The cancellation of GCSE and A-level exams have inspired much news and uproar. I see articles on it even now, more than two weeks after the fateful announcement; and wanted to retell the story from the perspective of Year 11 students.
The general feeling amongst most of my peers; after the shock of the news, of course; is relief - we don’t have to take the exams, and we get a free pass through our GCSE hurdle! But after the euphoria fades, there are other notions that sink in. What about all the work we had put in over the past few years? How are we going to get a justified grading? How is this going to impact our future? As of now, we don’t have any definite answers.
So, I have some statements from two students of The Kingston Academy to express their opinions on various aspects of the matter.
Kristi Satkuyante - “Well, I am glad, because every time I write a test or exam, I start to panic and all my work on the exam sheet is not as good as it can be. The cancellation on GCSEs means that the teachers will provide the exam board with the grade they think we would’ve got, which will raise my grades by 2-4 points. However, I realise that my prep work for the GCSEs was a great experience which is the real takeaway here”
Rowan Miller - “I think that even though the cancellation of our exams are disappointing, it is important that the government focuses its priorities on something that is becoming a national crisis. I do think, however, they should have gone ahead with the A level exams because we have another two years in order to show our academic capabilities and progress, and some people who are doing A levels will not have that opportunity as we do.”
The closure of schools was particularly devastating because we soon realised that these would be our last days of school as a year group.
Kristi - “I was madly depressed by this turn of events. I realised that I may no longer see my friends and teachers, who have become my second family. We could’ve spent more time together, making new memories; however, it all disappeared in a second.”
Rowan - “I think that the whole experience was very emotional, but what made it so impactful was the fact that the news was as novel and shocking to the teachers, as it was for us.”
A lot of people are apprehensive of how we’re getting graded. While we have received guidelines of this process from the authorities, it’s still quite ambiguous on certain points. What seems to be a common point of concern is that our mock exam results and predicted grades will be used.
Rowan - “I am a little diquited, given that many of us have improved since then. Also, as it was winter many of us were ill. However, they have more than just our mocks to judge our attainment and people have to just trust that schools will make the right decision”
It’s not just the immediate GCSE exams that could be at threat here, either. A lot of people are also probably concerned about the chain of impacts this could have on their future. Here’s what the students think:
Rowan - “The chain of impacts of the cancellation, in my opinion, will not be as significant as they could get. The fact that the whole country is in the same situation will mean that we will not be at a true disadvantage because of this. We will have the A levels and further studies in order to prove ourselves academically. It may impact some of our general knowledge, as in some GCSEs we did not finish the content, and we may not feel as motivated to finish that pending learning; especially if we are not doing them at A level.
In addition, there may be a greater impact on students’ mental health, as we feel like everything we have worked for has gone to waste. In fact, this is the complete opposite, as the teachers assess our grades based on our efforts and previous performance”
Personally, I’m also concerned about the fact that the next major course determining exams we take will be two years later, for our A-levels. In my opinion, no amount of mock exams or practice papers in timed conditions can equate to the massive emotional overload one feels when they are sat at the exam hall, with a hundred other bent heads, their knowledge of Shakespeare the sole determining factor of their future.
But I think what she adds at the end is vital to keep with ourselves as well - “ I mean at the end of the day, of course I’m stressing about it. But with everything that’s going on, it’s unimportant - what matters more is that there are people who are dying.”
Are you concerned about the closure of school affecting your transition into A levels?
Rowan - “Slightly, because no one knows what is happening, and that is the most terrifying thing. The reason I am not completely panicking is the fact everyone is having the same experience. Our school has an amazing google system which means that if this continues we can continue learning at home.”
Kristi - “School sends a lot of useful resources to improve and create a “bridge” of knowledge to study the subjects more in depth. I am also using a lot of other resources in order to prepare myself for A levels”
Focusing on the more positive, this time is invaluable.
Rowan - “I am most likely going to try and develop my understanding of skills needed for my future career. I’m going to try and learn some British sign language and also learn more Spanish. I have also found a new interest in exercising, so I am doing that quite often as well”
Kristi - “I am going to study Japanese. I currently have the A2 status and I want to get to B2. I have started to look through math A-level courses as well, to get a headstart on our content. Furthermore, I am doing my school work to appeal for my grades”
Many of our teachers have pointed it out, and most of the students are aware of it. But I think it’s imperative to reiterate - use this time wisely! In conclusion, there’s different ways to look at this situation. For me, I think it’s important that we don’t spend the next few months of our time moping, but in acquiring new skills.
Way at the beginning of the year, I had decided that I would dedicate the summer after my GCSEs for work experience and volunteering. Now I have six months worth of time to build on new skills. A one of a kind opportunity to finally wrap up some of those eternally trailing projects, find time for forgotten hobbies, and do some online work experience or volunteering.
It’s essential to realise that all we have learnt is not in vain because “knowledge is a treasure”. And no matter what our opinions or outcomes of this situation, I think it’s crucial that we see the silver lining - because like it or not; in some twisted form, this time is a gift. After all, time is what we want the most, and ironically, the one thing that, more often than not, skillfully evades us.
