English Lit GCSE paper today - Macbeth question

[Katrinawaves]

Any teachers who have seen today’s English Lit Ed Excel GCSE paper please or anyone who’s kids sat it?

My son came home to beat because he felt he’d answered the question on Macbeth well but as he was discussing it we thought he’d maybe misunderstood the question 😵‍💫

He thinks the question was about how Macbeth displayed guilt but we wondered whether the question was actually about the theme of guilt in Macbeth generally and so if he only wrote about Macbeth himself (as he did) he probably hasn’t done very well! It’s only paper 1 so I know he has a chance to do well enough in the other paper to achieve a pass but if anyone actually knows what the question was that would be helpful!

Can't he ask his friends who sat the same paper?

The question was to write about guilt as illustrated in a passage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after Duncan had been killed, and how guilt was portrayed in Macbeth as a whole .

If the paper was today then it will not be released to teachers before tomorrow. We don't get to see them until the following day so no teacher will have seen it yet.

It is of no help whatsoever to know what the question was and how others read it. It’s done. He can’t change it. It shouldn’t change how he approaches paper 2. He can only do his best.

I'm an incredibly anxious person but with exams I have always taken the approach that once it’s done it’s done and picking it apart helps no one. I will listen to my kids if they want to debrief but I will give no opinion and I discourage trying to work out how they have done or focussing on it with friends and whipping each other into a frenzy!

Literally pointless to dissect. Move on to next exam.

If there’s any doubt, the bit to focus on is theexam technique aspect of taking time to properly read and understand the question, plan your answer, and then recheck that plan answers the actual question.

Don't worry. So easy to go over things in your mind and worry afterwards. Sounds like he's a bright boy who will have answered a lot better than many, so well done him.

It actually is extremely helpful to know because I can manage his father’s expectations better, and also gently remind him before paper 2 to read the question twice and think about what’s being asked before rushing to respond. This is a common mistake he has made in mocks.

Thank you for the person who responded with the information I was asking for rather than trying to give me parenting lessons with no background or context!

But whether or not he got it right is irrelevant surely? You have the conversation about reading the question regardless without stressing him out about the paper he can’t change.

I don’t think trying to work out where he’s done well or not so you can manage his dads expectations sounds very healthy either

Oh your poor ds, I really feel for him. Hope the other exams go much more smoothly

I feel sorry for him because of his dad's possibly unrealistic expectations that need to be 'managed'. A very unhealthy dynamic.

Maybe you need to concentrate on supporting your DS and gently remind him to read the questions thoroughly before he answers them and congratulate him on doing well today. It is good that he feels he is off to a good start on his exams. Keep that in mind and don’t let him know that you feel he answered incorrectly, you may be wrong anyway. Also ‘manage his father’s expectations’ what rubbish, tell his father to grow up.

Just spoken to my daughter who's a secondary school English teacher. The question was' How does Shakespeare present guilt in Macbeth'? So to get top marks you needed to talk about other characters as well. BUT she says as long as he referred to the extract, talked about the theme and referred to the whole play he could still do really well. Hope that reassures your son a little bit. She says it's only a small part of the whole exam.

Mine found the Christmas Carol question tricky. Isn't it ridiculous that 2+ years of study come down to one question in a whole text?!

How has your daughter seen a paper that will not be released to staff until tomorrow?

My son said this too. He thinks he did quite well in the Macbeth question but said the Christmas Carol question was tough.

Yes my son also said the Christmas Carol question was tricky.

Did she actually see the paper? Or did one of the pupils who sat it tell her the question?

There is nothing in mark schemes about many characters candidates need to refer to in order to get "top marks".

Anyone know what the Christmas Carol question was?

All the kids come out and tell the teachers what the questions were so of course they know before they see the actual paper tomorrow!

“Manage his father’s expectations”?

Do you live in 1932?

It was about all the different ways in which Dickens represented Christmas

I wouldn’t worry too much. I emerged from my English A level paper, many decades ago, to realise I’d completely misunderstood one of the questions. Imagine my surprise on results day to find I’d achieved an A grade. I can only assume the examiners appreciated my extremely left field take on the question!

To those asking - my daughter hasn't seen the paper but the HoD has and they had a conversation about it. It's also on all the social media sites such as TikTok and X - her algorithm is obviously teacher based and lots of teachers are sharing their thoughts.