Do you feel the grades you will receive this year will be fair?

My schools taking it so seriously but I know that other schools have been much more lenient... although I know it’ll be mostly fair within my school, idk abt how it’ll play out across the country

I’m still disappointed that we don’t have some form of universal exams (eg they could have had optional questions rather than the usual papers etc)

Also, UNCONSCIOUS BIAS is inevitable... the quieter students and the ‘naughtier’ students are disadvantaged while the subtle suck ups are advantaged.

Reply 4

deciduous

16

I heard some people were able to use notes in their exams. I’m among students that were told of the possible topics that were going to be in the assessments. It’s not going to be very fair as they aren’t standardised across schools. I don’t understand the purpose of these. I would rather not do any assessments like some schools

Reply 5

millie673

9

See i think the results that i will be given will be a true representation of me but when being compared to other schools I think the grading is unfair as every school had got there evidence in slightly different ways. Some school had a mock wjerase some schools could have notes with them. When each school is compared to make the grade boudries I think it will be unfair as schools who did do proper mocks will have potentially lower grades then people who could take notes into there exam

Reply 6

Original post by deciduous

I heard some people were able to use notes in their exams. I’m among students that were told of the possible topics that were going to be in the assessments. It’s not going to be very fair as they aren’t standardised across schools. I don’t understand the purpose of these. I would rather not do any assessments like some schools

I gave u rep and then realised... acc I’m glad we have exams at my school bc it’s a final chance to prove myself (I was very inconsistent in yr 12)

And ngl I don’t understand why they’re considering stuff like class quizzes when in a normal year, all that matters is the final exam!

But yh essentially I don’t think it’s even possible for this system to be fair across the country

Reply 7

Im unsure and that is what is giving me serious anxiety rn as I can’t predict it at all

Reply 8

o_reo

17

I know people who found the exam online and knew the answers before we even did the test and so I guess it won't be fair if I end up with the same grade as someone who barely even tried while I actually worked for it.

also if people cheated it is likely the teachers will have higher grade boundaries so I probably won't even do good and im honestly not looking forward to results day.

I dont think there will be any bias in the marking as for each exam we did we only put our candidate number and teachers who dont teach us marked our exams instead of our actual teacher.

Reply 9

bossman24

7

I take only 9 GCSEs which are: Maths, English Lit, English Lang, Combined Science (Double Award), Geography, Spanish, OCR Sports Studies and OCR Creative I-Media. I know this isn't alot but I've gotten 9s/Distinction* and 8s in the mocks except for Spanish and I-Media. I think its really unfair because my school is horrible and half of the teachers are supply. My Sports studies teacher left and I might not get the grade I deserve because my class is full of set 8 kids who smoke at the back of the class and there are only two kids who are trying to do well in the lesson (me and my friend), so they might just kick me off of the course. I've also heard that Sports Studies isn't even equivalent to a GCSE. I was forced to do it with set 8 kids despite me being in set 1.

Reply 10

Original post by Ten-Ten

Im unsure and that is what is giving me serious anxiety rn as I can’t predict it at all

It’s hard, I know, but there’s no point worrying abt things u can’t do anything abt :frown:

If u haven’t already had ur exams, try ur best
If you’ve already finished, focus on enjoying ur summer!!!

Reply 11

Original post by Frustratedmedic

It’s hard, I know, but there’s no point worrying abt things u can’t do anything abt :frown:

If u haven’t already had ur exams, try ur best
If you’ve already finished, focus on enjoying ur summer!!!

I know but I’m trying to come up with backup plans in case results day doesn’t go the way I want it to. But it’s hard to find one that both me and my parents would be happy with

Reply 12

Katn1ss

7

I think it's going to be really hard for it to be fair, because some people at my school found the answers before the tests, and others found out what the questions were from their friends.

