Year 11 support thread - keep on keeping on!

Puzzledmum - PM'd you

ks2 and ks3 he was always best at maths and science

DS was the same at primary school - quite the 'Mathmo' but in a super-selective that specialises in Maths he has turned into a Humanities student - and all four of his A Level Options are the latter!

On the subject of cheating (presumably discovered?) what form did that take @Jungfraujoch? DS reckons that some of the boys in his year group have cheated their way through exams since Year 7 TBQH, so no reason to suspect it might not be going on for GCSEs too...

Woodlands01 please could you pm me this maths list (higher tier) if you do not mind. Many thanks!

DS seems to be having a more positive reaction to the maths and science papers than to the arts/humanities ones that he's doing for A level! He says he thinks it might be because he's got lower expectations of the former and is very aware that his writing technique is affected negatively by exam conditions. It's so interesting as at ks2 and ks3 he was always best at maths and science - we were really quite worried about his writing when he was at primary. But English and humanities have been so much better taught at his secondary and seem now to be his natural bent. He would have thrived with coursework!
Oh well, just have to wait and see...

Biology b2 & 3 aqa quite OK according to add.but at their school they all have this weird thing of hating easy exams and liking the difficult low grade boundary ones.

DS apparently enjoyed the music exam today. Hoping for a good result based on exam confidence and successful course work.

His last one is dance on 21st June, this also happens to be his birthday so looking forward to a good celebration that evening!

I heard of two cases of cheating today - local grammar schools - I was a bit

DS had two music questions repeated because of the poor sound quality!

Thank you cantkeepaway! I'll ask when it is more relevant, I was just curious what it is now.

Current Y11 are doing old spec music, so might be best to post separately about 1-9 Music for the attention of parents of current y10s, who will be the first to do the new spec.

The old spec that DS has just done has 3 elements - performing (solo and in an ensemble); composing (2 pieces) and a 'listening and appraising' exam (done today) in which they have to listen to and answer questions about a number of set pieces, and write a short essay about one of them.

DS has loved it and wants to carry on to A level. Having a decent level of instrumental ability + some knowledge of music theory makes it easier, and if they already play in some kind of ensemble that can help for the performing (as it can be easier to play really well in an ensemble you play in often, rather than one put together just for the exam)

DS said AQA B2 and B3 were "alright". I asked him to expand on it and he said it was fine, not easy not hard. No idea what that means but he said he finished both papers and answered all the questions (hopefully as accurate as they can be).

Can somebody tell me what a music GCSEs entails? I have a 9 yo dd who's taking her grade 5 piano and grade 3 clarinet next Tuesday (yes, I do like to complicate my life further during GCSEs ) and the way she's going I would expect her to do music as a choice. Is it hard? What does she need to do, is it all exam, does it involve playing? (Excuse my ignorant questions, DS has no musical bone in him so never had to find out).

Sorry last message re: Edexcel Maths

The horrendous last question on Paper 1 was Trig but I would definitely expect it to appear on Paper 3 too. Lots of other certainties as well - many schools publish lists/information for students. I have created lists for higher and foundation as I taught both this year - not sure if I'm allowed to publish to everyone though!

DS said there were a couple of tricky questions in one of the two Biology papers (but it's not his best or favourite subject!).

DS still has ten papers to do next week so all still to play for. I feel really sorry for him.

We've been amazed at how hard he's been working so let's just hope it pays off - it should do!

DS said there's been no 'trig' at all in the Maths papers so far - is that usual? Does that make it a dead cert for paper three?

OCR Biology was apparently very easy. It's his best subject so phew.

This week was the worst week with at least one exam a day. 2 weeks to go!!

Didn't quite get a clear answer, but I think OCR 21st Century went okay(ish).

DD said Edexcel Music was good for her and happy.

Eve - I know someone who went to Loughborough to do engineering (probably a different course to the one your son would wants to do) - it was his second choice (he didn't get the grades for his 1st choice) but he's been happy there and in the end he's glad he went there rather than 1st choice.

Not thinking ahead too much, but dread to think what Edexcel have got lined up for their Maths next week.

My DS said he found Edexcel Biology quite hard today....

Anyway this time next week it will all be over.

So pleased we're nearly there, most households still smiling
That's so lovely to read eve, fingers xed for the results he deserves 🤞

Edexcel Music was 'great' according to DS. Very happy and relieved for him. Now, look at the time - the weekend starts here

Music - speaker very muffled made hard to hear music clearly!
E-mailed exams officer.

DD says Chemistry was easy too. 8 more exams to go, come end of Monday she will have finished Geography and English Lit (as well as RE and French which were done with previously)

ifonly - hes hoping to do construction engineering management at Loughborough with Oxford Brookes as 2nd.

DS said B2 (AQA) was good but he messed up a 6 marker on B3.

I sort of wish I hadn't seen everyone say it was easy now and therefore didn't know the grade boundaries are going to be high.

We have about 6 (not sure??) 16 yos upstairs. DS2 is steering well clear!

6 left next week then freedom for him.

Edexcel music was fine.