Parents of Year 12s - exam time again! (oh no!)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Just noticed we were running out of thread!

"This thread is still not on my tio"

Or mine.

It's not on my tio either! I think we've lost a few because of this.

LDR is it maths? if it is yes, he can retake the module to pull up his overall mark.

That's fab shiney, well done to your dd :) I'm glad she's found what she would like to do.

little it depends on the subject. If it's maths (which is one of only a few that I can think of which are still modular) then yes absolutely. We encourage students to resit modules that have pulled them down so they get a better result. If it's a module that he'll be doing more on, like c1 or c2 for maths, then the y13 modules will make the y12 module look a lot easier and make it easier to get a better grade at resit. Other subjects I don't know much about.

Brilliant. Thanks guys, yes it's maths. He seems to know what he's doing so I will stop worrying and trust him, I've told him to continue with the subject he enjoys most.

Littledrummergirl DD2 also planning a couple of resits for her Maths to optimise her final Maths Further Maths grades next year.

Odd feeling this morning, not exactly anti-climax more a case of 'right, on we go'. DD has got what she was predicted for A level Maths, she now knows what all her predicted grades will be so 'all' she has to do is get there!

If this thread isn't in you TIO, do you have the topic hidden? It's not saving in my watched threads either and I've others missing from topics I've hidden.

No, not hidden. TIO is broken.

I don't have it hidden, so I don't know why it's not visible! I'm keeping a tab open specially for it. Have reported to mn.

Gnome, I know what you mean. It's almost a feeling of sitting down on a rock part way up a mountain having a breather and looking at the map, before slinging your rucksack back on and setting off again.

It was funny because last night, out of nowhere, DS said "I think I'll make a start on my personal statement". It is exactly as if the results were a checkpoint, now that has been ticked off he can move on to the next thing.

I suggested resits to DS, pointing out that he cannot now get an A overall because of the surprise! C but there again a B would be perfectly acceptable for what he wants to do. He has considered his position and he's going with the C and a copy of his paper to see what he can learn from this. DH managed to stick with the script last night and did not provoke a reaction by well meaning heavy handed pomposity.

I watch the thread because "threads I'm watching" is working.

It won't let me add this thread to I'm watching. Most odd!!

It's a bit sad that this is just another way marker for them on their path really. I guess it's something they need to get used to. Depending on university, it could be a treadmill of exams now for the next 4+ years.
How depressing is that?

It's just the way that it is. I came out of my last paper declaring that I was never sitting another exam ever again and then walked into a job requiring another three years of them before qualification. DH is still taking music exams but it's because he wants to not because he has to.

Do you think we'll get as stressed about uni exams when they get in to that? I'm kind of hoping that I can stop worrying when we pack them off. I think that much of the pressure may also dissipate when there isn't one big national results day.

DD will be spending the day with friends who had disappointing results. We are heartbroken for one in particular, who has seen her whole planned career, which she has done hundreds of hours of volunteering for, slip from her grasp.

They'll all get there in the end I suppose.

DD got an A in physics and a B in history which confirms her decision to drop history though she was a bit disappointed.
Her maths modules were mostly fine though she does plan to retake C2 next year.
She sets herself very high standards so I am relieved that she doesn't seem to be beating herself up about not getting As in everything.

I am planning on stopping fretting about exams next May. After that I won't be able to see whether he's doing enough of the right sort of revision (whatever that means) or stopping up all night having fun. He will be a responsible adult by then and won't need me to remind him of his responsibilities. What I can't see can't hurt me.

I wish it was just as simple as keeping on here!

DD has mostly excellent results but the D in French has really wobbled her. She loves French.

She hasn't enjoyed Maths, doesn't especially like one of the teachers and has A , plus a B in Further Maths.

The obvious way forward is to drop French and keep Maths! But she is very sad about it.

Also it's making her question her degree choice. Language aptitude is relevant for Classics, though an A level not required. She is questioning her aptitude, and also whether they will look at a dropped AS MFL with a poor Grade negatively. The latter seems unfair as many students won't have done AS and could quietly drop it!

Would be interested in any thoughts.

Icouldbe the weirdest part of DS1 getting on with it at uni was not making sure he went off on exam days with a decent breakfast. But I think the Gregg's on campus does a roaring trade in bacon sandwiches!

Am not sure raspberry but have spent most of the time since results day convincing dd that a grade d is still an A level pass.
Could it be that only high performing schools are entering pupils for AS levels in the reformed MFL A levels and this has affected the distribution of marks?
Anyone know how UMS marks work? I checked the grade boundaries of the grade D AS level (unreformed subject so counts towards overall grade) to see how close dd was to a C grade and there is something that I don't understand. The results slip says the max mark is 200 whereas the UMS AQA grade boundaries state the max mark is 150, am I missing something?

Thanks Cats.

Sorry if I have the impression I was knocking the D Grade, I too have been pointing out it's a pass.

I thinks Marks and UMS are different things. Marks are converted to UMS. But someone with more understand will be along!

It's crazy isn't it.

Back in my day a D at A level was perfectly acceptable and yet now it is deemed a failure.

"Back in my day a D at A level was perfectly acceptable and yet now it is deemed a failure."

Same here. I took my A levels in 1977 and got a C (oral) and a D (written) for French, but it was considered quite respectable back then.

This thread is a little more realistic than some I have seen on MN where everyone's DCs only seem to get As and A*s and only go to Oxbridge.

OK it looks as if the raw marks are 60 for paper 1 which converts to 80 UMS and 90 for paper 2 that converts to 120 UMS which gives a total of 150 raw marks and 200 UMS. The trouble is that I don't know the raw marks (just the UMS) so if anyone knows where to find this info for AQA, please let me know.
Found this article about MFL A levels raspberry and wonder if this helps www.theguardian.com/education/2017/apr/21/german-native-speakers-a-level-grades-ofqual.
I agree that A level results are now "crazy". The local press are full of how many students achieved A and A* for each subject and how sad it is that the student who died was a straight A pupil with a bright future ahead. Surely it would be equally sad whatever grades he obtained!
.