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Should January exams return?

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Should January exams return?

They were scrapped for students here years ago, but with international exams such as IAL taking place right now,m I can't help but think.. Should we get our january exams back? Surely it would relieve a considerable amount of stress and tension on students having sit so many exams in the summer!

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Reply 1
Avatar for Tolgash
Tolgash
21
No, true rigour comes from retaining all the two years of knowledge at the end.
Original post by 8472
They were scrapped for students here years ago, but with international exams such as IAL taking place right now,m I can't help but think.. Should we get our january exams back? Surely it would relieve a considerable amount of stress and tension on students having sit so many exams in the summer!

It doesn't work unless we go back to modular A levels.

Having taught linear then modular then back to linear, I do feel that modular A levels are fairer. However only one resit of any module should be allowed. This mirrors the structure of exams at university too ...
Reply 3
Avatar for Notnek
Notnek
21
They can't now the exams are linear and the system won't change back to modular anytime soon.
Original post by Tolgarda
No, true rigour comes from retaining all the two years of knowledge at the end.

Dosen't this just mean good memory?
Original post by 8472
They were scrapped for students here years ago, but with international exams such as IAL taking place right now,m I can't help but think.. Should we get our january exams back? Surely it would relieve a considerable amount of stress and tension on students having sit so many exams in the summer!


So they were scrapped half way through my A-levels (so in year 12 I could take them but not in year 13). In year 12 I sat a couple for my As's then had to do A2s all in may/june.

Personally I would bring them back but in a different way then they were before. Predicted grades are awful and so to provide unis a better platform to judge applicants I would say A-levels should move to multiple windows ie go modular again:
something like this, for every subject:
year 12: January 1 exam, May/June 1 or 2 exams
year 13: January 1 exams, May/June 1 or 2 exams

This would give unis then opportunity to wait until after the year 13 January exams to see how a candidate is performing (so give unis access to these grades) and give the applicant a very realistic expectation of where there final A-level grades would be before choosing unis/courses.

I would also either remove resits or cap resits to 1 exam paper per subject.
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Tolgarda
No, true rigour comes from retaining all the two years of knowledge at the end.

There just different systems. If you compare the papers (at least the maths & physcis ones).

I think they are harder then the old AS papers, yet easier then the old A2 papers. The reality is the students coming out are probably a similar standard. I would move back to more exam windows just so it give uni applicants and uni admissions tutors a better track record of grades in which to pick uni choices or provide offers.
Original post by mnot
So they were scrapped half way through my A-levels (so in year 12 I could take them but not in year 13). In year 12 I sat a couple for my As's then had to do A2s all in may/june.

Personally I would bring them back but in a different way then they were before. Predicted grades are awful and so to provide unis a better platform to judge applicants I would say A-levels should move to multiple windows ie go modular again:
something like this, for every subject:
year 12: January 1 exam, May/June 1 or 2 exams
year 13: January 1 exams, May/June 1 or 2 exams

This would give unis then opportunity to wait until after the year 13 January exams to see how a candidate is performing (so give unis access to these grades) and give the applicant a very realistic expectation of where there final A-level grades would be before choosing unis/courses.

I would also either remove resits or cap resits to 1 exam paper per subject.

agreed (i feel like predicted grades get students "too hyped up" or just massively destroy their confidence. Unconditional uni offers should not exist and need to be scrapped and it shouldn't just be about grades it should also be about potential?)
Reply 8
Avatar for Tolgash
Tolgash
21
Original post by Evil Homer
Dosen't this just mean good memory?

Is that a bad thing?
Original post by Tolgarda
Is that a bad thing?

Not a bad thing at all no, I just wonder if that should be the main criteria of a successful education?
Original post by Tolgarda
Is that a bad thing?

Kind of because I can/will automatically put SEND kids at a disadvantage...
Not sure about everyone else here but we have exams in December before Christmas so that we can spend time with our family or carers during the holidays.
It would be a pity to have your head stuck in a textbook while your grandmother is trying to make conversation with you for example. Not the case for everyone but you get the idea. Sometimes we have to learn to put things aside to be able to see what really matters.
Reply 12
Avatar for 8013
8013
20
Although my school does IAL exams, they only allow us to take the exams in Summer 2020 and summer 2021. We cannot take the January 2021 exams.
Original post by daniellamg
Not sure about everyone else here but we have exams in December before Christmas so that we can spend time with our family or carers during the holidays.
It would be a pity to have your head stuck in a textbook while your grandmother is trying to make conversation with you for example. Not the case for everyone but you get the idea. Sometimes we have to learn to put things aside to be able to see what really matters.

I somewhat agree the year 13's in my school and (some year 11's on here TSR) have their mocks right now which in my opinion is absolutely dreadful (Screw me next year 🤪). I'd much rather have mocks right before the holidays so that the only thing I have to worry about is my grade. I think that the having mocks right before a school holiday shouldn't be allowed...only the real exam?
Original post by Muttley79
It doesn't work unless we go back to modular A levels.

...


O levels and old style A levels were linear but there were papers set for either or both of November and January examination sessions.
Would rather the stress concentrate at the end that throughout the year imo
Original post by nulli tertius
O levels and old style A levels were linear but there were papers set for either or both of November and January examination sessions.

It varied from board to board.
People just dodge the linear system by going abroad and doing the modular IAL exams so yeah they might aswell be brought back
Im sure this has been done, but I think its less than 0.01% of candidates, going abroad just to take exams seems a bit extreme .. not to mention, paying an exam centre and learning the differences between the linear & modular syllabuses.

I dont think this is of much concern, besides even if a candidate does this, they still need to perform well on the exams to get good grades...
Original post by mnot
Im sure this has been done, but I think its less than 0.01% of candidates, going abroad just to take exams seems a bit extreme .. not to mention, paying an exam centre and learning the differences between the linear & modular syllabuses.

I dont think this is of much concern, besides even if a candidate does this, they still need to perform well on the exams to get good grades...

Granted it’s probably not an a option for most 16-18 year olds due to restrictive finances but I know quite a few “mature” students who have done this to circumvent the new linear system. It’s a lot easier to get good grades in a modular A-level than a linear one

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