Current Year 11 - 2 more weeks of exams!!

I've not heard from my DS. He could do well or fail his eng Lang depending on if he has a panic or brain freeze. He's bright but putting ideas into essays is really really hard. He's worked so well I really hope he's passed.
Planning and organisational is a real weakness so this impacts essays but also revision so I've been hands on organising him. He's requested help and bit by bit he's taken more responsibility. I've just seen it as trying to teach study habits. I guess we'll see in august 🤷‍♀️

This is so very true and something that worries me enormously about my DD. I just want her to get through them and put the whole saga behind us. She won't get what she's capable of, but then who in this cohort will? Enough to move on is all we need.
they've been so tested and examined, especially over the last 6 months.

That's so sad @legosnowqueen.

No exam at this level should do this to a child of 16.

That's so sad @legosnowqueen I honestly feel that this cohort has been screwed over more than any other. The pressures heaped on them have been immense. The first one back doing exams, constantly reminded of what they've missed, haven't been taught, trying to catch up.

English went okay - she said her hand hurts and she barely finished, missed a paragraph on one of the questions but isn't stressed, she thinks it went better than the first one, so is happy with that.

I told her to forget it now and move on, English is over. Also told her to have the rest of the day off from revision!

Eng Lang went well here too 😀 but DS is upset that a friend ran out of time & didn't get to the last question - had a panic attack in the exam room & was sat on his knees rocking & crying - as @DFOD has highlighted the mental health impact on this cohort is a real concern...

I'm so worried about my daughter, I just have a feeling she's done really badly. She's on the higher papers for everything so she could end up with nothing

Just checked and DD1 still has another 8 exams to go and DD2 has 7

They seem to be holding up ok so far - I think they are just exhausted this week.

And I do know that it should have been 'their' not 'there' bloody predictive text!

I know we’re all looking forward to the end of this intensive week.

Just 5 left for us over the next two weeks. Nothing after today until next Wednesday so a relaxing weekend hopefully.

I agree with all the comments on protecting their fragile mental health. It’s all so intense these days. I barely did anything for my gcse exams many years ago in comparison and have done fine. Just a hard question or hard paper feels like the end of the world to these young people (or to mine anyway). The pressure doesn’t come from me.

Restful weekend everyone.

Thanks for the new thread @Rollergirl11

I'm more concerned for there mental well-being & will be so happy when the exams are finally done.

100% my focus.

I work in MH. It’s not something that is sorted with taking pills for 5 days. Can shadow your life for many many months and years. Need to take care of these precious hearts and minds. They are more vulnerable and fragile than we know.

The details of a dodgy Q on an exam will be long forgotten but their self esteem could slowly erode. Perspective for this cohort is especially important IMHO.,

I've had a message from DS who thought AQA English was ok. He absolutely hates English Language so I'll take that as a positive! He thought questions 2-4 were tricky but liked the topic of the article. I just hope he's done enough to get grade 5 so he never has to sit another English exam again.

I'm still waiting for the Head of Year to get back to me as I wanted him to work from home from this afternoon as the only relevant lesson he has now is one science lesson a day then 5 periods of trying to revise science while sitting in an english, business or computers etc lesson.

My dd revised for Eng Lang last night by laying across her bed on her phone🤔

She’ll be coming home to sleep. She never sleeps well on exam weeks.

Just had a call that English Lang went well. Creative writing about biggest memory and poem was lost / unknown girl?

Happy this week is done.

It’s been a struggle.

DD1 had a bit of a wobble last night.

She finally admitted that she'd got a grade 5 in the last Eng Lit mocks (just 1 point off a 6). This the lowest mark she'd ever got but I no said not to worry as she wasn't even thinking of doing it for A level. She's much more science oriented plus French/Latin which have gone well. She loves reading but hates analysing books or poetry.

DD2 loves that sort of thing & finds it easy but hates science so has been stressing about those exams.

I'm more concerned for there mental well-being & will be so happy when the exams are finally done.

Gosh I don't envy those of you doing the double whammy!

Which are worse those with double whammy? that's me in two years.

@coffeeandbiscuittime I also have one doing GCSEs and one A Levels. Great fun isn't it? 😆

My DD is not talking to me this morning- actually any morning she has an exam. I have one doing GCSES and one doing A levels - my house is fun🤣

Glad you asked this. One mum friend gives me the run down of what 'they' are revising and seems to literally sit with her DD.

For those asking about filling the summer, my daughter has 2 weeks on NCS, a weeks work experience, sixth form taster days across a few weeks and 2 weeks where I'm off and we have a little break booked. She has also got herself a job so will work extra hours, I'll be lucky to see her I think!! Good luck for English language today, we are ready for the weekend I know that much

@Undertheoldlindentree similar story re revision techniques here, I'm almost beyond worrying about it now.

Good luck to all for the Eng Lang exam, DS & mates are off to the Jurassic Park film later to de-stress 😀 but he will need to revise over the weekend as another 5 papers next week.

@Akite hope your DD feels ok in the exam. I wish I was going to Glastonbury. DS is going to Leeds fest - the next thing to worry about when the exams are over (& it's the weekend after results day) 😂

Thanks for the shiny new thread

dd, who is usually panic struck before an exam (cries all the way to school in the car, says she’s going to be sick etc etc), was actually calm this morning. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

3 next week and 2 the week after, so definitely on the home run now thankfully!!

good luck for today everyone