Is there a hand holding thread for Y11 parents and GCSE results yet?

Everyone has to go in at ds's school. Am glad as it will give him the opportunity to see some of his peers, several probably for the last time as all but a very small handful (count on one hand) are staying on for the 6th form.

I'm relegated to the car park and if ds keeps them in his pocket unopened for a week as I did with my O levels (and A levels), I'm not sure I'll be able to contain myself.

Agggghast, my DD is waiting for English GCSE result, Edexcel board.

She had already done the speaking and listening tasks (I think two presentations, might have been three, and one group discussion) when this element was pulled from the syllabus. Do you know if students in this position will get a qualification/certificate/whatever just relating to the speaking and listening tasks, or will these just be forgotten?

I'm on the build up to hysteria!! DS will prob get the points to get back to school but maths is "iffy" and betting Bs in his chosen A level subjects might be dodgy too. I thought that was the worst of it but......he's had a sporting injury over the weekend and needs to be seen at hospital on ....thurs @ 9am! The exact same time as he should be at school! The clinic is run once a week and he MUST be seen this week as there is a limited time window if he needs surgery (plus he's in a lot of pain! Aargh!!

Dumbledoresgirl - maths is never a problem for DS, he is more worried about German - despite coming from a family of linguists he was really struggling with it last year, wished he hadn't picked it, and just scraped an A in the mocks, but is not at all sure he'll do the same in the real thing. And there was a section on one Geography paper he couldn't answer at all.

I'm hoping that he may have learnt the value of thorough revision from all this, though (instead of revising in breaks between episodes of Breaking Bad…).

Sorry, unfortunate x posts. My comment re that's good to hear referred to the thought that Oxbridge might not have such stringent expectations of GCSE results, not that dyslexic/SEN children might find English harder to pass this year.

Agggghast - that is good to hear. Ds already has an A for Eng Lang (one of his weaker subjects) but has retaken it this year because in his vanity a straight run of As appealed to him in the hope of getting A. He is looking to do a Science subject at uni.

Exexpat - that sounds brilliant already. I know from when my older son did GCSEs that getting any sort of decent grade in Add Maths is a real achievement.

All my children are past this stage but I cannot sleep worrying about my pupils. English is always the main target and the loss of Speaking and Listening is going to make a huge difference to dyslexic/ SEN pupils. Can't wait to get it over on Thursday.

DS school posts the results online, so thankfully no need to go in, tho' as it happens DS is in school this week anyway for a holiday course - he has given us access to view his results (DC decide which areas parents can see ) so may log on myself or just wait for Ds to tell us.

And DH did the entrance exam fourth term and needed 2Es

puddingisgood - DS's school makes them all go in or wait for results to be posted. I think DS is quite looking forward to it as a chance to catch up with friends, but it must be awful for the ones who get disappointing grades when everyone else is celebrating. My nephew's school let them find out online, which was handy as he was often away on holiday at results time.

I'm in a similar position to you, Dumbledoresgirl - DS is predicted all As/As, already has a couple of As under his belt from last year and just heard he got an A in the further maths qualification. There is no chance he won't get the grades for the 6th form, but he's a bit nervous about having dropped to A or even B in one or two of this batch, specially after what they've been saying about grade boundaries shifting.

Obviously not getting a straight run of A*s is not the end of the world, but may affect Oxbridge chances - and since nearly all the adults in our family are Oxbridge grads, and his closest-aged cousin is already there, I know he feels the pressure is on him a bit, no matter how much I have been bugging up other options.

I got into Cambridge despite a couple of Bs at O-level, and my sister didn't even get all As at A-level, but it all seems to have got much more competitive since then and they seem to expect total perfection.

I'm in. We had a tense time when DS1 got A level results (not this year), so I'm hoping not to have another stressful time waiting to see if DS2 gets good enough results to stay on at school and take the subjects he wants.
Frustrating knowing the marking etc is done and presumably the results are just sat there waiting for Thursday.
Are most DC going into school or are some results online? DS has to go in.

Well DD2's boyfriend has just finished his first year at Oxford studying Engineering and he got B's in English and English Lit at GCSE. He was also offered a place at Imperial so I don't think it is as cut and dried as people like to make it out to be.

In my ds's case, I don't doubt he will get the grades he needs for A levels. I don't know how much it matters, but my concern is whether his grades will affect his uni choice. At the moment, he has his eye on Oxford. I have read here in the past that an Oxbridge candidate can have less than perfect GCSEs, but I would rather not have to put that to the test.

But can't they still do their A level choices with the odd grade B?

I agree Dumbledoresgirl, I don't think it matters whether the expectations are to get % A-C grades and "pass" or to get all A. The pressure on that child and family is the same. Teachers/family/student all know what they are supposed to get so everyone worries. Students also plan ahead to A level subjects based on what they think they will achieve at GCSE so dropping grades can de a disaster - especially is like my DS you have chosen your four A levels and have absolutely no back-up plan and are refusing to think about the possibility of having to change a subject.

Just wish this week would hurry up, DS now off camping and probably uncontactable on the day anyway!

Yes, signing in.

I had a horrid time last week when ds1 got his A level results - CEE but what I didn't tell anyone here was that the C was achieved at the end of Yr 12 so in one year, all my son achieved was 2 Es (and a fail) in his A levels. Yes, I know that is a great achievement for some, but not for a boy capable of getting a C in one year.

Anyway, another week, another set of results. I am in the same situation as Unexpected. All As and A*s expected, not sure how we will feel about a B in anything. Somehow, although that must sound like a cushy position to be in if you are worrying about your child getting 5 passes, ime, it is actually more stressful.

And yes, I am with some of you in having years and years of public exams every year, made worse by taking some GCSEs in Yr 10. For me, it started in 2011 and, not counting degrees, it will go on until 2021 at least!

I need my hand holding or a large glass of wine
Twin DSs here. They both did well in their mocks but struggled with the time allowance for the proper exams.
Both have places at different colleges next year. I just want their hard work to pay off.

Oooh can I join? Results day is the same day as my DS's 16th birthday so I've got everything crossed. Good luck to all you guys.

My programme for vicarious but suppressed stress is based on the DC all going through university with no blips - that may well be a tall order. But I find Finals so nail biting from a distance that the GCSE/ AS/ A2 malarkey seems a breeze by comparison, so I can't leave them out. Well done for changing to what you really wanted to do, and completing the course - must have been a very difficult initial three years. Did you change uni too, out of interest? It's funny how things so often work out.

I refuse to add university exams to the mix.

I was married by the time I took my finals, having failed my first year, resat failed again, taken a year back home and finally spending three years doing the course I would have choosen post A level results.

So if like me, DD2 was to take 5 years getting her degree that would be 2024. Since she'll probably do PGCE it will be 2023.

Elephants in case the DfE takes out ASs to spoil my fun, I've added in university exams too. Hence 'summer'. I find the DCs' university exams at least as nerve wracking as than the school exams, possibly more.

And yes, certainly helps :)

Goodness molio, August is going to be fun for you for the next few years! By reading this thread, I've realised that we have 5 more years of exam results - 2016 will be the worst one when DD1 will have A2 and DS1 will have GCSEs. Will need plenty of for those two weeks .

Molio that really is being a glutton for punishment. Heaven knows how many exam systems they'll have cooked up by 2020.

No one evenseems quite sure what DD2 (Y9 in Sept.) is going to get.