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March 29 2024 9.37am

A Level results

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View Sportyteacher's Profile Sportyteacher Flag London 16 Aug 20 4.53pm Send a Private Message to Sportyteacher Add Sportyteacher as a friend

Simple truth is that debacle surrounding both A-levels and GCSE levels (inevitable in the case of the latter) is quite simply tip of the iceberg regarding Department for Education (DfE) ineptitude in. recent years. I refer you to Meg Hillier, Head of Public Accounts Committee who only last summer cited DfE as 'top of the list regarding Departmental concerns'. A General Election followed by COVID-19 and the usual overlong summer recess has so far put pay to further cross party scrutiny of The Keystone Cops in charge of the education of 93% of the country's children and young people:

[Link]

Too many parents really need to probe further as to what is going on out there eg. unresolved Dept behaviour issues still allowed to continue at industrial scale as revealed by:

[Link]

+

[Link]

Must-watches!

 

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View HKOwen's Profile HKOwen Flag Hong Kong 17 Aug 20 2.49am Send a Private Message to HKOwen Add HKOwen as a friend

Let's have some accountability from Ofqual, plenty of civil servants there earning very good salaries but don't recall anyone fronting up to explain what is going on.

Head of Ofqual on around 200K

 


Responsibility Deficit Disorder is a medical condition. Symptoms include inability to be corrected when wrong, false sense of superiority, desire to share personal info no else cares about, general hubris. It's a medical issue rather than pure arrogance.

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View HKOwen's Profile HKOwen Flag Hong Kong 17 Aug 20 3.00am Send a Private Message to HKOwen Add HKOwen as a friend

I saw a girl interviewed who needed three Cs to get into " art college " and was downgraded including a U in art.

What is the point of encouraging young people to waste years and money on University doing a course that only requires 3 Cs.

Much more sensible to look for learning at work or doing an apprenticeship.

The idea that a degree is a requirement for a good job is wrong IMO.

 


Responsibility Deficit Disorder is a medical condition. Symptoms include inability to be corrected when wrong, false sense of superiority, desire to share personal info no else cares about, general hubris. It's a medical issue rather than pure arrogance.

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View Badger11's Profile Badger11 Flag Beckenham 17 Aug 20 7.13am Send a Private Message to Badger11 Add Badger11 as a friend

Originally posted by HKOwen

I saw a girl interviewed who needed three Cs to get into " art college " and was downgraded including a U in art.

What is the point of encouraging young people to waste years and money on University doing a course that only requires 3 Cs.

Much more sensible to look for learning at work or doing an apprenticeship.

The idea that a degree is a requirement for a good job is wrong IMO.

Agreed.

I am actually doing an online history of art course for fun it is a lot more academic that you would think and like any subject you have to learn a great deal and then write papers to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding. So why lower the bar to that level I think they are desperate for money and students.

Unless you are planning a career that needs an art degree all you are doing is saddling yourself with a lot of debt. As you say they would be better off avoiding university and getting a practical transferable skill for the job market. They can always do what I have done which is sign up to an online course if that is their interest.

 


One more point

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Tom-the-eagle Flag Croydon 17 Aug 20 7.19am

Originally posted by HKOwen

I saw a girl interviewed who needed three Cs to get into " art college " and was downgraded including a U in art.

What is the point of encouraging young people to waste years and money on University doing a course that only requires 3 Cs.

Much more sensible to look for learning at work or doing an apprenticeship.

The idea that a degree is a requirement for a good job is wrong IMO.


Could not agree more.

 


"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit

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View nimblehippo's Profile nimblehippo Flag 17 Aug 20 8.33am Send a Private Message to nimblehippo Add nimblehippo as a friend

As a teacher, It’s an omnishambles, but no easy answer. No standardised mocks, inaccurate grade predictions, so can’t trust them. Few pupils actually get their predicted grades - I missed mine.

That being said, the pencil pushers need to have a long hard look at themselves - the system has probably worked fine for the majority, but it’s the outliers who have been screwed over - those at the top and bottom. And the ministers were far too slow to see this was a disaster - especially after Scotland. The school would have to wildly off to countenance dropping someone more than one grade - but perhaps some schools tried to over grade in anticipation of grades being cut - hard to know without seeing exact details.

