National Curriculum Levels and how they predict GCSE grades

[Kez100]

What national curriculum level do you look for in year 9 to predict a D, C, B or A at GCSE?

What year 9 national curriculum level tend to do higher Maths and English GCSE and which levels do the foundation exam? (Seems so unfair at least we could double enter O and CSE's - they said GCSE would save two exam systems - and look what they've got - two exams where you can't double enter!)

Why is coursework on English started in year 9? Surely someone two years younger than the exam age isn't likely to attain anywhere near what they could in two years time?

[Kez100]

Good luck Tabby, hope you get lots of help like I did.

This was started in 2009 when my DD had just started year 10. She is now in year two at University!!! Time flies.

[tabby1001]

Thank you created new thread.

[Holstein]

Tabby- start a new thread. This one is v v old, and the system has completely changed. Schools all have their own internal assessment systems in Y9_ so a six in one school doesn't mean the same as a six in another. His GCSEs will be awarded grades from 1-9 not A B C etc.

[gleegeek]

Hi I'd start a new thread to ask your question as the info on this one is quite out of date. I'm sure people will be along soon who can answer with current thinking - I'd be very interested to hear what they say!

[tabby1001]

Hi Im stressing my Yr 9 boy has just had a result from his latest test and has a achieved a 6. Is this high enough to achieve a c grade in gcse level, I don't think it is? But I don't really understand the system, I don't want to give him a hard time if this is on par with other Yr 9 boys

[Chris03]

Thank you and your right there changing exams and boundaries all the time

[Kez100]

I think it's difficult to predict Chris as the exams being say are changing all the time. My sons current Science exams are noticeably more demanding from a written perspective than my daughters were, and they are only two years apart.

Despite that, your son has very good working grades for year 7 at 5A so hopefully he will continue to make great progress and work hard - which should be his current aim, and that will ultimately lead to good opportunities to do his best at GCSE - or whatever regime our ever-changing Government have in place in five years time.

[Chris03]

Hi I realise its an old topic but just can't work out this predicted grade or gcse future grades my son is currently in year 7 and has been labeled as a maths genius he's currently in term 2 working at level 7A in maths So I'm summizing he will get a good grade for maths but what about English he's working at 5A. Science 5A

[boschy]

Kez that's lovely news, I've followed some of your other posts on results etc, so really really pleased for your girl!

[Theas18]

This is a fabulous thread! Lovely to be able to track through from your initial anxieties about her to her success with determination hard work and yes, good teaching.

Hope it encourages other parents too.

[Intersat]

I have been following this thread too. Well done to your daughter. Brilliant news

[JustGettingByMum]

Kez what a great thread, and so lovely that your DD got those fab results. Thank you for coming back and updating.

[glaurung]

What a lovely thread. Well done indeed to your dd Kez for such a positive attitude sustained over so long and well done for her well deserved results too. I hope she is enjoying her art course.

[Kez100]

Just to draw this three year old thread to a conclusion, I've listed my daughter's actual year 11 results below. (By secure, I mean a mid-C was achieved)

English Language - C (secure)
English Lit - C (secure)
Maths - C (high)
Core Science - C (secure)
Additional Science - C (just!)
French - C (secure)
Three other good quality GCSEs - C, C and D.
ICT - Distinction

Rather good, me thinks. Very proud of her and delighted she went to the (so called) bog-standard local comprehensive - some special teaching there.

[Kez100]

Thank you Mangeyfox. I've told her and she says thanks too!

Her advice "work your socks off at your level. Don't worry about cleverer kids, there will always be someone better than you, and don't worry what set you are in. If you think its quite a low set just work to be at the top of it. Follow your dreams."

Apparantly, one of the best pieces of advice she had was when she was moaning about being in set 4 (of 5) English in early year 9 and the teacher said, 'forget the set number, you can work at any level in set 4, if you show me you are level 8 I'll give you level 8 work - there are no barriers' Although she was Level 5 it made her realise her levels were determined only by her own hard work.

Just to add even more good news - she has got a conditional offer on the college course she wants at the place of her dreams (the one with an acceptance rate of 1/3 of applicants) despite a very demanding interview with questions on why she has applied for a creative diploma when she didn't pick a creative subject at GCSE and how she expects she will handle having to compete on the course with A* GCSE students! No idea what she said but they made her an offer! Yay her!

[mangeyfox]

Hi Kez100 - just to say my daughter is in Year 9 and the youngest in her year and always struggled academically. I've just read all your threads and found it very helpful and also heartening - like your daughter she started school 2 terms after a lot of her class mates at primary school and was always a 'bit behind', but equally always worked hard. Thanks so much for your story - it's helped me feel so positive about her future - even though I have every confidence in her, it's the new exam systems that confuse me! She wants to be a PT Instructor in the army, and she's extremely sporty, but knows she needs the academic qualifications too. Congratulations to your daughter for being such an inspiration to others. :)

[Kez100]

Good luck! Look forward to hearing how you get on.

[shawshank68]

Thanks for the input. I will repost with how I get on.

