Nat 5/Highers etc - Anyone getting ready with their S4 - S6 dc?

[weegiemum]

My dd1 is in s4 and about to sit 8 Nat5s. I don't know who is more wound up about it - her or me! (and I'm a teacher!!).

Wondered if there's anyone else out there to hold hands with?

DD is sitting English, Maths, Ghaidlig (Gaelic native speaker), French, History, Art & Design, Physics and Design & Manufacture. First is English on 5th May.

[Alohamora]

DS2 is doing his Nat5's this year too. Scary time and he was in school yesterday doing extra Graphic Communication stuff. In again tomorrow for History study session.

He's quite a worrier so we've had a chat or two about managing stress and not letting everything get on top of him.

After the hols it's back for two weeks then study leave! Can't believe he's exam age already.

[AssembleTheMinions]

Me, dd1 is in S6. Sitting AH chemistry, AH maths, higher physics and higher music. She has an 2 unconditional and 3 conditional offers for uni. Still very stressful especially as she wants to go to the one that offered her a conditional place depending on her AH results.

[BloodyDogHairs]

My DD is sitting her 6th year highers, unfortunately the 3 uni's she applied to declined her so she's waiting to find out from the 4th one. The 4th uni is quite a distance away so I have no idea what will happen if she gets a offer.

[AssembleTheMinions]

Oh no BDH what is she hoping to study? We're within travelling distance to the Glasgow unis thankfully, financially it would be a real stretch if she had to move away. The basic loan doesn't got very far with accommodation to fund.

[BloodyDogHairs]

It was a language course (I can't remember the exact one), my dd had applied to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling. After the knock back and talking it thru with her teacher she applied for Aberdeen. I had suggested looking into college instead but she ignored that suggestion and applied for Aberdeen uni which is just over 100 miles away. I have no idea of her plans if she actually gets a offer, I'm trying not to stress her out again after being refused from the 1st 3 Uni's.

[Groovee]

We're Nat5's too. Found prelims horrendous as a parent. Dreading the 2nd of May.

Dd has a tutor for maths and has been in school over the holidays for extra classes.

[tilliebob]

DS1 was actually in school today - during the holidays - as his Graph Com teacher got the school opened for his class and the Eng Science folks to work on their assignments. DS was there working for 5hrs as he's sussed that if he can claw a B in the higher and his other grades are as predicted, he'll be in line for an unconditional from Dundee Uni --fingers crossed-

Next year he'll he sitting Adv Highers and DD will be doing N5's. I think I should start stockpiling wine now to get DH and I through it

[weegiemum]

Glad I'm not alone! DD1 was in school all day yesterday doing her Art folio stuff and did lots of Ghaidlig today, she's off for a sleep over with a friend tonight.

Our revision master plan is we are going to the Outer Hebrides next week where we have a holiday home with no internet, so she'll have to study.

She failed her maths prelim and the resit, though has passed all the unit assessments so is going to be doing a lot of maths and physics.

I can't quite imagine what doing this along with uni applications will be like.

Best of luck to everyone!

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Yup DS1 is sitting 7. English, Maths, Physics, Engineering Science, Computing Science, Geography and Art and Design.

He had finished all his assignments and the course material for all his courses except Art & Design. he brought his last piece home and did it on Monday. DH sat with his yesterday and sorted out a study timetable and organised the family room for his exclusive use for the next 2 months. Table, chair, all required stationery and study books for each subject laid out in a line on the floor. He's downloaded the Pomodoro timer on his phone and is apparently starting at 9 this morning! He'll be fine with DH there cracking the whip and we are all on holiday next week and he has timetabled 2 hours each morning while we are away. The following 2 weeks will again be fine as we are about after school to see he keeps to his timetable. We are hoping that the habits will be ingrained enough for him to continue it when he is off on exam leave.

He's not too worried about Physics, Maths and Engineering. I think it's Geography and English that are his main concerns - they are both in the first week so in one way it gets them out the way but in another he has the least time available to study for them.

DH has agreed a reward system for grades but I'm not sure if that will motivate him or not as he doesn't spend money!

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Tillie We'll need the wine too as DS2 sits his Nat5s next year while DS1 will be doing his 5th year Highers. Then it will be 6th and 5th year the following year. I don't think we are likely to survive...

[tilliebob]

Oh hell OneMagnum . I've these two years to get through...then a break of 5 years before DS2 sits his N5's. I'll be needing a pacemaker fitted by then am ancient

[Groovee]

Ds goes into third year in June. Dreading 2 years time and the melt downs from both!

