Y11 2023-24 thread 4

Good luck everyone 🍀

Good luck to all the Eng Lang students today, especially any 3/4 borderline ones.

Good luck to all the kids today.
DS did a lot of revision for English really hope it pays of. Even got his teacher to stay behind school and go through stuff with him for 30 mins, shame he couldn't get that help sooner but suppose better late than never!

Agree with you. Teacher here, also.

Masses of things can be revised - language techniques, structure techniques, sentence starters, evaluation vocab, how to analyse and evaluate, drop, zoom, flash, flash, end, counter arguments, text type formats, awareness of audience…

Anyone with younger children, don’t let them tell you this when it’s their turn!

Neither do I and I've been teaching and examining it for two decades...

How the hell has it been that long??

DC has two more this week, 4 next week (but with 2 days off, including their 16th birthday and the day after) and then a final music paper on 17th.

They have been practising papers for Eng Lang and occasionally asking me for help - I'm a bit scared to offer because I don't really understand the criteria and don't want to mislead, but I have given them some advice on what to do if they feel initially bamboozled by a question, as in 'OK, then look for all the features you're supposed to recognise or the type of thing you are supposed to write and think "How can I make them fit this question/piece of writing"', because I do worry they will panic and freeze if the question or task initially seems opaque.

It's also a worry though because it sounds like it can be hard to judge if you've done well - maybe the words all came out and you can think you've written something good, and maybe it is good, but if it's not what they were after you have barely any marks. They did drill them a lot in how to answer in the last 6 weeks before exams though.

Also praying the English language texts are good tomorrow and DS can find all the things he needs to write about in them. He's been drilled by his tutor in the techniques to answer them and did well in the mock but I just never know with him - his performance is so erratic. Eng lit was sacrificed somewhat and everything aimed at this.... he just needs to pass it so he never has to do it again and just get on with his next step.

He's tried so hard with English lang and engaged so well with his fab tutor. He just does not enjoy academic learning and finds it hard - I so want him to do ok.

Thanks for the new thread!

DS happy with both AQA Geography (best subject, A level choice) and Cambridge Physics (worst subject, last paper, relieved never ever to do again). Phew! That's five of this week's six exams done.

From now on four remain and they are much more spread out. DS is happily gaming this evening with the anticipation of a lie in tomorrow and a day and a half to revise Biology for Friday afternoon.

Two next week and the last one on Monday the 17th. We are all looking forward to the finish line!

I'm also dreading DS (now Y8) getting to GCSE. Oldest is very motivated and although we reckon they probably do have ADHD, it's not as marked as their brother's - he has inattentive ADHD, and is August born. He won't even be 15 when he finishes his GCSEs and it feels a shame he can't wait longer to take them. He is catching up with his peers a little year on year but it doesn't feel like he'll be ready for GCSEs in 3 years' time, especially as they have so many exams and so much to learn, he will find that utterly overwhelming. He really likes history, but I'm not certain how he will manage with the volume - sadly although we're getting a new government I doubt they will or can change Gove's 'Exams, Exams, Exams' approach within that timeframe.

I do wonder about him taking one or two BTECs rather than all GCSEs.

DD1 no exams so home with WFH DH and happy with her revision today. No Eng Lang of course (told her to look at Mr Bruff) but did Biology, History and Maths revision.

Amazed how high the grades are that some 6th forms demand, wonder if that's ehy my niece went to an FE college rather than 6th form despite having a very respectable set of 6s & 7s. Ours requires 6 in maths for doing sciences, and 4 in Eng for humanities plus 4 other grades 4 and above. Some subjects require a 6 to do that subject.

English Language 2 tomorrow - please, please, please let the paper be OK! It is literally the only paper that's a worry after the school got an independent remark of Eng Lang paper after March mocks and DC was dropped from a 7 to a 4 (and other kids similarly)!!! I'll be kind of annoyed if they get a 7 now, as it'd suggest all that worry was for nothing and the remark was just overly harsh.

They were happy with paper one, so as long as this isn't dreadful I hope they will be OK.

DC needs a 6 in Eng Lang to get into their first choice 6th form (5 for second), but they should have 8 and 9s for their A-level subjects - they're not even taking English at A-level, but they need a 6+ in English Language because they're taking an essay subject (History) in which they should get an 8 or 9, but a few people have said the 6th form will probably let them if their other grades are high. It's so dumb as their written English is great but the Eng Lang paper is such a weird way of assessing English that you just have to be good at answering to the formula.

