The cancellation of Welsh exams and what it means for the future of our education
On November 10th, the Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams announced the plans to cancel all GCSE, A/S level, and A level exams in Summer 2021. Naturally, this announcement - although relieving the stress of some students - left most of us (teachers included!) with more questions than before we knew the possibility of exams. So, what happens now?Â
Kirsty Williams made the intentions of 2021 exams cancellation clear in her statement last week, claiming that âfairness across the system has remained central in our decision making processâ and that fairness is her âprimary reasonâ behind the decision. This, I think, is a very logical and reasonable motivation as to why the decision was made. With COVID interference in our day to day lives, students have been unable to receive a satisfactory education due to lockdown measures - particularly those who still arenât attending school despite them reopening in September. On top of this, there are some students who wouldnât have been able to have the access to sufficient technology to carry out online learning, or perhaps do not have a safe environment at home to do so. All in all, I agree that the cancellation is the most coherent step forward to adjust to our ânew normalâ.Â
However, this statement came with its own problems.Â
Firstly, despite the Scottish GCSE equivalents being cancelled in the next summer exam season, neither the Scottish higher and advanced exams nor the English exams have been cancelled, simply delayed by a matter of weeks. Clearly this situation is unfair, as all students in the UK will have different chances and opportunities to receive their qualification - possibly Wales has the advantage, depending on what route they choose to take for students to gain their qualifications.Â
Secondly, the exams boards and the Welsh government have still not given teachers or students any indication of how our qualifications will be calculated and given. There has been a rumour of teacher assessments that will be carried out in classrooms, however this just seems to mean that we will be having exams but they will just be in a classroom instead of an exam hall? Many students have expressed interest in a system in which we will be graded based off mini assessments and essays that we carry out over the course of the year, with our teachers setting us grades and their judgements being moderated by the exam boards. This way, students will be given grades that accurately reflect the quality of work throughout the course of the year. Furthermore, there has been no mention about the outcome of coursework, and how much it will contribute to our overall grade. So many students are now questioning next yearâs grades even more than before, and schoolwork can sometimes feel like it has little meaning. I guess we will have to be kept in the dark even longer about the outcome of our future.Â
Additionally, a great deal of students are not only on board with the cancellation of next years exams, but also promote the idea that this is an opportunity to reform the education system in Wales, by scrapping exams all together and creating a new grading system based off a culmination of work over the school year. This would, of course, have the benefit of improved mental health of students, as exam season can be an extremely stressful time for many and thus have an effect on the success of their grades.Â
 Therefore, Iâm afraid that most of us students will just have to wait in anticipation for the next announcement from the government to find out the future of our education - hopefully it comes sooner than later to relieve our stress.Â
Do you agree with the cancellation of exams? What do you feel is the next logical step forward?
As a big fan of Netflixâs Shirley Jackson adaptation of âThe Haunting of Hill Houseâ, my expectations for the follow up season âThe Haunting of Bly Manorâ were extremely high. Personally, the prospect of seeing my favourite actors from the first season returning to endure the horrors of a brand new haunted house, and the unraveling of a new complex story was what I was most excited for. So, did âThe Haunting of Bly Manorâ satisfy or leave me wanting more?
*SPOILER WARNING*
Rating: 3.5 / 5Â
Synopsis:Â
Put simply, âThe Haunting of Bly Manorâ is a story about a young, American au pair hired by the âwell-offâ uncle Henry Wingrave to govern his orphaned niece and nephew. As time goes on, odd occurrences ensue and the Manor is revealed to be haunted by a number of trapped souls.Â
My highlights:Â
When I first saw Hill House, I didnât notice the hidden ghosts in the background until I was two episodes in and a friend pointed them out to me. Subsequently, I was highly anticipating the same technique being used in Bly Manor; and it definitely didnât disappoint. There is something about the subtlety of the ghosts simply standing motionless, the characters being blindly unaware of their presence, that is so scary. It enforces a terrifying and looming atmosphere in the house that even when there isnât anything particularly scary happening in a scene, a presence of evil lingers constantly. It also implies a heightened sense of how deep-rooted with ghosts the house really is. **
Similarly to the hidden ghosts technique, there is something to be admired in the simplicity of the scares in Bly Manor that is uncommon in many TV series and movies of the horror genre. The programme doesnât rely on CGI and extravagant FX makeup to scare, it merely uses atmosphere and actual actors to play ghosts which makes it all the more scarier. As a comparison, the success of It Chapter One (2017) resulted in the budget of IT Chapter Two (2019) being over double of the first film in the franchise. By watching the second film, it is clear that the majority of the budget went towards the computerised special effects; this then creates excessively fake scares, producing a more comical than terrifying effect. So, by not being dependent on computerised special effects, the horrors of Bly Manor feel much closer to home and eerily realistic.Â
Bly Manor uses a narrative technique which I like to call the âdrip effectâ. Essentially, as each episode shows us a mix between a characterâs background and slowly building up to a climax, the plot is gradually revealed bit by bit (or drip by drip) until everything all of a sudden clicks into place in an explosive ending. This way, the programme kept me intrigued throughout, leaving me craving that feeling of the last puzzle piece fitting into place. There is nothing more satisfying than your questions of the ghostsâ origins being answered; and in this sense Bly Manor was perfectly splendid.Â
Two words:Â Victoria Pedretti. My prayers were answered in season 2 as it showcased much more screen time for Pedretti that I was left craving after Hill House. I knew from her performance at the end of episode 1 that I was in for a rollercoaster of emotions; the way she portrays that genuinely gut-wrenching fear is captivating. By a happy coincidence, her character Daniâs backstory happened to be my favourite, and I truly sympathised with the heartbreak she endured in her past.
