Y11 2025-26 - Trying not to melt and pushing through the final weeks

I have told my daughter not to look at these unofficial mark schemes, its done now. Nobody knows the exact mark schemes.

DS thought AQA chemistry good but I think he misunderstood one question from what he had said, which question was worth 5 marks but he was happy with the other science papers apart from biology paper 1 so hopefully that won’t matter

DD said that AQA triple higher went well, not as good as paper 1 which was very very easy according to her, but good nonetheless. @JustOneMoreMargarita I am sure she will have done enough. What did she think could have gone better? People on Reddit have posted answers, I don't show them to my DD because it will make her panic and she forgets the answers anyway, but it might reassure your DD to have a look?

One exam to go!!!

Dd AQA said Chemistry Triple was okay, not too bad but not fabulous!

Dd1 back (with friend so 2 sets of feedback). AQA higher combined - good, happy, definitely better than mocks so fingers crossed. Dd2 doing triple so not back yet. She was panicking but well prepared so let’s hope not too much of a car crash (it’s her worst science paper)

DD doesn’t seem happy with AQA Chemistry (triple). Hoping she’s done better than she thinks. Paper 1 went well so hopefully she can still get what she needs for A level.

feel like it could be a long summer worrying about it for her… she needs it for the career she wants.

Oh that sounds promising! DD doesn't come out til 11am as they start at 9.15am so I'm glad to read this. She's definitely not a natural chemist either!

Yes a report of higher chemistry AQA going ‘really well, much better than expected’ . DS is definitely not a natural chemist (he’d be happy with a 6) so that’s good. Hoping the same for more reports on here as they come in.

AQA chemistry higher paper for double award was ‘10/10’ according to DD. Just physics left now on Monday, can’t wait! Feels fun y that she doesn’t have to decide where to place her efforts between now and then, there’s literally only one subject left. So close to the end now!

DS got up early to go in for hot tips before Chemistry this morning. He's assiduously avoided hot tips so he must be nervous! I hope it's going well for them all today.

Good luck to all for chemistry and dance if anyone here does it!

DD was the most stressed about today. Chemistry paper 1 (AQA higher triple) went incredibly well, much much better than usual and she didn't want today to "ruin it". She's also super stressed about dance. She's a great dancer, but got a "just 9" in the coursework element and pretty much had to self teach the exam material, so doesn't feel the most confident about it. Having said that, only 4 of them turned up to the (compulsory) revision session yesterday and she ended up having almost a 1 to 1 with the teacher as the others didn't want to answer questions so she said for once it was useful.

Waiting for the usual Reddit reviews the minute the first ones are out!

The no study leave is this because Education Minister really focus on absence days and not the different types of absence?

Chemistry is hard anyway so hoping for a straight forward paper!

Good luck little Chemists!

Good luck to everyone doing chemistry this morning.

Maths is the biggest cause of stress here as well 😬 Was looking at a solid 7, wanted an 8, but now it's all completely up in the air as my daughter found it awful

With regatds to the Maths papers where every exam board has thrown in unusually hard papers, I do wonder how it will pan out. Dd normally gets a solid 7 and thinks, if going by the last few years, she is looking at a high 5/low 6. She needs a 6....

With two very different kids with a variety of types mates.. I think in May each child should have a hybrid approach agreed that works for them

I totally agree with there being provision for those that want or need it. But it should be optional.

At DD’s indie they can go in if they want, there are various subject clinics, there are rooms set aside for independent study, and they can of course just pop in for lunch and a chat with a particular subject teacher if they want. Some kids have continued to go to school every day as the structure works for them and they want all the help they can get.

I think that state schools should be the same.

I think that study leave should be a chance. My eldest preferred being in school but youngest has taken some unauthorised leave as too hard for them revising in school with no phones/tech allowed and disruptive kids

I’ve been amazed by those saying it’s common for kids to fall asleep in exams. Until a mate of mine said his wife has been invigilating and it happens every day and not just the odd child

I’m glad my son has had study leave. I think it’s been beneficial for him. I think his younger brother will be in a different situation and I hope there’s the option for more structure for him.

And I can see how it can help to mitigate disadvantage.

We’ve got a skewed perspective here (me too) because, whatever kind of school our children go to, every parent on this thread is engaged and invested in their child’s education or we wouldn’t be on this thread. Just that interest, however it manifests, gives our children a massive advantage.

Oh and our prizegiving is only for kids getting a prize to attend. DD has had it once before for "effort" (1 kid gets it for overall achievement and 1 for effort in every class). Then for Y11 and sixth form the subjects choose a prize winner and she's getting the Y11 physics prize. Which she's not happy about because what if she doesn't get her predicted grade, the teacher will be disappointed and what if she decides not to do it for A level...