Parents urged not to pressure teachers over exam grades
09/03/2021
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news
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education
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Teachers should not be put under pressure by parents over deciding exam grades, says watchdog.
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happy1
09/03/2021 16:08:21
10
46
bbc
Teachers do a good job and are to be respected but they are not overworked. They have had most of the last year off. For my son, work set the night before online and that’s is it. Most teachers have been at home.
You need to get in touch with your local MP then because that's pretty much unhreard of outside of the internet and in the real world. Highly unusual and the school should be investigated if there were no online classes and proper work was not set.
That is an absolutely horrid and wholly inaccurate statement that does not help anyone, particularly yourself. You should just be ashamed, that's all.
Like any profession how good a job is done and how hard people work varies, but in general teachers do a fantastic job and deserve a huge amount of respect and thanks. Some teachers in some schools are not overworked - but they are the minority doing a poor job. The majority work ridiculously long hours to get a good job done for the their kids. That applies whether working at home or in school.
As if you've actually had someone sleep with you to produce a child.
Teachers were at home. Schools were closed except for key worker children and teachers were on rotas to supervise them. My child's experience and most of my friends very different from yours. Five hours of lessons a day via Teams with work assessed via Assignments. Making crass generalisations doesn't help. What did the HT say when you contacted them to complain?
I know 14 Teachers.
The only ones at home are the two who work for private schools.
The only ones at home are the two who work for private schools.
You are an ingnoranus.
I completely agree. My school has done lots of work, whereas others that I have heard of have done virtually no work at all in the 2020 lockdown... not handing in any work...
in the first lockdown, we were given independent work to complete on our own for the whole week, from March to July, but from January 2021, the school changed the policy and we did full online lessons according to the school timetable - the latter far more productive if you ask me...
It depends on the subject taught. Maths GCSE/O Level curriculum hasn't changed in 50 years. Not too much stress updating course notes year on year :))
FTAO BBC person, may want to pixelate the first image...
That is an absolutely horrid and wholly inaccurate statement that does not help anyone, particularly yourself. You should just be ashamed, that's all.
Like any profession how good a job is done and how hard people work varies, but in general teachers do a fantastic job and deserve a huge amount of respect and thanks. Some teachers in some schools are not overworked - but they are the minority doing a poor job. The majority work ridiculously long hours to get a good job done for the their kids. That applies whether working at home or in school.
"Parents urged not to pressure teachers over exam grades"
What exams ?
The corrected sentence is :
Parents urged not to pressure teachers over grades
What exams ?
The corrected sentence is :
Parents urged not to pressure teachers over grades
Correct, but you are dealing with the BBC who are little more than taboid journalists these days.
Is that all you can come up with?
They're doing exams at my kid's school and they count towards grades
maybe ministers should be asked not to pressure the teachers.... as soon as the results are out they will be first to comment they are to high and they will stoke the tabloids into more teacher hating.
Too high.
No pressure just wondering what present to get you this term! ??
Do you have a large brown envelope?
After seeing the massive grade inflation last year why would anyone trust teacher assessed grades? And while most will be graded too generously, those who teachers dislike will pay dearly. I've seen it happen!
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
Why would parents start to trust teachers when Governments have made a show of not doing so for decades? However, a professional teacher will be objective when awarding exam results. Children might learn however that getting results as adults means appearing to being nice to the right people works as well as doing their job.
Can we assess Gavin Williamson's performance please?
Unfortunately we don't have a marking scheme that can deal with results that are worse than doing nothing!
Slapdash and incomplete. Looks like he does his homework on the school bus.
Can we assess Gavin Williamson's performance please?
He's not done nothing, he has already been found to have acted unlawfully . . . . . so he's probably in line for a gold star or something . . . . .
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/24/gavin-williamson-unlawfully-removed-child-safeguards-in-pandemic-court-rules
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/24/gavin-williamson-unlawfully-removed-child-safeguards-in-pandemic-court-rules
If history tells us anything it is that you can't trust teachers to mark their own work.