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Hmm and also just thought that we will be doing Uni applications at the same time too - FFS. I think I might just need to retire early.

It would be exceeding helpful if DS1 had the slightest clue about what he'd like to do!

I'm one of 7, no wonder we were just left to get on with it. :o

[LizzieMacQueen]

I have one doing Nat5s and one doing AHs - she's okay though as she has an unconditional for her uni of choice.

AssembleTheMinions - is it Chemistry at Strathclyde your daughter is interested in?

My DS has a piecemeal attitude to studying. I don't know how much the teachers have been guiding them, they spent the last few days at school doing revision so I think it'll be the same in the two weeks they're back after the holidays.

It's difficult striking the balance - what I perceive as being supportive, they see as a nag! Just such changed days from when my own parents really couldn't have cared less. In hindsight, though, that was a wonderful motivator!

[AssembleTheMinions]

Lizzie it's the forensic science with analytical chemistry that she really wants. She has a conditional for that as well as chemistry with drug discovery and chemistry all from Strathclyde. The unconditionals are from Caledonian for biochemistry and forensic science.

Very little studying going on here. She really wants Strathclyde so I have no idea why she's not putting more effort in.

Where's your dd going?

[weegiemum]

After this year I've got ds coming up (just choosing his options for s3) and then a year behind him, dd2. She's doing Nat5 music next year in S2!

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Dd is next year, she's just x chosen her subjects.
I'm dreading it, she can be erm interesting at the best of times.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

DH had both mine down for a lecture chat about them being men now and not boys and needing to take responsibility for themselves...

DS1 is very keen to please people but has no clue what to do, DS2 has better ideas about his future but is not keen to please others. It might be interesting as I think we'll need to take a different tack with him. i.e. if you want to get away from us and off to japan or wherever then you'll need to get on with studying for that.

[LizzieMacQueen]

Assemble, she's going to study at Edinburgh. She was quite interested in the range of chemistry options at Strathclyde but didn't get a good feel for the place on the Open day. I'm sure the fact they offered a conditional put her off too - she was asked to get a C at AH.

[Superjaggy]

My DS is in S4 and is about to sit his National 5s (English, history, modern studies, business, admin) He passed all but one of his prelims, which was as big a surprise to him as it was to me! I'm slightly worried that he's become complacent since...

However he's started studying this week and I'm trying to leave him to it. Tempting as it is to wade in with advice on planning, note-taking, past-paper sitting...

Is anyone (further) restricting their DC's use of Xbox, etc over the next couple of months? I want DS to have opportunities to take breaks from studying but I'm worried he'll get distracted by FIFA 16.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

We've said no PC until after dinner this week. Next week we are away for a few days but in case of rain it will be no IT till after lunch. We've agreed on school days it will stay off until 7pm and when on study leave it'll go back to being after dinner (we usually eat about 5ish).

Whether we manage to stick to it or not I don't know - there are some activities it's recommended not to do in breaks as it stimulates a different part of the brain and therefore makes it difficult to refocus - I cant remember what those are but I suspect gaming is one of them.

[Groovee]

I thought Dd was socialising too much until she showed me how they are testing each other and learning from each other. The dance exams are next week and one of the mum's has cleared her conservatory for them to use as a dance studio. The drama lot are face timing each other to practice their practical exam for next week too. Dd's Yorkshire accent is awful.

[Superjaggy]

I'm sure gaming would be one of the things not recommended for brain breaks... But then if that's what he wants to do in his down time, seems a bad time to totally restrict it... I definitely want to cut his use down though.

[prettybird]

Ds started his holiday revision today (he'd been at the Youth Tour of Scotland, a 3 day residential cycle race, getting back on Monday and wanted yesterday off).

He seems to be fairly sorted: did some English and Geography today.

Dh has made a deal with him: £25 per A (which he's capable of although he hates French ) but minus £50 per B . He's doing 8, so that could be very expensive - and he already has one A in the bag (PE)

My dad has now said he'll also incentivise him: £10 per A, nothing per B and minus £20 per C.

However, like Magnum's ds, he's actually not that motivated by money

He's gone off to rugby training this evening. He's factored in both physical breaks and "gaming" breaks - but not actually shared his revision timetable with us.

I hope with those disincentives, he will come and ask for help with his French (I have a French degree). I've made the offer - but can't make him take it up.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

We have no-one else chipping in with incentives so DH has offered £50 per A, £20 per B and £10 per C. but said he will change it for Highers since there are less of them and they are more important. So whilst this year could be expensive - next year will be worse as we'll have DS2 doing 7 nat5s and DS1 doing his Highers...