OH THE MOCKERY (From News Shopper)

OH THE MOCKERY

6:32pm Sunday 5th February 2012 in Opinion & Blogs

For young people taking A.S levels this year the end of January not only marks the end of the beginning of the New Year but, also, the start of mock week. Yes, after just five, brief and pain-staking months many of us are expected to take trial examinations in subjects we were, in some cases, novices to.

The use of ‘mock examinations’ is a routine convention adopted by many in order to test ones knowledge and give the leaner and rough idea of what they should expect to achieve in the real exam. Upon face value this idea seems decent and practical, however, with a large majority of us still estranged to most of content within these exams it does beg the question: are they really as practical as they seem?With the bulk of A.S exams beginning in May, giving a 3 month window in which much knowledge could be obtained, it would appear odd that we should be expected to take trial exams so soon.

Speaking to students from Dartford Grammar School for Girls, they felt that January Mocks were a ‘poor reflection of each candidates’ potential’ and that mock results ‘dishearten an individual rather than motivate and support them.’ Speaking to one 6thform student who preferred to remain anonymous they said: ‘It’s not the mocks that are the issue; it’s the placement of them. Mocks are supposed to show us what we need to work on and what we are likely to get but if you still have so much of the syllabus to learn you are destined to fail and that is not helpful to our esteem at all.’ The word ‘mock’ literally means: ‘an imitation, something built-up or un-real’ but the effects they have on the candidates taking them are very real. It would appear that mocks, if not strategically placed, do nothing but mock those taking them and to me it can feel like the results of these exams seem to conspire with your text books seemingly endless amount of information to laugh in your face; telling you that you have no chance of succeeding.

Surely this is not what we really hope trial exams to do? Therefore it seems right to urge a change in the timing of mocks in order that we may reap the benefits of this conventions good intention.