Year 12 preparing for AS levels

Limey - I'm now saying, 'have you got a spare calculator'! DS's ran out of battery in yesterday's physics exam! He was really up against the clock and quite upset that the invigilator who came over when he put his hand up was a) amused by his predicament and b) 'sauntered' down to the front and back again with a spare .

He's gone off to C2 this morning with a shiney new one which is battery AND solar power operated!!

Human skull we can do.... Mind you it's real so if it was my DD she'd probably get arrested on the bus!

HSM well done re props!

I really feel for this cohort. Ours is a really academic organised school (s- boys and girls) and the older 2 knew exactly what they were facing and how to approach things right from the start. DD2 chose her subjects when english was still " well we re assume this text will still be in but we haven't been told" for instance , and they didn't know how the AS/A2 would run alongside each other or even if they've have to take 4x A2s to get any credit for the 4th subject at all. Nightmare!

Clearly they have done their best- english are teaching the A2 alongside AS and some of the texts will carry over etc but still.

I'm torn between " its so crap they are bound to do badly " and " they 'll probably want it all to be a success and so there will be leeway".

AND I have a bad mother award in hand- we are away on results day ....

You will be asked for a human skull next HSMM.

dd3 has C2 today and I greatly annoyed her by asking if she had remembered her calculator. I hope it isn't another stinker like the previous OCR papers.

Roll on half term. Good luck to the maths, history and drama students.

I know, I thought of changing my routine when I read your post. My rationale is that once they have left home it is out of my control!

Truffle, I wait till they get back home having done the exam - especially after Monday!

C2 here for DS1 and DS2. They were both happy with C1.
DS3 is mid GCSE, he has Business Studies and Physics today.
As soon as they drive off I cross the exams of the day off the timetables.

I need to stop saying, 'Don't forget your calculator'

Rain, that is quite a drop - is the teacher up to scratch? Surely someone who got 100% at GCSE is capable of more than a U. I really hope that your DC hasn't done as badly as they think

However, I am not surprised that MFL students find the step up from GCSE difficult - the GCSE is so incredibly rubbish - they are being taught to jump through hoops, not learn a language. If my DS gets his French, it will completely prove my point! Totally inadequate preparation for doing it at A'level

Nothing here today or yesterday so good luck all who have. Tomorrow is the killer biology and English

C2 today for us and atmosphere is very tense after last week's fiasco.

Good luck to all today and well done, Super Mun, prop-finder!

Spanish was yesterday- Don't think we even have a grade here. Did anyone else do it? 100% in both exams at GCSE to a U at AS level

C2 maths today, the exam that's most dreaded

C2 and history today. Gulp.

I told my OH your DD's story yesterday, TillyMint, and his face was and he did one of his Ben Elton-esque rants about The Authorities until I handed him a nice cold lager and told him to calm down.

Good luck for today.

DD seems to be flagging a bit this morning - thankfully only History today and then Eng Lit tomorrow morning. I think she was something of a celebrity yesterday as everyone wanted to know what had happened on Monday!

Hope this Maths paper is better than the first one for all the Maths-takers!

We may do chippy tonight, Juggling. Sounds good.

Well, Maths C2 this morning. C1 you may recall was a bit of a horror. I hope to hear DS up showering shortly.

I have to start designing a website today. No idea where to start. All the stress is rubbing off on me.

That's a lovely post Fairenuff
A bit of half-time encouragement for us here!
Other encouragement today DD got her art sketch book handed in so that's two subjects done now - Geography and Art
Two left - Maths and Biology, both with exams this week
Plus General Studies but that's one that went well in those tricky mocks so DD feeling OK about that one.
Other good stuff DH has booked DD some flights for her trip to Finland - a "Nordic Adventure" based at an outdoor centre in northern Finland, which she's hugely looking forward to.
And she passed her Standard 6 ballet with merit, and her teacher says she can still be in their end of year show even though she'll miss a key rehearsal date as we're going to a Uni Open day (for a Uni that could be a contender as has especially interesting course)
And I just had an evening out with friends which has lifted my spirits.
DH, with challenge of feeding the DC, went to the chippie
Never mind, with mayo, ketchup, and coleslaw they go quite well with my

Any feedback from anyone on today's AS Edexcel Spanish?

(DD thought the listening was gobbledegook)

Oops, cross-posts!

DD found it all a huge change. Even those who didn't change school for sixth form did - it's not that uncommon for students to repeat Y12. Or even redo A'levels in "Y14" to improve grades.

Thank you so much everyone for the feedback and kind words, and Littleham thanks for that helpful link which I've started reading.

I think AS exams are possibly the hardest because they have only been doing the course for 8 months.

GCSE's are studied for at least two years, sometimes three. A levels build on AS knowledge, experience and practice and they start the courses this summer before they break up.

Many students this year went into completely new environments and/or had completely new subjects and a whole lot of new people/teachers to get along with.

Of all the years in education, I think this is the most demanding (with the possible exception of first year at university which holds similar challenges).

So well done to all of them. There are many options going forward and nothing is set in stone. I think they've coped brilliantly and I hope you all have a fantastic summer and a good, long rest

(But let's get the rest of the exams over first )

This is whole thread is worth reading Liney as it shows the grades different universities require for Biomed. and gives some examples of dropped grades being accepted on results day. It might help him gauge where he can apply to next Autumn.

www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3603997&page=10&highlight=Biomedical+sciences+dropped+grades