GCSEs 2019 - support thread part 2

Carrie dd just in from Edexcel French, “was a bit of a bugger mum”
(Reading paper)

WJEC Biology higher tier today, ds says he’s really confident it went well and the 6 mark essay question was the one they had practiced over and over in lessons. No study leave here they are expected to still go to lessons but he doesn’t have exams Friday and Monday and has asked does he have to go in. It seems pointless going to lessons that you’ve already completed your exams in but they are still measured on attendance.

Kitty DD's was OCR.

Carrie was it higher or foundation?

Posted too soon - meant to add that he’s not generally great at judging how things went!

DS home now.

AQA French he said the listening was hard but it always is and the Reading was OK. He would love a 7 in French but that would require a certain amount of luck so we shall see! Only the writing left - phew!

Edexcel Biology (single Science, higher tier) he felt OK about- there were 10 questions (with sub sections) and there was only one he felt uncertain about. His comment was he thought he did better then a 6

Just asked ds1...yes apparently very diabetes heavy

Did anyone do Edexcel french, dc texted to say reading paper was bad "I didn't know any of the words mum"

Oh yes she said the first question was something she'd expect in a year 7 paper. Either she's right or she's gone very wrong.

DD has just completed AQA higher tier biology. She too said it was WEIRD and focused a lot on diabetes!
She said the first 10 pages were surprisingly easy the last 5 were thinkers.
She's confident though. Got an 8 in her mock so fingers crossed as this is a potential A level option.
English Lit next!!!

How funny that they've all described it as weird.

She told me what the weird question was about but not what she answered, just that she had an educated guess. Very upbeat though and the rest of the exam went great I think.

Ds1 science board is aqa.

Said it was ok. Said he "blagged" 3 questions "but they only add up to 5 marks"

Said 2 of the questions were ones his school set in the mock???

Anyway, first one done. Phew.

Now to revise bloody eng lit 😩

Bimkom you’re not allowed to leave until after the standard time has elapsed so this would mean the integrity of the papers are maintained.

I guess it’s to fit in with varying school days.

Oh Kitty that is interesting, I wonder why they give that much leeway. I presume if one starts at 1pm, then you are not allowed to let them out before 2. DS's school it taking the exact midpoint of each of those times.

DS said biology went really well AQA. Found out he'd missed out a question completely right at the end but in time to finish.
Eyes down learning these damned English lit quotes tonight.

Without having read this thread! - Weird was his exact text!

DS said exactly the same "Bio was good but weird" Not sure what that means!

Bimkom I’ve just looked up pm start times in JCQ regs (I invigilate - not at DC’s school) and apparently pm start times have to be between 1 and 2 and am between 8.30 and 9.30.

ILoveYou3000 which Board was your Biology?

I’ve not heard anything from DS today (is that good or bad) - I’ve not been at work today so not good for my nerves!!

His bus should get home at 4 so crossing fingers and toes

Ds's afternoon exams all start at 2pm.

Gawd, a weird Biology exam is all we need!

My DD says Biology was weird, apparently all but one person said the same. She said questions worded strangely. Unfortunately it sounds like there was a lot on there they hadn't covered at her school! She doesn't seem too disheartened though not quite as upbeat as she was.

According to DD, 3/4 of biology was excellent, then it got strange.

Listening French not great, but the other went well.

Gosh Kitty it is odd. I checked the timetable from the school again, and all the afternoon ones definitely start at 1.30, and we have lamduffy's DC starting at 1.15. Maybe schools can have a range of starting times, so long as nobody can get out and spill the beans (even if yours started at 1pm, they wouldn't be out before 1.30 in time to tell mine). I surprising though, that they are not co-ordinated up and down the country. it was AQA French this morning that DS sat also. The Biology is also AQA for us. French and English literature run neck and neck for worst subject. Biology can be one of the best, and an A level choice. I do hope it is going/has gone OK

pointy gosh, what a time you've had!

Holland does indeed sound more organised! (Ireland are too)

Dads death wasnt straightforward. He didnt die at home - we were away for a family event - so it was nearly 3 weeks before the funeral and mum had a heart attack the same day so I was in and out of hospital with her...
The paperwork!! Surely they can make it easier/more streamlined!

I'm sat in the car waiting for ds1....

Hi there - room for a late joiner? This and next week are the biggest ones for my DS, with 9 exams in each week. Mix of igcses and gcses, more of the former, 11 subjects.

He's in bio right now which I don't think he was madly confident about. So much to learn and he doesn't find it very interesting. He'll have to be lucky.

I was a bit concerned about his first english language paper - "it was really easy - everyone had finished in about 40 minutes". I can't see that as a good thing..

I don't envy him the next 10 days - he worked very hard in Easter but I suspect may not have put in enough long term work so is heading to peak about 2 weeks after the exams.

Hey ho - good to hear so many similar worries on here!