GCSE maths today

[Kfor]

Has anyone got feedback from their teens about today's Maths GCSE paper 3 (Edexcel)? My DD thinks it was hard😬

I'm a maths teacher so I am approaching it from that point of view and how I think my students would have found it.

We did Edexcel a few years ago and most of us wouldn't prefer to go back to the straightforward questions than the wordy hell that is Eduqas now.

There were mixed views on the last paper from my current learners for Foundation. Whilst my higher students thought theirs was okay. When they talk about the exam afterwards, they do eventually concede that it may not been as bad as they thought.

I do have empathy, thanks. I'm also realistic.

God MN is so tediously full of people looking to find offence with everything these days isn't it?

Posting on a thread aimed at adults, not the kids who sat the paper, that a maths paper was, in your professional opinion 'perfectly manageable' is fine. Madness to suggest otherwise.

@xsquared for what’s it worth I think you sound like a very reasonable, rational and good teacher!

My son said it was awful but he also thinks he got 60 ish out of 80 which is not bad going. The night before he did a practice paper and scored 78/80 but grade boundaries may hopefully reflect the extra challenge involved. He also reckons he made silly mistakes on the easier questions

Thank you. My real life interactions with students, colleagues and parents are very different to mn.

Good luck to your ds with the rest of his exams and his results. If he can get 78/80 on a practice paper then he should be okay. 🤞🏻

Thank you once again for all advise!

How did they do in the end?

Dd got a 5(2 marks off 6) lower grade than usual but atleast she passed I guess!

Very similar, 4 points under..6, so couldnt pick all the subjects she wanted..but happy that passed😅

My son got an 8. 188 marks overall.

My son got 8. Two marks under a 9. I have refused to let him hope for a change by remarking, and told him I am proud of his grade and so should he be.

The grade boundaries for a 9 were 12 marks lower than last year so it was a more difficult paper but has also been reflected in the grades. DD was delighted with her 8, a few marks off a 9 but not close enough to merit a review.

DS got 230 overall which was a 9. Maths is his strong subject, and probably the one he was best prepared for.
he was disappointed with English grades

It sounds like your daughter isn't alone, plenty of students found this one brutal. I've been using the Edexcel past papers at GCSE Maths papers here to help my own teen get used to the weird wording, and they've been a real help for spotting tricky question styles
Hopefully the exam board adjusts the boundaries fairly
Hang in there