Mumsnet Talk

Anyone else have DC with January modules? How is the revision going? My DD has 4 papers (English Lang & 3 Science).

The science is not a problem, has always achieved As, so no worries there. But but the English is a real worry. As she is ASD she really struggles with interpretation and imagination.

It is not helped by the fact that it is not really possible to have any certainly about where the grade boundaries are anymore.....

My DS has AS levels to do. He has physics on friday and maths later in January. My kitchen is covered with post it notes with formula on them

Well at least there is evidence of revision

Yes he is being good, he is doing an exam paper every day this week, although started a bit late really.

DS has English Language and English Literature. He's been working through a revision guide for English Language but hasn't done anything for English lit yet. I think he finds the literature easier though and tends to make the language harder than it actually is!

AS levels here for ds. Philosophy and govt & politics. He has been mega revising but is just blown away by philosophy. It's just so huge a subject requiring real specifics but sometimes abstract concepts. Good luck to everyone's DC.

You have me worried Idontknowwheremymedalsare . Ds is taking AS Philosophy but there is no mention of any exams at the moment.

Lots of revision going on here for Science. When my daughter did here I helped by marking past papers. This is proving impossible to do for my son, who is severly dyslexic and dyspraxic. He gets extra time allowance but school insist he isnt entitled to a scribe. However, I can't read his writing so I cannot mark them. I don't dare tell him that as it would, understandably, kill any confidence he still has. So I am caught between a rock and a hard place showing him online tests (which he is doing - but some of the answers are wrong!!!) ..... It's a very difficult time for me but he seems to be working like Trojan, for which I am very proud.

Ds gets extra time Kez. But he has 2 maths exams on the same day with half an hour between them, but because of extra time DS gets just 7 minutes break.

Kez, probably too late for this exam series, but instead of a scribe could he use a computer to type his answers? I know several dc who have done this.

Dd has AS exams this week - all 4 subjects in just 3 days. Not good for a last minute cramming type. She can't seem to get in the mood for revision and keeps going to sleep instead (not being 100% well isn't helping and neither is being a lazy moo).

I will be glad when the week is over and am fully expecting she will get a wake up call whenever the results come out.

bruffin that is ridiculous. My DC have extra time and they have always had the same length break as everyone else.

As they are not starting the second exam at the same time they might have to isolate, but it's not for that long so the school should accommodate this.

Bluffing, that strikes me as unfair.

He should have adequate break for food and toilet. how long is each exam?

Just spoke to ds as he has finally got up. It turns out the exams clash for every one and they all only get 7 minutes. He will still be doing first exam when others start the second.
Need to look at it a bit more as it still doesnt really make sense. Its ocr maths 1, then decision maths.

The maths exams are often done back to back. They aren't very long - not more than 1.5hr as I recall, so no more than 3hrs without extra time. max 3hr 45min with. (assuming 25% extra). It's still a long time to concentrate though.

Some of the essay based subjects have 3hr exams, so it's not really any different from that.

That does make more sense

DDs doing science modules and English CAs.

I don't understand the science, as she is Y10 and I thought they'd been abolished.

She's done a fair bit of revision and lives in a very sciency house.

DH and her have found all manner of conflicting interpretations of her poem.

The exams are 1.5 and ds gets 23minutes extra.

Star is she doing double science? If so the usual pattern is to do Core science one year and Additional Science the next (so one GCSE each year rather than two in the second year). This would mean that her Core science is completed this year so modules still possible.

bruffin I would ask for a longer break if your DS will struggle with the timing

It can still be done that way fro triple too with some exam boards creamteas and startail. As long as they do all the modules for each GCSE at the same time. Triple can be done as cor, additional and further additional instead of physics, chem and bio.

Thanks Creamteas
To be honest i think he will be ok, as long as he has a good lunch. As it is the exam wont finish until nearly 5 so he wont get home until 6.

An energy drink to keep him going might be an idea too?

Yes combined science so that makes sense.

I am very very angry about this as she could easily have done triple science.

School have changed the set cut off to make their combined results look less crap.

They can justify it by her being dyslexic, but some of her group are so useless they are really winding her up.

Bruffin, ds is currently doing AS levels and has AQA philiosophy this Wednesday afternoon (he isn't sure but he does think it is possible some schools are doing everything in June) and gov & pol next Monday afternoon. This is the first time our school has offered this subject so I am a bit worried but the lovely LadyLetch on here has been marking essays for him as she is an examiner. I love MN. Thank you LL.

