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Original poster

GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!

995 replies

SheilaFentiman · 27/05/2023 16:22

Making a new thread to support half term revision and the set of GCSEs afterwards!

OP posts:
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17
grass321 · 09/06/2023 07:19

SheilaFentiman · 08/06/2023 21:45

I’m sure no one cares about exam boards!

I've always wondered about this. Our school rambles on about picking the 'harder' exam boards as they're better preparation for A level (somewhat ignoring the fact that they're dropping most for A level).

May just be one of those things they say to parents that's not entirely true but I just think why wouldn't you pick the easier boards?

I do think it's slightly bizarre that we have different boards. When I did my GCSEs, I'm sure my school said something similar about doing the Oxford and Cambridge boards.

And for English, there's a compressive set of texts to choose from for each board.

Letskeepgoing · 09/06/2023 07:16

Geography and Biology today. My son likes both these subjects so fingers crossed it goes well!!

Neversaygoodbye · 09/06/2023 06:54

Geography and Biology here for DS, another long day. He had a massive blister on his finger after the maths/history day, poor kids. Good luck everyone.

DontForgetToBreathe · 09/06/2023 06:20

Good luck to everyone ! Geography and Biology today xx AND finally weekend!!! Of studying but still a weekend 👽

MoFoFlo · 08/06/2023 23:22

Yes, that should have said OCR B (Geography for enquiring minds). I’ve just looked and seems that it’s analysing case studies. Hopefully she’ll be able to get some advice from her teacher on how best to prepare.

NCTDN · 08/06/2023 22:15

Ds said the further maths paper was the best he's ever done.
He's only now at the half way point. Got maths, further maths, statistics and the the sciences still left to do.

PhotoDad · 08/06/2023 21:53

The number of exam boards is actually reducing as they merge (or buy each other)! There were loads more 30 years ago.

Only 4 exams left for DS! He's doing his sport all weekend...

Original poster
SheilaFentiman · 08/06/2023 21:45

I’m sure no one cares about exam boards!

OP posts:
Wolfcub · 08/06/2023 21:42

Still 11 exams to sit here. It's painful

Madcats · 08/06/2023 21:41

I am just really puzzled by the number of exam boards (and it seems to get even odder by A level).

Do the unis even care whether a 9/7 is from which board?

Why don't kids just sit the same exam board?

I remember it being a "thing" in the 80's, or was it just what certain (state) schools said?

TeddybearBaby · 08/06/2023 21:41

@MoFoFlo do you mean OCR? My DS is. He said paper 3 is fieldwork so she could go over that if she gets a chance.

HappiDaze · 08/06/2023 21:18

It's all useful thanks @Letskeepgoing

Letskeepgoing · 08/06/2023 21:06

HappiDaze · 08/06/2023 20:59

@Letskeepgoing thanks you're an Eng Lang Angel

For the full document I googled Easy English language revision paper 2 and up popped this school attached. I thought I'd see what they had put on there and it was exactly the same as what my son was given by his school so thought it must be a universal document. It is quite simple to understand and learn so we are going to use this, this weekend.

GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!
Letskeepgoing · 08/06/2023 21:01

Questions 2 and 4

GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!
GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!
HappiDaze · 08/06/2023 20:59

@Letskeepgoing thanks you're an Eng Lang Angel

MrsHamlet · 08/06/2023 20:58

Letskeepgoing · 08/06/2023 20:54

Oh well that's much easier to understand. Maybe we will just learn that technique but all the videos I've watched with the emglish teachers seem far more complicated. I take it the depth wouldn't be there for the children wanting higher grades but fine if they just want to pass?

Show quote history

The structure is the same at every level so that would work for grade 1 and 9 - it's the quality of the analysis that moves the mark.

HappiDaze · 08/06/2023 20:58

DD isn't feeling overly confident about triple Biology tomorrow. She prefers chemistry and physics by far. I think the first Biology exam put her off somewhat

Letskeepgoing · 08/06/2023 20:58

HappiDaze · 08/06/2023 20:56

@Letskeepgoing
Can you pop up some other pages please these look useful

Yes I will. I'll do that now.

HappiDaze · 08/06/2023 20:56

@Letskeepgoing
Can you pop up some other pages please these look useful

Letskeepgoing · 08/06/2023 20:54

MrsHamlet · 08/06/2023 20:46

@Letskeepgoing that's fine. Easy for me to mark too :)

Oh well that's much easier to understand. Maybe we will just learn that technique but all the videos I've watched with the emglish teachers seem far more complicated. I take it the depth wouldn't be there for the children wanting higher grades but fine if they just want to pass?

MrsHamlet · 08/06/2023 20:46

@Letskeepgoing that's fine. Easy for me to mark too :)

Letskeepgoing · 08/06/2023 20:37

Sorry its me again talking English Lang.
So the school have given this booklet to help with paper 2.
I've been watching online you tube videos which
Seem far more complicated the way they structure the answers complained to the attachment.
In the photo they've given examples of how to word the answers. If they were to use that wording like that would that really be sufficient?

GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!
Saisong · 08/06/2023 19:51

Still 10 to go here (including 2 tomorrow). Next week is the most intense, with exams every day including 2 days with 2. Final exam (astronomy) in the following week.

DontForgetToBreathe · 08/06/2023 19:50

Ds has decided suddenly (after two years) that he likes Geography!

grass321 · 08/06/2023 19:47

My son's motivation seems to be dwindling too. He's got four next week and two the week after.

Feels a bit never-ending although he gets three out of the way on Monday and Tuesday.