Year 11 GCSE support thread 5 - finishing off the exams

simbo So sorry about all the stress you and your dd are going through.

This exam thing goes on for far too long. My dd did the AQA science papers and the evil Edexel Maths one. She says that they were worse than the past papers. Tell your daughter that loads of people missed out questions. She is not alone.

I'm worried about the happiness factor too. Trying to plan treats, breaks, distractions but I'm starting to run out of ideas. Today I set up an revision arbour in the garden (less glamorous than it sounds / blankets / table / lemonade / ice cream). Any other ideas anyone? We need to cheer these teenagers up.

If the weather is ok could you suggest a BBQ for tea and get her involved in shoppin and cooking? I know DD would not come out if it is garden related but if it involved her stomach or a favourite box set she would,

Definitely worth emphasising the whole it's a stepping stone thing, you love her and life will go on as said above.

Other ideas, what about Pamper night, bath, face pack etc. just something to get her back into normal life for an hour or two and away from the should be doing revision frame of mind.

Bloody stressful time for everyone, another friend's DD has sort of gone AWOL this weekend.

A lot of the Dc took a hit with the Edexel maths.
We had lots of 'What's the point' type comments after that one.
I'm really hoping she manages to get through Simbo. It really brings home how stressful the whole thing is. There's got to be a better way for the Dc to show what they know.

simbo No concrete ideas, but please make sure you reassure her that you love her whatever, and life will go on whatever the results, and nothing is so bad that you can't get through it.

Also, if you can get her outside for a walk, then please do. I've been 'walking' DD1 every afternoon and evening throughout exams, and it helps her de-stress.

Oh dear, that sounds worrying. Would she go out for an ice cream or something? I'm sure someone wrote earlier about a McFlurry hitting the spot.

The Edexcel maths would have been enough to put them off all exams, from what I can gather.
I hope she's OK simbo, just watch her carefully. Her mental health is more important than exam results.

She is going to do A levels and she doesn't think she has done so badly that her subject choices will be closed to her. I am slightly concerned about one of her choices if she has revised as little as she now claims. I am really relieved to hear that others are going through the same or similar. I just feel sad for her that she is unlikely to do as well as predicted, and wonder how that will affect her.
I have just paid her a visit to try and encourage her to come out with me - only to buy some bedding plants, but still. Nothing doing. If what she has just drawn is a measure of how she feels I am going to have to watch her very closely indeed.

ono40 has hit the nail on the head. My dd said that the AQA biology paper was nothing like the past papers that they have done, and this was the one she was expecting to be easy. She claimed that it did not match the specification at all. I do think that she is daunted by the summer. Some of her friends have plans , others not but they seem fine with the idea of vegging out whereas my dd wants to do something but every suggestion that we come up with is rejected on the basis that it doesn't interest her, though she can't come up with any ideas herself.

What grades does she actually need to enable her to go on to the next stage simbo. Is she going to do A levels?

That is exactly what Friend's DD does, stay in room and draw paint. She too had revision timetables but it hasn't happened.

Given that you want her in best frame of mind possible, could you get her downstairs to watch something with you and have takeaway for tea ? Just to get her out of her room for a bit away from the whole meant to be revising scenario.

Simbo, I think the enormity of it all hit them in week 1. I believe the AQA Biology and Chemistry were more difficult than previous years and different to the past papers. Suddenly they all began to doubt their abilities and became paralysed. Also the lack of feedback is driving them nuts because they don't know how well/badly they have done. Plus the exams drag on and on....

Part of it is also to do with the vast summer stretching out before them if they have no concrete plans and the fact that they are growing up and moving to the next stage can be a bit sad for them too. My DS was very sad after leavers day because some friends won't return for sixth form.

I expect she has done better than she thinks, especially if she has looked at the revision guide earlier in the year (wish my DS had done this!)

Thanks HSM, it's a relief that my dd has an astral twin somewhere. I just have to hope that this depression (because that is what it seems like) is left in her room tomorrow and doesn't go into the exam room with her. She has always seemed so in control and on top of everything. Now I am going to be terrified all morning of getting a phonecall saying she has flipped out or passed out or something.

My dd has been in her room most of the day. Just looked in on her and she is drawing and painting - displacement activity? If she is going to have a mental meltdown I wish she would hang on a week. I told her to do nothin other than go through a couple of past papers today and seek a couple of topics that she is wobbly on and revise those. So much wine been consumed this past few weeks that I am worried about the weight of my recycling bin. Maybe I should give dd some; it helps me sleep!

It is true that there are some maths topics they have not covered because of lack of time, but I really don't think this is her acting out the worst case etc. She seems really unhappy. I am now wondering how badly she thinks she has done. At first she said all the exams were fine, but seemed less happy after the maths. We also do edexel and she just didn't bother with the questions that she couldn't do.

Simbo my friend's DD is like this, similar grade predictions. She seems to get up early the morning of the exam and read through but doesn't seem to be able to revise. Lots of tears after exams and she is regularly sick before an exam, not helped by her big sister going on about how she won't be able to do this in 6th form. Friend very worried about her but doesn't know how to help.

for all the shattered DC and for parents. Thank goodness end is in sight. DD started doing Maths but then felt funny. Think she's gearing up for a stomach migraine so told her to chill. She's just in raiding the cupboards and says she might do some Maths later.

She had always done well in the mocks, maybe took it for granted. Don't know. There just hadn't been any warnings. She has always been a closed door kind of gal in more ways than one, so I just thought she was getting on with it. She made herself a very detailed revision timetable, so she has had us fooled. But yes, mental paralysis is just what it is. I have tried to get her to work elsewhere i the house or garden, but to no avail.

Simbo that sounds awful for you all.

My DD has claimed that she has done nothing/ been taught nothing/ got nothing right / didn't know any questions on more than one occasion since the exams started, but in actual fact, it has just been her expressing her exasperation at not being taught a couple of units and a couple of tough questions.

She is a drama queen and it think she has used me to try out 'worst case scenarios' etc.

Now I'm not saying that your child is doing this, just putting it out there as something my DD has done.

I bought all of the revision guides and I know that she has used them off and on throughout the year. It would be true to say that she will know some of the stuff anyway, but I think that she is relying too much on the maths calc paper being her stronger one - what if she is wrong??? Maths chem and physics are her 3 worst subjects, so having them last is probably compounding her misery. I don't think that she knows what is wrong with her. I suspect a combo of hormones and sleep deprivation (never been her strong point), but knowing that she has downloaded all the past papers and that she can't bring herself to do them... I also think that she may be worrying about the lack of structure and companionship that she may be facing after next week.
She did seem relieved to have offloaded; also unlike her.

I bet she's been overwhelmed. That can result in mental paralysis.

Is it possible that she'd done plenty beforehand ( mocks etc) so less need for last min cramming?

simbo, that must be awful for both of you. I always wonder how to revise, different people revise in different ways don't they?
We bought revision guides and looking through them, they seem quite good to use, with end of chapter questions and exam tips. That and past papers have been helpful.
I appreciate this may be too late for your DD, but if she ends up doing re-sits, you may find it useful.

I expect just telling you will be a big relief to her simbo. Did she say what is causing her block? Does she feel overwhelmed?

If she is predicted high grades then she probably does know a lot of it anyway. Has she said how any of the exams went?

re spudmasher's last comment, that is exactly what I thought I was doing. This is so unlike her that I feel sick. I thought i was being appropriately hands off but now it feels like neglect. I tried to get her a study bud but no one else was interested, as their DCs are obviously managing to get their work done on their own.

Excellent tips spudmasher Mine would be; try and let the stress wash over you (not one I always succeed at I might add)