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!

⬆️ 100%. To be fair, with the theme of guilt, you’ve only really got Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to focus on so 🤷‍♀️

My dc who did EdExcel today but answered questions on Animal Farm and R&J. Found it really hard.

They have J&H next week I think.

As this seems to be repeated issue for him, rather than “reminding” him to read the question it might be more helpful to give him the tools to ensure that he breaks it down carefully.

Read question at least twice. Break the question into sections with a pen and number them. Underline key words such as “Describe” or “compare” and label so he knows if he’s analysing or contrasting.

What's without remedy should be without regard.

As if that were ever true.

What's done is done.

Yes, that was my take too. Is he scared of his dad?

And cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed.

I know about the questions on the AQA English paper because I had students who came to tell me what the questions were

Just as an aside, a lot of posters on here are talking about the AQA questions – but @Katrinawaves said Edexcel.

Is that right OP? Bc that would mean Edexcel and AQA had the same Macbeth question which might be so of course. Did your DS have a second question on Christmas Carol/J&H or on Inspector Calls/Animal Farm?

Either way I agree with those saying that with guilt in Macbeth you are really only going to write about M and Lady M. No one else is guilty. If he wrote a good essay making xx points about M's guilt then I am sure he will have done fine. If he was happy with it, happy days.

It may be worth advising him to practice highlighting or underlining key words, annotating the question, creating an essay plan and then checking the plan answers the question.

A lot of college/sixth form options will allow students to resit Maths and English if they do not get the four they need.

I have been a teacher for 25 years.The children always discuss the exams in great detail after they come out. It is big deal for them so of course they talk about it.

I totally understand the OP wanting to find out more. It is very obvious from all her posts that she is hoping to be able to reassure her son, not create further anxiety.

@claryI think op must have got mixed up. The question for aqa was guilt, for edexcel it was murder.

Def was guilt in AQA.

OP has said that she hasn’t and isn’t planning on discussing it with him.

It’s not him that wants to know the answer.

She wants to know purely so she can prepare/manage her husbands expectations.

I’m shocked that you’ve been a teacher for 25 years and think that that is normal and in any way ok.

If you had been a teacher for 25 years you wouldn't be so easily shocked.

So you’re saying it’s ok that OP has to manager her DHs expectations of his sons results?

I don't think form what you have said that you have either undertaken the training you should have had in your role. Whilst it might unimportant, there is a big difference between students leaving exams and talking about what is on the paper to someone who is either an invigilator or scribe. Schools and Colleges are obliged to follow the regulations in order to preserve the integrity of the exams.