Criticisms:Â
I found âThe Haunting of Hill Houseâ so legitimately creepy that after I first watched it, I found the Bent-neck Lady haunting my dreams for weeks after finishing the series. Disappointingly however, Bly Manor did not have the same effect that I was so anxiously (strangely) excited for. Donât get me wrong, there were definitely jump scares that had me cussing and got my heart racing - like Violaâs hands reaching out of the treasure chest to strangle her intrusive younger sister from the arms of her old gowns, which was more than effective - yet these moments were few and far apart. Instead of being scared straight like Hill House, I was left slightly let down (of course, everyoneâs horror tolerance is relative, so this may just be a more personal issue!).Â
Episode 8: The Romance of Certain Old Clothes... oh dear. For me personally, this episode was reminiscent of the Stranger Things episode entitled âThe Lost Sisterâ; it felt dragged out and extremely slow paced, and pulled me away from the plot I was much more invested in. Plus, as much as I love Kate Siegel her British accent was hard to sit through. The episode didnât entirely disappoint, as it did reveal the origins of the lady in the lake - however I found this to be one of its only redeeming qualities.Â
As the ending rolled around and we slowly made our way back towards the present time of the narrator recounting the stories of Bly Manor, it became much more obvious about the direction in which the show was heading. Personally, I found the reveal of the narrator being an older Jamie, and the wedding being Floraâs with all the remaining characters slightly cliche. In fact, I found it very cliche. After the twists and turns of the series, the last half an hour or so felt like it left so much less of an impact than Hill House - to paraphrase an older Flora, it definitely felt much more like a love story than a ghost story. As I went into the series imagining it to be pure horror, I was left a bit discouraged.Â
This is honestly ineffable but I didnât feel as connected to the family dynamic as I did in Hill House. I know I keep comparing Bly Manor to Hill House, but I felt a lack of emotional investment in Bly Manor than I did in its predecessor. I only felt devoted to the relationships in the show toward the very end of this series (I naturally ended up loving Jamie and Daniâs relationship, itâs impossible not to).Â
Conclusion:Â
So in conclusion, whilst Bly Manor was beautifully directed and introduced us to some stellar actors (with the acceptation of some pretty bad accents), there were some let downs that took away from the chilling atmosphere of the show. I think it definitely requires an eventual second viewing however, because then you are able to spot potential foreshadowing and understand slightly convoluted plot points like Hannah Groveâs episode a little better as you already know the context.
If you have anything to add, please leave some ideas in the comments!
** I used  an article from Screen Rant to help spot the hidden ghosts - itâs extremely useful!
The false binary of ambition vs love that plagues female protagonists
As an avid viewer of the Rom-com genre (and of movies in general) I thoroughly enjoy watching movies that feature a headstrong, feminist protagonist navigating her way through high school or her career alongside dealing with potential friendship, familial or relationship issues... and absolutely crushing it. However, too many of these movies start off with a tough, career woman and end with her being âtamedâ after finding a man â resulting in her losing her tenacity and essentially becoming more âpalatableâ.
So how is the ambition vs love binary used in movies, and why is it so toxic?
According to theorist Steve Nealeâs Repetition and Difference theory, all genres contain examples of repetition and difference â the differences being essential to the economy of the genre. Movies must conform to the genreâs conventions in order to be identified as part of that genre, but they must also subvert these conventions to be considered unique. Therefore according to this theory, individual genres must have similar themes and tropes which allow the audience to determine whether they will enjoy a certain movie. An easy example to identify is in superhero movies, which all contain the genreâs stereotypical dichotomy of good vs evil.
