Science - grade boundaries for end of module tests.

[Frlrlrubert]

Question (not the most exciting) -

How do your school set grade boundaries for end of module tests?

I'm wondering because ours are out of 40 (OCR) and we have a set of grade boundaries for year 9, one for year 10, and one for year 11.

In year 9 the max they can get is a 7-7 for combined, so all the boundaries are shifted down. For example, a 23/40 is a 3-3 in year 9, a 4-4 in year 10, and a 5-5 in year 11.

I've never questioned it before but I've notice because my 10s are doing B2 in year 10 instead of 9 because of lockdown.

I feel like this is creating artificial progress, and also really deflating the grades my year 9s are getting! I don't think the C2 test is easier that's the C6 test if you see what I mean.

What do you do?

That sounds bonkers! Standard grade boundaries for KS4, but differ between single science and combined. Tougher than the exam board ones for end of topic test, though.

We use Pearson.

Setting grade boundaries for topic tests or individual pieces of work is nonsense.

Grade boundaries for GCSE exams are only set after the exams have been taken and the results are in and they can see how they kids did nationally, then are adjusted to make the proportions of each grade match the previous year. They aren't associated with any particular standard of work.

So how can a module test have grade boundaries set in advance to any sort of level of accuracy? How does anyone know what a Y9 should be achieving on a GCSE test?

Thanks guys, I know the 'boundaries' are nonsense anyway, but it just seems even stranger that the ones taking the test in September get a higher 'grade' for the same mark than the ones who took it in March.