Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

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

980 replies

mmzz · 22/04/2018 20:19

New thread for GCSEs 2018

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
KingscoteStaff · 08/05/2018 19:20

cherry DS is planning to do questions 3 and 4 first (the bullet points and the precis) in 30 minutes, leaving him 1.5 hours for the 'Change the genre' and the language analysis. He's just done 2 past papers (just qus 3 and 4) to finesse the timing. Supper now, then History source stuff.

brainmelt · 08/05/2018 19:10

blue and mmzz I am Shock That's just not right.
cherry good luck to your DS tomorrow. It's a tricky one, especially the word limit if you're handwritting you can't just call up a quick word count. DS also tends to write too much but has been working at keeping an eye on it.

TheSecondOfHerName · 08/05/2018 19:09

HmcAsWas that's good news about the RS.

DS2 is back to his normal self. It turns out that his stress at the weekend was due to his brothers annoying him rather than anything to do with exams.

Original poster
mmzz · 08/05/2018 18:29

I think the thinking is that the teachers want to run revision sessions and having them in lessons ensure maximum turnout.
As for scheduled PE lessons, the school's view is that they'll be a good chance to clear the mind and run off some of the exam stress. its just that no one has thought through the realities of doing an exam at 9, finishing just in time for PE, getting changed, wolfing down lunch and then doing another exam all afternoon.

DS thinks not going means detention, which in the middle of exams would be completely ridiculous. I don't know how they are going to enforce it. I work from home, so if they are planning to rigidly stick to this plan, then on the PE days DS will be coming home for lunch attending a dental appointment.

OP posts:
LooseAtTheSeams · 08/05/2018 18:06

That sounds crazy! DS definitely doesn't have any more PE. He's a bit hazy on how things work once exams start, though!

Cherryburn · 08/05/2018 18:05

Bluebelle and mmzz I can't believe that. What are they thinking? The PE thing is just ridiculous.

sandybayley · 08/05/2018 17:58

Bluebelle and mmzz that sounds like madness! These are (nearly) young adults so surely the schools need to start letting them take some responsibility for organising themselves?

Is it that there are too many in the year group who wouldn't get on with revision when left to their own devices and the responsible others are being penalised for it?

Original poster
mmzz · 08/05/2018 17:51

Bluebelle, on some days, DS's school is going one further: its exam, then PE, then 20 minutes to get changed, put the PE stuff back in the locker, queue up for lunch, eat lunch, and queue for your next exam.

If they really are going to prioritise a PE session over having time to get ready for an exam, then DS may well find he has a series of upcoming dental appointments.

OP posts:
BlueBelle123 · 08/05/2018 17:27

Alwayshiding your DD is showing true grit, I hope her health improves soon.

Hope those who had exams today sailed through!

DS is not happy not only do they have to continue to go to lessons until half term but they have been told that they won't be able to revise in lessons for an upcoming exam........seems ridiculous to me if for eg you have double geography before your Biology exam your head is going to be full of geography not biologyConfused .....this has changed from when DD did her exams it now seems like its every department for themselves there is no working together for the benefit of the pupils.

Cherryburn · 08/05/2018 16:37

DS doing his second Eng Lang paper of the day having mucked up the timings a bit on the one this morning. He managed to finish it but had to rush at the end having taken too long (and written too much) for the first question. Better today than tomorrow I suppose...but it hasn't done my stress levels any good. How long till Wine...

brainmelt · 08/05/2018 15:17

alwayshiding I have the biggest respect for your DD and you and I feel blessed that like you said I have a healthy teenager with only the exams to worry about. Keep strong.

sandy eng lang past paper this morning too. Now revising Latin. Roll on to tomorrow afternoon. He worked till 10pm last night but I am forbidding the same tonight before exam.
sost patio looking so nice. DS has been revising in the garden which is great.

Original poster
mmzz · 08/05/2018 13:43

I agree with stickerrocks, Sostenueto. Your DGD is important, but so are you.
If you can't tell your DD, then can you keep your distance for a couple of weeks, until the first few exams are over and the exams are in full swing (which I seem to remember is less stressful than waiting for the first one to start).

OP posts:
stickerrocks · 08/05/2018 13:22

Sost are you still maintaining silence? I do hope your stress levels aren't increasing exponentially.

Original poster
mmzz · 08/05/2018 13:20

Happy birth day, hmc. Hope your family are spoiling you today.

OP posts:
Original poster
mmzz · 08/05/2018 13:20

RE is the stressful one because teacher keeps saying "you're going to be my 9
This has been one of the things that has been upsetting DS too. All the teachers are expecting 8s and 9s. He can't seem to get his around the fact that at this stage, it is irrelevant what the teachers are expecting / hoping for, and if he gets 7s instead (or 6s, or even 5s), then the teachers' disappointment will be short-lived and if DS gets enough for the sixth form college, he won't even be aware of it. All that counts now is that he does his best.

OP posts:
pannetone · 08/05/2018 13:17

Happy birthday hmc Cake Wine

Hope none/not too many of our DC are turning 16 on an exam day. The exam season starts so much earlier now - I’ve remembered that my O levels (I’m a little bit older than hmc) started on my 16th birthday in early June.

Sorry to hear of your DD’s health issues Always Flowers - that is so difficult at an already stressful time.

Teenmum60 · 08/05/2018 13:09

Happy Birthday HMC...good news about RS....wishing Dd could ditch CS at the moment!

JufusMum · 08/05/2018 13:01

Always hope your DD is feeling brighter soon.

I was away at the weekend but DH said DD did lots of revision including plenty inbetween rounds at her dance competition.

Oh and FINALLY we have the date for German speaking - Friday 11 May.

DD seems pretty chilled, RE is the stressful one because teacher keeps saying "you're going to be my 9!". I think it's too much pressure. But she'd love an 8 as she is doing RE for A-level.

Cherryburn · 08/05/2018 11:54

Happy birthday hmc. Here's some more Wine.

Good news about the RS. Lucky you-wish we could ditch it!

hmcAsWas · 08/05/2018 11:46

Thanks - I could use the wine!

LooseAtTheSeams · 08/05/2018 11:40

Happy birthday HmcCakeWine

hmcAsWas · 08/05/2018 11:33

Exams officer has been in touch to say that it isn't too late to withdraw dd from her RS exam (and it won't be recorded as a fail / no show in the stats), so that's good news

And its my 50th birthday today Shock Shock Shock

hmcAsWas · 08/05/2018 09:40

Bless your dd and her determination and resilience Alwayshiding - good on her for not letting it beat her

Thanks for the 'Science with Hazel' recommendation Loose. Dd is doing AQA so she will take a look at this

Patio looks great Sostenueto - make sure you enjoy it before the weather breaks

AlwaysHiding · 08/05/2018 09:33

Thanks for your good wishes everyone. Hugely helpful right now!

I’m having to hide my own anxiety in order to support her and she’s not letting it get the better of her, so I’m certainly not going to.

She’s determined, I’ll give her that and all of her teachers are aware and being fully supportive.

Roll on 15 June when we can just focus on her health and well-being.

Best wishes to all.

Teenmum60 · 08/05/2018 09:01

Alwayshiding - so sorry to hear about DD's health declining. It must be a massive worry for you Flowers.
Freshstart - Good luck to your DD this week.
Loose - DD is a massive fan of Science with Hazel even though she is not doing AQA.
Sost - Patio looking great - hope mood of DGD improves.