Y11 2023-24 thread 4

X-post.

Many places require at least a 7 to fo A level maths. There is a reason for that. Can she start with 4 and drop one?

If she doesn't get a 7 it may be moot anyway

What does 'useful for university' mean? Does she think it will 'look good' for the application, or is she thinking of a course that needs or benefits from A level maths?

If the former then they may care more about grades than subjects. It would go well with economics though.

Morning, I may not be the right person to advise on A level maths, but my DD is taking it with Chem and Biology hopefully. My oldest DD started it and dropped out as it was too hard and she got an A at GCSE maths (pre numbers).

DD2 loves maths, always worked at a 9 until she messed up paper 1 and now predicts a 7 for herself. I am still encouraging her to do it though, and do believe maths is about consistency and hard work as well as ability. I do think it is one of the hardest A levels though, and if DD gets lower than a 6 I will be chatting with her about other options, I just don't want to place too much stress on her if she feels unable to do it. She would need a A at a level though to do what she wants so that places another level of pressure.

Maths would go well with economics for your DD too.

Hello all, Need some advice. Dd now wants to take A Level Maths purely because it would be very useful for university. She gets 6s in maths with no revision and thinks she has gotten a 7 using last year grade boundaries.i definitely feel she could get a lot higher if she revised. She does like maths more than other subjects but she is naturally better at the humanities. She is prepared to work over the summer to catch up. It would replace politics (history,economics, maths). Is this a good idea?

I can relate to this. I'm feeling strangely sentimental about it all coming to an end. I can't wait for Friday and to be through the GCSEs but I'm having a few pangs about DD ending secondary school and moving on to 6th form. It feels like life goes by so quickly sometimes.

DS got his first full study day at home tomorrow he is really looking forward to it. Told him to rest this afternoon. Hoping he is well enough Friday for Geography and physics. He looked worse when he got home than when he left this morning.

@TrixieFatell oh no, hope it doesn’t take hold. I hope everyone who is feeling under the weather makes a quick recovery, things are tough enough at the moment without getting ill on top.

Thank you @DominoRules 🙏

Further maths with 3 papers sounds tough. WJEC additional maths is just 1 paper but that’s not until next Wednesday either.

I think I've caught my daughter's lurgy. Feeling sorry for myself now

Oh dear, DD said AQA Chem Single Higher was the hardest of all the exams she has done. Apparently at one point she "prayed for death so I wouldn't have to carry on" - so, yeah, I don't think it went that well. 😬She is officially over exams now and seems to have developed an obsession with Bridgerton of all things! Luckily only physics left for us.

OCR combined chemistry was ok and history was good, according to ds.
He worked til very late last night, went out with friends straight after history, came home and went to bed.
Next and final exam is physics on Friday.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn of course 👍 It was 25 years ago we did it and I’m quite removed from it now but DH is still very much in the chemical engineering field (in fact he’s a mentor and on the panel for interns and graduate training schemes so would be a better advisor probably!)

Thanks all. I’m not worried about 9’s - they’ll never happen but she is capable of B’s and C’s if she puts the work in. (4’s, 5’s and 6’s?) However without work it will be more like 3’s and maybe a 4 in a couple of favourite subjects. She’ll really be on the cusp. I think I may get her to focus on maths and science as they are subjects that she could drop into a lower set for. Same for French but I don’t think she’ll be that bothered about French - if she gets a 4 I’ll be pleased!

I would say first of all, don't worry about 9's. They are the equivalent of A**. A 7 is an old A. The purpose of GCSES is to get pupils to the next stage, so as long as she can get what she needs to get into her chosen course at her chosen college/6th form, that's all that matters.
Secondly with revision you can go up at least a couple of grades between mocks and the real thing, but makecsure she revises enough to avoid being put into a lower set for subject where the papers are streamed eg languages and maths, because the top mark there is a 5.
I did a revision timetable from Christmas of year 11 up to the exams. DS liked spaced repetition, so look up some videos on that and some other revision techniques quite early on. If she gets lower grades than expected that may motivate her to revise, especially if she has the aim of doing a particular course afterwards. She will have something to aim for.

Yes! My ds gave me this one to solve, so I dug out the remnants of factorisation knowledge from my old brain and was really pleased with myself when I simplified it, but that was as far as I got 😅 Turns out the answer is 120

Ds found chemistry and fm hard today. A question on fm he couldn’t answer. He’s fed up of it all now and can’t wait to be finished.

Excellent! I may have to rewatch the last couple of episodes this week. 😄

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn starts next Sunday 16th. I'm very excited

thank @DominoRules I have no idea what’s involved with it as I’ve never met anyone who does it, if GCSEs go OK and he gets on to his a level choices I wouldn’t mind picking your brain a little if that would be OK? 🙂

@WarningOfGails thats interesting to know, thank you, I may ask to pick your brain also! 😀

@omnishambles DS said he messed up the end of the six marker, something about a judgement?

@Tiredalwaystired glad your DD has cheered up a little.

History Edexcel was blessed apparently. 😄 no revision tonight, he’s been gaming but Physics revision starts first thing tomorrow.

@TrixieFatell when does HofD start again? I’m looking forward to it!

@Booksandflowers Can you do a deal with her and say revise properly for Physics and Geography and you won't nag on the others? Then if she hopefully does better in them you will have proved your point? A bit high risk maybe.

Hi there!

It's a dilemna I have contended with as well. A school of thought says to let them fail and learn to find their own motivation/purpose and to only help if they ask, but I decided to actively support and try and teach my DS learning techniques, make him realise how much work is needed to do well, how he may regret it later if he underperforms etc. So I sort of project managed his revisions for GCSES and only in the last 2 weeks has he started doing his own flashcards etc without prompting...He mostly welcomes the help and guidance but also says sometimes that I've made him too dependent on help. He has naturally very low motivation (moderate ADD diagnosed in November) but is super bright and I decided it would be too much of a shame to just 'let him be' and see some doors closed when he finally steps up. I also don't think he easily bounces back on his own - he did really badly in an end of year 10 maths test, got moved to a lower ability group for year 11, excluded from further maths, separated from all his friends, and I saw no sign his pride was hurt or that work was going to be put in without a push.... Yet he is happy when he gets a good result so he does care...It's perplexing!

It may come down to what you can live with. I am prone to guilt and anxiety so decided to help him 'fit the system' as much as possible...Good luck!

DS said AQA combined chemistry "not the best, but not the worst paper I've had".

I mean, what am I supposed to do with that information?

Hoping a couple of days rest and some targeted revision means he can go out with a bang on Friday with physics, which is one of his stronger subjects.

Deloused his room today - no idea why he's been collecting Tyrells crisp packets, but did find 2 TV remote controls that I had recently replaced!

I think I will cry with relief when it's all over.

AQA Chemistry higher all good. DD happy as it’s an A level choice. DS pretty pleased too though he’s glad he doesn’t have to do Chemistry anymore.
He also had History this afternoon and he was happy with it all (OCR) which is great as it’s one of his A levels subjects.
Nothing now until Friday Geography (DD) and Physics. Phew.