Year 11 GCSE support thread 5 - finishing off the exams

That best guess paper site is dated 2014, just thought I'd mention it in case it's not likely to be relevant.

Is no one else doing Italian on the 22nd June? I'll be rattling around here all on my own while your DCs are partying!

1st chemistry exam today - think dd must be in the minority doing this board as everyone else seems to have taken biology today!

Dd is absolutely exhausted - she fell asleep at 8pm last night which is unheard of. She's still got 5 exams next week and 3 the week after - I can only imagine how tired she'll be by the end of next week.

There's a very unfortunate poster recently started a thread about her chaotic (her word) son's mobile going off today in Biology. Nightmare. I can't begin to imagine the stress and worry waiting for the result of the incident report.

DS says his Biology paper had 8 questions, the first of which was long and wordy. DS worked his way through the first question (he's a slow reader), then looked at the clock and realised he only had half the time left!! So he had to go like the clappers through the rest of the paper. Says he only missed one 2-mark question out, so it doesn't sound too bad.

I can't believe all these schools offering weekend revision sessions! Goodness me, those teachers must be dedicated. DS is out with his mates now; there's no way I could get him to do any revision tonight.

And yes, the boy at DS' school whose mobile bleeped in the exam was disqualified for all the exams by that board. So a complete disaster.

Oooh new thread!
Thanks HSMM.
Think it is a great idea carrying on,though DD's school had Prom before the exams so will be a little nostalgic hearing about all the dresses... Anything you want to ask, it's very fresh
Re Induction days DD two choices are on the same day which is bad timing.

Biology AQA today ok, some of the 8 mark questions combined several topics (seaweed one) and time very tight, DD used all of her 25% extra.
Just two Maths to go next week.

fun OH's DD has a massive workbook full of them which the school gave her. There must be stuff online, too? She is likely to be in the same boat - keeps getting Ds in mocks / practices, and she needs that C.

She gets very anxious.

I had a call from DC#2, the teacher is concerned about him as he's not been himself this week. We've had tears because it's stressful having a sister doing GCSEs :(
Thankfully I've already arranged a family day out for tomorrow, I think it's much needed. Roll on Friday, and sorry for folk who have another week.

Woolly that's great news about your DDs university exams. I hope that she's enjoying the post exam celebrations and doesn't have to wait too long for her results.

thanks for the new thread

I meant to write DS1 in paragraph 2 above. Ds2 is not taking GCSEs for all his confidence. I'm glad they're not twins. They're competitive enough being two school years apart.

Hello all. Only two more exams left here but one is next week (RE) and the final exam is graphics on 17th.

I've posted this on the old thread but hope someone can help me to help my friend.

Is there a revision paper for foundation maths? My friends DD is on her third resit and seems to miss out on a C by a couple of marks each time. I would be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of some hints and tips for her.

In other news DD1 has just rung me after her exam which she said went well. I can't believe that's her finished at uni.

My ds is the same -only 4 exams left to go.

He also has to go into school for revision Sunday morning & be in school for 8am Monday for the maths "warm up".

He's doing quite well & tends not to discuss what answers he put as after one of the chemistry exams the teacher had a copy & asked if anyone wanted to go over their answers - one of his mates did & he got quite upset as he thinks he got loads wrong

DD came in with her bestie earlier and they said Biology was OK. They have been to the park and are now back again. Let's hope the better mood lasts.

Thanks for the new thread!

I was listening to "More Or Less" (Economics/Maths programme) on Radio 4 at 4.30pm today as I drove home. What do you think came up, but Hannah and her sweets? They went through the question explaining how to do it. I was VERY glad DS1 wasn't in the car. DS2 who was, and who is a bit of a maths geek, claimed he would have been able to do it. He has been told NOT to say this to his brother.

DS2 had Biology today. He said that he was a bit pressed for time so when he was halfway through the time but not halfway through the paper he sped up dramatically and rushed through the rest. He got to the end with time to spare, but, of course, then had to go back through the second half of the paper correcting mistakes and filling in all the bits he'd left out. So, fingers crossed here that he's ended up making a reasonable job of it. Biology is one of his A level choices.

His next exam isn't until Tuesday afternoon and he's exhausted so he's taking the rest of the day off.

Thank goodness the end is in sight an it is the weekend!

No more uniform for DD, school emailed today asking whether the students would like to sacrifice their uniform, not to the BBQ but to their new second hand uniform shop. Head of 6th form was out in the skate park this morning with camera and 3 teachers on scooters and a bike. He just said 'don't ask!' when we looked at him.

Well if there are resits they may need to do the subject again as I've warned, although it's unlikely. The question if whether to throw all the past papers and other stuff away or hang on to some of it just in case particularly in the A level subjects. (Just one exam left here now - history)

Errol, that's about cholesterol though, so it may do. One bloody mark.

I'm a pharmacist - statins work by inhibiting the enzyme that makes cholesterol in the liver but I doubt that's what they were after in GCSE! Not sure how to explain that in lay terms.

OK, off to Pizza Express as a treat, been a long week. Only one more week - we can do this!

I can't imagine they want a detailed answer for 1 mark LineRunner, but who knows?!
I'd have said lowering cholesterol too!

Just noticed that there is a Hannah's Sweets thread!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2395288-Students-complaining-about-maths-exam-question

I'd have thought nearer your DS's, Linerunner. DD made up something (wrong) to do with HDL and LDL.

DD is staying at her school for sixth form, but they don't have to wear uniform so it'll be converse or docs and jeans starting from the induction days 22nd/23rd June!

Hope your DD gets some rest and can eat this weekend, Candy.

Full on week for DS next week (other than Thursday) then just Media and Russian the week after. The hardest thing is getting him to go to bed at a reasonable hour - even when he's utterly knackered he has to be forced to go up. I've started removing his phone and iPad on week nights too as he sees it as his 'downtime' to be surfing and Whatsapp'ing until 1 in the morning!

If how do statins work is one mark, what is the required answer? DS asked me the question, and I started blathering on about reductase enzymes. He wrote, 'statins work by lowering cholesterol' which is right, but is it the answer iyswim?