Unfair 'Advance information'

Some exam boards have a clear advantage over others in the exact same subjects:

AQA lists almost the entire specification:
https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/content/summer-2022/AQA-7136-AI-22.PDF

OCR provides a concise list of topics:
https://www.ocr.org.uk/images/H460%20A%20Level%20Economics%20Advance%20Information_Jun2022.pdf

This is simply unfair.

This also occurs in many other subjects; putting some students at a disadvantage to others based on what exam board they are on. We should really be doing something about this.

(edited 2 years ago)

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Reply 1

room student the

Omds tell me about it, CIE haven't even bothered with advance information!

Reply 2

Mythical Pingu

Hi! Have you seen the TSR Advance Information Megathread. If you have any questions you'll be able to bring them up with the exam boards on there.

MP :smile:

Reply 3

immyfleur04

ocr was so vague for biology a level :/

Reply 4

lalexm

Don't think I agree as grade boundaries are artificially set to even the playing field and to ensure the same proportion of people get A*, A, B across exam boards. If one exam board takes out loads of content, the end result will be that people will get high points, but then the grade boundaries for the paper would be higher to compensate for this. The end result is that you will get the same grade.

Reply 5

Tolgash

That still doesn't change the fact that a paper the majority of pupils find easy will likely have higher boundaries than a paper they found difficult.

Reply 6

username5801834

We know that grade boundaries will work how they have always worked - harder paper, people get lower marks on average, grade boundaries get reduced (and vice versa).

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 7

Muttley79

NO - we know NOTHING about grade boundaries and won't until all the papers are marked. What we do know about is the grade distribution which is very different.

Reply 8

lalexm

In summary, I think the best thing to do is not worry about grade boundaries, and just try to do the very best you can, as however easy or hard a paper is, the top X percent will get an A*, and then next Y percent an A, and so on.

Reply 9

Schotel

I do agree with you, as they are awarding the exam same qualification, each exam board should share the same value of information regarding the oncoming exams.

But you should not rely on the advanced information, just prepare as you would usually. :smile:

Reply 10

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

But everyone on different exam boards sits the respective paper from the exam board, its not like an AQA student is at a disadvantage relative to edexcel, besides the same proportion of students on each exam board will get the same proportionate results, which they have already confirmed will be inflated.

Besides the linked PDFs arent the advanced information, this is the qualification specification which is available every year.

Reply 11

h.h.

The advance information doesn't really help a lot. You still have to revise all of the content as they may appear on low mark questions and multiple choice questions.
Lets say you do physics a level there are over 20 multiple choice questions in 2 of the papers (out of 3) which is a lot of marks and you can't really mess up on those.

Reply 12

Muttley79

Mid point of grades to be awarded - you implied grade boundaries which is incorrect. People are being misled so make sure you are clear ...

Reply 13

Tolgash

Okay, but then who cares if some pupils may sit an easier paper or have better circumstances with one awarding organisation over another? In the end, the grade boundaries will balance it out for the reason I have stated. It doesn't matter how much 'better' some other pupils have it.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 14

Kim J

Original post by room student the

Omds tell me about it, CIE haven't even bothered with advance information!

lol yeah (and they won't either, since f/m boards have already begun)

Reply 15

Tolgash

I'm talking about how whether one awarding organisation gives a more concise list of the tested topics than another is irrelevant, because it will be balanced out in the end. There is no such 'advantage'.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 16

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

The other way around, they move the boundaries to make the curve match the proportion of each grade they want.

Reply 17

Muttley79

That isn't what you implied originally - grade boumdaries are set AFTER marking to match erequired grade distribution when related to the strength of the cohort. [We actually know little about the 2022 cohort as they did not take GCSEs so the only measure is the KS2 tests]

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 18

Tolgash

The advantage will be 'quantified' by the performance in the paper. If a more concise list assists pupils to the extent that someone will spend their time complaining about it on the internet, I'm sure they'll find the paper much easier, and they'll face higher grade boundaries than pupils who receive limited help and, as a result, will find their papers to be a lot more challenging. You cannot directly quantity the advantage, strictly speaking, but the performance of the cohort sitting the papers is the proof in the pudding at the end of the day.