Mock exams are a well-recognized a part of the rhythm of the varsity yr and so they fulfil a spread of features. For college students in Years 11 and 13 they supply vital follow forward of the true factor and embed routines. For the well-prepared they’ll ship a much-needed confidence enhance, whereas for others they may give an equally vital wake-up name. Additionally they often provide vital proof to assist functions for the following stage of training.
What mock exams can not do is present a legitimate GCSE or A Stage outcome. It’s because the course of examine continues to be incomplete when they’re taken, the papers set will not be uniform, requirements of marking inevitably fluctuate from faculty to high school, and nationwide responses will not be accessible to tell selections about grade boundaries.
Regardless of this important limitation, college students in Years 11 and 13 have been conscious for a number of months {that a} spectre is haunting this yr’s mock exams – the spectre of one other set of centre-assessed grades. Now that the Prime Minister has announced that next summer’s exam series will not go ahead in the usual way, we should confront this difficulty as soon as once more, slightly than hoping it may be averted. This has the impact of assigning a lot larger stakes to mock exams than they’re meant to have, as a result of they might properly find yourself forming crucial piece of evaluation proof accessible to lecturers.
Even when, like me, they didn’t need exams to be cancelled, accountable faculty leaders have been aware of the chance that inner evaluation knowledge may need to type the proof base underpinning grades, and have been making ready in addition to doable. Clever college students ought to be conscious that every part they do may find yourself counting in direction of the ultimate outcome. Underneath these circumstances it’s completely comprehensible for them and their dad and mom to be anxious about mock exams – which can be carried out remotely – particularly. So what recommendation would I give?
Mocks taken
To college students who’ve already taken their mocks, I’d counsel holding a stage head. If the outcome was not as hoped, it’s higher to place it previously and give attention to the issues which may nonetheless be modified. Lecturers are properly conscious that remaining efficiency is commonly a lot better than mock exams recommend and so they are inclined to know when their college students haven’t executed themselves justice. To involved dad and mom, I’d politely recommend that being visibly devastated by a mock result’s more likely to do extra hurt than good. Slightly than selling emotions of despair, your son or daughter might be higher served should you present confidence in them and encourage them to imagine that they’ll do higher. Even when {qualifications} are awarded solely on the idea of centre assessed grades (we await steerage from Ofqual on this level), faculties are unlikely to rely solely on mock outcomes, however will as an alternative draw on a spread of proof, so there’s a lot nonetheless to play for.
It might be price asking what will be discovered from disappointing mock outcomes about examine abilities and habits, in an effort to do higher in additional assessments this tutorial yr in addition to afterward. Efficient examination preparation is a area by which a sturdy proof base exists, however sadly college students are sometimes unaware of the best methods and are reluctant to make use of them even once they know. That is most likely as a result of the most effective approaches contain extra effort and dedication than others. For instance, studies suggest that for many college students, spacing follow out over an extended interval is more practical than cramming and that self-testing is best than re-reading or highlighting notes. This isn’t the place for detailed revision steerage, however I’d strongly advocate the Learning Scientists as a supply of research-informed, accessibly introduced data.
Mocks but to happen
College students whose mock exams haven’t but taken place might want to await affirmation from their faculties about whether or not some type of inner exams will nonetheless occur, or whether or not they are going to be cancelled altogether. It will most likely rely on the size of the lockdown and the directions issued by Ofqual, so it’s unlikely that headteachers might be able to decide but. No matter what occurs, college students nonetheless have loads of alternatives to indicate their lecturers what they’re able to and will put sound examine methods, like these really useful above, into follow. Mocks ought to be taken significantly in any yr and, in the event that they do go forward, it might be naïve to not put together for them much more completely this time round. If grading selections relaxation once more with lecturers, a robust mock efficiency may present the proof they should give the good thing about any doubt.
As for subsequent tutorial yr, hopefully the pandemic might be an disagreeable reminiscence and mock exams will have the ability to revert to being simply what they’re speculated to be and nothing extra: a helpful follow to present an concept of how issues are going.
Jonathan Mountstevens is Deputy Headteacher at Beaumont College, St Albans; the varsity has greater than 1200 college students, aged 11-18, and is a neighborhood faculty with Academy standing
