Year 11 GCSE support thread 6 - exams and proms

Tilly DD is in demand as an expert makeup artist. All those hours watching YouTube tutorials are paying off . I don't think she would like anyone else doing it for her and she is doing at least one other friend.

Her hostess has booked a hairdresser to come to do her hair and if there is any time left the hairdresser has agreed to help the other girls - but again DD is very competent. Much more than I was at that age - my hair was lucky if I brushed the back and I was a victim of the 80's perm epidemic.

Woolly, can I ask about the hair and makeup at friends house (this is a problem here!) - is someone coming to do it and if so what are they having done and how much?

Thank you for indulging a proud Mama. He is just about 6ft tall Woolly

We need to leave around lunch time for induction and I am hoping he's not going to languish in front of laptop all morning.

Then we are popping into Sains to get some alcohol for his post-prom party. This is new territory for me. DS hasn't been in the party crowd at all and hasn't liked the alcohol he's tried before now. I am happy for him to have some, but don't really know what to get. It sounds like his little group of pals are in the same boat. Can you advise me?

Very smart tbtc he looks very tall I'm a shortarse so everyone looks tall

Prom tonight for DD2. I'll start taxi duties at about 4 (hair and makeup at a friend's house) and then go back at about 6:30 to see the finished article. I've just told DH I'll follow on to the prom venue to take a couple of photos - I particularly want one with DD and a girl who has been her friend since reception class. DH has agreed to pick her up at the end. She has been invited to an after party, but said she wasn't too keen on going. I'm fairly certain that will change tonight when she sees her friends, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

tbtc, he looks great!

Here DD is now bored and grumpy. She still needs to get shoes and a bag and then there's the whole make-up debacle. She won't even talk to me about it. Maybe she won't go to Prom - in 8 days

Just got back from a trip to the supermarket with DD to buy a bagful of the anti-health food which is DofE recommended fodder. She's going Sat-Mon, according to the forecasts this weather should have broken by then thank goodness.

She's tidied her sock drawer today - unearthed a pair which must have been about age 5!

Lovely suit tbtc

That is great news Lynette, and at least his current school understand his needs.

That all sounds great tbtc. Lovely suit! :)

My ds is organising his Lego, I like that he is still young in some ways, even while being so grown up in others.

DS1 in his prom suit

Ding ding. Marking my space again.

So, DS had his last exam while I was away for work. All fine. He then went straight into 4 days of 6th form induction at a different school, which he enjoyed and found far more useful than he thought he would, so that's all good.

He had his leavers' assembly yesterday and a final summer concert.

Another 6th form induction tomorrow, prom on Friday and that's it until results!

Oh we got a prom suit. Let me do a photo.

I don't quite understand with the AS /A2 how they actually have time to learn enough if they do mocks for each of those as well.... with GCSEs it seemed like and awful lot of year 11 was spent on revision and the exams themselves. The old way (just terminal exams) seemed fine TBH.

hear not here BTW
ffs!

Well, DS made it to the 6th form induction today....apparently they just sat in rooms and the teachers talked to them about the subjects. I'm not sure what he was expecting.

It was incredibly hot today. Apparently the bus journey home was hellish, but he seems set to go back tomorrow, although they'll still let him in if he doesn't.

I'm secretly very pleased he didn't go to the other school yesterday. It really wouldn't have suited him, but I thought he needed to go for the induction to realise that. The place is withdrawn if induction isn't attended, apparently. does secret happy dance

Thank you for the links re; A'levels, they're very useful.

Love it Ash

Are O levels coming back then?
I did here something about grading 1 - 9 instead of A - G

Surely just to confuse me between DC1 and DC2 - no unfair advantage that way!

I've decided to take an A level in 'understanding A levels and AS levels' and a GCSE (or is that o level?) in 'who the bloody hell understands the new O levels and points system', and will top it off with a ''who the fuck put Gove in charge, and bring him here so I can slap him' BTEC (it's a bit more vocational, that one)

They've moved the goalposts again (why am I not surprised).
Am lurking on this thread as Y10 dd has only done one GCSE this year and will be choosing A level subjects and visiting sixth forms soon so will also find the list very useful. Thanks Titchy!

Wow, I feel like a MN expert now - thanks for the lists titchy
Seems like first year of Geography and Maths will give an AS and also count towards A level - so as now
But Biology and Art will be under the new system so whatever is achieved at end of Y12 will be stand alone (with an AS) with Y13 being a fresh start with a massive exam at the end to try to put a relatively positive spin on things!
That may not be too bad here as dd may drop Art after AS and Biology is one of her stronger subjects.

That is a point canny. DD might have to go in for the whole summer term in the AS year as she is doing Maths. Or it could be annoying odd lessons scattered through the school week & trailing round like a lost soul in between.

(I may be wrong about German and Music as it is in that intermediate box. Confusing.)

Yes,it looks like that - same for Chemistry and Biology.Presumably as the Maths change is only being introduced in 2017 this will stay exactly the same.How will schools work this?Some schools break up early after As levels don't they?( eldest child so no experience of this).

Thanks titchy. You are a wonder.

Slight brain cell overload. Am I right in my interpretation that Maths, German and Music will all be under the old system for dd (going into sixth form in September), whereas Physics will be one great big mind blowing terminal exam?

It's being phased in catslife. Full list here littleham:

A Level decoupling timetable

Clocking in here again!

Exams finished and a week of work experience done. She even did the ironing yesterday! Parties and sleepovers galore too :)

No prom - phew!

She's expected to take 4 A levels all the way through. Having 2 elder kids I thought I understood this but Argh they change it.

Careers advice is pants isn't it, especially for academically capable kids? I still don't know if really, what unis wants is the same as always- 3 brilliant grades not 4 pretty good ones... She choosing subjects with a big work load too, and I assume big terminal exams- eng math and history, with music as her " soft option" 4th * it's only soft as she is v musical and the oractical stuff is easy for her.

My understanding is that all subjects except Maths and Further Maths are changing to the new exam system with AS decoupled from the A2 but some subjects are having a new syllabus in addition to this. The timetable for the syllabus changes for AQA is here www.aqa.org.uk/supporting-education/policy/gcse-and-a-level-changes/structure-of-new-a-levels.
Hope this helps.