GCSE 2018 no. 6: stress, struggles and success (hopefully) *Title Edited by MNHQ*

Study leave starts after half term for DS3.

Chase up the name issue, stickerrocks. What's on the timetable is what's on the certificates usually.

DS3's school only moved it to after the exams last year. Much better in my opinion. The only problem being that the end date varies depending on which subjects you do, so some want to go on holiday straight away to get cheaper prices.

All schools around here have a school organised prom, very different to my day, when the last day of school was only marked by kids swearing at the teachers and setting the fire alarms off. Not even kidding.

They were finally given their exam timetables today. DD'S has been issued in her unofficial (significantly different) name, whereas others have theirs in their proper names. Something else to fret over this weekend.

I seem to remember our leaving do was just after Easter.

No study leave here until 11 June! Everyone is expected to attend normal lessons until all exams in that subject are completed. Then the classroom will be available for private study during that period. They have been told that they must all come into school everyday until w/c 11 June. Only then can they stay at home between exams.

I've seen lots of prom photos this evening too Ellen - relatives and friends in different parts of the country. It does seem early, I'm not sure how I'd feel about it being before exams. Better as an after exam celebration I think.
DD2 doesn't get one at all so we're hosting an end of exams party at home. It won't be quite as glamorous as a prom but I feel it's important to mark the occasion somehow. I just hope we don't get the whole cohort (500+) turning up!

No exams here until 14th May, either.

One of the local schools is having its prom tonight. It seems really early! My FB feed is full of glamorous young people in gorgeous dresses and suits. Checked three pieces seem popular, or the ever present bright blue suits. The girls dresses are all full length with quite a lot being gold or silver. One red double decker bus seen as transport.

DS3 doesn't have his prom until after the exams near the end of June, two months away.

Pretty confident on History, English and RS, less so on the Sciences... DS at very selective Indy, so is surrounded by Maths genius types - he is in 8th set of 8 for Maths, but doesn’t really have a clue where he will score when the whole country is ranked. He’s hoping for a 7, maybe 8 if he can get part way through the last 2 stinker questions.

DS has Cambridge History next Wed, then Cambridge Eng Lang the week after (9th and 11th), then all systems go with Edexcel RS on Monday 14th and 5 more that week including a French/Biology clash which necessitates a purdah lunch!

We have nothing till 14th May.
DS is hiding in his room concocting an art portfolio. It's going to be a fraught weekend but then it's all done!

CIE. Both Eng Lang exams the week after too.

At least it's not just DS then! Only Tuesday off as extra exam leave here though...am toying with letting him stay off Monday too...

Same here with the history! Geography is on Thursday and I think DS1 could do with focussing on that to equal measure!

He does have Monday and Tuesday off as exam leave though (before official exam leave starts) so plenty of time then.

Kingscote -DS1 cricket tomorrow AM has just been cancelled. I'm a bit sad as it would have been a great opportunity for a bit of R&R. I might just encourage a lie in.

Exactly the same here KingscoteStaff! DS also passionate about it and pretty sure it will be his degree subject so is spending a disproportionate amount of time on it. At least it will be out of the way early (DS says the sources paper needs way less revision).

Well the problem with having this one early History paper all on its own next week, is that DS is resenting any time not doing History! Admittedly it is his passion and probably his degree subject, but still... I got him to do some Tassomai last night, but I've just arrived home from work to find him working on - guess what? History again!

It's a bit damp, so if his cricket match is cancelled tomorrow I am going to put my foot down and insist he does some Biology or Physics.

DS having the night off tonight and is going out with friends. He'll be doing 2 full days over the weekend though.

He got very good marks on the 2 History practice questions he did last week, so that's encouraging for the exam on Wednesday. Last week in school next week, then it's study leave. It's all getting scarily close.

DD did English speaking assessment today and seems to have gone well apart from nerves...she ended up doing a presentation on Hypermobility in the end! (odd that a % of the presentations have to be sent off to exam board but the presentation carries no marks in the exams).

In terms of language assessments - MMzz is correct - teachers mark the controlled speaking assessments and submit samples of marked work for moderation. I think they send off the top mark and the bottom mark and also candidates selected by the exam board/moderator- not sure how many...I know in the English presentation its a minimum of 30.

Thanks mmzz I thought they were marked then moderated. I will wait and see.

Has he been given a ludicrous amount of homework again?

DS asked when he would get his PE assessment and coursework mark back its 40% in total so would be nice to know but he was told September