You may be asking: why is this relevant? This is relevant as most Rom-coms tend to conform to the same toxic stereotype which often undermines any feminist messages that they try to put out; the ambition vs love dichotomy. Â
The âambition vs love dichotomyâ (well, false dichotomy) refers to the opposition of being successful and determined and being or falling in love, that we see many female protagonists battle with in Rom-coms. According to the genre, being âtoughâ or ambitious in your career and being in love is mutually exclusive; youâve got as much chance seeing Ironman and Tony Stark in a room together (get it? Because theyâre the same person itâs impossibleâŠ)
A prime example of this is the movie âThe Proposalâ. The movie stars Sandra Bullock playing the âruthlessâ boss Margaret Tate firing people left, right and centre and taking any and every step to advance in her career. However, the movie portrays this as downright unacceptable (how could a woman possibly act just as her male counterparts do in order to become successful) and proceeds to make finding Margaretâs âdream manâ a priority in order to domesticate this harsh woman. Yes, itâs as outdated and misogynistic as that synopsis sounds.
Not only does it promote the convention that women can only have a man or be successful / strong willed and tough, this is one of the many movies that falls into the medieval ideology of âthe taming of the shrewâ. This ideology is based of the Shakespearean play of the same name, which concludes that in the end the unrelenting, stubborn woman needs a man to domesticate her so she can become more accepted by society â now do you see why this dichotomy in mainstream media is harmful?
On the other hand, there are examples out there that debase this false binary successfully, and try to maintain the female empowerment that many Rom-coms lack. An example of this is â10 Things I Hate About Youâ â which was actually ironically inspired by âThe Taming Of The Shrewâ. Kat Stratford (played by Julia Stiles) is an outspoken, blunt feminist who isnât afraid to go against social norms and defy what is expected of her. Though some may deem her and the love interest Patrick Veronaâs love story as âanti-feministâ (as he originally only dates her as he is being paid to do so; and despite Kat finding this information out, she proceeds to date him after he confesses that heâs fallen for her) by the end of the movie in the ânew equilibriumâ, despite being âloved upâ with her man, Kat is still as tenacious and outspoken as she was to begin with â falling in love hasnât been succeeded in her becoming more docile and demure. As a result, Kat Stratford subverts this âambition vs loveâ dichotomy and remains to this day one of my favourite feminist protagonists.Â
So to conclude, mainstream media has produced some examples which undermine these outdated and sexist ideals that women cannot be strong willed and maintain a healthy relationship (if desired) yet needs to do more to promote more modern, realistic plots that feature tough, feminist protagonists â similar to the other movie and societal stereotype that women need to be married with children to feel fulfilled. Why is it acceptable for men to be portrayed as harsh and career orientated, yet the women who are in the same situations are âbrokenâ because they donât have a man to pacify them? All I ask is that movies do more to reverse these gender roles, and stop limiting women to either being the complicit, innocent âgirl next doorâ or the overly sexualised âobjectâ.
Have you got any other examples of movies which either conform or subvert these stereotypes? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments!
How to reignite your love for reading: advice from a certified bookworm
One of the few benefits of going through a complete lockdown this year was the new-found time to enjoy at-home activities you love that you may not have been able to squeeze into your pre-COVID â possibly hectic â routine; or even giving your best attempt to take up a new hobby. Whether it be baking, learning a new musical instrument, or even having to become your own hairdresser, many of us have been able to learn or adapt skills just to pass the time. For me, being stuck indoors without sustainable schoolwork for months meant my inner bookworm could fully thrive and meant I could finally get round to picking up those stray books that I had always promised to read.
Thankfully, as life and routine are somewhat resumed and weâre in full swing of a ânew normalâ, my life is once again taken up with school assignments and (government approved) social gatherings. However, this has resulted in the loss of my daily reading â which in the beginning of lockdown allowed me to finish books in record breaking time. So, if youâre a bookworm in the same position as me, or you simply wish to incorporate leisurely reading into your routine, here are my top tips:
Reading before bed. Due to my resumed routine, Iâve found that I either canât find the time or am not in the mood for reading; mornings are taken up by rushed, early school rising, after school I donât really want to exert my brain after demanding lessons, then the rest of the evenings are taken up by homework and binge watching. So, Iâve found that dedicating an hour before I turn off the lights for bed is the perfect time for reading â I can light a candle, turn off my technology, and wrap myself up like a burrito in my bed to read. Additionally, (if weâre getting technical) the blue light from your phone or laptop screen suppresses melatonin, which is responsible for your sleep-wake cycle â the suppression of melatonin can therefore cause irritability and insomnia. Switching technology for a book before bed can help you wind down and allow your brain to prepare itself for a healthy nightâs sleep.Â
Allocate a set number of pages to read each day. By planning how much to read and having a definite final page to know when to put the book down, your reading journey feels less like wandering and more like an eagerness to reach a set destination. Not that there's anything wrong with ambling along with a book â in fact, spontaneous reading can be very relaxing â but when you have to fit reading into a schedule, it feels much more achievable when setting yourself daily goals. Furthermore, if you have limited time to read it is perfect for knowing exactly when to put the book down to prevent getting too carried away.