He has a convergence issue which means he can't see the paper properly esp grids. For GCSE he has extra Time (as he does this time 25%). He also had a reader, use of a laptop and a scribe. He used the scribe for science and other multiple choice questions because he can't see patterns, ie the numbers going in lines so she just circled the correct answer. The biggest problem is for A levels apparently getting a reader is nigh on impossible, so he is struggling a bit as he just can't read all the source material fast enough. As for a computer he has been using one in lessons and exams since year 9 (the year he was diagnosed). All I did was pay for an Ed psych and her report was sent by the school to the exam board and all was ok? We did need a new Ed psych report for a levels as it only lasts 2 years.

Thanks
Ds confirmed he hasnt any modules for phylosophy and wont have exam until june.

Lol. That's what ds said was probably the case when I asked him what exam board this morning.

So how is it all going? DD's first paper is tomorrow morning, although if last year is anything to go by, I won't get any insights into how it went

Ds is stressed, didnt sleep until 4 this morning, so let him stay home and he did more practice papers, which seemed to go ok.

bruffin I hope he, and you, get some sleep tonight....

DS has English language tomorrow and I asked him whether the exam was in the morning or the afternoon. He said he didn't know but was just going to follow his friends when they went to the hall

Yes, dd has English language tomorrow too: she is ok with that one as it's more her thing, but physics next week may be a worry.

DD1 doing English lang this morning - 9.00 kick off. She got a D last time round, so we are hoping to reach a C this time... She seemed pretty calm and in control anyway despite a minor kerfuffle about losing her ear plugs this morning.

then a maths paper tomorrow and one next week - anyone else got those?
good luck to them all!

DD has English gcse module this morning. Also gets her maths retake results I think. Then 3 science exams in 2 weeks time. I have butterflies!

Yes English this morning for dd, maths and pe results this afternoon.
She has been so calm( has ocd and we have had running away over exams in the past)
Fingers crossed.

DD has Eng Lit and a couple of Science modules this month. She has been revising over Christmas but is very stressed. Still has various mocks going on too which doesn't help.

Did anyone get any feedback on the English Lang paper this morning. All I got was a 'dunno'

DS gave me a detailed run down of all the questions and what he wrote including what he would he would have written if he hadn't have run out of time so I think he was generally happy with it but could have done with another 15 mins. He said it was easier than last summer's paper (he took it in year 10)

Webwiz glad your DS was happy, which paper was it? My DD was sitting AQA foundation. She only managed an E in the mock before Christmas, so not sure there has been enough time to pull it up.

She will be taking it again in the summer anyway, but it would good to see something better (not that they are giving grades out, so we won't really know)

It was the AQA higher.

We have triple science in two weeks and A2 exams and AS resits in the next two weeks in this house! A bit stressy! Think I will bake, that should help!

I've seen the AQA Eng Lang paper (my students sat it today).

Seen worse.

The devil's in where they draw the boundaries - persistent mutterings coming out of AQA that they're being raised again, which, if it happens, will hit the top end of Foundation hard, ie. the C/D border. Again.

But yeah, the papers themselves were quite fair.

DD had 2 controlled assessments today & was sent home before they started s she was so poorly

I think I am grateful she can try when she is better (but I think she would have rather got them over with)

Bad news for my DS then Raven, third time he's sat this paper. Apparently the head of Sixth form has a cunning plan if they don't pass this time, not sure what this means. Now on to ASs etc.

my DD was not that impressed by yesterday's Eng Lang, which I think was AQA, but she seemed ok about it. she said it was confusing, the layout was different than she expected? but she is dyslexic, and she likes things to look the same.

maths today, o god, she got a G in the summer (I didnt know you could get a G!)

My dyslexic son said none of his friends answered question 4 (I think it was 4), I'm not sure if this was a problem just for Dyslexic/ASD students.

I dont know mummy, I will ask her! hope your DD is better katy

Hopefully they all did as well as they could. DS got caught up with the English AQA debacle last year and was offered a resit, but he decided not to go for it and concentrate on A levels.

