Gcse 2018 (10) The one with half term

I still don't understand the whole art journey thing though (so its a good thing i don't have to do it!). I'd be saying "How do you mean "journey"? I drew the picture because I fancied drawing it and then i coloured it in using colours that i thought would make it look attractive, and I happened to have to hand. I leaned on the colouring pencil a bit more over there because my hand was getting tired..."

Do you think I'd get a rare U?

Just to clarify what i was saying this morning, I think it may have caused offence. I wasn't saying the only measure of reward is income. its obviously isn't (just ask a teacher or a nurse).
Income just happens to be the one that you use to repay student debts, and IMO there has to be a relationship between the cost of the degree and the value of the work it enables you to do.

It seems an odd decision for JCQ. AH's solution would work. they wouldn't even have to gather predictions from schools around the country, just half a dozen similar schools would do, and the Department of Education already has the names of those schools for its league table analysis.

A 16 year old being stabbed though... GCSEs or not...

Attempted to paint trellis but pup dropped ball in paint and decided to try and get ball out! An hour and a half later after trying to shower dog who had turned pink! And having a shower myself am now done for the day except I have to face phonecalls from Dgd to give tips and pointers on English language exam later. Which is only slightly better than the 45 minutes yesterday when Dgd phoned to tell me all she knew about homeostasis! ( honestly I don't know who's worse the pup or Dgd!)

bluebelle

Hello to Peggy!

androb just about to ask DS if he'd heard of the band Meet and Greet, luckily the penny finally dropped just before I made a complete fool of myself

welcome Peggy

AND Peggy! Welcome to the thread!

mmzz et al - I don't want to even think about grade boundaries! It all seems far too complicated and unnecessary.

to hmc and sos and anyone else who feels they need them!

I reckon my DD has averaged 3 hours revision on non school days and 2 days on Monday to Thursdays - no revision on a Friday ever.

It seems to me that we all have loads of stuff going on outside of these DC and their exams and it is lovely that there is support here for everyone. The threads are fast moving and it is easy to miss things, but good on you hmcAsWas shouting up for support.

DD on train to Manchester to go to some concert with some American boy band. Got a 'Meet and Greet' first as well - some daft price for a photo with them!

Have been lurking a bit. DD has ADHD so finding and keeping focus is tricky and she needs lots of scaffolding from me.

This comment from mmzz made me smile as I thought she was talking about pressures in my life rather than grade bounderies

Maybe the dual pressures at the ends of the spectrum will create an odd inflexion point

I can sort of understand it in that some schools predictions are way out.

But what JCQ should do would be to ask for all that schools candidates predicted grades, then compare them against their actual achieved grades and moderate the boys predicted grades up or down accordingly.

I guess thats too much trouble for them but this poor lad has been through so much already.

Hmm...DS did 2 hours of geography at school, came back, cadged money out of DH for the cinema and lunch ('lost' wallet and cashpoint card) and has escaped!

That poor boy in Enfield - I cannot believe the judgment. It's cruel. I see MPs appealed on his behalf as well.

Wow, I've missed so much. I didn't see the post about your mother hmc but I have huge sympathy as dh's mum has th start of dementia and he lost his grandmother (who brought him up) to it.

Not much to report. As a family we obviously value the arts. Dh and I both have music degrees (I also took drama and English electives) and we have managed to make a decent living.

Dd is hoping for good grades. She feels that she won't get her 9 in RS due to it being her first exam, she got the timings wrong and has since changed her revision strategy. She is really hoping for an 8 in English and a 7 in Maths (depending onhos Paper 2 goes. She feels French went well and thinks a 7 would be wonderful but will settle for a 6.

I think she just needs 6's for her choice of A levels (maybe a 7 in English). She needs to do well in RS as school are making special provisions for her to be able to take Philosophy & Ethics.

She thinks that Tassomai & some video called Primrose Kitten are the reason she is going to pass her sciences. I darn't ask what grade shes hoping for.

Yes Kingscote. What an absolute disgrace on the part of JCQ. I hope the publicity will shame it into action. I've know independent school kids get their predicted grades for far more tenuous reasons, although that was admittedly before the tightening up of the rules. Shocking.

hmc I have every sympathy.

That poor boy in Enfield. Just a 16 year old in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sost you are just amazing. With a horrible start in life you could so easily have gone a different route (off the rails etc as so many understandably do), but instead you are a grandmother nonpareil - and always so kind and helpful to everyone on here

Chicken thank goodness for the close airports in your case - although I am not downplaying what a commitment and how tiring it is doing the journey so frequently. Whilst you really put yourself out for your mother I expect you worry about her and the long lonely 3 weeks or so between visits. My parents chose to retire to a small seaside town 70 miles from the airport - which means I drive the 600 mile round trip. I've tried to persuade him to come back with me for a weeks 'holiday' but he feels he should visit mum daily (she wouldn't know either way) to ensure that she is being properly looked after

Sostenuto you sound like a strong person and the way you support your family comes across loud and clear.

brainmelt my ds showed me this last week - utterly horrifying. Poor lad.

I never had parents. It was not until I was 45 that I knew I had 11 half brothers and sisters and 1 full blooded brother. They are strangers to me, I tried to keep contact up with my brother but like me he suffered terribly in childhood so after a couple of years we drifted apart again. Neither of us capable of forming a bond. What I found out about my biological mother I wish I hadn't known. So even though I was a music teacher I decided to go into care. Maybe to look after the elderly as if they were my own. Who knows what psychological reasons people do things. But I survived and now my little family are my treasures. Maybe why I go above and beyond for them. I know what it is like to have no one and why I'm so resilient!

HMC yes, I'm visiting for a weekend every month or so at the moment and we speak frequently on the phone. Thankfully both our homes are reasonably close to an airport! It's tiring though and I feel really powerless to make a real difference.
The elderly parents topic is under "other stuff". I dip in and out depending how things are going.

AChickenCalledKorma - so sorry for you loss, you must still be reeling. I can well imagine what it must be like - do you find that you are having to make the 800 mile round trip on a more regular basis to support your grieving mother? The logistics of distance alone are difficult enough without the emotional burden on top. Thank you for the pointer to the Elderly Parents topic - it hadn't registered with me that there was a topic for this and I shall take a look

Brainmelt how astonishingly unfeeling of the exam board. Surely of all circumstances this case is deserving of a flexible approach. I realise he could repeat the year and take exams next year - but most teens would really baulk at this prospect and he has had enough to contend with as it is

hmc I had to go back to find your post as I see references everywhere. It must be so hard for you and your poor DF
mmzz so many good things have been said about your DS situation. I feel he will make a great start at the new Sixth Form where he may meet similar souls.

Haven't managed to catch up as was working a lot yesterday and this morning but I just found this and was www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-44251216