Just after returning from the half term break, the sixth form students at St. Bernard's High School were met with news that could possibly be the turning point of their sixth form careers, especially for Year 12 students. 

 

The target grades system was being changed. 

 

However, that may not have been as concerning to the students as finding out how the system that had produced their target grades all this time really worked.  

At the assembly where this news was broken, Mrs Allitt, the deputy head teacher, explained that the previous target grade system considered students’ gender, month of birth, and GCSE grades. These were then compared with the achieved A level grades of predecessors of a similar demographic, providing the A level target grades they had at the time. This revelation was met with some unease from the students. 

 

In an interview with Mrs Allitt, I have learnt in greater detail what this means and how it works. According to her, this old system predicted students the minimum likely grades based on the collated data. However, the school's pastoral team soon realised that other sixth forms were setting maximum targets for their students. This, in addition to the fact that students will not only be competing with people of the same gender or age as they are caused the team to have a rethink about the target grade system. 

 

This new system takes students’ GCSE grades and expected progress patterns into account, compares this with previous similar student data from across the country, and provides a target grade that anticipates students’ maximum capabilities. The school has made this decision to help place its sixth formers in the best possible place to compete with students from all over the country. She noted also that students generally appreciate higher predicted grades when sending in their UCAS applications, so it would be better practice to let them hit the ground running and working at those grades from the onset. 

 

When asked about any concerns over students’ mental health and parents’ worries as a result of the change to the system, Mrs Allitt reaffirmed the provision of learning mentors and other support in the school to help students manage their mental health and responses to change better. “Although I can't protect you, I can prepare you... I can protect you know when you're in my school, and you'll get out in the big wide world, and somebody will say one thing to you that could just knock you down.” she said, explaining how the change is necessary even to build students’ resilience and maturity as well. 

She also assured that she would be speaking specifically to parents about the changes in more detail at the Sixth Form Open Evening to ease their concerns. 

 

At the end of the day, everyone just wants the best as Mrs Allitt affirmed, and we all look forward to how this decision will bring that about for our sixth formers and their future plans.