Inflated grades are guaranteed,
Inflated grades are guaranteed,
After seeing the massive grade inflation last year why would anyone trust teacher assessed grades? And while most will be graded too generously, those who teachers dislike will pay dearly. I've seen it happen!
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
Brilliant. You win the internet
My lot have 2 assessments done and will do 2 more, 1 of which will be from the selection published by the exam boards later this month.
Those assessments done, and 1 to do, have been constructed using AQA previous exam questions and grade boundaries from Exampro
Outcomes are based only on those so no bias can come into play.
Vast majority of state schools and colleges will be doing similar.
Those assessments done, and 1 to do, have been constructed using AQA previous exam questions and grade boundaries from Exampro
Outcomes are based only on those so no bias can come into play.
Vast majority of state schools and colleges will be doing similar.
Bratty kids will just ignore all the Covid rules anyway and continue to infect their parents while throwing their litter all over our streets. It’s time for some actual discipline in schools instead of just letting the kids run rings around the teachers.
Of course there's LOTS OF BIAS. The difficulty of topics and exam questions various enormously. So most teachers will omit harder topics and questions.
But you keep telling yourself I'm making this up, and that all the inflated grades we are going to get are fully deserved.
But you keep telling yourself I'm making this up, and that all the inflated grades we are going to get are fully deserved.
If history tells us anything it is that you can't trust teachers to mark their own work.
Inflated grades are guaranteed,
Inflated grades are guaranteed,
It is how the grades will be perceived in 5 to 10 years time, when compared with the next generation coming up that issue. The reality over the next few years the academic asement system will be worthless to future job prospects. A switch to skills and setting up small business will be more effective. Brexit means a change in what skills we needed for the sort term we need to change what we do
I don't think O-levels and A-levels have much relevance in the job market 10 years down the line!
When looking at CVs at work, if someone has five years post school, we might consider their grades relevant. After 10 years, there's no point.
After seeing the massive grade inflation last year why would anyone trust teacher assessed grades? And while most will be graded too generously, those who teachers dislike will pay dearly. I've seen it happen!
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
Teachers were at home. Schools were closed except for key worker children and teachers were on rotas to supervise them. My child's experience and most of my friends very different from yours. Five hours of lessons a day via Teams with work assessed via Assignments. Making crass generalisations doesn't help. What did the HT say when you contacted them to complain?
Ofqual themselves published a document two years ago that said that an A or a B could be an equally valid grade for the same paper due subjective application of marking criteria. Each year grade boundaries just move around in the ranking exercise. One might argue that teacher assessment is fairer...
Don't make me laugh. Trust?
The neo liberals have spent 43 years undermining trust in every institution and aspect of modern Britain.
Why would anyone trust a Teacher?
The neo liberals have spent 43 years undermining trust in every institution and aspect of modern Britain.
Why would anyone trust a Teacher?
You clearly didn’t do well at school and now you blame every teacher for being a loser. Poor you.
Don't make me laugh. Trust?
The neo liberals have spent 43 years undermining trust in every institution and aspect of modern Britain.
Why would anyone trust a Teacher?
The neo liberals have spent 43 years undermining trust in every institution and aspect of modern Britain.
Why would anyone trust a Teacher?
I am with Windy Shepard and before you hark on I am a professional with a six figure salary. My teachers predicted an E an N and a U at A level mocks, I aced the exams. Clearly my teachers knew stack all.
And you clearly don't know your history. Back in the 60s the loony lefty lecturers at LSE urged their students to become teachers so that they could go into schools and indoctrinate pupils.
Look it up comrade.
Look it up comrade.
If history tells us anything it is that you can't trust teachers to mark their own work.
Inflated grades are guaranteed,
Inflated grades are guaranteed,
No pressure just wondering what present to get you this term! ??
Wishful thinking, government. Some parents (most likely pushy middle-class types who tend to overestimate their children’s brilliance) will undoubtedly try to put pressure on schools/teachers. In their minds they will only be trying to make sure their little darlings are treated fairly, but it will still be pressure. I wish the teachers the best of luck; tough times ahead...
Removed
I was a teacher, working in deprived areas, and whilst there are some parents who over-estimate the ability of their son or daughter, a much worse problem is that group of parents who take no interest in education and will not cooperate with the school. I came across many of these.
