Help for parents baffled by new GCSE grades
Running a numerical system parallel with the existing one will cause ‘a lot of anxiety’ say heads
PARENTS are to be issued with a leaflet explaining the new GCSE grading system after A*-G was solely used for the last time this year.
Next year thousands of teenagers will be graded using a numerical system (1 to 9) in maths, English literature and English language that will sit parallel to the current system.
This will mean that anxious parents and their teenagers will be getting to grips with two systems next year and the year after before a complete switch to numerical grades.
Head teachers have warned the use of the parallel systems will lead to confusion among parents and also employers. The new system has been designed to move away from a “pass or fail” rethoric to a more “granular” way of assessing students.
Students will need to achieve certain landmarks in their learning to get to the desirable grade 9, the highest and the equivalent of an A*.
For example, to achieve a grade 2 in ancient languages GCSE students will need to complete “some linguistic tasks”, whereas to achieve a grade 8 pupils will have to be able to translate with a consistent “high degree of accuracy”.
But head teachers have warned parents, students and employers will be grappling with a “mixed economy” of grades that could lead to chaos.
Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College leaders, said: “Children will be living in a confusing mixed economy next year where all other subjects – apart from maths and English – are still going to be on the old system.
“As far as young people are concerned the grade they would need to obtain to have no obligation to retake an exam is grade 4.
“We will no longer have a pass or fail terminology in the new system.
“We will give young people the grade they deserve rather than labelling a child as a failure.
“Grades will reflect the achievement they have made from a starting point. It’s a grading scale not a driving test telling us whether they are safe to go on the road or not.”
He admitted the changes will create a “lot of anxiety” among parents and this is why the Government will proactively communicate the changes next year. He explained: “We will have a clear plan before next year so there will be no need for alarm.”
The new system will be phased in in September 2017 and all subjects at GCSE are set to be evaluated numerically for the first time in 2019.
Thousands of teenagers received their GCSE results yesterday with the proportion of those scoring an A* to C grade falling by 2.1 percentage points to 66.9 – the biggest drop since the tests were introduced in 1988.
Compulsory resits have had a big influence on this year’s results. Changes to the education system which mean that students have to remain in education or training to age 18, coupled with a requirement that they obtain at least a C in English and maths, caused a sharp rise in the number of 17-year-olds retaking what would have been their end of school exams in the most difficult subjects. There was a rise of 32.6 per cent in the numbers of entries for maths among 17-year olds and older and a 31.9 per cent increase in those taking English within the same age group.
However, only 29.5 per cent of 17year olds achieved their grade C and 17year olds re-sitting English led to an 8.2 percentage drop at A* to C in English for the same age group.
A shift in entries with pupils focussing hard on “tougher subjects” is making a dent on top grades, teachers said.
More teenagers have been signing up to do history, geography and sciences, which are Ebacc subjects and a key element in school accountability.
And take-up of Stem subjects (sciences, technology, engineering and maths) has risen by 6.4 per cent, while design, performing arts, drama and music have seen declines ranging between 4.6 per cent and 9.5 per cent.
This has meant many pupils not doing as well as they might have done in creative subjects and that is depressing the overall figure, experts said.