Remarking GCSEs

Oakdene

I had to do this after I was told my English language GCSE was on the boarderline between D & C. I signed a letter to say I understood there was a (albeit remote) chance it could go down.

Anyway it got remarked & I got my C.

Eliza_2

Thanks all, it looks pretty common then. It was English between D and C like others. Good grades in other subjects so this one was definitely unexpected. However the family in question has decided not to go for the remark after all.

Really interesting responses thank you - twasn't like this in my day!!

itsanne

It might be worth asking the college what would happen if the paper was remarked down. If your son is already settled into his course and managing okay, it may well be that it wouldn't make any difference now.

Eliza_2

itsanne wrote: »

It might be worth asking the college what would happen if the paper was remarked down. If your son is already settled into his course and managing okay, it may well be that it wouldn't make any difference now.

He had to get the higher of D or C (or isn't it numbers now?! I can't keep up!) but didn't so they made an exception and let him onto the Level 3 course as his other marks were ok. Some others in the same boat couldn't do a level 3 course unless they resat so are doing something else entirely.

The parents have decided not to risk rocking the boat and hoping school won't go ahead and do it anyway, just in case. They're all glad to have the stress of GCSEs and results behind them now.

Thanks again.

Spendless

Is this English language or English Literature? To get on to a level 3 course you usually have to have 5 GCSE's at grade C (or equivalent) to include English language and Maths. If you don't get them , some courses will still allow you on. I believe all under 18s are required to re-sit if they don't acheive a C.

Put in the same circumstances if it was English lit, I might not agree to it. However if it's English language and child had got a D and with a remark might get a C, I'd let them go ahead. Same as if child has only got 4 GCSE's at C or above, and this might take them up to the 'magiv' number. Asking for 5 GCSE's at grade c inc English (language) and maths is quite common not just for courses but in job adverts, so wouldn't want my child to miss out.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Eliza wrote: »

He had to get the higher of D or C (or isn't it numbers now?! I can't keep up!) but didn't so they made an exception and let him onto the Level 3 course as his other marks were ok. Some others in the same boat couldn't do a level 3 course unless they resat so are doing something else entirely.

The parents have decided not to risk rocking the boat and hoping school won't go ahead and do it anyway, just in case. They're all glad to have the stress of GCSEs and results behind them now.

Thanks again.

Sounds like the school is convinced that he deserved a higher grade than the one he received. Refusing to rock the boat could be depriving him of a good grade - as it is, he's likely to have to study and resit in the future at his own cost and in his own time in order to progress in whatever career he chooses (including if he is in manual occupation - that's the difference between the people who become managers/foremen/professionals in the field and people who are still hefting materials around in twenty years time and in being able to get a job flipping burgers or staying in the queue for the dole office - not fair, but that's how the world is going). Level 4 courses are likely to be inaccessible to him, for a start, even with passing a level 3 course.

It's unlikely he would be remarked so far as to go down a grade, but very likely, as the school is prepared to pay for it, that he will go up at least one, if not two.

Are you so sure that ignoring it in the hope that it'll go away is really in his interest?

Kim_13

A C or the current equivalent will be a massive benefit in the future, if this is English Language. English Language, Maths and the magic number are going to be the parts of GCSE that are still relevant when he has higher qualifications. If it is Language, I'd be minded to ask the college what would happen in the unlikely event that it was moved down, or to make arrangements to re-sit it while education is still free for him if he'd prefer.

I had the dilemma 3 times (GCSE, AS Level and A Level) and only went for it at A Level. It's not a nice situation for the risk averse. The one I went for I knew I'd done a lot better than the mark suggested, so it was less of a risk. As it was an A Level, I also knew it'd be more important in the long run than trying to increase a GCSE grade (mine was an optional subject) would have been.

If it's Literature and he has the magic number already, then I'd say definitely leave it. He's happy with his grade as it is so he won't regret not going for it in the future.

sn1987a

Most jobs require a C in English language and Maths, if the subject is English language, he should definitely remark it or he may have to resit the exam in the future if he wants a better job/carreer etc.

Kim_13

For those mentioning not having been asked before the event. If a certain percentage of papers for a subject in the same school are changed (can't remember if there was a threshold they had to change by) on remark, an automatic remark is then done of every paper for that subject from that school. The later remarks can only be moved up, not down (probably on the basis that those students haven't agreed to take the risk.) For that to happen obviously some students have to take the risk first. Perhaps the school were hoping they'd get a whole cohort remark in this way but haven't, hence contacting their ex student now.

This is England; as far as I'm aware Scotland don't have remarks, only appeals where they have to submit evidence that the grade should be higher.

MPD

The school cannot proceed without the signature of the student.

Extended reviews of marking no longer exist, simply because there is no one errant examiner for an entire school in the days of online marking. It is more likely a review of moderation where permission is not needed and grades are currently protected so cannot go down, this protection will be removed in the next year or so.

Grades can go down, even from the top end of the grade boundary.

The deadline is Thursday for any enquiries about results.

All this applies to England only, different rules may apply for the other nations.