It is how the grades will be perceived in 5 to 10 years time, when compared with the next generation coming up that issue. The reality over the next few years the academic asement system will be worthless to future job prospects. A switch to skills and setting up small business will be more effective. Brexit means a change in what skills we needed for the sort term we need to change what we do
O-levels? These were replaced by GCSEs over 30 years ago as the main exam qualification at 16/Year 11.
Nice to see contributors are up to date with education qualifications!!
Nice to see contributors are up to date with education qualifications!!
You're just plain wrong. For those who don't go to university, employers, faced with many applicants, will often use the highest exam level taken as an initial filter.
But tell yourself I'm wrong, if it makes you feel better.
But tell yourself I'm wrong, if it makes you feel better.
It is how the grades will be perceived in 5 to 10 years time, when compared with the next generation coming up that issue. The reality over the next few years the academic asement system will be worthless to future job prospects. A switch to skills and setting up small business will be more effective. Brexit means a change in what skills we needed for the sort term we need to change what we do
After seeing the massive grade inflation last year why would anyone trust teacher assessed grades? And while most will be graded too generously, those who teachers dislike will pay dearly. I've seen it happen!
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
There's still time to reinstate fair and impartial external exams. Marking to the curve allows for the fact there kids have had less teaching. This is the ONLY decent, honest thing to do.
So long as teacher performance is not rewarded solely on results gained from teacher based assessments instead of exams or course work etc then I have no issues. Pay and rewards have to be "uncoupled" from results in these circumstances.
It specifically isn’t. These results, like last year, cannot be used for performance reviews or league tables. There is no incentive at all to be lenient. That’s published info, by the way, so anyone can check it’s true.
You have no idea how teaching works. There are few, if any, bonuses for having successful students, but there are plenty of punishments if targets are not met.
Payment by results was abolished in the 1902 [?] Act because it not only failed to 'raise' standards but made nonsense of the curriculum. It proved totally unworkable.
I bags you’re first.
I can understand why the pupils have to be given grades but it's far from ideal, more than likely that the grades will actually higher than if an exam had been sat.
Examinations are the ideal, the kids need to seen to perform under pressure to put them in good stead for the workplace.
Examinations are the ideal, the kids need to seen to perform under pressure to put them in good stead for the workplace.
Why are examinations the ideal? There are very few situations in life where it's important to be able to regurgitate all your knowledge and understanding of a subject in one pre-determined 3 hour window.
Last year N Sturgeon - hardly a bastian of educational standards - given 10 years plus of failures in raising standards - described teacher awarded grades as "not credible".
Resulting in widespread grade inflation - widely reported in order of 10-25% across subjects, nations and levels.
Why should the public have faith in teachers grades - if even those responsible for setting policy don't ?
Resulting in widespread grade inflation - widely reported in order of 10-25% across subjects, nations and levels.
Why should the public have faith in teachers grades - if even those responsible for setting policy don't ?
Bastion. A bastion is a strongly fortified projection on a castle, often the last point to surrender.
Make your mind up! Last year teachers were slated for grade-inflation and accused by many of trying to protect their jobs or, laughably, get a pay rise. Now we hear that teachers’ judgement is ‘pretty reliable’. Is that just because teachers will be taking on probably 50+ extra unpaid hours to set and mark exams, which would normally be paid work for exam markers?
unfortunately not all teacher -assessment is accurate
grade inflation is a well-known problem at A-level --- predicted grades for UCAS/Uni places are too often higher than those actually achieved
last year was a disaster, this year GCSE and A-Level grades are likely to be 'unusually' high unless appropriate measures are put in place
this is probably too much for the Minister to manage
grade inflation is a well-known problem at A-level --- predicted grades for UCAS/Uni places are too often higher than those actually achieved
last year was a disaster, this year GCSE and A-Level grades are likely to be 'unusually' high unless appropriate measures are put in place
this is probably too much for the Minister to manage
50+ unpaid hours? I used to spend longer than that organising a yearly foreign trip for students.
