My school received a letter highlighting that our "Triple" scientists did not have enough unit entries to obtain their results. On investigating this with our exams officer we soon found the problem. In Year 10 we entered our students for the GCSE science multiple choices under the science codes - as was allowed at that time. However, at the beginning of this year, we had to use a special form converting these codes to the codes for the separate sciences and we followed all the instructions and emailed them to the email address that was stated. We received no confirmation and only knew there was a problem when we received the letter. BUT what more could we have done? We followed the instructions to the letter - we used the official Edexcel conversion form and sent it as an attachment. We telephoned Edexcel - the man on the end of the phone listened and then asked "Is this GCSE?" Well this hardly gave one confidence. He said to send it again, which we did but have heard nothing since. What can we do? We cannot seem to get through to anyone that actually knows anything or can give us help.
I have to say I am seriously disillusioned by the admin - it is phenomenal and when we did make a mistake we were charged over £700 in late entry fees When I complained at a feedback meeting I was told that the computer would not accept incorrect data and would ask for all the relevant units to be entered - this was and is not the case. It seems to me that someone must be making a fortune from the new GCSEs and it is not the schools. I am sorry to go on but I think there should have been some tolerance for this first main cohort- after all at the meeting I attended it became clear that the goal posts had changed mid process with the change of style for the IAAs. Apparently this was in response to teacher feedback - well I will give you some unsolicited feedback - I think there is too much reliance on information being spread on the website. I was told that the booklet highlighting the changes was sent out to schools the same week - we have never received ours through the post and we would have still been in ignorance of this if I had not attended the meeting.
Well I have had my moan. Please make the admin less onerous and please make sure the on line entry system really does help to prevent errors which cost schools money that we can ill afford.