Re-read one of your favourite books. There is no better feeling as a bookworm than reading an all-time favourite book, particularly those which make you feel nostalgic. As like with certain songs and movies, by consuming books you know so well, you know you are guaranteed to enjoy yourself and actively engage with it. It can also evoke strong emotions and nostalgia; for me, re-reading Harry Potter floods back memories of reading them in my summer holidays, and growing up with the characters that have, at times, helped me through hardship. Simply enjoying a book you already love can be an incentive to want to read more.
One word: BookTube! Watching your favourite booktubers reviewing new books, or filming a book haul, can help motivate you to order their recommendations as soon as possible. Whenever a booktuber I like raves about how much they loved a certain book, I can trust that it is high quality and it may prompt me to check it out. (One of my personal favourite booktubers is Noelle Gallagher â she loves Call Me By Your Name and Stephen King, so I know I value her taste in books!)Â Â
Pick a book with a movie or series adaptation. As a bookworm, one of my favourite things to do (as sad as this may sound) is to read the book before watching the upcoming adaptation â that way, whilst watching the movie or series, I can compare how different or similar they are. It allows you to find out what writers decided to cut in adaptations, decide which media portrayed the story better, and see if the casting and settings fit with the images you have conjured up while reading. If you donât know where to start, you could always choose a mainstream movie or series that youâve seen before and then read the book!
In summary, whether you are reading multiple books a month or reading a book here and there, you can still class yourself as a bookworm â you donât have to be constantly reading to join this wonderful community! There is still a lot of distressing and tough things going on in the world at the moment, and reading is a wonderful, immersive form of escapism when real life feels too intense. Happy reading!Â
If you have any book recommendations, leave them in the comments!
AÂ week in the life of the ânew normalâ sixth form
In the past two weeks, high schools, sixth forms and colleges have opened their doors once again to welcome back the whole cohort after, what was practically, a sixth month long holiday. So, whatâs changed and whatâs stayed relatively the same? And what could recent changes in the UK mean for the future of this academic year?
 For all students in the UK, our last day of school came a few weeks into March, and those of us who didnât return for those few days in the summer (for reasons such as living with vulnerable family members or anxiety over the coronavirus) this September will be our first time physically back in school. (Iâve made two previous blog posts about living as a student during lockdown and the catastrophe that was results day, so if you are interested in those Iâll leave them linked at the end of the post). As if the first day back from summer break didnât hold enough anxiety for some of us, we have to return into what feels more like a hospital than a school â or so I thoughtâŠ
New school rules
 Due to the current circumstances right now, schools have been told to put protective measures in place in a feeble attempt to follow government guidelines and limit the possibility of a COVID outbreak. I say feeble attempt, as my school at least, doesnât seem to know exactly what to do at the moment â and the measures in place are not exactly effective or logical. Donât get me wrong, everyone is just as clueless when it comes to knowing which restrictions are truly effective and which arenât, so I give the teachers full credit for at least trying to be safe, yet what they are trying seems very contradicting. For starters, each year group is supposed to be one big âbubbleâ. When going outside for break, the younger years are herded into their own âfactionsâ on the school field, in order to stick within their year group bubble. Additionally, students are only ever going to have classes with people in their year group, so the only students they should mix with are others in their year. However, there are two glaring issues with this âsolutionâ. Firstly, when students are travelling in the corridors between class, theyâre mixing with practically every year group in those claustrophobic, traffic jam prone halls. The one-way system prevents students from facing each other I suppose, but Iâll expand on that later. The other issue with the year group âbubblesâ is the fact that if it happens to rain (which trust me is a common problem in Wales, the country in the UK which has the largest rainfall in mm out of the other countries) then the whole cohort will be shepherded in to one of the two dinner halls, where theyâll be forced crowd in one large group and mingle with other years â which obviously completely contradicts the bubble solution altogether.
Now, onto the one-way system as promised. Summed up simply, it really doesnât make much sense. I understand that in going one way, students are not facing each other so germs are less likely to spread. However, the fact that no students are wearing masks defeats the purpose, as whichever way youâre walking youâre inevitably breathing the same air in close proximity. I doubt that making masks compulsory in the corridors will make much of a difference. Also, there is the fact that no one sticks to the one-way system when there are no chaperones to see you ârebelâ.
The one thing that I feel like makes sense is wiping down surfaces, computers, chairs, and all communal equipment in general to ensure that everything is as sanitary as possible. Then again, I suppose, it doesnât make much of a difference when every other rule isnât being followed. Weâre not exactly distancing when weâre sat shoulder to shoulder in lessons.
So, these days itâs hard to know what is within âguidelinesâ and what isnât â honestly, most people are just picking and choosing when to follow them. In a way, itâs hardly a ânew normalâ; itâs more like normal with a dash of hand sanitiser.
 What does the future of the academic year look like?
