A-Levels

[belton rover]

I think he’s gone to bed too.

[Donnywolf]

I have exclusively uncovered the algorithm used to decide A-level results.

Unfortunately I don't understand the coding involved.
Can anyone help?

{M@k3_5UR3_tH3_p05h_k1d5_get-1st_ch01ce_of-un15}

 Talking heads (jus nee the chorus)

Same as it ever was
Same as it ever was

Same as it ever was
Same as it ever was

[belton rover]

The government have announced that schools will not have to pay for appeals, and a task force set up to help this process. Another step in the right direction.

Source: Charlie and Naga, BBC news.

[Filo]

Nail on the head

https://twitter.com/lbc/status/1294205052979163136?s=21

[selby]

  Darren, the known chances of covid being passed from school children is far smaller than you having an accident on in Norton.
  It's not for me to think for you, but you who has to decide if you are going to live your life as normal as possible, and give your children the best chance of a good education, or live the rest of your life in fear.
  My two girls are way past school age, but are both termed Key workers and have attended their place of work right through this pandemic meeting the public at large and fellow workers from Leeds, Lincoln,Sheffield,and Grimsby, and in my eldest girls case Leicester and Kirklees as part of the government's response to the surge of infections there.
  My advice is to take all precautions you can, and get on with life.

[idler]

 

Nail on the head

https://twitter.com/lbc/status/1294205052979163136?s=21

[Janso]

  Darren, the known chances of covid being passed from school children is far smaller than you having an accident on in Norton.

Key word.

[selby]

  Janso, which known numbers do you take notice of or discard, are they the numbers that suit your political leanings, the ones you take notice of thar is.

[Filo]

  Janso, which known numbers do you take notice of or discard, are they the numbers that suit your political leanings, the ones you take notice of thar is.

You should n’t judge people by your own standards

[albie]

When people talk about the ability to appeal, you need to be clear about what you are appealing against, and the criteria which apply;
https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1294528291244855297

So it seems you can appeal that the cohort from earlier years was unrepresentative.
I don't think this is what people imagine an appeal should be!

Still, OK for those studying Classics in a small group at a private school.
Not all bad then!

[belton rover]

That’s nonsense, Albie. The exam appeals system is an integral part of qualifications for many students in all subjects. Even more so this year.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Belton.

Why do you say that what Albie wrote is nonsense?

Albie wasn't plucking an opinion out if thin air. He was providing evidence from a lawyer's assessment of the Government's own published rules.


Did you read that lawyer's tweet before responding to Albie? If so, which bit of it do you think is nonsense?

[belton rover]

The bit where he said the appeals system will only benefit small groups studying Classics in a private school.

Utter nonsense.

[albie]

Belton,

Sorry if I have not been clear.

I did NOT say the appeals system benefits that group.
The tweet from the QC makes it clear that the appeals system is very limited in scope.

The default will be to uphold the present allocations.
The current awards benefit those groups who come from a background of higher achievement, due to location, subjects studied and background...that is not contested as far as I am aware.

The point I was trying to make is that the appeals system will not correct that imbalance, and that those benefiting from the current awards will not be reduced in that benefit.

If you know different, then please post the reason with a link.
I hope we are sorted now.

[belton rover]

Belton,

Sorry if I have not been clear.

I did NOT say the appeals system benefits that group.
The tweet from the QC makes it clear that the appeals system is very limited in scope.

The default will be to uphold the present allocations.
The current awards benefit those groups who come from a background of higher achievement, due to location, subjects studied and background...that is not contested as far as I am aware.

The point I was trying to make is that the appeals system will not correct that imbalance, and that those benefiting from the current awards will not be reduced in that benefit.

If you know different, then please post the reason with a link.
I hope we are sorted now.

If you didn’t suggest it then what does this mean?:

‘Still, OK for those studying Classics in a small group at a private school.
Not all bad then!‘

Predominantly, what the appeal system does is allow a student’s work to be reassessed/marked. USUALLY, this is if a student is close to getting a higher band and possibly a higher grade. Schools usually can’t appeal willy nilly because of the cost, so this news that the cost is wavered is good. The majority of appeals are upheld, which means a higher mark which could result in a higher grade.

Additionally, I am hopeful that the government will also consider the unique way in which results have been calculated this year, and maybe the appeal process will also be unique.

My link to this is that I am an examiner for WJEC.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Belton.

It would be much easier if you read the link that Albie provided rather than base your opinions on what you hope the Govt will do.

That gives chapter and verse from the Govt's own guidance.

Initial grades this year were obtained from teachers' assessments, so called Centre Assessment Grades". The Govt's guidance says "attempts to amend Centre Assessment Grades or rank order information by revisiting or revising the professional judgments which underpin them... is not permitted."

It says the reproducing of grades based on the Govt algorithm CAN be challenged, but only if exceptional circumstances can be proved.

https://mobile.twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1294534229880184832

[albie]

Belton,

Point 1 answered in the previous reply.

I agree that some who appeal will be regraded higher, but not all will appeal.
I hope you are right that the unique circumstances will be accommodated, and changes to the appeal process introduced.

