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Original poster

Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread

967 replies

Littleham · 23/11/2014 12:17

Is anyone else fed up with GCSE's and the stress they create? Thought I would start a support thread for the following few months. Mocks start next week at my dd3's school.

OP posts:
HSMMaCM · 23/02/2015 15:22

Thanks gin and tonic. I've sent that link to DD.

Ginandtonictime · 23/02/2015 14:15

Forgot to add, DS has been very stoic in doing past papers in three sciences and maths over half term ... I'll just draw a discreet veil over the endless cries of how he has the WORST parents in year 11/absolutely noone else is having to study/why can't he have normal parents like everyone else ... etc. etc.

Found this - might help persuade your dcs ...

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=13887-Why-now-is-the-best-time-to-start-revising&utm_content=Why+now+is+the+best+time+to+start+revising&utm_campaign=5378034_TSR+Times+20+Feb&utm_medium=email&utm_source=The+Student+Room+Group&dm_i=1I90%2C379PU%2CHCLLQ5%2CBGRX7%2C1

Ginandtonictime · 23/02/2015 14:09

My English O & A'levels were Measure for Measure (nope - absolute blank), Iris Murdoch's 'The Bell' (two years I'll never get back), the Great Gatsby, which I have fond memories of (who couldn't love him eh?), Chaucer (pointless) and war poetry which was probs my favourite ...

Fairenuff · 21/02/2015 11:43

Ds has done no revision and not even pretended to. He is, however, doing last minute homework ready for back to school next week.

HSMMaCM · 21/02/2015 11:42

Apparently DD was revising all day yesterday. And there was me thinking she was just slobbing in bed all day Grin.

Original poster
Littleham · 20/02/2015 22:54

English Lit exam = paralysis by analysis. In my opinion.

My dd3 does a fantastic job of looking busy, but I'm not so sure she is revising.....

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 20/02/2015 20:22

this place looks interesting if you are in London

bigTillyMint · 20/02/2015 20:21

Lynette scroll down!

I didn't ever do any Shakespeare, Dickens or any other classic authors at my old-fashioned Grammar school whereas the DC have done loads of stuff at their inner-city comp!Confused

LynetteScavo · 20/02/2015 19:54

Is there anywhere Macbeth is on? Lady time I Googled it wasn't on anywhere in the country.

Sparklingbrook · 20/02/2015 17:45

But nobody told me that at 16. Sad

TeenAndTween · 20/02/2015 17:44

Agree, Shakespeare much better watched than read.

Sparklingbrook · 20/02/2015 17:42

Teen I had a revelation in that Macbeth is a play and therefore to be watched. So reading and picking it to bits/buying the revision notes/pencilling notes in the margins was a sure fire way of killing it for me. Makes total sense to watch it IYKWIM.

I just really hated all the line by line picking apart of the literature.

TeenAndTween · 20/02/2015 17:41

Sparkling. HOW can you go ugh to Macbeth? I love it. Took DD to see it at The Globe last(?) year. 'Twas great (even though DD only just big enough to see over the stage).

Sparklingbrook · 20/02/2015 17:34

I did A Tale of two Cities (ugh) Macbeth (ugh) and The Importance of Being Earnest (ok).

DS1 still practising for next weeks life or death/last chance saloon/please get a great mark German speaking test.

TeenAndTween · 20/02/2015 17:25

I did Macbeth, P&P and Tennyson, liked them all (except The Lotus Eaters).

DD's been working quite hard, including prepping 2 CAs, and doing science revision notes, 5/6 papers worth now done. Also been in to school once.

Horsemad · 20/02/2015 17:06

Lots of revision done here today. Smile

ErrolTheDragon · 20/02/2015 16:42

Mine actually has done quite a lot each day but it's nearly all been physics! However, she does know that's what she's done. I think she figured she'd rather do one or two things properly than try to half-do everything at this stage. She had already done a fair chunk of chemistry, think she's continuing with that.

HSMMaCM · 20/02/2015 15:40

My dream of a little revision each day was just a dream. Apparently she's going to do it "all on Sunday". Hmmmmm

Fairenuff · 20/02/2015 12:24

I loved The French LT's Woman but didn't study it, just read it.

I did Graham Greene for 'O' Level, Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man, Cider with Rosie and Lord of the Flies.

For A level I did Anthony & Cleo, Hardy's Return of the Native, Chaucer and some others I can't remember right now.

ErrolTheDragon · 19/02/2015 23:42

One of DD's objections to the eng lit exam is that there's a lot of luck whether the questions which come up 'suit' you. For instance with the poetry apparently the exam focuses on one of the however-many they've studied and then they have to choose another to discuss in relation to it, so it depends on whether it happens to be one of the poems that they relate to. Even moreso with the 'unseen' poem part (first I'd heard of this) - which could be one that some pupils had come across before, and again might or might not be one that you 'get' - poetry's like that, isn't it?

EpicBlue · 19/02/2015 23:28

I did the French lieutenants woman, the taming of the shrew and the two princes. I forget what else. Oh, schlinders list as well.

ErrolTheDragon · 19/02/2015 23:25

Chatting to DD tonight, she was saying that Eng Lit really shouldn't be a compulsory subject (which it is at her school, and many I guess). She used to like poetry before she had to 'do' it. She doesn't much like German (they had to do an MFL) but at least she can see that it has some use.

TheWoollybacksWife · 19/02/2015 21:00

O Level Lit way back in the early 80's - The History of Mr. Polly and some dreadful Thomas Hardy poetry tosh. Sorry Hardy fans.

bigTillyMint · 19/02/2015 20:26

I can't remember what I did for Eng but I got two As. Seamus He any and The Importance of Being Earnest, I think. And I think it was a John Wyndham book. This was at a 1950 's style girls grammar!

Hopefully the DVD 's I ordered for DD will be waiting when we get back!

ErrolTheDragon · 19/02/2015 19:21

Horsemad, surely it's ingrained 'It is spring moonless night in the small town, starless and bible black ...' (I could go on, but I'll spare you Grin)

I've never read Paradise Lost - I feel like I'm probably still too young for it.

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