Finishing year 13 in 2017

That's good, horse.

Not much more to go for anyone now - DD is revising astrophysics today (exam thur, the last) and stats S2 tomorrow (exam mon). She too might be at a loss without revising and past papers, but she is intending to learn some more A level stuff which others may have done but she hasn't before starting uni. DH is going to teach her the thermodynamics and maybe a bit of other potentially useful physical chemistry, and she wants to look at the Engineering physics option and maths mechanics 4. Whether she actually manages to do this between planned holidays, a summer camp and having another shot at the driving test remains to be seen!

ono, when you put it like that, it does seem amazing - 7 exams to determine someone's abilities

My MRI was fine thanks, never had one before but found it strangely relaxing!!

My DS seems a bit 'lost' without any revising to do!

We are done! 14 years of education culminating in 7 exams - doesn't really seem to be a fair assessment of a person's true abilities. As DS said, he is just dad that his grades will not reflect the amount of work he put in.

Still, we went for the obligatory Wagamama last night after the final one and DS has spent most of the day in bed watching box sets on his laptop. He has gone clubbing tonight with the one or two others who have finished and has a party tomorrow.

Hope you got on OK with the MRI Horse.
Dingit I hope your dad is OK

Sounds like the Maths paper was grim and that was before the news that it was leaked!

Back from our meal.
My DS has decided we need to play board games now. Aaarrggh.

I wish his exams were still on...

On a positive note, I had a lovely walk in a wooded Victorian cemetery and saw baby squirrels chasing after their mother along a tree branch. And I thought, 'better keep calm and carry on'.

The maths paper was apparently put online last night, and it was definitely a leak of today's edexcel C4.

Also another OCR biology error has come to light.

Flipping 'eck.

HSM that is so lovely. Was it a potential suitor?

Shocked about the Maths leak but DH says it happens loads (usually small tuition centres) and papers are sold.

Hooray for the finishers!

Are the exam boards competent?

OCR Biology had an uncorrected error in paper 1 (the standard deviation one) and a corrected-by-the-invigilator-reading-out-an-announcement error on paper 2. Can't wait for Monday's cock-up on paper 3.

Some actual biology from the taught syllabus would be nice, too.

What a bloody debacle.I feel sad for the students who genuinely worked really hard and feel they have done well....,,if it's then disallowed.There has been issues in other subjects too this year.Apoarently the Aqa Biology retake had five questions that were the same as orevious years whereas the new A level paper was massively harder than previous years.
I'm so glad Dd did Aqa Maths C4 - which was ok ....but she's still grumpy.Had to buy the M&S Beauty Box (along with a side order of school uniform ) to cheer her up.

Oh that is despicable. All those pupils who didn't see the leaked paper online are going to be so massively disadvantaged. I'm really fed up with these A levels. It's been a debacle from start to finish.

My son found this paper awful, far worse that C3! I think it was leaked onto the web. I googled it after the leak was announced and found a chat room where people said they saw it prior to the exam. Also, a link on TSR was deleted. I'm wondering if they will have to disallow the paper and calculate the marks from the other 5 papers as they won't be able to work out who cheated. Also, how can they set grade boundaries fairly? All those who have seen the paper will do better than they would have normally.

Malpractice means that some students were taught to the test by teachers who knew what was on the paper in advance, or some students had somehow accessed the paper in advance, or something similar, usually.

What a farce.

My DS's maths teacher has been on sick leave since before half term .

Another who said C4 was awful.

Liney, my DS was always fab at maths through primary then up to GCSE (he got an A*) but he has found A level very difficult. He took it as a 4th A level mainly just for the AS result for his Uni applications with the other 3 subjects being his main A levels iykwim. He said he felt he had reached his limit with maths as he has really struggled with it. He thinks he'll end up with a B (an alien concept for him, lol) but he is pragmatic about it. It is devastating though if it means the loss of a uni place for some!

Here is the statement from Ofqual www.gov.uk/government/news/allegations-of-malpractice-in-edexcels-c4-maths-paper

DD reckons it has been leaked.

Just seen this

dingit and hey all

DS said edexcel C4 was awful. Every question involved mathematical term E, and not in an elegant way, and he couldn't do the final two at all.

So three papers and feels he hasn't been able to demonstrate anywhere near what he is able to do.

University place slipping away. So sad. He was 'able and talented' in maths throughout secondary, and he's worked for these exams. I feel quite weird about it all tbh.

Thinking of you dingit

DD and friends have their art department exhibition this evening so we can all go and see and celebrate their fabulous creativity. Then a meal out for the Y13 art leavers which is a lovely extra. Then next Friday the whole year Leavers meal. So glad they have such nice things to look forward to and to mark the end of an era.
Only two exams to go and one of those is general studies, the other her final Biology on Monday. So Tuesday we're all done!
DH has been away but home tomorrow - I hate it when everything's all down to me 😥
At least we have something to look forward to this evening with the art exhibition.

dingit hope your dad makes a speedy recovery.

DD said edexcel C4 was fine, a few mistakes, but nothing like as bad as C3.

She still has physics and chemistry next week, so it's not over yet.

Waiting and waiting for a message from ds (he's texted me almost immediately after other exams). It's drama. Really worried about it for some reason ( me not him). It's 3 and 3/4 hours because he gets max extra time. He should have finished by now surely??? It's soooo long, he's barely slept in the heat all week, running on fumes and caffeine. Was very, very grumpy last night.

We are done!!!!

OCR C4 was 'a decent paper, to be fair' according to DS.

OCR C3 - some tricky questions.

(Thats edexcel, which is what most do)