 Of course, as weâve seen for six months now, no one is any good at predicting the course of this virus and what glorious surprises it has in store next. Every future plan is unstable at the moment, and that definitely does not exclude education. As numbers and the infection rate is starting to increase again in the UK (despite the deaths not significantly rising too) and weâre approaching a sort of âsecond waveâ of COVID, two week localised lockdowns are looming, and the possibility of exams taking place is on the ropes. Rumour has it is that exam boards are planning to push back exams next year, to allow students extra study time to make up for potentially missing even more of our education. Exam boards have already taken out small portions of exams to lower the content in the course slightly, which I think is definitely a step in the right direction so far. As for my sixth form, weâre being given mini assessments and mocks every few weeks, so in case of the event of cancelled exams again next year, teachers will be able to give the exam boards proof of what level we have been working at all year. Again, even if it will be a bit of a stress to keep up as high-level grades as possible on a weekly or monthly basis, it is also a good tactic for the possibility of predicted grades. So as the future of this academic year is still hazy, Iâm trying to prepare for the worst just in case!
 My opinion
Thus in my opinion (not that anyone explicitly asked for it) although this year is going to be a bit rocky, I think that we need to just face it head on, and really appreciate the times that we are physically in school. Itâs a bit bitter sweet for me really, as Iâm in my final year now and, like many others, I feel as if Iâm being robbed of all the fun and, as odd as it sounds, the ânormalâ stress of year 13. In terms of following or not following guidelines, students are less likely to be majorly affected if catching the coronavirus, especially now that it is âless deadlyâ than it was in the beginning. With that logic, I think that schools can afford to be a bit more lenient with following guidelines, and I think that education should be a priority when looking at what can still go ahead in lieu of the rising cases in the UK. That being said, we should all make sure to stay safe and make logical choices when considering our actions.
What do you think about the guidelines in place at your school or college? Do you agree with them, and are they even being followed? Start a discussion in the comments!
Coronavirus reflection - being a student in lockdownÂ
As schools and colleges start preparing to open their doors to students again, albeit in a much more unusual way than ever, students all over the UK are having to gear up for the hectic back to school season. As if back to school didnât carry enough stress normally â with some students struggling to find funds for uniform or supplies, the looming early morning rising, or worrying whether or not anyone notices your botched, home-cut bangs â many students are going back to school for the first time in almost 6 months. So, hereâs my back to school guide to prepare you for a potentially tough first term back. Â
Battling back to school anxietiesÂ
Going back to school after 6 weeks off can be hard enough any given year, but this year certainly has its own reasons for causing unwanted stress. Personally, Iâve found the most effective reliever for my anxieties is talking to my friends about how Iâm feeling. I know it sounds simple, but out of everyone you know your fellow students are going to be able to empathise the most with how youâre feeling. Texting or calling a friend, or your friendship group, to talk through school worries is very cathartic, and knowing that youâve got each otherâs backs is definitely reassuring. Additionally, whenever my anxieties about school start to creep up on me at home, instead of dwelling on them, Iâve started to write down how Iâm feeling. I know it might sound a bit âcringyâ, but Iâve found that journaling is a really effective way to rationalise any anxious thoughts you may have. By writing about how nervous you feel at the time that youâre having these worries, you get to look back in a few hours or daysâ time and write a rationalised response when you feel that youâre in an improved mindset. This way you can begin to think more âreasonablyâ and dispel any irrational thoughts. *Â Â
   2. Staying motivated
After not physically being in school for almost half a year, and not having an exam season or typical results day, school is starting to feel more like a fever dream than reality. So, getting back into a school routine is not exactly going to be easy. If like me you canât wait to go back, becoming motivated again will come somewhat naturally. If, however, youâre really dreading the work, hereâs how I try to stay motivated:Â
Making lists. I know it might sound straightforward, but if you create a logical list in the order of which things need to be done, the feeling of ticking off task by task is sublime.Â
Thinking ahead to your future. I know Iâm starting to sound like a nagging teacher before exam season, but in your final years of 6th form or college every little piece of work counts. By putting in your best effort now, youâre helping secure those top grades and Uni places.Â
Taking frequent breaks. Attempting schoolwork when youâre unmotivated is only going to result in you not reaching your full potential. As long as you havenât left it super last minute, try to leave that essay question until youâre feeling mentally ready to tackle it again.Â
This one may sound quite cheesy, but when I start to feel lazy or like a âcanât be botheredâ to continue with school work, I think about how fortunate I am to be able to attend a decent school â particularly as a young girl. The ONE campaign published figures in 2017 stating that the number of girls not in school in any age group is at 130 million. Whether that be reasons of violence at school, forced marriage or simply because they are girls not boys, millions of girls are being denied the human right to education. Putting these figures into perspective makes me grateful that I can attend school and motivated to continue the schoolwork that I am fortunate to have. (Sorry for getting a bit heavy there).
