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

I'm not letting DD wear her blazer...cardi or jumper it is because there are no pockets and I will be shaking her kilt style skirt to ensure there is nothing in the pocket before she puts it on. I'm going to suggest phone doesn't enter school because she is only there for the exam...although not sure whether this policy will work when she has exams in morning and afternoon.

stitching up blazer pockets omg that's genius teentimes

DD is 5ft 9ins...last year she was a size 4-6 (I spent 14 years worrying about her weight - apart from when she was born 8lbs 11). She's still slightly underweight for her height but is now a healthy size 10 ...Ice cream has been her weakness over the last week..(and mine )

Sandy if it's any consolation, DD took a revision break a few days ago and went to Sainsbury's with me. It cost a fortune. Thank goodness I decided against Waitrose!

Another one to add to my list of n8ghtmares teen and I bet the answers would all be wrong.

In my real life exam world, students have had their specs checked in case anything is written inside the frames, all watches are banned and at least 9ne student has had their tattooed arms checks for hidden cheat notes.

DS1 has had another growth spurt (6ft 1) and is bursting out of his clothes. He's taken to wearing DH t-shirts which is really freaky - I think it's DH when I enter the room and it's not.

I'm feeling the pressure to be nice mother and not do anything harsh at the moment. I bought loads of his favourite pens yesterday and am meal planning around his favourite foods this week. The online delivery tonight appears to be all his favourite foods, can't imagine how that happened 😉

Loving all the mother/son emotions ...

Stickerrocks - DD asked me what would happen if a pupil stood on desk shouting out answers in an exam yesterday - whether everyone would be penalised .

DD left her mobile at home during exams.
I seriously considered stitching up her blazer pockets too (but didn't).

The watches thing seems a faff, but in these days of smart watches I can see why. I think banning non-analogue watches from schools is the way to go.

stickerrocks don't! I've just had an email from school reminding us all that mobile phones must not be taken into the exam room.
Mobile phone is going to stay home for three weeks!
Email also indicates no study leave but probably some flexibility after half term! They are still running extra revision session!
YoungBrainmelt is very profound. And rather moving... I hope he returns in a buoyant mood after a good exam!

6' 5" Cherryburn!

DD is predicted 9 in every subject and irritatingly one of the teachers put her grades up on the whiteboard by mistake last week, so the entire class saw them. I don't expect her to get all 9s or even mostly 9s and perhaps not even any 9s and I have repeatedly told her there's huge margin for error this year and that she shouldn't think about predictions at all. It would be far better for teachers to predict 8/9 I'd have thought, rather than one or the other. Anyhow, not great that the class saw a handful of the students' individual predictions.

Sorry to break the spell, but who will be the first to get a panic stricken message saying DC forgot to leave everything outside/the invigilator found a random revision card etc? DD doesn't have any pockets in her uniform & I'm still convinced she will do something daft (she has never broken a school rule in her life, except for rolling up her skirt waistband).

You soppy lot!

I may have mentioned to DS3 that these exams are the culmination of 12 years at school when I was trying to get him to take revision a bit more seriously.

He's my last to take them, thank goodness. It does seem such a lot of pressure on such young people. It was ever thus, though.

Well now you're all really setting me off!

DS said to me in the morning before his first exam last week 'I can't believe I'm going to sit an actual GCSE. I don't feel old enough'. And I looked at him, and his 6'5" frame, and I thought 'no, you're still my little boy'

He was also quite philosophical today, saying how his whole education years had been geared to this, how all his life he'd heard his cousins and other people sitting these exams, and now here he was. He was up in the night, pondering. Made me want to hug him, which I duly did

@brainmelt that is so wise beyond his years. And adorable. I wish I could get DS2 to be that philosophical about it. He seems to think his life will be over if he doesn't get all 8s and 9s and he is not predicted all 8s and 9s. never has been, so I don't know where this sudden perfectionism has sprung from.

mmzz - Oddly enough this is what I said to DD over the weekend: If you don't understand any topics you are covering in your A-levels shout out immediately and I would rather get a tutor for a session at that time ...than let it get to the exam time. I was so anti tutor before we used the French tutor and I have completely changed my view ...although I would still never consider tutoring DD to get into any school - just to address mental blocks or to aid confidence.

Just wondered what everyone was doing with exam leave? DD just concentrating on next weeks subjects except for French(Com Sci/Chem/Bio)...then we have four days before the following week's exams.

I always feel a bit weepy when I wave him off! Feels like I'm sending him into the lion's den! Obviously don't show/tell him that or he'd be hmm

Aw Cherry I just said good-bye at the door and felt the same. He was also quite philosophical today, saying how his whole education years had been geared to this, how all his life he'd heard his cousins and other people sitting these exams, and now here he was. He was up in the night, pondering. Made me want to hug him, which I duly did

Me too!

Just dropped DS at the station. He's quite nervous again but not as bad as for History last week. I always feel a bit weepy when I wave him off! Feels like I'm sending him into the lion's den! Obviously don't show/tell him that or he'd be

Good luck to all with exams today.

Teenmum I'm just the same!

I think teachers work really hard on the coursework/practical subjects to guide the DC's - it's just difficult for some DC's to work to target dates...DD's ethos is "I can do that tomorrow". I'm certainly going to keep a watchful eye over DD's DT coursework in the first 6 months of her A Level..but I know I work in the same chaotic way sometimes burning the midnight candle to get work done... I guess bad habits pass on :-(

DD's summer fairly full...We are hoping to get away for a week to Corfu straight after the last exam...then she has Prom, work experience, sixth form induction days, weekend conference, cruise with dad, 3-week NCS, party on results day...then maybe a midweek trip away before its back to school!

She partly completed a chemistry past paper yesterday with encouraging results (weakest science) - again probably thanks to Tassomai - still on target to finish all courses -

Truffle that's a lot of exams! definitely agree that doing your best is the main thing and I think marks tend to go up from mocks so your dd should be fine!
I don't want to be too hard on DS's art teacher - she had DS to contend with and once he'd gone off the deep end it was hard to get him going again! I think what he finally submitted was good but it's entirely his own fault if there isn't enough of it.

DD has English this afternoon. She is dyslexic but so long as she tries her best she can be proud of herself. If she does as well as her mocks she will be fine.

We have DD doing GCSEs and DS2 and DS3 taking A2s this summer so it will be stressful at times I'm sure.

Good luck to everyone's DC taking exams.