@DominoRules DD also has the History, Chem and Further Maths clash next week! Doesn’t strike me as an unusual combination, so surprised that it’s been timetabled like this.

Another one here who thinks it's impossible to revise for English Language.
Have sent him links for Mr Bruff and another youtube lady with some excellent tips on how to structure things, but he's basically being VERY shitty and refusing to be pointed in the right direction, insisting he'll be fine, despite all evidence to the contrary over the last 5 years.
We've just had an argument about it and I'm sure he'll refuse on principle to look at anything helpful that I've suggested.
I'm pretty sure I've looked at more revision material than he has.

Mine are really different in their attitude to school as well.
Dd1 studious, self motivated and has always been ambitious. However on the downside she is a bit of a perfectionist and this has created issues at times. Not got one single comment in all her time at secondary! Predicted 8s and 9s and already got one 9 in art under the belt.
dd2 is probably more naturally academic but only puts in ‘enough’ effort. Just started secondary and in set 2 for everything except PE- set 1! 😉🙄 I suggested she ramp up the effort to strive to be in set 1 where she has lots of friends but she’s not bothered. Has been known to do her homework in the car on the drive to school. Suspect gcse season with her will be quite different 🙄🙈

I know that our teens are tired but I'm so tired too 😆 I've had a few days of revising biology, both girls have had biology exams this week and they both like to revise with me so I'm currently an expert in DNA bases, homeostasis and cell functions. I can't wait to never do it agan, never mind them.

Yes my DD was all over it (slightly anxious but very driven) but my two boys need nagging all the time and have no concept how much work is actually needed to get the grades they want.

Yes @MamOfTwo , my 2 are very different. Older one doing A Levels and has just got on with it (and was focused for her GCSE’s).
Younger has faffed about and got distracted a lot. I think she has a certain amount of natural ability which has got her so far, but has also been detrimental as I personally think she hasn’t revised enough and has rested on her laurels thinking it will all be ok.
She said she feels like she’s been revising for months and is over it!

Checking in - no exams today which was a relief!

Has anybody had DC who differ hugely in their approach to exams/revision? And how did you cope?! DD1 has mostly just got on with it for her GCSEs, very focused although does get very anxious. However I am already dreading DD2's turn (current Y8 and trying to get her to do revision for her end of year assessments is like pulling teeth so goodness knows what it will be like when she gets there!)

Similar story here to what’s been mentioned already - Geography AQA overall fine but the 9 markers were odd; Business EdExcel ‘decent’, and finally got the timing right; and no revision happening for English Lang tomorrow. I think DS will struggle to focus this weekend, but there are some big exams still to come next week.

DD happy with AQA Geography, it’s her favourite subject and an A level choice. She was a bit shocked by how few of her class could find Nigeria on the map though!

Ds Is watching a livestream of Mr Salah (?)He's also watched Mr Everything English. He said to find an opinion piece from The Times/ Guardian etc. and analyse it for the types of opinions. It's 50% of the paper apparently.

AQA geography. Could have been better - some oddly worded high mark questions and she did forget she was only supposed to answer one set of questions from section 3 so wasted time and then ran out of time on the questions she should have been answering 😬

2 exams today for DS, geography and health and social care. He's not keen on geography, that went as expected! Health this afternoon was fine though apparently. This has been a very unlikely success of a subject, 2 modules of coursework and one exam and he's enjoyed it.... picked as he didn't like other options and he's learnt a lot about lots of topics which will be good for life, including effects of alcohol, drugs etc!

He was very tired this afternoon though, 2 exams did take it out of him. A good rest tonight before English Lang tomorrow.

DD sent me a text (which I won’t repeat!) of what she felt about the AQA Geog exam today.
Needless to say it didn’t go well for her. A big marker on a topic which I have just found out today wasn’t actually taught to them as they didn’t finish the course and were just given PowerPoints to study in their own time. Other questions she found ambiguous. Not happy about that but not much we can do now. Shame as she was confident about this exam.
I wouldn’t say she’s working her socks off and defo no English Language revision going on!
6 more to go…

7 more to go 9 days to go and it's all over. Booked holiday for DS and DH week later so one week to catch up with mates gym then week away. Might ship him of to nans etc as he is going to drive me nuts about possibile grades till results day. Bad enough after every paper.
Today was all about missing shading for for an answer on Geography question.