Aqa gcse history grade boundaries

This is for those who took the AQA GCSE history 2019 of any option route. As the exam board increased the exam time from 1 hour and 45 mins to 2 hours, will this likely have the grade boundaries significantly rise high by loads of marks as we had more time than last year. I am aware that we don't know grade boundaries until exams are marked but I would like to know all of you guy's opinions as some people are saying it will drastically increase and others are saying it will be normal and only raise up to a couple of marks.
What do you guys think? thanks

Reply 1

S.carter

Original post by khana2424

Personally I was forced to do it in 1hr 45mins so this year getting extra time kinda makes me angry cos the exam has basically been made a lot easier. Not in terms of content but in terms of time, which was the biggest issue with history.
Honestly I think only the people who were going to do well will do better so I doubt there’ll be an big increase in the boundaries. Loads of people just don’t know the content or how to answer the questions so giving them extra time probably just gives them an extra 15mins of sleep.

Reply 2

smeezye

Original post by khana2424

I honestly didn't even know that these exams were shorter before but I utilised every minute. I really hope that this doesn't negatively affect the majority of people but I have this horrible feeling it will because the absolute geniuses will just get lower grades, ultimately putting people like me (stupid) at an even bigger margin away from a good grade like 6/7.
Feelsbadman

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 3

Tolgash

Original post by S.carter

Original post by smeezye

I honestly didn't even know that these exams were longer before but I utilised every minute. I really hope that this doesn't negatively affect the majority of people but I have this horrible feeling it will because the absolute geniuses will just get lower grades, ultimately putting people like me (stupid) at an even bigger margin away from a good grade like 6/7.
Feelsbadman

I beg your pardon‽ The exams were shorter before, not longer, in a bid to preclude any misleading results (i.e. results that don't represent the student's true ability).

I don't see what feels bad, 'man', or am I missing something?

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

khana2424

Original post by smeezye

That is exactly how I feel and i know are i am worried because of it for people like us. It didn't feel like it was longer.

I hope it does not affect the grade boundaries or AQA could have just put it as a new rule now that is going to be in place for every year now which the exam should be 2 hours. so maybe it won't affect the grade boundaries but only rise by 4-5 marks maximum as it should like in every subject. It is probably just a new time rule that should have happened in the first place as AQA have not mentioned how it will impact grade boundaries as 1 hour and 45 mins was not enough time. Regardless of increase in time, grade boundaries are set in terms of how difficult or easy students find it. This is not fair on students last year but unfortunately it is now a new rule in time that is in place now as AQA realised it was needed for students in history which will not impact anything too much.
but if they do rise significantly well, screw us then on results day.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 5

smeezye

Original post by Tolgarda

This is true, but the grade 7 boundary (which is independent of 4 and 1, and helps decide the grade 8 and 9 boundaries) has the potential to be drastically bumped up because of this change. Immediately as I saw the question, I was quite confident that it was going to be about the shift in boundaries as a result of the altered duration of the examinations.

The reasons for going up are quite logical. Now instead of being 109/168 marks for a 9 for some of the routes, you could very well need something in the 120s.

@khana2424, don't be surprised if they do.

I beg your pardon‽ The exams were shorter before, not longer, in a bid to preclude any negative effects from giving a misleading result (i.e. a result that doesn't represent the student's true ability).

I don't see what feels bad, 'man', or am I missing something?

boomer

Reply 6

Tolgash

Original post by khana2424

but only rise by 4-5 marks maximum as it should like in every subject.

The grade boundaries can do a lot more than 'only rise by 4-5 marks maximum'.

Maths had a nice little increase of 12-15 marks for its grade 7, 8 and 9 boundaries for AQA and Edexcel last year. There is no cap on how much a boundary can increase; although they really shouldn't, and it does call into question how the examiners are, it does happen.