GCSE Support Thread 2013

Russians - she recorded one performance piece on each of her two instruments - teacher has decided one instrument is better than the other and she should do both on that.

Hello all. My DD is also doing GCSEs this year with DD2 just entering maths early in year 10. DD1 is doing wjec English Lit and doing Lord of the Flies and Blood Brothers. She is still finishing the syllabus in Biology, physics and English Lit with her 1st exam on 13th May - I also thought all the work would be completed by now and the emphasis on past papers and revising etc. All CAs finished (as far as I am aware) with final art pieces being given in last week. She starts study leave on Friday 10th - but her exams start on the following Monday so not much study leave! Last exam on 5th June which is a biology unit 1 resit. Good luck everyone!

Why the change of instruments?

DD1 came home last night and said she needs to rerecord two of her music pieces, including one where she has been told to choose a difference performance piece on a different instrument to her initial submission. Cue much agonising and practising last night.
I suspect the teacher thinks she is a borderline grade and wants to make sure she gets over the grade boundary but she is mightily miffed as she thought all that was done and dusted weeks ago.

I am concerned roisin, less so about music (done in one year) more so about science, Geography &

I'd be concerned at students still working on CAs now, rather than concentrating on exam preparation work.

ds1 did most of his CAs in year 10 (All English and English Lit - written and speaking, 2 (of 4) German, History, 2 Science). The remainder (2 German, 2 Science) were done in Autumn term. If students had failed a CA and had to re-sit, these have mostly taken place in after-school sessions in Spring term or Easter hols. (He hasn't, thankfully).

The only exception for him is IT. They did the IT exam in yr10, then the coursework in yr11. His final deadline is this Friday and it seems to have involved a huge amount of time, so I'm pleased that one's done and dusted.

It's all finished......phew & the neighbours didn't revolt

it's here I hope

Cory, Russians sorry to hear about your DC, I hope things work out ok.

My DD still has a few controlled assessments to do . They started preparing for their last writing task last week. Chemistry, biology and geog also not quite finished. Their field trip for geog was only last week!

It is two weeks today until DD has her first exam. French, 3x science and RE before half term and revision is just focused on these at the minute. Well to be honest, it is just French and Science. RE will be a glance over the night before job, as the result in this is not going to make any difference to her life chances at all .

Circular yes it is awful. She can play if she is full of pain killers. Just about. But it's very painful. She isn't supposed to be playing at all, of course, but she is taking the strapping off and playing for little bits - she can do about 20 mins before she has to stop. But I'm trying to seriously limit it. Because otherwise it just won't get better. :( She couldn't play at all for a month after the initial injury.

Circular, are you sure they're not last minute second/third attempts?

DS has finished all his controlled assessments circular - I think I would be a bit about after school sessions at this stage. The last one DS did was a french writing a couple of weeks a go and I thought that was a bit late! Compositions for music were all finished before Easter and so just practising listening papers in school at the moment.

Yes - DD is doing it in 1 year & did one composition first week of Jan and now this one

Anyone else's DC still not finished controlled assessments?
Seems to be very last minute at my DDs school, still not completed Chemistry & Physics and having to do after school sessions.

Cory Hope it all works out and best wishes to you both

Russians That's awful with your daughters fingers. Can she still play?

Katy /Russians Is that Edecxel Music.? DDs compositions were done & dusted last term.

I think she had to do it on a area they have studied; but DD does African Drumming anyway so she just asked her group

By heck they are loud - she has 10 hours controlled assessment & a performance (I think)

katy - thanks! Good luck to your DD. I suppose that's the same as what DD1s syllabus calls creative task, but I don't think they record them - I think they just wrote down their compositions, but they do play them to make sure they sound ok, I think......it's based on a prompt so you can't just make up anything you want, it has to fit the sample they provide.....

Hello GCSE parents!

Can I recommend youtube for science revision videos. Virtualschoolsuk, crash course and Sci show have some good ones.

If you're doing AQA sciences, search for AQA gcse science and someone's done videos for each unit.

For A level (and even those doing higher GCSE or preparing for A level) the Khan Academy videos are just amazing.

Also, my favourite revision technique is the mind map (google Tony Buzan for a good explanation) but students hate it because it requires effort and thought. But that's one of the things that makes it so good.

Thanks for being motivational! I wish all parents were so positive.

Oh Russians

DD is recording her GCSE Music composition tonight - I have 7 African drums being played in my conservatory!!

I just found out that DD1 has the creative task for music tomorrow. I had no idea it was tomorrow, I'm not even at home (in London for work till tomorrow evening). However that's fair to be honest, she generally asks me to leave the country if possible when she has an important exam as she worries about me being worried and getting knocked over or setting myself on fire or something like that as a consequence of being distracted. Apparently she's fine with me setting myself on fire in another country or, at worst, in London. It's just doing it in her own home she want's to avoid. I don't know whether to or :(

Hi everyone, we are in Year 10. DD never studied in the past, still does bare minimum but predicted good grades so I'm not that worried except...

I don't believe the school that she can do that well when she never does any work at home! I feel as though all her friends are working much harder than she is and I'm worried she's going to fall flat.

Cory, only just read your posts properly. Best wishes to you and DD - keeping healthy and happy is much more important than bloody GCSEs!

Another Of Mice and Men here, also The Crucible. I tend to stay out of the English as it's her best subject and she just gets on with it.

I was pleased when she said 'I'm going to revise really hard after stand-down, making a timetable...' etc. Then I finally got my hands on the elusive exam timetable, and her first exam is BEFORE stand-down. Fortunately it's RE, where she will spout atheist ideas and hopefully scrape through!

I do wish it was all over... then we'll only have A levels and possible higher education to stress over!

And poor cory and DD. Hope you are both managing.

Ooh I hate finger/door injuries, so nasty. Hope it heals better over time and she does ok Russians