DS took his physics AS today. He has done 14 previous papers in the last few weeks plus 2 more this morning and he rang me up really pleased because a lot of the same questions came up. Just hope he isnt being over confident. Gets the results march 7th i think. Maths in two weeks time now.

My DD is a borderline D/C so if AQA raises the bar again, it won't go well

Nothing next week, then four papers the week after. One for each of the sciences and Geog.

Looking at schedule, it will be controlled assessments from then till the summer....

Dd got D for maths, which is a pain.
And failed her PE mock...also isn't happy with the English language paper.
Lots of tears and low self esteem last night, together with a sudden heavy period.
Poor girl

Sorry to hear that mrsr, there is so much pressure isn't there.

It is not helped with the constant rhetoric that GCSEs are easy and everyone should get a string of a*s when for many DC even getting a C or a D is an achievement.

"It is not helped with the constant rhetoric that GCSEs are easy and everyone should get a string of a*s when for many DC even getting a C or a D is an achievement. "

so true creamteas. It breaks my heart when they struggle and struggle to get that bloody C, and people come out with how easy the exams are. Quite honestly, I dont understand a single word of DD1's maths revision book.

she went to a maths session at school on sat, they reviewed last week's test and she thinks she might not have done quite as badly as she thought. next maths paper is tomorrow.

mrsr re the heavy periods - DD1 has just gone on the pill for that very reason and I'm thinking that if she stays on it just for 6 months til we get through GCSEs that could be helpful. (it also has the added bonus that she has FINALLY learnt to swallow a tablet as result!) Not worried that she is sexually active; I suppose a slight concern about taking hormones etc, but it's her body and she's got to get through it.

not sure if this is the place, but DD1 just called to tell me that she has a place in 6th form at her current school (which is what she wants) to do all her choices as long as she gets her C in English. She can re-do maths as many times as necessary. hooray, she is so happy and so am I!

dont think Tuesday's maths test went that well, so we may well be in for multiple retakes on that front. C in English is achievable, fingers crossed and a fair wind.

Thats good to hear Boschy

That must be a weight off both your minds, Boschy!
I'm waiting for DD1 to come home to find out how her English exam went today - she was very stressed when she left this morning - I know she was well prepared (am an English teacher!) but she didn't seem to believe me when I told her.

Good news Boschy

We have a respite week this week with no exams then have 3 sciences next week.

DD is still off school & is now 'post-viral' - so no exercise no school & grumpy sad teenager; goodness knows how that affects GCSEs

Sorry to hear that Katy, hope she feels better soon

oh katy poor DD and poor you! any idea when she can get back to school? can they give you any idea of what/whether she could do some revision or coursework at home?

Thanks - they have said "wait & see" & she can't dance at all (which for her is a nightmare)

Good luck to anyone else's DCs who have science or anything else today.
Hoping snow doesn't cause further stress to anyone with exams tomorrow and next week.

to KatyMacs DD, who I know much prefers dancing to anything else.

We have science on Tuesday.
Oh god.
Another D looming.

Thanks Startail - it's hell; GCSE can go hang but she has missed weeks of dance class and that really hurts

School have announced they are cancelling the Geog GCSE paper tomorrow. DD is not doing geog, but lots of her friend's are .

All the other schools seem to be opening for exams, it is not till the afternoon and we live in a bloody city. So I think deciding this now is very premature .

We do have biology first thing on Tuesday though, so they better open then

DS's school is shut due to snow but is still open for exams. That does seem a bit premature creamteas I know DS's friends are still sitting their geog exam.

By 7 this morning, all the main roads were fine and the buses & trains running normally, so even if the school buses didn't run, everyone could have got in safely for the afternoon.

I think the HT's inbox was not be happy reading!

On the plus side, they are open tomorrow so DD will not miss biology.

Oh shit, I've caused a stupid argument with dd this morning - she has Physics on Friday and doesn't seem to be doing enough: her dad knows this stuff, and is aware this is her weakest subject, but she won't talk it through or be helped - all she's prepared to do is be asked the most basic questions from the AQA revise book - 'name a kind of energy' - whilst she potters around her room not really listenning, and there appear to be significant gaps in her understanding.

She's usually so conscientious but just doesn't seem to want to think about this at all, won't let her father tell her anything ('he's not a teacher!') and is saying 'it's not the last chance anyway, I can resit it' ffs.