If William Hill were giving good odds on grade inflation this year I'd be INVESTING a substantial sum in placing such a bet. It would be far more secure than buying any shares.
I don't think O-levels and A-levels have much relevance in the job market 10 years down the line!
It is how the grades will be perceived in 5 to 10 years time, when compared with the next generation coming up that issue. The reality over the next few years the academic asement system will be worthless to future job prospects. A switch to skills and setting up small business will be more effective. Brexit means a change in what skills we needed for the sort term we need to change what we do
I do, it was my year. It was a joke - teachers so underprepared. I remember my geography teacher looking at the paper - saying you are stuffed and walking out shaking his head.
What tosh. Teacher grades were used last year and grades were 30% above the highest ever historic levels. So either last year was 30% better than any year EVER, or teachers consistently overgrade. They'll probably ask for a pay rise as grades have gone up as well.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Or about 30% of children underperform in exams due to the pressure involved.
Those results cannot be used for performance management (good or bad). That’s stated policy, and presumably in place to remove incentive for grading too high. That’s not to say standards were the same in all schools from all teachers, and believe me every teacher I know did not want to be selecting the grades for the students instead of normal exams. But the “robust” algorithm was terrible.
My issue with your comment is simple. Our judgements last year were never meant to be the final grade. They were part of a process. Only at the last minute (literally the day before) did we learn that our grades would be used in their entirety as the final grade. Last year we were absolutely thrown under the bus. I hope this year, we are on the bus.
Teachers did their job properly. Then, they got given a new job (exam-replacing assessment) with no training and assurance it would be moderated and standardised.
This moderation was done by a shoddy algorithm and abondoned. It quickly transpired that state schools were not responsible for grade inflation.
Happy to reference all points made in another post, but Google will confirm.
This moderation was done by a shoddy algorithm and abondoned. It quickly transpired that state schools were not responsible for grade inflation.
Happy to reference all points made in another post, but Google will confirm.
Don't make me laugh. Trust?
The neo liberals have spent 43 years undermining trust in every institution and aspect of modern Britain.
Why would anyone trust a Teacher?
The neo liberals have spent 43 years undermining trust in every institution and aspect of modern Britain.
Why would anyone trust a Teacher?
I obtained two degrees at Uni'. I largely educated myself by reading.
Most Teachers were pretty hopeless.
Most Teachers were pretty hopeless.
What tosh. Teacher grades were used last year and grades were 30% above the highest ever historic levels. So either last year was 30% better than any year EVER, or teachers consistently overgrade. They'll probably ask for a pay rise as grades have gone up as well.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
You sound like one of those who falsely tell kids that they are all capable of being Einsteins or David Beckhams.
Dude, the real world doesn't work like this. 30% were awarded grades much higher than they deserved!
Dude, the real world doesn't work like this. 30% were awarded grades much higher than they deserved!
So long as teacher performance is not rewarded solely on results gained from teacher based assessments instead of exams or course work etc then I have no issues. Pay and rewards have to be "uncoupled" from results in these circumstances.
FTAO BBC person, may want to pixelate the first image...
I can understand why the pupils have to be given grades but it's far from ideal, more than likely that the grades will actually higher than if an exam had been sat.
Examinations are the ideal, the kids need to seen to perform under pressure to put them in good stead for the workplace.
Examinations are the ideal, the kids need to seen to perform under pressure to put them in good stead for the workplace.
There are in fact many people who need to a very firm grasp on specialisms. Medics, scientist, engineers etc. - garnered from school basics to 4+ yrs at uni + on the job - and have to use daily - often under pressure.
But many will never use much of what is taught.
Sadly recent attempts to move away from exams to assesment failed - due to fear of grade inflation - last year being extreme case.
But many will never use much of what is taught.
Sadly recent attempts to move away from exams to assesment failed - due to fear of grade inflation - last year being extreme case.
Teacher assessment MUST be subjected to adequate moderation. Many will be spot on with their judgements but too many will be over-generous, and this will lead to grade inflation and disadvantaging those candidates whose teachers are making accurate assessments of their students' ability.
Or UNDER-generous Micky - bloimey !!!!