Meanwhile, the GCSE juggernaut approaches;
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/aug/15/controversial-exams-algorithm-to-set-97-of-gcse-results

It is clear to me that this is going to end in Court.
There will be a legal determination overriding a political one.

[belton rover]

Belton.

It would be much easier if you read the link that Albie provided rather than base your opinions on what you hope the Govt will do.

That gives chapter and verse from the Govt's own guidance.

Initial grades this year were obtained from teachers' assessments, so called Centre Assessment Grades". The Govt's guidance says "attempts to amend Centre Assessment Grades or rank order information by revisiting or revising the professional judgments which underpin them... is not permitted."

It says the reproducing of grades based on the Govt algorithm CAN be challenged, but only if exceptional circumstances can be proved.

https://mobile.twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1294534229880184832

Exceptional circumstances, hmm, if only we had some of those.

And I did read it.

Billy, this is becoming tedious. By this, I mean you.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Belton.

Why am I becoming tedious? I'm pointing you to the Govt's own guidance.

Once again, that says that the initial assessments cannot be challenged. Only the reprofiling. So your comments (albeit from a position of considerable knowledge in normal times) about appealing on marking are meaningless this year.

[belton rover]

For Christ’s sake Billy, the link you are assuming I haven’t read, and is the whole reason for your latest attempt to ‘trump’ me is based on the appeal system that you say is meaningless.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Belton.

Revealing post.

I'm absolutely not trying to "trump" you. I'm simply bemused at how people just don't engage with facts in front of them, but are happy to throw out and hominems.

I didn't say the appeals process was meaningless by the way. I said your comments on have marking re-assessed in usual years were meaningless. Because (deep breath: once again) the Govt's own guidance says they will not be allowing challenges based on the marking. Only on the reprofiling and THEN only in exceptional circumstances (which doesn't mean COVID). They give a clear example of what they mean by "exceptional circumstances" the example being when the appellant can demonstrate that previous years' performance at their assessment centre were exceptional. Why it should be beholden on the appellant to prove that, when the information is held centrally is anyone's guess, but that's secondary to the argument you seem to want to have with me.

[SydneyRover]

I must admit I haven't followed it too closely but this is a good explainer.

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/results-day-exams-bias

[belton rover]

Belton.

Revealing post.

I'm absolutely not trying to "trump" you. I'm simply bemused at how people just don't engage with facts in front of them, but are happy to throw out and hominems.

I didn't say the appeals process was meaningless by the way. I said your comments on have marking re-assessed in usual years were meaningless. Because (deep breath: once again) the Govt's own guidance says they will not be allowing challenges based on the marking. Only on the reprofiling and THEN only in exceptional circumstances (which doesn't mean COVID). They give a clear example of what they mean by "exceptional circumstances" the example being when the appellant can demonstrate that previous years' performance at their assessment centre were exceptional. Why it should be beholden on the appellant to prove that, when the information is held centrally is anyone's guess, but that's secondary to the argument you seem to want to have with me.

And now the two bob psychology.

I want to say I’d have put money on you doing that, eventually. But that’s your line.

[albie]

Reasonable summary from the BBC showing the weighting of outcomes;
https://www.bbc.com/news/education-53759832

Hardest hit are high achievers in schools of lower than average attainment.
The AI  will grade them back to the historic mean.

[Donnywolf]

Lets

Get Exams done

Mark mark mark

Fiddle fiddle fiddle

Change change change

Mess mess mess

(dont worry the Electorate , these kids and their parents will have forgotten by the next Election and we'll commit to more and even better Levelling up and Build build build on that"

[Donnywolf]

... and for once this was not the Govt acting after the fact and chasing events is it

Covid peed on their chips but from the moment the Schools announced there would be no Examinations someone in Govt (or civil service(s) or advisors) should surely had prepared a viable "roadmap" and come up with something better than thay have / did

Poor old Williamson - as Balckadder said once - lets face it someones for the "chop". Lets face it Williamson "its you"

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bit of a shambles this, isn't it?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53795831

[Donnywolf]

Minister / Under Minister Nick Gibb was assuring "the News" the other day that there would be just a few people affected .... mmmm Maths not seeming to be his forte

Days earlier he insisted (with vigour) that over 330000 people had been tested for the Virus as part of the ramped up testing procedure. It was fact checked and found to be less than a 6th of that at a mere 52000

When challenged he said he could not remember saying it although it IS all over S Media

[belton rover]

Reasonable summary from the BBC showing the weighting of outcomes;
https://www.bbc.com/news/education-53759832

Hardest hit are high achievers in schools of lower than average attainment.
The AI  will grade them back to the historic mean.

"We would warn them against simply digging in their heels, and insisting all is well.“

Good advice. Hopefully, the government will realise this hasn’t worked and act accordingly.

[wilts rover]

Appears that Ofqual's algorithm caused today's A-level chaos. Ofqual chair Roger Taylor, also chairs the Centre for Data Ethics & Innovation (CDEI).

Dominic Cummings' fave AI consultants - Faculty, have some juicy contracts with CDEI. And Faculty's COO Richard Sargeant is on CDEI board.

https://twitter.com/MilesKing10/status/1293886007771893762