SO I stupidly brought this up at 8.10, as am really concerned she is just not working and now, predictably enough, she's gone storming off to school. I have messed this one up

Oh don't worry TheOriginalSteamingNit she'll have a good moan about you to her friends and you can sort it out when she gets home.

DS has a french speaking controlled assessment today and when he is asked about his family he has a nice passage prepared about how much I nag him

Feel your pain, TOSN. I have to say speaking as a teacher, having a Y11 of my own is giving me such a useful perspective on the psychology of exam stress. Can't wait till this week is over - DD is stressed to the max and I can't say a thing right!

Biology AQA second paper was this morning. DS1 doesn't have his phone. Anyone have any feedback yet?

Yep, my eldest has just come back - said it was OK, quite fair with some questions she had to think about and apply knowledge rather than regurgitate stufff (I'm clearly paraphrasing here )

Nothing here until Physics on Friday - dd has spoken to dp and they're on speakers again, and so are we...

and she got her mocks results today which were fab so maybe she's not quite the lost cause she seemed this morning

DD was pleased with Biology. She had a German controlled assessment as well today which also went well. Chem on Thurs and Physic Friday and an English controlled assessment and then she can relax a bit (and so can we).
TOSN - that's great news about your DD's mocks.

DD had biology too, but no feedback apart from the usual ok! Also going Chem and Physics this week.

Thankfully no controlled assessments this week, but has French 'soonish' . We got sent a timetable at the beginning of the year, but they don't seem to be sticking to it, and she is very vague on details!

Glad things are happier in your house this evening TOSN.

DS has a bit of a controlled assessment pile up this week thanks to an early finish and a day off due to snow. French went well today so that one can be ticked off the list. No science exams thankfully I don't think I could cope with those as well!

Thank you for the nice posts this morning: don't you just hate it when you know you spectacularly mishandled things just before school, eh?

So I expect we shall all be seeing each other on a similar thread from May to August...

DD1 gets the results of her English IGCSE today, everything crossed she gets the magic C.

SHE BLOODY WELL DID IT!!!!! got 66 marks, so only just off a B. Clever clever clever girl, so proud of her I have even had a little weep [embarassed smiley]

She's still got to sit the AQA one again, but the IGCSE gets her into 6th form to do her choices.

Hope everyone else's DC are coping wth the exams.

Well done boschys dd. Ds has his maths on friday. Not so happy about decision maths , but more confident with mechanical maths.
He has set himself high standards so i hope he does ok.

Great news boschys, I am really worried about the magic C for my DD.

Why does she still have to retake AQA? I think I'd be suggesting quit while you are ahead

Well done to your DD Boschy! DD is currently in her bedroom stressing about not being able to remember any chemistry for tomorrow's exam. I have made various suggestions none of which were deemed helpful.

she gets a free AQA resit as a result of the debacle over marking last summer; and AQA is regarded as 'better' than IGCSE by the likes of RG unis (irrelevant to her). she wants to do the AQA resit as she reckons she can get her course work up to an A and then scrape through the exam bit and perhaps end up with a B.

I understand none of the exam ins and outs, but she seems to know exactly what she is doing, and apart from occasional episodes of vile bad temper/screeching she seems to be on top of stuff.

cream I too was really worried, I hope your DD can crack it. justin I feel your pain, none of my suggestions are ever helpful apparently either!

Maths will be our biggest hurdle, and I do foresee multiple retakes, god help us all.

Oh how wonderful - congratulations

Poor DD was hassled today about some 'controlled assessment' she hasn't done

Well it's a bit hard to work when you keep falling asleep

I tried suggesting with my eldest, it didn't work, I tried again with my second, same again.

Third time round, I have given up with the 'helpful' suggestions and just hoping that the shut bedroom door is a sign of revision . To be fair DD, got some good results last summer, so I really ought to have faith... But well, you know teenagers are easily distracted.

Katy sorry to hear things are still difficult for your DD

Any insight from any one on chemistry this morning, all I get is a shrug .

Just physics to go now, thankfully

Creamteas - DD said it was OK. It seemed to be fairly straightforward apart from the first supposedly easy question where she gave the same answer as one of the really clever boys in the class but another equally clever boy had a completely different answerl! No more detail than that! Waiting for her to come home and say how Physics went now.

Thanks Justin, DD did physics as well. No point worrying now, just have to wait till March....