Reply 13

Original post by Ten-Ten

I know but I’m trying to come up with backup plans in case results day doesn’t go the way I want it to. But it’s hard to find one that both me and my parents would be happy with

What are ur plans if everything goes to plan???

Reply 14

Original post by Frustratedmedic

What are ur plans if everything goes to plan???

It depends. If I somehow get A*AA then go through clearing and apply to kings. If I get AAB then stick with queen mary. I’m kind of hoping for A*AB and I don’t know what I’ll do with that

Reply 15

Original post by Ten-Ten

It depends. If I somehow get A*AA then go through clearing and apply to kings. If I get AAB then stick with queen mary. I’m kind of hoping for A*AB and I don’t know what I’ll do with that

What subject?
If u haven’t already, talk to ur teachers!
Have u thought abt other unis apart from the two you’ve mentioned? What factors are most important to u? Location? The course?

Reply 16

Original post by Frustratedmedic

What subject?
If u haven’t already, talk to ur teachers!
Have u thought abt other unis apart from the two you’ve mentioned? What factors are most important to u? Location? The course?

Business management although I’m not sure if I want to do that anymore but it’s the only subject out of the a levels I study that I see myself doing and my parents recently accepted it

I have but they’re useless. They’re not allowed to tell us anything in regards to the mocks we did in March or the mini assessments we just did. They can’t tell us grades, percentages, marks nothing.

Most important factors are location which is London, I want it to have an opportunity for a placement year, I want it to be a Russell group as all my cousins are going to one and I can’t be the only one not going as it’ll be disappointing to my parents

Reply 17

Original post by Ten-Ten

Business management although I’m not sure if I want to do that anymore but it’s the only subject out of the a levels I study that I see myself doing and my parents recently accepted it

I have but they’re useless. They’re not allowed to tell us anything in regards to the mocks we did in March or the mini assessments we just did. They can’t tell us grades, percentages, marks nothing.

Most important factors are location which is London, I want it to have an opportunity for a placement year, I want it to be a Russell group as all my cousins are going to one and I can’t be the only one not going as it’ll be disappointing to my parents

It’s great that you’ve talked to them! Although they can’t do anything for u, as I’ve mentioned before... unconscious bias... in the back of teachers’ heads there’ll be that niggle telling them to give u the higher grade if ur on the borderline...
And if you’ve still got assessments coming up, ask them for help like with exam technique etc and make it clear u are aiming high and working hard

What a levels do u do? Have u considered any similar subjects that are slightly less popular?
How important is that placement year, really?
Try to rank these factors... London is more competitive but there are non-London rg unis...

What will u be most happy doing? I’m sure ur parents would be happier with u going to the uni you’ll be happiest at than u going to a rg uni

Reply 18

Original post by Frustratedmedic

It’s great that you’ve talked to them! Although they can’t do anything for u, as I’ve mentioned before... unconscious bias... in the back of teachers’ heads there’ll be that niggle telling them to give u the higher grade if ur on the borderline...
And if you’ve still got assessments coming up, ask them for help like with exam technique etc and make it clear u are aiming high and working hard

What a levels do u do? Have u considered any similar subjects that are slightly less popular?
How important is that placement year, really?
Try to rank these factors... London is more competitive but there are non-London rg unis...

What will u be most happy doing? I’m sure ur parents would be happier with u going to the uni you’ll be happiest at than u going to a rg uni

Yeah I’ll probably ask anyway.

I do maths, business and economics. Couldn’t find another subject really

Placement year is important as I’ve heard that companies want students to have experience so I’ll be doing internships in like the holidays and then a placement year in my third year

It should be London as if I go outside London my student loan will be practically nonexistent so it’s better I stay inside. Plus my parents don’t want me to be far from home

And no. Image is very important in my family so I have to go to the best school and get the best grades. It’s embarrassing that all my dad’s friends children are in a grammar school for sixth form whereas I’m in a fed school. I messed up 11+ and gcses, can’t afford to mess up a levels and uni too

Reply 19