Year 11 GCSE countdown. Revision angst begins.

I agree - seeing my DC go through this has been an eye opener. I only did one (or possibly two) papers for each science subjects at O levels instead of 3 exams for each science subject. Had a look at last year's Maths paper and there is no way I could do it well enough to get a decent grade.

Stressy morning here with DS2 (GCSE year) yelling at DS1 (A-levels) to 'Stop revising Product Design at me!'

That nice two-year gap between sibs is not looking a good idea right now.

Stress here too (me not DS)! DS predicted B and C in lit and lang. He's keeping calm by ignoring the exams and not doing any revision now in the evenings (no exam leave so still in school). He says this is better than going in stressed! I really hope he reaches at least his predicted grades but I feel he can do better as they were based on him before 'the big push' from jan. I really hope that there isn't a massive fall in those getting a C or above as I cant believe how hard the kids are working and also all the effort the teachers are putting in with extra lessons in holidays/weekends. I don't know about this 'grade inflation' as i did absolutely f'all revision for my GCSEs years ago and I think these are much harder than the ones I took in 1989!

It pisses me off that the papers still talk about how easy the questions are and then pick a E level question to laugh at. There has to be easy questions and hard questions yet they never seem to print the hard ones! I'd like to get these into an exam hall and have them take the papers!

Music posters came down last night to reveal some complicated graphs (for maths).

Fingers and toes crossed as DD would love a B for English (some painful universities ask for it, regardless of subject. As does one local sixthform. Fortunately not the ones she's thinking of, but it still makes her huffy)

She only has Cs for the first CAs, which they did stupidly early in Y10.

Huge, huge good luck to everyone who's DCs are on the C/D borderline, and that as many as posdible of them never have to make sense of these new post 16 rules.

Music posters came down last night to reveal some complicated graphs (for maths).

Fingers and toes crossed as DD would love a B for English (some painful universities ask for it, regardless of subject. As does one local sixthform. Fortunately not the ones she's thinking of, but it still makes her huffy)

She only has Cs for the first CAs, which they did stupidly early in Y10.

Huge, huge good luck to everyone who's DCs are on the C/D borderline, and that as many as posdible of them never have to make sense of these new post 16 rules.

Music posters came down last night to reveal some complicated graphs (for maths).

Fingers and toes crossed as DD would love a B for English (some painful universities ask for it, regardless of subject. As does one local sixthform. Fortunately not the ones she's thinking of, but it still makes her huffy)

She only has Cs for the first CAs, which they did stupidly early in Y10.

Huge, huge good luck to everyone who's DCs are on the C/D borderline, and that as many as posdible of them never have to make sense of these new post 16 rules.

English language today. Dd also pretty relaxed about this I think. Then on to Biology late in the week. Tbh I'm dreading that as it was Biology that she really didn't think went well before half term.

I feel like I have ALWAYS been parenting a GCSE taking student! Does anybody else think this is really dragging on?

Nope it's not conditional (well it was but she met what they needed in Dance via audition) so it's evenings & weekends

D or below and she'd be expected to continue to study those basic subjects at level 1 or 2 either at college alongside other courses or retaking GCSEs . Is her vocational offer conditional ? Do they offer Functional skills courses or she could enrol at a local FE college and study them in evenings/weekends.

With English this morning, DD is panicking! Does anyone know the new rules about if you fail English or Maths?

Done not dine!

Same here, music dine. Comment was that none of it was too good, nor was any of it too bad. Wjec eng tomorrow and welsh on Wednesday.....

Fingers crossed for a C it is then W1B

Good luck to everyones DC for tomorrows English!

We had some run ins with the music teacher too. I'd be happy with a C too. His composition sounds great. DS struggled with his.

Hi Best1sWest re. the Music.. i think he got on ok, he said he wrote loads, i know he was absolutely dreading it as he's struggled. I did warn him when he chose his options, that he'd have to listen to a lot of 'boring' music, and i know staying awake during a few lessons was the main aim
I know his composition was good, as he developed an amazing track which had a lot of positive feedback when he linked to it on Soundcloud, including from the teacher.
Our problem has been that he was the only 'rock' drummer in his year, and he's had 3 different teachers in 2 years, the latest being a classical Welsh Harpist, needless to say, they clashed a fair bit.
I just hope his 'i wrote loads' equals some good detailed answers, we'd be happy with a C.

How did your DS find it?

DS doing short course Welsh Jellykat. How did he find the music today?

Another one here whose DS has just completed Music today, and WJEC English Lang tomorrow..
All appears to be going ok, despite his Dyspraxia he's really trying hard.

Anyone elses DC doing Welsh on Wednesday?

DD found a helpful revision booklet on a random school website when she googled for it. Other than that, can't revise for this one, really.

Hope it goes well for your DD tomorrow too, nocomet.

AQA English Language for DS

Music this morning for DS. He says it was ok. He was the only one who chose the Rag Desh questions apparently.

English Language GCSE tomorrow morning and the English Language iGCSE tomorrow afternoon, they are being locked in the Sixth Form in between.

DS is also at rural school, they have to attend morning registration if they are in school for revision/an exam, but can stay onsite between gaps, or can sign themselves out to go to the chip shop! he was thrilled to discover this today.

Also enjoyed going in in non-uniform as they are now on study leave.

Glad to hear that Nocomet. We can stop our mutterings now.

Hi Yegods. Yes, music exam today He was fairly happy, though a bit confused with the musical theatre song question. So glad it's all over.

It's WJEC English language tomorrow here. Crossing fingers AND toes for both of them.

DD thought music went OK once she and the invigilator had worked out how her extra time worked out.

English Lang tomorrow, not any dyslexics favourite.

Best1sWest how did your DS get on in his music exam today? (Or was it a revision session?)

DD thought hers was good. She had been stressing about it, and was feeling it was her worst one. Not brilliant, she sad, but not a disaster and there were some bits she felt she had done well in. :)

DD has English language exam tomorrow - could it be the same one, I wonder? (OCR info and ideas?) Fimgers crossed for them both!