But, you see, it would be far, far easier to simply reinstate exams than do this. And for some unfathomable reason the government is determined not to do this.
Well, actually, I think the reason is because they would reveal just how much learning students have lost.
Well, actually, I think the reason is because they would reveal just how much learning students have lost.
What tosh. Teacher grades were used last year and grades were 30% above the highest ever historic levels. So either last year was 30% better than any year EVER, or teachers consistently overgrade. They'll probably ask for a pay rise as grades have gone up as well.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Those results cannot be used for performance management (good or bad). That’s stated policy, and presumably in place to remove incentive for grading too high. That’s not to say standards were the same in all schools from all teachers, and believe me every teacher I know did not want to be selecting the grades for the students instead of normal exams. But the “robust” algorithm was terrible.
I remember the Sixties when I was ignored by teachers who favoured the popular students . I was saved only by impartial examinations . The Headmasters comments on my final report were those of amazement and disbelief . What evidence of teacher objectivity ? Grade inflation will be rampant and the show offs will do very well in this ridiculous new world
Wow! If only those teachers could see you now!
Same here Bill. I was predicted to get DDD at A level and got ABB back in 1981.
Teachers were so say very surprised.
Teachers were so say very surprised.
It's not the sixties any more.
The teaching profession is very different to fifty years ago. I was a teacher, and you could not get away with favouritism today. This is as it should be.
So long as teacher performance is not rewarded solely on results gained from teacher based assessments instead of exams or course work etc then I have no issues. Pay and rewards have to be "uncoupled" from results in these circumstances.
What tosh. Teacher grades were used last year and grades were 30% above the highest ever historic levels. So either last year was 30% better than any year EVER, or teachers consistently overgrade. They'll probably ask for a pay rise as grades have gone up as well.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
My issue with your comment is simple. Our judgements last year were never meant to be the final grade. They were part of a process. Only at the last minute (literally the day before) did we learn that our grades would be used in their entirety as the final grade. Last year we were absolutely thrown under the bus. I hope this year, we are on the bus.
Well they were overly generous last year when grading pupils which led to an influx of students incapable of completing the college courses they enrolled onto causing huge amounts of grief for the college lecturers.
Some so called universities are very well able to handle grade inflation, many widely thought to have been practising it for the last 10+ years.
As reflected by things like % of first class degrees awarded - makes their grading highly questionable.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/nov/19/students-england-awarded-first-class-degrees-grade-inflation
As reflected by things like % of first class degrees awarded - makes their grading highly questionable.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/nov/19/students-england-awarded-first-class-degrees-grade-inflation
You clearly didn’t do well at school and now you blame every teacher for being a loser. Poor you.
Teachers probably don't want to teach through the summer holidays, 8 hours a day. They won't even get the insulting 1% "pay rise" offered to NHS staff whether they do or not.
At least they don’t get physically attacked like other key workers eh
This has been the hardest work year ever, working from home has been very difficult, extremely difficult. Everything takes twice as long. I'm in the Utilities industry and am an "essential worker". Teachers (and NHS workers) have done an unbelievable job, but they aren't on heir own. I can't justify giving my excellent staff a rise last year nor this, nor myself. Sorry, its the times we're in
Its difficult to fall back and ask for public trust after 30+ years of the governments own mistrust and the subsequent installation of massive regulation, coupled with centralisation of directed education policy and philosophy to the extent that the education secretary now has greater potential power to dictate what is taught in classrooms in England than his equivalent in Russia or China.
Make your mind up! Last year teachers were slated for grade-inflation and accused by many of trying to protect their jobs or, laughably, get a pay rise. Now we hear that teachers’ judgement is ‘pretty reliable’. Is that just because teachers will be taking on probably 50+ extra unpaid hours to set and mark exams, which would normally be paid work for exam markers?
unfortunately not all teacher -assessment is accurate
grade inflation is a well-known problem at A-level --- predicted grades for UCAS/Uni places are too often higher than those actually achieved
last year was a disaster, this year GCSE and A-Level grades are likely to be 'unusually' high unless appropriate measures are put in place
this is probably too much for the Minister to manage
grade inflation is a well-known problem at A-level --- predicted grades for UCAS/Uni places are too often higher than those actually achieved
last year was a disaster, this year GCSE and A-Level grades are likely to be 'unusually' high unless appropriate measures are put in place
this is probably too much for the Minister to manage
Unfortunately the "appropriate measures" would again lead to an outcry from teachers, parents and students alike, ensuring another u-turn
Who is going to assess a teachers ability to assess students ?.
