[shooks]

This morning, the BBC is reporting that "more than 45,000 students are to resit their English GCSEs next month".

More here on the Guardian.

The BBC says: "Exam boards said they were offering the English resits free of charge to schools as a response to strength of feeling on the issue."

What to make of this? Should they just be re-marking the existing exams, rather than making pupils go through the whole examination process all over again?

[Zhy]

Scrap sissy subjects like English and replace them with maths modules.

[HotfireLegend]

(Original post by shooks)
This morning, the BBC is reporting that "more than 45,000 students are to resit their English GCSEs next month".

More here on the Guardian.

The BBC says: "Exam boards said they were offering the English resits free of charge to schools as a response to strength of feeling on the issue."

What to make of this? Should they just be re-marking the existing exams, rather than making pupils go through the whole examination process all over again?

Since they refused to remark, resits are the next best option really.

[sabian92]

(Original post by Zhy)
Scrap sissy subjects like English and replace them with maths modules.

How is that going to help people who already have piss poor spelling and grammar?

[LETSJaM]

They should just remark using unbiased mark schemes.

<3 x

[tehforum]

(Original post by LETSJaM)
They should just remark using unbiased mark schemes.

<3 x

And what the hell does that mean?

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

I assume it is because of the whole downgrade thing? If it was this then I don't see why they can't just be remarked. The markers are going to have to mark another 45,000 scripts regardless; it might as well be the ones the students have already done rather than making them do it again. This would take a fair bit of revision as if they're anything like me they'll have forgotten everything about the course the moment their pen went down, and they have better things to do like A Levels/Job/Training or whatever they went into.

[LETSJaM]

(Original post by tehforum)
And what the hell does that mean?

Maybe that was badly worded. I mean they should remark fairly.

<3 x

[The Stig]

So the students are going to have to learn and revise everything again, while being at college / sixth-form doing their A-Levels / other education or doing jobs?

This doesn't really sound like putting things right.

[samjj8]

Remarked definitely. They would have to study another book otherwise, which takes a while for some. And for people who haven't gone down the English route in college, would not fancy doing this alongside all their other subjects.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

I see no problem at all.

These people weren't great achievers anyway. It's not like it makes a difference if they resit.

Also, I'm curious to know how many people resit English anyway. 45,000 doesn't sound like a lot.

[cwmdulais]

(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I see no problem at all.

These people weren't great achievers anyway. It's not like it makes a difference if they resit.

Also, I'm curious to know how many people resit English anyway. 45,000 doesn't sound like a lot.

i wouldn't say that 1 test is the be all end all example of someones abilities mate :/ a lot of these kids still have time to develop their skills and talents and may have just had a bad day when they sat the test. I am not saying all these kids are geniuses but a portion of them must care if they're willing to resit.

although i am also curious how many more have chosen to resit compared to ho many normally do

[Aspiringlawstudent]

(Original post by cwmdulais)
i wouldn't say that 1 test is the be all end all example of someones abilities mate :/ a lot of these kids still have time to develop their skills and talents and may have just had a bad day when they sat the test. I am not saying all these kids are geniuses but a portion of them must care if they're willing to resit.

although i am also curious how many more have chosen to resit compared to ho many normally do

What, thousands and thousands of them all had a bad day on the day of the test?

Suck it up. Plenty of people have bad days. Most of us just get on with things though, and don't make silly excuses.

[cwmdulais]

(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
What, thousands and thousands of them all had a bad day on the day of the test?Suck it up. Plenty of people have bad days. Most of us just get on with things though, and don't make silly excuses.

they shouldn't have to suck it up when there has already been a remark in wales where 2,386 students had their grades increase (out of 34,00 students)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-s...wales-19640715shouldn't English students receive the same remark?

[Harve]

(Original post by Zhy)
Scrap sissy subjects like English and replace them with maths modules.

Yes, because there's no need for the ability to express yourself coherently and argue convincingly in the real world.

[Jam']

The problem with remarking the papers of the cohort of students that sat GCSE English Exams is that grades can go up as well as down; someone that has just settled in to sixth form with a C grade in English language may find it quite unsettling if their grade was downgraded to a D or something.

It's unfair to previous years to ensure that remarks can only go up.

I think re-sitting is the best option. For smth like English language there really isn't tonnes to learn; it's a lot about observation and analytical skill which you don't really lose not having done the subject in a few months.

[Zhy]

(Original post by Harve)
Yes, because there's no need for the ability to express yourself coherently and argue convincingly in the real world.

Both two fundamental features a mathematical proof must have.

[poony]

(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I see no problem at all.

These people weren't great achievers anyway. It's not like it makes a difference if they resit.

Also, I'm curious to know how many people resit English anyway. 45,000 doesn't sound like a lot.

Here, here !

[pol pot noodles]

(Original post by cwmdulais)
they shouldn't have to suck it up when there has already been a remark in wales where 2,386 students had their grades increase (out of 34,00 students)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-s...wales-19640715shouldn't English students receive the same remark?

What Wales did was silly and farcical. Just because Wales is being ridiculous doesn't mean we should stoop down to that level too. In the end it's the kids that will suffer because the higher we artificially raise their expectations level above what they are actually capable of with these now meaningless grades the harder they'll inevitable fall when they actually experience the real world.
Many people seem to not be able to grasp the fact that if we are going to stop relative grade inflation there is going to have to be one year group that simply bites the bullet and either takes a much harder exam or faces stricter marking. There has to be an arbitrary line drawn somewhere.

[S1L3NTPR3Y]

It was a bad a decision to move the grade boundaries by such huge margins mid way through the year, in January many people would have gotten a C but didn't in June. Ofqual should accept their mistake and regrade them, but it doesn't work for Welsh pupils to have a lower grade boundary because of where they live, on the same paper. Michael Gove shouldn't meddle with exams mid way through the year.