Autumn exams : this was always going to be a mess

[Piggywaspushed]

Oh dear...

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/apr/22/schools-and-exam-boards-undermine-promise-to-pupils-of-september-tests

Exam boards are still charging schools full whack for this year’s candidates so they’ve got a cheek moaning about cost. They should be free for kids to enter and could easily just use this year’s papers.

However, the general disruption to school life was always going to create a huge headache. I certainly don’t fancy trying to get year 12 focussed and working to A level standard if they’re still thinking about GCSEs. And I don’t see how I’d have the time for revision sessions in the autumn term - it feels like I’m working flat out that term anyway.

Anything that sounds like a good idea regarding schools and the pandemic seems to unravel as soon as the practicalities are examined.

Anyone who has taught GCSE resit for the November series knows how difficult it is to get the kids to focus on a GCSE with a couple of hours a week while they’re settling into sixth form and getting to grips with their chosen subjects.

Someone posted that they were currently sticking stickers over the date on the June exam papers so they could be reused in the Autumn though so maybe this fuss is merely a price being agreed.

The real problem is we don’t know what restrictions will still be in place in the Autumn.

Sticking stickers over the June exam is an interesting ide given the fact that many students had not finished being taught their courses and there most definitely won't be time to factor in teaching of half or whole units, which exam boards are also aware of. I think everyone is/was just hoping every child will put up with their August result!

I’ll be furious if they withdraw the Autumn series. It’s just fundamentally not fair for the kids not to have a chance to better their grades. As a Head of Sixth Form of course it will be disruptive to have some year 12s sitting GCSEs in the Autumn and a total pain in my arse, but as a teacher of GCSE I think every kid should have a chance to sit an exam and show what they’ve learned as soon as possible. Taking that chance away is just fundamentally unfair.

It will also leave teachers as scapegoats for every disgruntled child and parent unhappy with the grade their child got. I foresee lots of schools dealing with parents taking legal action against them.

Oh and NEA submission and moderation...

God, I really really hope none of mine want to do it.