Ofqual consualtation on GCSEs and A Levels

[Piggywaspushed]

is in:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/906173/Consultation_decisions_-_proposed_changes_to_the_assessment_of_GCSEs__AS_and_A_levels_in_2021.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3x1vme8nUn9rklzH7wqQbGaOhXMI1ww9ZSnnI45Vq50L__3APS3SiJeck

Space for ranting or gloating in thread below...

My subject is history. I’m obviously pleased that they have pared down the GCSE content, but if I was in a position where I’d taught everything except Paper 3 (which is the one that has become compulsory for my exam board) I’d be feeling pretty annoyed. When I go back to school I have 15% of the content left to teach, rather than the 35% that I was expecting. If I’d left Paper 3 until Year 11 I’d have 30% to do, so twice as much. Some schools have a distinct advantage over others now.
As a Head of Sixth Form I am worried about the psychological impact on year 13s that the perceived unfairness will have. I’m already seeing lots of angry teens online who feel that the exam boards have made adjustments for year 11 but not them. I actually don’t really disagree with the lack of changes for my subject at A Level (although I was hoping for slightly more choice of essay) but I think it’s going to be hard to keep year 13 positive.

I agree. I also think year 11s and 13s will set their subjects against each other. There is no doubt some have been dealt a kinder hand.

This will lead to clamours to drop some GCSEs , I suspect.

I think that is a good point, although there seems to be a lot less variation at A Level. I think there will be an impact on morale in some GCSE subjects in particular. My school is a Catholic school, so RE is core, and the lack of any changes there will be a big bugbear for a lot of kids.

Yes, and there are actually some schools that still do the mass entry for RS, too.

It's a popular GCSE at my school and lots do history and RS so they will definitely be comparing the apparent concessions!

I've yet to hear of a subject as up in arms as Film !

What have they done with Film? We don’t run it so I skimmed past that part. Do you do GCSE, A Level or both?

Both. And , in effect, nothing!

The big problem is there are two different coursework options )filming and writing) for NEA. they have changed the filming one because of social distancing and access to kit so those students can submit plans! The writing option always had a bit more in it anyway, annoyingly and they STILL have to do the whole shebang! That said the filming people are annoyed because now they have to collect in, and mark ,plans, which never used to be the case. So, all in all, whichever way you cut it, it's more work!!

No changes to exam : at all . And they could easily have cut the actual films down without cutting content. Sigh.

It's going to annoy me all year that Eng Lit has been cut and film hasn't !

That sounds very frustrating. Sounds like it will increase teacher workload, which is not ideal, but without doing anything to make things better for the kids. They will have just as much to do as before.

Well quite. Sigh once more.

The a level chemistry (and I assume the same is true for other sciences) hasn't taken into account that to accurately assess some CPAC objectives you need to circulate the classroom which isn't allowed in the guidance (such as are they following the written instructions correctly, making accurate readings - I need to check by taking the same reading). Also no clue what is happening with BTEC applied science, but the date for the January practical exam has been released...

Don’t suppose there are any PE teachers on here? DS1 is doing GCSE and 2 of his sports were summer sports (Athletics and Cricket) plus football. I can see they have reduced it to 2 sports and both can be individual but I’m assuming he will just have to find another sport as he isn’t going to be able to do either of the 2 that he has picked.
Appreciate it’s probably not the most important thing to worry about but he’s stressing about this rather than triple science at the moment!

Grassroots football and cricket are back so I am not sure about that. My DS has had training and has a match coming up (against my better judgement must say!).

I haven't read what is said about PE in the Ofqual bumf that said.

He’s already been assessed on football so that bits fine, it’s more what he can do for the other sport. And yes his football is already back on so if need be he can be assessed again if necessary. Cricket and athletics were due to be assessed at school only but obviously they haven’t had any opportunity to do so.

@ihearttc

He’s already been assessed on football so that bits fine, it’s more what he can do for the other sport. And yes his football is already back on so if need be he can be assessed again if necessary. Cricket and athletics were due to be assessed at school only but obviously they haven’t had any opportunity to do so.

What's the issue with athletics? I would have thought that was mostly individual?

If he is back training at athletics I would video him and speak with school about accepting that as evidence - Ofqual speak about flexibility with video evidence.

Most team sports are now OK with the main exceptions of Rugby and Netball which both have prolonged close physical contact - England Netball are currently awaiting acceptance from Government of their modifications (although I imagine this will not affect your son).

The issue is when they go back to school in September they won’t be doing “Summer Sports” apparently so they have lost the opportunity to be assessed on them as they weren’t at school during the Summer Term. Most of the students at his school doing GCSE PE do one sport at a high level (his is football) then 2 sports they are good at but they are assessed in school. They haven’t been able to be assessed on those 2 sports as obviously schools have been closed so it looks like he will have to chose another sport which he isn’t so good at to be assessed on.
It’s not a massive issue really I suppose but he has got himself in a bit of a flap about it.

He doesn’t do athletics outside of school (nor do 95% of the kids doing GCSE PE at his school) so I’m not going to be able to submit video evidence. His out of school sport is football (and cricket I suppose but it clashes with football). The other sports are assessed in school (this is not just for him, most are done this way) but having not been in school he has lost that opportunity.

I’m sure his school will have thought this through and as schools won’t be playing any inter school matches (at least my children’s school aren’t) there will, I imagine, be a degree of flexibility.

You mention he plays cricket also out of school so it’d be worth filming him doing that.

What is he like at badminton? My school always seems to get badminton nets and table tennis out in times of crisis!

Socially distanced too !

Also cross country?

Trampolining is always a popular individual sport in gcse

I'm not confident the question about exam length will have been answered as respondents wished. It was very poorly expressed - I would say hilariously so, if it wasn't such an important matter.

The questions were so convoluted. The plain English campaign would have a field day!

Regular but changed names here.
I'm taking part in some ofqual research so I'll see if those questions are as convoluted as the consultation!