Y11 2025/26 The Final Stretch

dc also hoped for kingship and had done a lot for this. I texted a reminder this wrong to FOCUS on the question, read it, read it again and only start writing when you know what the actual question is. Dc found the exam ok, not top but ok.

Yes hugs. Snacks. Rest. Some light biology and geography revision tonight. Biology tomorrow and geography Wednesday.
geography is a mixed emotion one for my son. In his end of year 10 exams, he got a 4 and his teacher said ‘he’s her most underperforming student in the school’. He then revised like a demon for his year 11 mock and got a 9! Which was mentioned in assembly as ‘the most improved student of the year’. So there have been lows and highs.

My dc's friend mentioned the Macbeth guilt topic yesterday as a possible topic to prep for which dc had not yet revised previously. Where do people find these possible topics (bitesize etc) as dc had prepared long and broad but had not considered this before.

I think for DD the Macbeth question was ok, Christmas Carol a bit more iffy. That's from me guessing from what she's been revising as she's not back until after 3. I will have to stop myself questioning her too much!

R&J was conflict - a great extract and question
Christmas Carol also good

Not heard from my dd who did not do either of those

The AQA questions were guilt in Macbeth and the spirit of Christmas in a Christmas carol.

You are so right. We cannot roll back time so the DC discussing something in detail or they don’t want to is not helpful. The only thing that maybe useful if there is generally things they can pick up for future exams like, reading the question correctly, time management, sequence of approaching the questions. Dwelling on the past is not useful and looking forward is.

Ah, you are right thank you!

Just got a message from DD saying it went really well. And breathe. Until tomorrow 😩

Good point thank you

have a look on reddit gcse thread - there is a subreddit for english lit and people are already putting the questions on there for macbeth, CC etc.

I know @Ifeeltheneedtheneedforcoffee , it's all muddled up, I hate the idea of that! Plus DD is still at school doing normal timetable when she doesn't have an exam or a revision session, so this afternoon she'll be doing 2 hours of Spanish, when the Spanish exams aren't until after half term. She'll be desperate to revise for biology!

They should be done now!

I think as parents it is good to remember that the DC may not want any in depth discussion, (they might realise they have missed things which dents confidence going forward). Asking what the theme was and mentally thinking 'oh good they knew that', but asking for detailed discussion on the exact wording and what they wrote is maybe not helpful to the DC.
(Though of course this thread is a good displacement for discussing with the DC).

Ds was hoping for kingship but we were really clear to read and then answer the actual question not the one you hope it is and half read!
Then it will be a shift in gear for biology tomorrow.i think thats one of the hardest things for gcse so many subjects that are varied and muddled up. Some people like that and it's so hard for others

Yes there maybe people who have a clash or extra time, so we should not discuss the questions until later in the day.

@Callmejudith I'm pretty sure there is a legal injunction in place preventing people from discussing actual paper content online. I'm not sure how it is enforced, but it's probably better to find out from your DC than discuss on a public forum.

I'm also dying to know which questions came up for Macbeth and A Christmas Carol so if anyone finds out please post.

Oh gosh, have you spoken to him? Bless him.

@NotDarkGothicMama I'm so sorry about your kitty, I am not sure my DD would be able to sit an exam if anything happened to our cats. Cats are part of the family aren't they? Big hugs to you all.

@clary my daughter was also annoyed she couldn't do questions on Romeo and Juliette (she did MacBeth, but loves Romeo and Juliette)

She cried herself to sleep last night, and was so nervous this morning. She took a fruit tea with her, no breakfast and no lunch. I'm hoping hunger kicks in after the English Lit paper and she grabs food at school. I really want to know what the topics were. DD disliked the theme of Kingship (MacBeth), which I've read somewhere was a prediction. She also does A Christmas Carol, which she felt less confident about as she says there is less to say about it.

Anyone else super nervous for them? I’m working from home this morning but still got some time before my first online meeting and I’m just sat here thinking about them. Cannot wait to hear what Macbeth topic came up 😅

They would have finished one essay now!

I like the idea of pre-match photo! My son is doing Eng Lit (iGCSE with Edexcel) this morning. Then Business this afternoon. Good to get the one he's least confident about out the way first, and then the one he is most confident about follows straight after. I am looking forward to the interlude of half term.

This is exactly how I feel. I feel so maternal towards my 6ft young man with muscles. To me he is still my baby xx

Well my DS has been googling "what happens if you just don't go to an exam" so that hasn't exactly been reassuring!

I hope everyone does well and comes out feeling good today.

DS refused the porridge but accepted a couple of new pens and a lift to the pre-exam booster class. Fingers crossed! He seems ok this morning, just very quiet.

Biology GCSE tomorrow. My son is unfortunately disorganised and his school bag is a car crash. We have put his exam stationery in a large clear plastic envelope and the protractor has already gone missing. I checked and for the science exams they need a protractor, compass, scientific calculator, sharp pencils and a rubber, long ruler etc so I’ll be searching for spares. He is a bright boy but I am becoming despairing of the disorganisation.