There's an algorithm, backed up by lateral flow test, backed up by a PCR test.
Ah the old 'Quis cusdodiet ipsos custodes' question - nice.
It is oft said, that's Ofsted.
Does no-one actually remember last year? We were asked to submit grades and a ranking position as part of a process to determine final grades. Schools were then judged on the previous 3 years performance and grades adjusted accordingly. Only at the 11th hour were our original grades used - they were never intended to be used for the purpose they were, in their entirety.
The IBO are doing an even worse version of this! Schools are being GIVEN the grades they can award based on 2016-19 data. The curriculum is not even the same let alone the kids, the teachers, the management and of course THE KIDS (they are important so get 2 mentions)
Yes I remember last year. Grades were up 9% weren't they? My daughter is in year 11, I really don't know what to make of it to be honest. From her point of view, I expect her to move on to 6th form without too much hassle. As far as I'm concerned, as an employer, I will generally disregard "results" from last year and this and just judge the person in front of me. TBH that's served me well so far.
There are so many ways of carrying out assessments remotely - plus exams should be carried out with social distancing anyways - I find it astonishing that this is the best option.
Not everyone has access to remote learning - this has been highlighted by this pandemic. The less well off, suffer the most. All remote assessment platforms still cannot solve the problem of students using two devices at the same time, one to search, the other to answer...
If you remotely access then you are absolutely guaranteed that some students will get someone else, who knows the subject inside out, to do their assessment for them. There's no way to prevent this.
I used to mark exam papers. We were told we had to look for key words.
So a question on internet protocols required the word ‘rules’ to be in the answer. Context was irrelevant, they could literally talk about the ‘rules’ of football or cake eating competitions. If they had the right word, they got the mark. Without the right word, they got nothing, even if the student understood.
No joke.
So a question on internet protocols required the word ‘rules’ to be in the answer. Context was irrelevant, they could literally talk about the ‘rules’ of football or cake eating competitions. If they had the right word, they got the mark. Without the right word, they got nothing, even if the student understood.
No joke.
I too marked exam papers once, and only once because of the following:
One answer on an English paper needed to include reference to the city of Bristol. We were to to accept as a correct spelling "Bristle". On an ENGLISH paper?!
The reason given was that so many people have used the bristle spelling in the past, we just have to accept it.
Way to maintain standards!!!
One answer on an English paper needed to include reference to the city of Bristol. We were to to accept as a correct spelling "Bristle". On an ENGLISH paper?!
The reason given was that so many people have used the bristle spelling in the past, we just have to accept it.
Way to maintain standards!!!
Its lucky we haven't created a system where schools are rewarded based on the exam grades they achieve. Except we have.
Not for last year or this year. These results are not being used for school performance. However league tables, in ‘normal’ years, are an awful way of judging different schools in vastly different situations and pressures them into becoming exam factories.
In the school I work in the algorithm produced higher grades in some cases than teacher assessment... In some cases by a significant amount of grades. However, when these students move on, they have grades higher than their performance.... And everyone thinks that we have inflated the grades!
I remember the Sixties when I was ignored by teachers who favoured the popular students . I was saved only by impartial examinations . The Headmasters comments on my final report were those of amazement and disbelief . What evidence of teacher objectivity ? Grade inflation will be rampant and the show offs will do very well in this ridiculous new world
Have the teachers given the children and parents any reason to trust them over the past months?
Yes they have worked hard to ensure children are educated to the very highest level, under extremely difficult conditions. They are working double hours to ensure equality of learning
To be fair, despite what Downing Street would have you believe, online "learning" really sucks. So, although many teachers have worked a hell of a lot harder, the learning outcome has nonetheless been a hell of a lot worse.
