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Secondary education

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Original poster

Assessed coursework for GCSE -- do parents cheat?

57 replies

Deadworm · 10/11/2009 09:55

DS1 handed in an essay last week which will count towards his final GCSE result for English.

It just occured to me that some parents might check their children's assessed work and correct errors or suggest improvements. Does anyone do that?

OP posts:
brimfull · 10/11/2009 10:03

i never did it
don't recall dd bringing anything home and asking me to help her though
I stopped helping her with school work when she was about 11

Original poster
Deadworm · 10/11/2009 10:21

Thanks ggirl. This particular piece of work was done as homework. DS didn't ask me to look at it, and I didn't. But it does seem a bit wide-open to abuse.

Hopefully parents have got better things to fill their time than doing micro-managing homework.

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 10/11/2009 10:26

I check DSs homework (age 7 and 9) now for silly errors. Nothing wrong with that.

ABetaDad · 10/11/2009 10:27

Its just like askng DW to proof read a letter or a piece of work I have written.

MelonCauli · 10/11/2009 10:27

I teach a subject where there is a high percentage of assessed coursework. Most students I know submit their own work, but I have a couple where I am sure the parents did some of it. You can tell by the change in style of writing, the use of "adult" phrases and words, the increase in volume of work etc.

These students do end up with their work not being submitted if we are sure it is not theirs.

Original poster
Deadworm · 10/11/2009 10:28

No, that's fine of course. I'm thinking about work that counts towards GCSE grade (and also, I think parents are expected to be more hands-on with younger children's homework aren't they.)

It is the 'silly errors' that worry me. DS1 is proone to typos!

OP posts:
Original poster
Deadworm · 10/11/2009 10:28

prone to typos (not like me of course)

OP posts:
Original poster
Deadworm · 10/11/2009 10:29

oh cross-post Melon. Thanks. That sounds reassuring.

OP posts:
Docbunches · 10/11/2009 10:54

I think some parents DO help more than they should with homework and coursework.

A couple of years ago, my SIL did all her DD's GCSE coursework as they were desperate for her to get the right grades for Sixth form and university. Unsurprisingly, she is now struggling with A levels.

Apart from an occasional tricky maths problem, I never help my own DCs. My DD has a class History assessment today and they've been told that under NO circumstances are they to bring in any notes to copy and it MUST be their own written work. Also, my DS recently completed a GCSE English essay which he wouldn't even let me read!

Remotew · 10/11/2009 13:35

DD is in year 11 and her coursework is all her own. It's the teachers that are correcting it, the coursework for English she submits comes back home with comments and pointers to improve it before the final submission. I'm at that.

If there is a comment she doesn't understand I will explain it to her but never actually do the work.

southeastastra · 10/11/2009 13:36

no, maybe i should !

pagwatch · 10/11/2009 13:43

DS1 did his GCSEs last year and I never ever read or looked at his coursework unless he asked me to check if a certain section read as he intended.

Actually you would be able to tell if I helped as the standard of his work would drop through the floor.

I stopped having anything to do with his homework when he was about 11. He needed to understand he was doing it for himself and he needed to be responsible for it. I think the approach worked, he is a highly motivated and conciencious worker who did well and is doing well on his A level courses.
If I had helped at GCSE to get a grade that got him onto an A level course I would not be able to help now and he would be fucked stranded.

mumblechum · 10/11/2009 13:45

ds hasn't done any coursework yet to my knowledge. (yr 10)

Oh dearie dearie me.

Piffle · 10/11/2009 13:46

Christ I've not looked at my sons coursework sicne he was yr 5
he is now yr11

nappyaddict · 10/11/2009 13:48

I don't think they should be allowed to take coursework home actually.

Danthe4th · 10/11/2009 13:49

I hadn't even considered it till now!!!
No I wouldn't I would think it would be very obvious if my dd work suddenly changed and how embarrassing if she got a bad mark, how would you ever live that down!

Remotew · 10/11/2009 14:15

Most of it is done in school for the very reason that parents were helping. DD has only brought English home to correct per the teachers recommendations. Not sure why.

Original poster
Deadworm · 10/11/2009 14:24

Abouteve, I'm a bit too about the teachers pointing out errors and gettging children to correct work before it is finally submitted.

Some teachers seem so terrified of children doing badly in exams that they can barely teach the subject (instead of teaching the exam). I know it isn't their fault: they have been pushed into this way of teaching. But it still makes me angry.

OP posts:
Hullygully · 10/11/2009 14:25

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Original poster
Deadworm · 10/11/2009 14:25

(V. releived that everyone is so hostile to the idea of intervening in their children's coursewrk.)

OP posts:
JesusChristOtterStar · 10/11/2009 14:25

yes that's why they are stopping it
i dont and would be too busy to anyway -but get when my friends talk openly about it

Hullygully · 10/11/2009 14:27

Much easier to do it yourself than nag them.

Are they stopping it?

JesusChristOtterStar · 10/11/2009 14:29

yes i think this is the last year

mumblechum · 10/11/2009 14:34

This is the last year for coursework? Does that mean the current yr 11s, do you know?

So ds isn't lying when he says he hasn't any?

Remotew · 10/11/2009 14:53

Current year 11's are doing coursework, but you will be relieved to know it's being done mainly in school.