GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!

Reassuring to hear others found the Edexcel maths tricky too. DD is bottom set but still doing higher paper, but said lots of others in her year had no clue about the last question either. Ah well, she said she attempted answers for all questions so hopefully not a total disaster .. haven't heard about history yet - gets extra time so maybe hasn't finished.

I didn’t feel this much pressure during my own exams.

I wonder if it was because it was more under our control - revision and sitting them so more to do than just worry - and we took less though DH does remember our exams being longer - I don't remember at all.

Dd didn't enjoy foundation maths. She rang dh in tears after it and asked that he could give permission for her to come home. We need a 3.

School have excelled themselves again. Shirt signing day was a non exam day. They've changed it to a day 19 kids have a music exam, including dd. Head said those kids would have to get them signed where they can but must bring a clean shirt into school to change into before the exam.
Last day was the 20th. Dd booked her dentist appointment for the 19th. Last day now changed to the 19th.

Ds has just got home, he's in an excellent mood! He says he feels the maths exam went well except for that last question! He was also pretty happy with the Edexcel History paper, even the Anglo-Saxons. No exam tomorrow, his only exam free day in the whole 4 weeks, though they still expect him in school for revision sessions. This evening he's planning on watching some documentary on Weimar Germany

Still not heard anything and DS not home and I’m just expecting the worse. If it’s gone bad I blame it on Harry Potter

That Hitler Edexcel meme is so funny though. I didn’t feel this much pressure during my own exams.

DS say numeracy and History were fine.

That's history finished now - than god - I think I'd had enough of inter war German politics.

Ds said maths was good, and history was "half good". Apparently history of medicine was the good half and Normans were the bad half. I said 75% was a good mark anyway and he gave me a "look".

He's looking forward to his birthday tomorrow as he only has the first lesson then he and friends are coming out to go to the cinema.

My DD found Edexcel (higher) maths OK today but did say the last few questions were hard and she couldn't do one (a three marker) at all. She's got a tough two days coming up - PE and Further Maths tomorrow and then Biology and Geography on Friday. She is still going into school everyday but they put on a bespoke timetable for each student. So after Maths exam today, she has had PE and further maths revision sessions. I'm really impressed by the school (and grateful!)

It would quite possibly only be discussed for anyone hovering around a 4-5. Any lower it would be a Foundation and any higher a Higher.

Hellocatshome it probably was discussed with me at a Parent’s Evening but my menopause brain retains very little.
Thanks for clearing that up. He’s doing higher.

Happy birthday for tomorrow to your DS too @Jowak1
I've not heard from DS who was doing edexel higher. He's currently sitting history but a bit worrying he didn't message me at lunch.

Anyone heard anything about edexcel history? Had phone call from school at lunch saying they couldn't find dd which was terrifying. Five minutes later oh sorry yes she was with her tutor. She's been so anxious about history I'm sorry she ever picked it. Normally an 8-9 student but puts herself under pressure and history has been her nemesis

Went to ask DS and he did not see an Octagon question, only a 9-sided Polygon question. That made my heart stop, maybe he did not answer all the questions?

Fret not. DS took the iGCSE Edexcel, not the GCSE Edexcel Maths. His friends in other schools who took the GCSE Edexcel confirmed they had an Octagon question.

In case other Edexcel Maths parents are wondering ...

Dd had Maths (higher, Edexcel) and History today. She’s become increasingly reluctant to tell me much but seems to open up more to her 20 year old sister. Older dd doesn’t betray any confidences but did tell me dd was particularly pleased with her English language creative writing so that’s something.

@Hellocatshome and @iwantavuvezela similar story with Spanish here. Dd used to be good at languages but lack of teaching during covid paid its toll. She’s doing foundation and will be lucky to get a 4 at this rate.

I didn't get it either! DD didn't do that board.

AQA maths has higher and foundation papers. If you take foundation papers the higest mark you can get is a 5 and there are no questions on it at a higher than 5 level. If you take Higher you can get any grade. Your child will know which they are doing and really it should have been discussed with you at parents evenings etc.

For Maths (and Science) there is a foundation paper which is much easier or a harder higher paper. For foundation, the top grade acheivable is a grade 5 and for higher it is obviously a grade 9.

It’s either foundation or higher tier @BaconAndAvocado. In my sons school anyone who got a grade 6 or above in the mocks was put into the higher tier. I’m not sure what the top mark you can achieve in the lower tier is, maybe 5.

Maths papers have 2 tiers of entry Higher tier (Grades available U, 3-9) and Foundation tier (grades available U, 1-5).

(So do Science and MFLs)

Sorry to be dim....what is “Higher” Maths?
DS2 is doing GCSE AQA Maths. Is that higher?

Oh wow, GCSE inside joke. Thanks for explaining. I was thinking of Lion King, lmao!

Its a reference to the AQA english language paper on Monday when the extract came from the life of Pi and was all amount the charater of the Hyena.

What's with the hyena reference?