    3. Stay organised!
Itâs so easy to just chuck all of your school work on the floor or into your desk drawer after school and say time and time again âIâll organise the sheets tomorrowâ (knowing full well that they will stay like that for weeks). Staying as organised as possible from the get-go will make revising and keeping on top of assignments a whole lot easier. I find that by colour coding literally everything I can sort through my notes a lot quicker.Â
    4. Donât be disheartened by lower grades
Letâs be honest, as much as quarantine learning tried, it didnât offer the same standard of work as usual. As much as I can thank most of my teachers for âtaking it easyâ during lockdown learning for the sake of mental health, I feel like my grades may suffer due to the expected, normal standard going back this September. Therefore, try not to be too upset if your work isnât reaching the same grades that it may have in the past â weâve all been out of touch from âproperâ learning for a while now, no one will look down on you if you arenât constantly getting As! This tip is especially relevant to those starting their A levels this year. Trust me, no one gets top grades straight away in A level work!Â
So, all in all back to school is going to be a little different this time around. The most important thing to do is stay safe and follow your schoolâs Covid rules until things start to ease up in your area â and remember to have fun again in school; youâll be seeing your friends more regularly again and finally have a day to day routine!Â
Have a happy back to school season! Â
If you have any other advice, leave a comment to help others!
*If you are badly struggling with anxiety about going back to school, a great organisation you can turn to for help is https://youngminds.org.uk/ , who offer 24/7 support over text.Â
August 13th 2020; A level results day. Well⊠kind of. A day that is supposed to be nerve racking, but also brings its own sense of achievement when results reflect all your hard work. Instead, this year it was all online, over email, and â for my school â 45 minutes late.
At 9am on Thursday I was laying in bed, phone in hand, nervously awaiting my AS grades. The intense storm the night before already felt like a bad omen. All that was going through my mind was how badly the Scottish Highers results day went, and Wales unfortunately delivered the same sense of disappointment. When that dreaded moment came, I was fortunate enough to pass my subjects, yet I still had a feeling of defeat when I felt that the grades didnât accurately represent the hard work that I had put in over the past academic year. Sadly, almost all of my friends went through the same fate. So, as so many other teenagers across the UK, we were all left wondering â what went wrong?
Without being able to do the exams â thanks the inability to carry out socially distanced exams â the exam boards had to come up with a makeshift way to calculate studentâs grades this year. After much deliberation, it was decided that grades were going to be determined by the teachers based on the students work throughout the year and mock results, and students would be put into a rank order in their classes. The grades were then assessed by the schoolâs exam board and put through moderation to determine whether the grades awarded were fair. However, the algorithm used to standardise these results is where the exam boards went horribly wrong â nearly 40% of studentsâ grades were downgraded from their teacherâs predictions.
This âalgorithmâ was faulty in so many ways, to the point where it makes me question why it was even applied to results in the first place. How can exam boards base grades on generic data from the past when all students are so individual? Additionally, how can an algorithm prove what grade the individual student deserves more than their teachers who know them best (or actually know them at all)? Furthermore, an even more concerning issue with the âfool proofâ algorithm is the game of postcode lottery. The data shows that sixth form colleges, which are attended by more disadvantaged students, were more likely to be downgraded than the wealthier colleges. Out of 85% of low socio-economic status students who were predicted a C or above, only 74.6% achieved this â yet 81% of students from wealthier backgrounds were given their C or above (according to Marie Curie). Clearly â as if the UK needed anymore inequality and discrimination â the results were classist and racist.
Thankfully, the government has decided to take a âU turnâ and students will now receive the predicted grades that their teachers first awarded them. This has come just in time, as I was beginning to outline an appeal email for my exams officer. The options that we face now (at least with the WJEC) is either keeping the predicted grade as a final grade if you are dropping a subject, sitting both our AS and A level exams next year, and having our predicted grades make up the overall grade, or just taking our A level exams next year â our predicted grades serving the sole purpose of being able use them to apply to university.
In my opinion, all of the issues exposed this year could have been prevented by giving students their original, teacher predicted grades and the exam boards using the process of moderating randomly selected grades to gauge whether the school werenât over or under predicting grades; skipping out the problematic algorithm altogether. These results have highlighted issues of discrimination that are evident in the UKâs education system, and I can only hope that the nations governments do more to equalise opportunities for all students (regardless of their background) and realise what went so wrong with A levels in order to avoid the same catastrophes on GCSE results day.Â
Start a discussion! Let me know your opinion in the comments!
Why âWhatever People Say I Am, Thatâs What Iâm Notâ is the ultimate British, teenage album
The Arctic Monkeys released their debut album âWhatever People Say I Am, Thatâs What Iâm Notâ on January 23rd ,2006 and won the Mercury Prize for Best Album the very same year. It was also named the 30th greatest Album Debut of all time by the Rolling Stones in 2013 and NME claimed it as 19th in their 500 greatest albums of all time. But what makes the debut album so special?