Also, it’s not a private/state thing - did u hear about the private school pupil predicted a B/C but given a U as she was bottom of her bright class and someone in a previous year got a U. Sadly some top state pupils will be affected, but one would hope the Universities would honour the places and trust their judgement more than an algorithm’s. I’d almost have mandated that from the top and required all Unis to honour their offers. Also schools that were improving will have been rather shafted.
I’d also suggest that the Private school grades were perhaps deemed more accurate and backed up with plenty of data - a friend of mine worked hours trying to make sure his predicted grades were heavily backed up by data, including comparisons to 5 years worth of students and their relative performances on the same tests over that period. The message from the top was to make sure the grades weren’t questionable in the slightest. My experience of teaching in comps is that teachers are a lot more hopeful in their predicted grades. Thankfully I know teach younger ages so didn’t have to deal with this fiasco.

 

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View Eaglecoops's Profile Eaglecoops Online Flag CR3 17 Aug 20 9.27am Send a Private Message to Eaglecoops Add Eaglecoops as a friend

The same number of places will be available at universities regardless of the A level results. So some establishments will have to lower their expectations of potential students if they are to fill their halls.

In fact there may be even more spaces available than usual as there will, in all probability, be less foreign students in the coming year.

Clearing will likely be a busy job this year.

I do trend to agree with the posters here who say University shouldn't be the route for everyone. We desperately need to get back to promoting apprenticeships in all skilled and semi-skilled jobs. You can earn yourself a fine living as a Plumber, Electrician, Engineer etc etc and these do not require a degree, although to some of the kids out there, it does require you to work however!

 

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View cryrst's Profile cryrst Online Flag The garden of England 17 Aug 20 10.25am Send a Private Message to cryrst Add cryrst as a friend

Not everyone will want to get a skill.
Lots might be more than happy to sweep,stack and generally do a non skilled job. Why all this about grades and apprenticeships. Someone has to do the menial work. This can lead to great riches.
I know a company with the name of a chess piece. The two owners started off with a bucket and sponge cleaning windows.
Now they are millionaires with a huge business.
Not everyone starts at the top.

 

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View nimblehippo's Profile nimblehippo Flag 17 Aug 20 10.54am Send a Private Message to nimblehippo Add nimblehippo as a friend

Originally posted by cryrst

Not everyone will want to get a skill.
Lots might be more than happy to sweep,stack and generally do a non skilled job. Why all this about grades and apprenticeships. Someone has to do the menial work. This can lead to great riches.
I know a company with the name of a chess piece. The two owners started off with a bucket and sponge cleaning windows.
Now they are millionaires with a huge business.
Not everyone starts at the top.

Indeed - intelligence is great, but hard work and initiative will get you far. University was a waste of time for me, but a prerequisite to the sort of jobs I wanted to do. Didn’t really learn much more than I had at A-level.

 

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View Eaglecoops's Profile Eaglecoops Online Flag CR3 17 Aug 20 11.30am Send a Private Message to Eaglecoops Add Eaglecoops as a friend

Originally posted by cryrst

Not everyone will want to get a skill.
Lots might be more than happy to sweep,stack and generally do a non skilled job. Why all this about grades and apprenticeships. Someone has to do the menial work. This can lead to great riches.
I know a company with the name of a chess piece. The two owners started off with a bucket and sponge cleaning windows.
Now they are millionaires with a huge business.
Not everyone starts at the top.

The why is because we have a shortage of home grown skilled labour that needs to be filled. It is also nice to see ambition in youngsters and whilst menial jobs are important and necessary I'm not sure there are many kids at school who dream of having one.

Yes, I too know of people from low income jobs that have built up decent companies and that is to be applauded. If you have the tenacity to be capable of doing that, then good on you.

 

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View Sportyteacher's Profile Sportyteacher Flag London 17 Aug 20 12.53pm Send a Private Message to Sportyteacher Add Sportyteacher as a friend

Further thought is that it will be hard to sack Gavin Williamson when he previously operated as Chief Whip and 'knows where the bodies are buried'.

 

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View The Dolphin's Profile The Dolphin Flag 17 Aug 20 12.55pm Send a Private Message to The Dolphin Add The Dolphin as a friend

In reply to Nimblehippo there are obviously many sides to this.
Those who got a Uni place need to back off to help clear the decks whether they like their grades or not because they are sorted.
Those who were never going to get good grades should be parked for now as well as they are just crowding the space.
However - there are definitely those who must wonder what happened and they do need to be heard and asap for their sakes.
Everyone has a part to play from the Government down - Teachers and Universities included.
No system is ever right and this was always going to be the toughest one ever but there are a few wrongs that need righting so let's hope that those in most need get the help.

 

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