Appreciated..

[Kez100]

I suppose, as a general rule, I can see the HODs viewpoint. He is looking to encourage a positive can do attitude. And, while he might not need an A, an A in such an important subject, is a useful grade for life. He obviously thinks he can do it - or maybe he just pushes everyone.

Not sure what I would do in this circumstance to be honest. I'd probably encourage them to go for it. Try for the A. Thats not to say I don't sympathise with your view (especially if he's not a great lover of Maths).

I do think this is a problem with early entry. It's great for foundation students, capped at a C, who can the get a chance of a higher grade through resit. Or the A star student, whi can do another GCSE in the remaining time. However, for everyone else just runs the risk of slight underachievement compared to summer and then settling for that grade because it is hard to find any motivation to improve if there is no apparent reason too. I think feeling like that is very natural.

[shawshank68]

Absolutely, it is the fact I am a Governor that I am most concerned about being that I do definitely not want to get roles tangled...

When I approached the school I did it on the tack of advice on what to do..he has two subjects that he is planning on A Levels - Biology and History - he needs to get his C to a B in Biology and with some effort can get to A* in History.

The answer I got back....no he can carry on Maths till March resits then give up whatever grade he gets....that just reinforces my view that if they are happy for him to can it in March and not force him to carry on to June...why force him now. The Head of Maths said to him "Do you think you can get an A in March" he said "No there is too much to make up" he said "Wrong answer I will ask you once again do you think you can get an A in March"..

I think I will write to the Deputy Head (Curriculum) with the question and see what transpires. He has no results in the last 2 years to support an A target and his 85/200 for his B is the best result he has had.

[Kez100]

Our school said that if the child reached their target grade then they could stop. So, a B with an A target, would indicate continuation. However, a chat with the school about his reservations about resitting (rather than yours) and a plan of what he would like to do instead of Maths as well, as he wouldnt be allowed to just coast (and I don't suppose you'd want him to). Is there a subject he is under target on? Especially if it's English! That's how I would play it.

On the matter of Governor, be careful. I'm VC. I keep roles completely separate. One isn't a Governor to get special treatment and when new it is important to create that divide between the two or, I'd imagine, it could get messy. That's not to say you shouldn't share the experience of what happens after early Maths with the FGB, but you wouldn't use that tack to sort out the current dilemma with your son; that should be sorted in a normal parental way by speaking as a parent to whoever is in charge.

[shawshank68]

Can anyone advise me on my predicament.

My son got his Maths GCSE result last week and got a B. To be honest both he and us are quite chuffed as, although he had a target A that was more of a shooting for the stars. Apparrently he got 85 when 121 was an A so he is quite a way off...

Anyway, on his chosen post 16 path, he needs no more than a B so I have asked the shool if, as pupils who acheived target have, he could now have that B and work on getting other more important (as far as A Levels are concerned) grades up.

They want him to continue but I don't think he is going to get almost half as many marks again by March 5th for the next sitting. If anything he is going to be de-motivated to do it.

I would add I am a recently elected parent governor but am reluctant to take down that road just yet.

Does anyone know where I stand at formally asking he drop Maths now he has his B?

Thank you!!

[Kez100]

Thanks BandB.

I will be speaking to her teacher in the next two weeks because it's parents evening. I will find out where she is exactly (because all language CAs have been done and she has already a D in language exam, with UMS which are only 2% off a C). I need to know what having three more hours English a week will mean for her (she will now, until June, get six hours a week). The school did this last year and 19 children had this extra English time, so they should have a plan which they can explain to me. I will ask if we can support at home as she will have a huge hole in her evenings available now (Maths was all consuming for her).

Yes, my English is fine but I've no experience of exam technique and the controlled assessment system means so much has to be done in school nowadays.

Thanks.

[breadandbutterfly]

Welll done to your dd. I teach similar-sounding 16-18 year olds English (only 1 hr per week on top of their other courses, towards a Functional Skills qualification), and have tutored my kids for 11+ exams, and just wanted to stress the importance of getting your dd one-to-one support if you can. All research shows that one-to-one support can achieve in weeks what would take years in the classroom; in my college classes, with the best will in the world, there are lots of children, with different needs, and discipline issues - progress is slower. Whereas in a private class, the student wastes no time on things they already understand, can question everything they don't understand, not a minute is wasted.

Getting a grade C or above in English GCSE is absolutely vital so personally, I wouldn't leave it up to her teachers or chance (or her - however hard she works, she can't teach herself - she needs support from a teacher with the time to devote to her needs). Maybe you could teach her yourself? Your English skills are clearly fine.

[Kez100]

Thanks. It is fab news.

She has chosen to spend the extra curriculum hours on English Language and English Literature. She is on target but wants to try and give herself maximum opportunity to nab that target.

She has applied to two colleges now and created her own portfolio (the hardest one with a 1/3 chance and the other with a 2/3 chance based on last year). Both have an interview process on top of getting the GCSEs - the former college interview is two hours! Seems a lot for 16-18 study!