this sentiment that unless you got an 8 or 9 you shouldn’t do a subject at A level. My eldest got a 7 in maths gcse and just got a perfectly respectable B at A level. As long as they’re prepared to put the work in then I think they should be encouraged, not told they have no hope!

Me too! My youngest wants to do a levels and wants to currently do biology for one of them but reading this I don’t think she’d be able to (and she’s quite bright but I don’t think 8’s and 9’s are a guarantee. Think 6’s and maybe 7’s are more realistic. It did worry me for a bit as thought I’d have to re guide her elsewhere but feeling a bit happier now she has 2 more years so not an immediate problem but I’m hoping 6’s in GCSE’s will mean she can do a levels

@MrsHamlet what do you mean when you say it's not about proximity to the grade boundary please?

I was referring specifically to biology A level which is incredibly hard

Some schools still seem to believe that reviews are looking for marks so if you're one or two off, you should get them "remarked" to try to get those marks.

Just as examiners don't know what the grade boundaries are, neither do reviewers.

And reviews are looking at whether the mark was reasonable, not for extra marks.

So I have asked for several papers back - not because they're near boundaries but because something looks off. Once I've looked at them, then I'll be able to advise.

I have colleagues who are still advising "remarks" on the grade boundary. It's not their money, of course.

@Sisublondie
I'm so sorry you've had such an emotionally draining day xxx
Your ds must really be impressive to be allowed to start the btec based in his interview!
Do go for the review of scripts....you never know (older dd had her history go up a grade..)
I'm sure after the emotions of tiday and once he starts he will be much happier.
Thank you for updating us, I was worried! Xxx

A lot of people said the same thing last year but my daughter's English teacher recommended a review of marking for one of her literature papers and it went up by 17 marks and a grade so I'm glad I ignored them.

We had some (disappointingly!) surprising English marks too.

Got a high 6 in his lit mock with barely a flick through the books (November mocks). Predicted 7 language and 6/7 lit…

Put a LOT of work in- I know! I sat and helped him! Thought it went well, not 9 sort of well but solid, and better than mocks. He was optimistic for a seven in lit, and hoping for the same in language (which Tbf he didn’t do as much for).

Came out with a mid rage 5 for lit (his lowest grade), and just scraped a 6 for lang.

We hadn’t asked for scripts back as he was nowhere near a grade boundary.

@Exhaustedonallfronts this year? If the grades are a surprise, ask for the papers. The grade boundaries shouldn't come into it.

Should you worry if they are near the bottom of a boundary though?

No. All you are doing is looking at them (or at least getting someone to do that)

Don't go for review until you've had them looked at though.