Do we favour learning centred teaching or teacher centred learning?
We will test this all over the east of West Sussex and the west of East Sussex.
We will test this all over the east of West Sussex and the west of East Sussex.
Clearly, your glass is neither half-full nor half-empty. It was full and is now empty. Next train to Bedfordshire for you.....
Tell that to the family of Ann Maguire. Or the hundreds of teachers assaulted by pupils every year.
Unfortunately, they do.
Pedant.
I remember the Sixties when I was ignored by teachers who favoured the popular students . I was saved only by impartial examinations . The Headmasters comments on my final report were those of amazement and disbelief . What evidence of teacher objectivity ? Grade inflation will be rampant and the show offs will do very well in this ridiculous new world
RE, Geography and Humanities? . . .
Are these your apples?
Make your mind up! Last year teachers were slated for grade-inflation and accused by many of trying to protect their jobs or, laughably, get a pay rise. Now we hear that teachers’ judgement is ‘pretty reliable’. Is that just because teachers will be taking on probably 50+ extra unpaid hours to set and mark exams, which would normally be paid work for exam markers?
Can we assess Gavin Williamson's performance please?
While watching something on his smart(er than him) phone at the same time.
Do we favour learning centred teaching or teacher centred learning?
We will test this all over the east of West Sussex and the west of East Sussex.
We will test this all over the east of West Sussex and the west of East Sussex.
unfortunately not all teacher -assessment is accurate
grade inflation is a well-known problem at A-level --- predicted grades for UCAS/Uni places are too often higher than those actually achieved
last year was a disaster, this year GCSE and A-Level grades are likely to be 'unusually' high unless appropriate measures are put in place
this is probably too much for the Minister to manage
grade inflation is a well-known problem at A-level --- predicted grades for UCAS/Uni places are too often higher than those actually achieved
last year was a disaster, this year GCSE and A-Level grades are likely to be 'unusually' high unless appropriate measures are put in place
this is probably too much for the Minister to manage
Yeah right, like we’ve trusted them to educate our children over the past year, instead of politicising COVID and being led by their militant unions.
instead of politicising COVID and being led by their militant unions. Look everyone it's time warp tory.
Why are examinations the ideal? There are very few situations in life where it's important to be able to regurgitate all your knowledge and understanding of a subject in one pre-determined 3 hour window.
There are in fact many people who need to a very firm grasp on specialisms. Medics, scientist, engineers etc. - garnered from school basics to 4+ yrs at uni + on the job - and have to use daily - often under pressure.
But many will never use much of what is taught.
Sadly recent attempts to move away from exams to assesment failed - due to fear of grade inflation - last year being extreme case.
But many will never use much of what is taught.
Sadly recent attempts to move away from exams to assesment failed - due to fear of grade inflation - last year being extreme case.
Even when it comes to emergency medicine, nobody would say to the attending consultant that they had to make all the decisions without talking to anyone or referring to anything.
Exams just don't reflect how real life works.
The only reason they still exist is because those at the top did exams and think good exams lead to success.
Exams just don't reflect how real life works.
The only reason they still exist is because those at the top did exams and think good exams lead to success.
but in real life it doesn't have to be a memory test. I've regularly had doctors look things up when talking to them and I would much rather that than they had to remember every possible thing they've ever studied. Analytical and problem solving is what we should test.
If we're not going to have exams, i'd rather trust teachers than politicians or algorithms.
Better still, we need to revamp the whole education system to get away from learning by rote and regurgitating facts in exams. Children need to know how to learn, how to access information, to develop social skills and a greater understanding of the world & the complex issues facing them in their lives
Better still, we need to revamp the whole education system to get away from learning by rote and regurgitating facts in exams. Children need to know how to learn, how to access information, to develop social skills and a greater understanding of the world & the complex issues facing them in their lives
Are you 'the Philip Allen' of Philip Allen publishing?
Wrong. If you have never learned anything and memorised it, you will have nothing in your help to synthesize into new innovations. You can only access detail on something if you know the concept exists already.
External, independent exams may be far from perfect. However, by a very large measure, they are the fairest system there is.
