Jo Wood
@jowoodmaths.bsky.social
Former 2nd in dept with over 25 years experience of tutoring A level Maths. 'If you're going to remember something you need to understand it'.
Surely the simple solution was to have a replacement paper covering the same topics as the original (obviously the actual questions can be completely different) - I hope lessons will be learnt from this.
June 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Surely the simple solution was to have a replacement paper covering the same topics as the original (obviously the actual questions can be completely different) - I hope lessons will be learnt from this.
Both groups seem to have been disadvantaged - 99.8% weren't tested on the whole breadth of the syllabus, 0.02% will never know if their grade boundaries are comparable to the majority.
June 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Both groups seem to have been disadvantaged - 99.8% weren't tested on the whole breadth of the syllabus, 0.02% will never know if their grade boundaries are comparable to the majority.
I think I read somewhere that about 70000 students sit Edexcel A level Maths - if this is right then 0.2% is only 140 students. Is 140 students a larger enough cohort size to set reliable grade boundaries???
June 20, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I think I read somewhere that about 70000 students sit Edexcel A level Maths - if this is right then 0.2% is only 140 students. Is 140 students a larger enough cohort size to set reliable grade boundaries???
Assuming they don’t want to admit there was a leak AGAIN!
June 20, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Assuming they don’t want to admit there was a leak AGAIN!
And how can grade boundaries be set effectively for such a small cohort?
June 20, 2025 at 10:54 AM
And how can grade boundaries be set effectively for such a small cohort?
Everybody sitting the same paper is the key point here. I hope he can put this to one side for a few days and smash paper 3.
June 17, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Everybody sitting the same paper is the key point here. I hope he can put this to one side for a few days and smash paper 3.
No problem - I've just done Paper 3. I think there may be a mistake on Qu 10 as I can't get an answer of that form - but I did do it very quickly and with a tired brain so might be my error. I think Qu 11 is a bit scary!
June 17, 2025 at 10:45 PM
No problem - I've just done Paper 3. I think there may be a mistake on Qu 10 as I can't get an answer of that form - but I did do it very quickly and with a tired brain so might be my error. I think Qu 11 is a bit scary!
Even if his paper was 'nicer/better/easier' he has still suffered discrimination and a small cohort could lead to unfair grade boundaries. I hope you get some answers.
June 17, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Even if his paper was 'nicer/better/easier' he has still suffered discrimination and a small cohort could lead to unfair grade boundaries. I hope you get some answers.
No need to apologise- you've every right to be concerned and to demand answers. I think the modified paper your son completed was actually more like what he'd have been expecting and together with paper 1 covered a greater breadth of the pure content (and was probably originally meant for everyone).
June 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM
No need to apologise- you've every right to be concerned and to demand answers. I think the modified paper your son completed was actually more like what he'd have been expecting and together with paper 1 covered a greater breadth of the pure content (and was probably originally meant for everyone).
Thank you once again - my students have found these really useful
June 17, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Thank you once again - my students have found these really useful
Thank you for doing so - it is important we find out what has happened. As a tutor rather than a teacher I don't have the same access to emails as you so it has been really useful to see that my original gut feeling about 'something fishy' going on was true.
June 16, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Thank you for doing so - it is important we find out what has happened. As a tutor rather than a teacher I don't have the same access to emails as you so it has been really useful to see that my original gut feeling about 'something fishy' going on was true.
Surely any sensible exam board would set a contingency/replacement paper to cover the same topics but just with different questions - paper 1 and 2 have not tested the specification thoroughly this year and even if some pure is tested in paper 3 this still seems ridiculous.
June 16, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Surely any sensible exam board would set a contingency/replacement paper to cover the same topics but just with different questions - paper 1 and 2 have not tested the specification thoroughly this year and even if some pure is tested in paper 3 this still seems ridiculous.
This made me chuckle!
June 13, 2025 at 11:37 PM
This made me chuckle!
That seems logical. I understand they may have had to change to the reserve paper if there was a leak but why not just admit that? And why not change the modified papers too? I’m wondering if we’ll get a bit more clarity after all 3 papers are complete?
June 13, 2025 at 10:23 PM
That seems logical. I understand they may have had to change to the reserve paper if there was a leak but why not just admit that? And why not change the modified papers too? I’m wondering if we’ll get a bit more clarity after all 3 papers are complete?
I’m with you on this - do they think we are stupid. Or perhaps they are stupid? You can’t possibly set reliable grade boundaries on just those doing modified papers
June 13, 2025 at 3:52 PM
I’m with you on this - do they think we are stupid. Or perhaps they are stupid? You can’t possibly set reliable grade boundaries on just those doing modified papers
From all the comments I’ve seen it was a replacement paper with modified papers still the original - hopefully Edexcel might confirm this soon to stop all the speculation which only worries students.
June 13, 2025 at 10:26 AM
From all the comments I’ve seen it was a replacement paper with modified papers still the original - hopefully Edexcel might confirm this soon to stop all the speculation which only worries students.
Thank you once again
June 12, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Thank you once again
Thanks again Tom - these are so helpful.
I think there may be a couple of mistakes on Paper 2B - I've commented on the blog site
I think there may be a couple of mistakes on Paper 2B - I've commented on the blog site
June 10, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Thanks again Tom - these are so helpful.
I think there may be a couple of mistakes on Paper 2B - I've commented on the blog site
I think there may be a couple of mistakes on Paper 2B - I've commented on the blog site
Thank you for sharing
June 10, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Thank you for sharing
I was taught 'All Stations To Crewe' too but I did live nearby! I think its a better way to remember than CAST as at least you are starting in the 1st quadrant. Perhaps we need a new acronym for those not near Crewe???
June 8, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I was taught 'All Stations To Crewe' too but I did live nearby! I think its a better way to remember than CAST as at least you are starting in the 1st quadrant. Perhaps we need a new acronym for those not near Crewe???
I prefer graphs but happy for them to use CAST as long as they understand why it works
June 8, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I prefer graphs but happy for them to use CAST as long as they understand why it works