Exam grade guidance finally released

[noblegiraffe]

www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcses-as-and-a-level-awarding-summer-2020

Looks sensible. A rank order required within grades so that the can moderate up or down as required.

I have no idea piggy! I have a course in its first year this year.

I'm hoping as long as grades fit the national picture from ks2 data then we'll be ok. Ofqual have said they will look at ks2 data at a centre level and check it's online with expected outcomes nationally. Possibly some kind of calibration against similar subjects? (That's pure speculation and might not happen!)

Are they going to look and see if data fits the required pattern within schools as a whole or within individual departments?

I’m curious as to what/if any evidence the school will have to provide to the exam board/to parents in the event of an appeal? I’m feeling a bit thick but I can’t find a clear answer to those questions.

That's actually my concern. My potential grade 9 students (3 of them) have target grades of 5 - 7 ,generated from KS2 SATs I guess. There really aren't similar subjects in the schools. The one set of data from last year in my school was the best in the school, so I am hoping they do consider that, otherwise my predictions will seem wild.

I am not bothered about the grades 5 downwards which are uncontroversial.

I have all the evidence , of course, so possibly shouldn't fret.

It says any evidence that was used to inform the ranking/predicted grades must be retained.

apple, you can only appeal the process, not the grade, so they would check that robust processes had been applied to award a grade.

Interesting idea to retain homework and classwork !

Cathpot I'm not entirely sure! I guess SLT will scrutinise what departments give them before sending to ofqual. Common sense says there must be some sort of look at individual subjects because each subject needs norm referencing.

They've said to keep the evidence, but if you can't appeal the grade and only the process then it seems slightly pointless.

Lots of my evidence is at home with the students in their books. It's also in my mind from knowing the students.

They want students to resit rather than appeal.

Yes, not sure how you can retain ‘gut feeling’.

I think our focus for results and ranking will be our two lots of mocks.

apple, you can only appeal the process, not the grade, so they would check that robust processes had been applied to award a grade

Ah that would explain why I’ve been called to a two hour zoom meeting next week. The process has to look watertight but the reality is going to be heavily reliant on gut feeling? Is that right?

They want students to resit rather than appeal.

I suspect this is indeed the case.

Realistically I think we will end up with very few students wanting to resit. Some might want to go for 8/9 but for most as long as the grades get them to their next step, then the students will be happy.

Of course English and Maths resits for post 16 will still happen.

The pupils who lost all motivation 2 weeks ago and have done little since will have enough to do starting the next stage of their life in sept to have time to resit.

What do we do about the fact all the evidence is in their books and folders at home with them?

Presumably you can choose what you like as your evidence(as a school) so if it’s reports/data/mark book logs/progress grades based that’s ok?

I do feel a bit bad for the shirkers that do well in exams. I was just talking about this with my friend: I was predicted a D and a fail for English Lit and Lang at GCSE, many years ago. I mean, all my predicted grades were dogshit but I remember the English one because my teacher actually withdrew me from Lang; I only took Lit in the end. On the day I got the highest mark but I'd have no hope under this system! (I don't judge the teachers too badly for this as I never went to lessons or did any homework so fair enough telling me I'd fail all my exams.) I never suited academic type work at all - I've an absolute horror of repetition and drudgery. I'm a shirker! That's why I'm a software developer now - all we do is think of ways to get out of doing boring work.

We're feeling pretty confident in our marking as we've been ranking for several years and have also divided all mock exams across the department (so one teacher marks ALL question 3s for example) so no chance of rogue markers negatively affecting a class (they'd impact the whole cohort iyswim?)

I do hope it opens up bigger questions about whether the current linear system is the best way though.

I'm much more interested in what is said about Y10 and Y12, but I suspect we won't get that until we know how long closures last.

The evidence surely has to have a main focus on mocks as the closest thing to the real assessment, guaranteed done in exam conditions.

What I’m imagining is that Johnny is predicted a 3 based on mocks, then I have to say ‘but he was sick in paper 1, here’s the evidence that he’s one of the better students in the class’ with attached test data, and he gets bumped to a 4. They won’t then go looking at the test data and say ‘but Jemima did badly in the tests even though she did well in the mocks so we will knock her to a 3’.

The mock results would be the prime evidence, with other evidence only coming in if a mock result needed amending. If you see what I mean.

Maybe that’s a maths thing. Our mock data is usually pretty sound.

That is a maths thing. In my subject the mocks only cover what would have been 40% of the course. So there’s a lot else to consider.

I doubt Ofqual or the exam boards will even ask for any evidence unless there's a huge discrepancy in grades. If my centre suddenly gets 50% 7+ and 100 % 4+, they'll ask for our evidence, but if we put forward grades that are roughly in line with last year's results they won't even ask.

It’ll be my HOD wanting a reason to change a grade or ranking, not Ofqual that I’m thinking of, tbh. If I can convince them, I can convince Ofqual

I agree that ofqual won't want evidence unless they suspect malpractice or over inflation.

I hope that as teachers we come up with reasonable grades that restore professional trust.

I feel for the students who will know that "we" assigned them a grade that meant they didn't "pass". However we have to be realistic.

Yes, the individual level pupil and parent complaints are going to be horrific. At my school at least. I’m pleased that they won’t be able to appeal the grade but I’m not sure it’s going to stop the vitriol.

Our pupils don’t have a history of accepting teachers opinions with grace if the annual UCAS prediction bun fight is any guide.

Noble my HOD is dynamic inexperienced so will want to over inflate everyone. Not looking forward to calming them down!