"Brah ! BBC ! Brah! Communists ! Brah!"
Bet you can't wait for GB News, can you?
Bet you can't wait for GB News, can you?
What tosh. Teacher grades were used last year and grades were 30% above the highest ever historic levels. So either last year was 30% better than any year EVER, or teachers consistently overgrade. They'll probably ask for a pay rise as grades have gone up as well.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Employers will discount all kids with 2020 (and 2021) grades by 30% because the teachers failed to do their job properly.
Teachers did their job properly. Then, they got given a new job (exam-replacing assessment) with no training and assurance it would be moderated and standardised.
This moderation was done by a shoddy algorithm and abondoned. It quickly transpired that state schools were not responsible for grade inflation.
Happy to reference all points made in another post, but Google will confirm.
This moderation was done by a shoddy algorithm and abondoned. It quickly transpired that state schools were not responsible for grade inflation.
Happy to reference all points made in another post, but Google will confirm.
If we're not going to have exams, i'd rather trust teachers than politicians or algorithms.
Better still, we need to revamp the whole education system to get away from learning by rote and regurgitating facts in exams. Children need to know how to learn, how to access information, to develop social skills and a greater understanding of the world & the complex issues facing them in their lives
Better still, we need to revamp the whole education system to get away from learning by rote and regurgitating facts in exams. Children need to know how to learn, how to access information, to develop social skills and a greater understanding of the world & the complex issues facing them in their lives
Allocate grades to school based on past performance, plus an uplift if you wish.
Allow teachers to distribute those grade to the pupils.
What teacher doesn't want to give their pupils the best chance possible, this caps their options and essentially they are now just rating within the school where the available evidence should be similar.
Allow teachers to distribute those grade to the pupils.
What teacher doesn't want to give their pupils the best chance possible, this caps their options and essentially they are now just rating within the school where the available evidence should be similar.
What if your cohort was stronger, or you were a rapidly improving school (or conversely a declining school), your current students are impacted by previous performance - not an acceptable answer. This was part of the process last year and it was simply wrong.
Then you are already disadvantaging them. There can be a massive variation in ability between year groups. If you have had a couple of weak years followed by a strong year, they will be unfairly penalised. The opposite is true, with a weaker year getting higher grades.
Horrendous suggestion.
Why on earth should any pupils grade be in any way affected by an unrelated person from X amount of years ago.
Would you like your salary to be based on someone else performance from years gone by if they were not good at the job, but you are??
Why on earth should any pupils grade be in any way affected by an unrelated person from X amount of years ago.
Would you like your salary to be based on someone else performance from years gone by if they were not good at the job, but you are??
At a national level, maybe grades should be similar year on year. At a school level it becomes quite tricky - why are schools constantly targeted with improving results, often spending huge sums of money on training and intervention to achieve this, if their improved results are then normalised back to where they “used to be”? For A Level classes, with sometimes < 10 kids per year, it is madness.
Unfortunately we don't have a marking scheme that can deal with results that are worse than doing nothing!
He's not done nothing, he has already been found to have acted unlawfully . . . . . so he's probably in line for a gold star or something . . . . .
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/24/gavin-williamson-unlawfully-removed-child-safeguards-in-pandemic-court-rules
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/24/gavin-williamson-unlawfully-removed-child-safeguards-in-pandemic-court-rules
Thousands of school all now coming up with their own way of grading their students. How in any way is this fair or indeed a robust way of assessing standards.
But to be fair, no system is going to be ideal this year. These teachers have been teaching the students from the same syllabus using the same past papers and grade boundaries from previous years and so therefore with the same expectations (hopefully). What other options are there that will work fairly and logistically?
Yes, and most will access on the easier topics and previous exam questions.
Allocate grades to school based on past performance, plus an uplift if you wish.
Allow teachers to distribute those grade to the pupils.
What teacher doesn't want to give their pupils the best chance possible, this caps their options and essentially they are now just rating within the school where the available evidence should be similar.
Allow teachers to distribute those grade to the pupils.
What teacher doesn't want to give their pupils the best chance possible, this caps their options and essentially they are now just rating within the school where the available evidence should be similar.