So, what do calculated grades really mean?
I am finding all the news very confusing at the moment…. don’t do this and don’t do that but you can do this and you can do that…for most of us it’s still an uncertain time, esspecially now with the worry over calculated grades.
Education is extremely different for your child this year, with the situation as it is some children are attending school and some aren’t…and parents / carers are being expected to home educate using resources sent by the school. This can pose a few problems….
Schools use many resources to gain access to learning and not every household has the capacity to do this.
Parents / carers may worry about what they are teaching their child, the work may seem confusing and complicated.
Children may be reluctant to learn at home (too many distractions).
Whatever the reason we can only encourage our child to learn at home and try to create time and space to do so.
For those parents / carers who are struggling, you are not alone…. I have a teenager in year 10 – and I have to be honest I’ve found it difficult to home school. He has been placed in a “ bubble” with 4 other students and will be expected to attend school for 45 minutes every couple of weeks – this isn’t ideal and I’m apprehensive however it may well get him back into the learning ethos and allow him to progress.
For those students that were supposed to be sitting exams this year…and all the confusion surrounding exams…. the anticipation of end results must be agonising.
The government announced that all educational settings would close from the 20th March 2020 and that all exams and assessments would be cancelled. Calculated grades are to be given instead…. but what does this mean?
Calculated grades – this is a grade based on over all coursework, mock test results and assessments. Teaching staff will have input and then the exam boards will put them through a process of standardisation with the independent qualification’s regulator. This will ensure that calculated grades are fair between all schools and colleges. If your child isn’t happy with the grades that they have been awarded and feel they would have achieved higher if given the chance – they will be given the opportunity to sit an exam when the government believe it is safe to do so. (they are hoping this Autumn)
What about further education? – final “calculated grades” may not be the same as “predicted grades” – if your child has applied for college or university it will be important to contact them as soon as possible to get advice.
For some children the idea of sitting an exam may terrify them and send their anxiety levels through the roof – for them this may be a silver lining to the cloud – the outcome for them may be far greater than if they had sat exams – However, for children who were ready to sit exams, can cope under pressure and felt that they were going to do well this could be disappointing.
Whatever your child would have achieved or could have achieved without calculated grades we have to remember that we are experiencing the most extraordinary times and as parents / carers we must support our children whatever the outcome. As the country slowly gets back into whatever normal we are going to have, us parents / carers will struggle to maintain life, work and education however we will do our best – as we always do – and so will our children.
HB Tutoring have qualified tutors who are able to work with students to prepare them for the transition into the next phase of their education. As parents we are constantly worrying about our children and their education, therefore a tutor is ideal to help calm any anxieties, and prepare students for the next step of their education journey.
To find your perfect tutor click here, for any other support please don’t hesitate to contact us here.
If you would like to have a friendly informal chat with us regarding a tutor at any level please call a member of our team on: 0333 335 5139