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[Help] Kids missing GCSE grades



B

Berty23

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2012
3,638
I am hoping the good folk of NSC will have sage advice. My lad missed out on grade 4 in English by one mark. He is a pretty bright kid (got 7 for maths, 6 for physics etc) and was predicted a 7 in England and got that in mock but somehow he only got a 3. School are requesting a remark because they see it as too large an anomaly but they have said that if he does not get the 4 he can’t do A levels at the school because they don’t offer resits.

As you can imagine my lad is gutted. He thinks the world is ending and really doesn’t fancy the local college.

Any advice people have would be appreciated for what to do next. We have tried the online links from government but it is all pretty generic. So any advice from people who have been through this would be an appreciated.

Cheers all.
 






S

Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,768
GOSBTS
Would the school really not take him ? Maybe let the dust settle a bit.

FWIW it was a long time ago now but I had a terrible GCSEs but I still got into the college based on doing Maths again but I actually dropped out at Christmas as the timing was bad and nothing happened.

I’ve enjoyed a very good career despite not bothering with Uni, got into work early - worked hard in the corporate world and it’s all been fine but I do remember at the time it felt like my world had ended and the disappointment from my parents
 


hans kraay fan club

hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,746
Chandlers Ford
Mellor 3 Ward 4 said:
Big difference between predicted grade and grade awarded.

Definitely go for the remark.
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This. Keep up max pressure on the school, until they confirm they have actually followed the process and requested the remark.

Would be amazed, if in light of the predicted grade, they cannot find another mark somewhere. There is also the possibility that it isn't just a marking error at all, but actually a bigger admin error.
 


LANGDON SEAGULL

LANGDON SEAGULL

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2004
3,543
Langdon Hills
Berty23 said:
I am hoping the good folk of NSC will have sage advice. My lad missed out on grade 4 in English by one mark. He is a pretty bright kid (got 7 for maths, 6 for physics etc) and was predicted a 7 in England and got that in mock but somehow he only got a 3. School are requesting a remark because they see it as too large an anomaly but they have said that if he does not get the 4 he can’t do A levels at the school because they don’t offer resits.

As you can imagine my lad is gutted. He thinks the world is ending and really doesn’t fancy the local college.

Any advice people have would be appreciated for what to do next. We have tried the online links from government but it is all pretty generic. So any advice from people who have been through this would be an appreciated.

Cheers all.
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Hi there - sorry to hear about your son’s grade. That is harsh as I run a school department and have taken risks on A level students who have got anomalies in their results . Firstly - I suggest you get confirmation of a remark - and also ask for a formal meeting with the Head of 6th form regarding your sons ability to do A level - I would imagine that the conversation this morning was maybe said off the cuff due to the business of the day . Secondly - the next retake is in November so look at colleges that offer resits - they cost about £70. The issue is of course that if it’s a literature grade he needs then he would have to know which books are studied. Let me know if you have any further questions and I hope this issue sorts itself out
 






hans kraay fan club

hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,746
Chandlers Ford
This takes me back, funnily enough.

I was predicted As at O-level, in both English Literature and English Language.

When the results arrived, I'd got the A in Language, but was shocked to see a D for Literature.

It was, I think, requested for a re-mark, but never heard anything.

I sat the re-sit in the autumn term, and did not ONCE look at any of the books / texts ahead of that - and lo and behold got the A (That I'm absolutely certain I achieved first time round). :shrug:
 


St Leonards Seagull

St Leonards Seagull

Well-known member
Jul 10, 2012
553
My daughter had her GCSE maths remarked last year at the request of her school as she was one mark away from the next grade. She did get her grade adjusted following the remark, but she had started college before she found out the result. I’d suggest discussing it with the sixth form / college. They were pretty understanding at her college, i’m not sure they ever asked about the results of the remark.
 






Iggle Piggle

Iggle Piggle

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
5,932
Berty23 said:
I am hoping the good folk of NSC will have sage advice. My lad missed out on grade 4 in English by one mark. He is a pretty bright kid (got 7 for maths, 6 for physics etc) and was predicted a 7 in England and got that in mock but somehow he only got a 3. School are requesting a remark because they see it as too large an anomaly but they have said that if he does not get the 4 he can’t do A levels at the school because they don’t offer resits.

As you can imagine my lad is gutted. He thinks the world is ending and really doesn’t fancy the local college.

Any advice people have would be appreciated for what to do next. We have tried the online links from government but it is all pretty generic. So any advice from people who have been through this would be an appreciated.

Cheers all.
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Firstly, Sorry it hasn't gone to plan.

My lad has also had his GCSE results today and he is on the boundary in Maths. School have requested a remark. My only point to make was that they requested we emailed them to ask the question and they would then request it, so if you haven't already i'd suggest putting in writing.

7 to 3 does sound like it could be a clerical error.
 


hart's shirt

hart's shirt

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
11,069
Kitbag in Dubai
Berty23 said:
I am hoping the good folk of NSC will have sage advice. My lad missed out on grade 4 in English by one mark. He is a pretty bright kid (got 7 for maths, 6 for physics etc) and was predicted a 7 in England and got that in mock but somehow he only got a 3. School are requesting a remark because they see it as too large an anomaly but they have said that if he does not get the 4 he can’t do A levels at the school because they don’t offer resits.
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Teacher and tutor here of almost 30 years who's just supported a SEN student at Kings School in English Lit and Maths.