Donât get me wrong, the sheer force of the instrumentals is enough to impress you right off the bat, but once you take a closer listen, youâll begin to appreciate the true to life lyrics that make up the songs. Being teenagers themselves at the time (Alex Turner turning 20 just before the albumâs release) the lyrics epitomise the trials and tribulations of British teenagers. Take âFrom The Ritz To The Rubbleâ as an example. The lyrics sum up a night on the town; being bossed around and turned away by bouncers, and the âsleepyâ suburbia you live in becoming a completely different scene on a weekend night:
âTo walk back past ten-thousand eyes in the line
And you can swap jumpers and make another moveâ
â the all too familiar feeling of being turned away by mardy bouncers who just seem to have it in for you.
âSaid, this town's a different town to what it was last night
You couldn't have done that on a Sundayâ
â the typical suburban town that boasts friendly neighbourhood ambiance and appears to be a perfectly âsleepyâ by day is unrecognisable by night â the teenagers wreaking havoc in order to escape the monotony of their everyday routines.
Arguably, the most impactful song on the album âA Certain Romanceâ is the perfect summation of the lives that the Arctic Monkeys (and many others their age) lived, where they wish to escape the mundanity of their life, taking an almost wiser and unique view on how others their age are living their lives differently. What makes this song (and the album in general) more relatable is that it doesnât romanticise teen life, which pop songs generally do. Instead, it gives listeners an accurate depiction of the highs and lows in which many will have faced growing up.
âThere's only music, so that there's new ringtonesâ
â this lyric accurately represents the whole quintessence of the Arctic Monkeys; making music not for profit but for artistic purposes. It chides the growth of the ringtone industry that was prevalent at the time of the songâs release and enforces the message that their music is not makeshift, temporary riffs but meaningful music made to be appreciated and interpreted.*
Additionally, what makes this song even more unique and special is that it was recorded live in just one take, as Alex Turner wanted the track to be âspecialâ (which was certainly achieved). This adds to the rawness of the album and highlights the importance of composing the genuine music which the band stood for. This is complimented through the strength of Alex Turnerâs Sheffield accent, which dwindles slightly in the later albums.
Without analysing and acknowledging the subtle genius of the lyrics however, the album is deemed impressive simply by the near constant upbeat, lively pace of the tracks. With a few slower songs (âMardy Bumâ, âRiot vanâ and âA Certain Romanceâ) allowing your ears to âtake a breatherâ between the heavier sounding songs, the album has a perfect flow. The honest intensity of the instruments is enough to give you goosebumps, never failing to deliver an element of passion that the band members clearly enforce. Â
If I were to compare the album to TV shows expressing similar experiences and feelings, I would recommend âSkinsâ and âThe Inbetweenersâ â two shows which, I feel, donât romanticise a British teenâs life, and offer a realistic view into itâs experiences.
All in all, âWhatever People Say I Am, Thatâs What Iâm Notâ is the ultimate British, teenage album, as it vocalises relatable occurrences that so many have or are yet to experience, and offers an unadulterated, refreshing sound that can be a rarity thanks to stereotypical âchart musicâ, which boasts of the same, reused themes of sex, big âbuttsâ and flashy designer brands.
 *For a further, in-depth analysis of the song, head to https://genius.com/Arctic-monkeys-a-certain-romance-lyrics
Coronavirus reflection â being a student in lockdown
School can be tough in the best of times â the best of times currently meaning actual, face to face education â so naturally, quarantine learning has proved to be a fairly onerous experience.
I remember the initial panic I experienced at the very start of the lockdown in the UK. My last day of physical attendance in school was March 20th (conveniently the beginning of exam season preparation and revision) and I was left with many unanswered questions, the most burning question being â whatâs going to happen with my exams? As a seventeen-year old in Wales, I was supposed to take my A/S exams in May and June to complete my first year of A levels. I was supposed to have 7 exams. Yet with no guidance or word from the government about exams or generally any clue what was happening with the severity of the situation, my teachers and I were only able to speculate. I distinctly remember one of my psychology teachers being adamant that the exams would take place, that she had no doubts that we would be back to normal within a few weeks⊠it seems quite ironic looking back. Of course, as I mentioned, no one actually knew the severity of the Coronavirus in the UK, so I naturally put my faith in her views. Consequently, when the WJEC (justly) decided to cancel exams I was left feeling quite shellshocked. Amidst the panic of what was going to happen next, and fear in the prospect of being made to take both my A/S and A level exams in one summer, I also remember a slight feeling of relief. Relief that studentâs health was being protected and relief that I wouldnât have to sit a Mayor Of Casterbridge English exam! Â
So, skip forward slightly to post-Easter holiday, where the amount of schoolwork and teaching was back in full swing (of course, not completely!). Seeing as I decided against sitting any of my A/S exams next year, and just sitting my A level exams, I started early with my A level courses. In a way, this was really a blessing, as it gave students those few extra months to study our A level content and get a head start for next year. In theory, this is marvellous, but in practice⊠During the intensity of the lockdown, where everything was much stricter and the virus was at its worst, it was hard enough just getting up in the morning. As someone whose life revolves mainly around my hours in sixth form and my schoolwork, waking up knowing I was about to spend yet another day with no real plan, prospects or structure was challenging. Trying to find the motivation each day to open my laptop and face essays and deadlines was honestly strenuous. Plus, the potential that my parents would walk into my room or my face sticking on a really awkward expression on a zoom call was extremely anxiety inducing! Thankfully, the constant uplifting emails and positive feedback from teachers made the prospects slightly easier; along with the thought that I wasnât alone, my fellow classmates experiencing the same struggles as me was comforting, as I always felt like if I spoke out to my friends they would understand.
In conclusion, online education in the lockdown was certainly a learning curve (excuse the slight pun) and is an experience that will be interesting to look back on in time. If you are in a similar position to me, now is the perfect time to reflect on our experiences. Whether you have a positive outlook or not just remember; you got through it! You managed to work through what is typically gruelling schoolwork in the middle of a worldwide pandemic! Congratulations!
IÂ feel as the experience can be summed up with this Rex Orange County lyric:Â
A Thousand Splendid Suns follows the story of two young women growing up in the midst of a civil war in Kabul. Fifteen-year-old Mariam is forced to marry the harsh Rasheed, who is at least thirty years older than she. Several years later, after catastrophic events, fifteen-year-old Laila is forced into the same miserable household as Mariam. Over the course of their relationship, Mariam and Laila find solace in each other as they struggle with the ever-present misogyny and the Talibanâs iron grip on Afghanistan, as together they must overcome the most horrific obstacles imaginable.
Issues raised:
Civil war
MisogynyÂ
Abuse relationships
Familial death
Mariam is easily one of the most fearless heroines I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. Her endurance throughout is admirable, and her personal story is an incredibly touching one. The number of harrowing obstacles she must battle are heartbreaking, including being haunted by the memory of her mother, her ongoing and constant abuse from her arranged marriage and having to deal with the Talibanâs strict rules for women. I found her stamina and perseverance are her most valuable traits, and that in particular is what made me really feel for her character.
âAnd, for the first time, it was not an adversaryâs face Laila saw but a face of grievances unspoken, burdens gone unprotested, a destiny submitted to and endured.â â LailaÂ
Laila is an incredibly headstrong character, willing to stand up for herself no matter the cost; an outlook that her father always taught to have â a man who passionate about everyoneâs right to education, being an ex-professor himself. Despite the oppression that women faced at the time (and sadly do still face in some cultures today) she has always had the potential to thrive in life and education, and though such opportunities are stripped from her, she proceeds to prevail and is fiercely loyal to her beliefs and rights.
âMarriage can wait, education cannot. Youâre a very, very bright girl. Truly, you are. You can be anything you want, Laila. I know this about youâ â Babi (Lailaâs father)
 I think one of the most compelling qualities of this book is Khaled Hosseiniâs style of writing. Hosseiniâs descriptions of people and places are so evocative I feel as if I am right there beside these characters. Furthermore, his description of Rasheed is so vivid that I cannot just visualise him, but his scent is so strong to me, and I can envision so many minor details about him â right down to his overgrown, yellowing fingernails (yuck).
The issues brought up in this novel are so touching and intense that it evokes such strong emotions in me and causes one to ponder over how lucky they really are. As a young woman â not too much older than Mariam and Laila when they were forced into marriage â it really causes me to appreciate the privileges I have as a woman living in a cosmopolitan, (mostly) equal society. And even if you are not a young woman, this book is poignant for someone of any gender, race, or age.
âOne could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.â â Khaled Hosseini
This is my first book review - how did I do? Feedback would be greatly appreciated so I can improve as a writer. If you made it this far, thank you for reading!!Â
I read a book recently that broke my heart into a billion pieces, like truly devastated me, and it provoked such strong emotions in me. The book had such a big impact on me that I couldnât just leave it on the shelf after I finished it, I had so many thoughts and feelings swimming through my mind that I couldnât just leave bottled up inside. So, I figured, why not express my thoughts publicly (or in anyway really!) and I came to the most ingenious, never before thought of idea of starting a blog! Iâm planning to use this account for book, movie and TV reviews, so that it may prompt others to view said media or share their thoughts with me and others. (I am very open to criticism as I donât have a lot of writing practice).
I honestly donât know if anyone will read this or what I post; if not at least itâs cathartic for me!!Â
Some quick facts about me: Iâm a 17 year old living in the UK, I am the biggest Harry Potter fan I know and I am an aspiring writer / journalist.Â