As you've mentioned Maths and Science, I thought I'd quickly mention why it's absolutely right for the school to push for a remark of English.

Maths: 'is it right or wrong' with marks for showing stages of working which explains how the answer was arrived at.

English: how right your answer will be is based on how convincing your argument (Point) is with quotations (Evidence) supporting your drawn conclusion (Explanation), and linking the paragraphs and points together. "I think A because it says B and this means C."

Despite the marking guidelines for those marking, there's far more subjectivity in how marks are given in English (Literature or Language) than Maths. As a result, it's far more likely for that 1 mark to be found than not.

In fact, I'd be far more surprised if only 1 mark could be found. I'd expect to find more.

I wish your son all the best at this time. He has every reason to believe that he may well receive a higher grade after the papers are remarked.

Keep us all posted. And if he, you or the family would like a free chat, I'm more than happy to provide some reassurance here.
 
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Guinness Boy

Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
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Jul 23, 2003
37,316
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
We got two of my son's GCSEs remarked last year as we were told both were very tight. One got upgraded and one didn't.
 


Guinness Boy

Guinness Boy

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Helpful Moderator
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Jul 23, 2003
37,316
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
hans kraay fan club said:
This takes me back, funnily enough.

I was predicted As at O-level, in both English Literature and English Language.

When the results arrived, I'd got the A in Language, but was shocked to see a D for Literature.

It was, I think, requested for a re-mark, but never heard anything.

I sat the re-sit in the autumn term, and did not ONCE look at any of the books / texts ahead of that - and lo and behold got the A (That I'm absolutely certain I achieved first time round). :shrug:
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Weren't both English teachers at our school raging alkies?

Perhaps they just forgot to submit the remark!
 


R

Rowdey

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
2,586
Herne Hill
Berty23 said:
I am hoping the good folk of NSC will have sage advice. My lad missed out on grade 4 in English by one mark. He is a pretty bright kid (got 7 for maths, 6 for physics etc) and was predicted a 7 in England and got that in mock but somehow he only got a 3. School are requesting a remark because they see it as too large an anomaly but they have said that if he does not get the 4 he can’t do A levels at the school because they don’t offer resits.

As you can imagine my lad is gutted. He thinks the world is ending and really doesn’t fancy the local college.

Any advice people have would be appreciated for what to do next. We have tried the online links from government but it is all pretty generic. So any advice from people who have been through this would be an appreciated.

Cheers all.
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Sorry, Jumping in a bit here, how do you/kids get to see what marks you got in each subject (and how far away you are from next grade?) - I've only seen a single bit of paper with sons actual grades today.. cheers
 




D

dsr-burnley

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2014
2,617
It's poor of the school to reject him from A levels because he got a mark (that they think is wrong). They taught him, and they think he is clever enough to get a good GCSE (as per the mock), so if they refuse to teach him any more it is because they are more interested in their own league table place and not interested enough in the education of the child.

They need to change their priorities. Teaching comes first, league tables come a lot lower down.
 


Chicken Run

Chicken Run

Member Since Jul 2003
NSC Patron
Jul 17, 2003
19,775
Valley of Hangleton
Berty23 said:
I am hoping the good folk of NSC will have sage advice. My lad missed out on grade 4 in English by one mark. He is a pretty bright kid (got 7 for maths, 6 for physics etc) and was predicted a 7 in England and got that in mock but somehow he only got a 3. School are requesting a remark because they see it as too large an anomaly but they have said that if he does not get the 4 he can’t do A levels at the school because they don’t offer resits.

As you can imagine my lad is gutted. He thinks the world is ending and really doesn’t fancy the local college.

Any advice people have would be appreciated for what to do next. We have tried the online links from government but it is all pretty generic. So any advice from people who have been through this would be an appreciated.

Cheers all.
Click to expand...
Keep pressuring the school until they give your son his rightful grade, no negotiation 👍
 


Iggle Piggle

Iggle Piggle

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
5,932
Rowdey said:
Sorry, Jumping in a bit here, how do you/kids get to see what marks you got in each subject (and how far away you are from next grade?) - I've only seen a single bit of paper with sons actual grades today.. cheers
Click to expand...
In our case, the school rang us up and advised he was 2 marks below the Tier above.
 






ChickenBaltiPie

ChickenBaltiPie

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2014
937
For what it’s worth, worst case scenario, I fluked a C in my Maths GCSE (appreciate it’s not English!) …yes, I was a dunce, well, def not a dunce, but a bit of a sh!t tbh, retook it a couple of months later, having actually done the revision, at a local college (so, didn’t do an entire years additional education and retakes, and got an A. Is that an option if the remark doesn’t go his way? There’s always options, and I got my ‘further education’ place held on the proviso I did that retake and got the required Maths grade. Half my issue and the reason I didn’t apply myself was that I was of the impression I’d walk into the further education I wanted with very little expectation on my GCSE results.
 


Goldstone1976

Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!
Helpful Moderator
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Apr 30, 2013
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Herts
My neighbour has twin boys who got their results today: one got eight 9s and two 8s; the other got five 9s, three 8s, and three 7s.

Not being up on the current scoring system, I asked 'What's a 9? Is that 9%?'

I wasn't popular.

Mind you, I was probably about right if they tried a proper O level.

*ducks*


Seriously - congrats to all those who have received results today and to their proud parents/guardians (y)
 


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