Thread 32 - Corona Cohort 'May' the Mumsnet force be with them for their venture to exams

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue.

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board.

Previous Thread 31

CONGRATULATIONS ZEBRACAT !

Ds just took two pens in with him, no pencil case. And a water bottle.

@mummyinbeds ds would have no idea when his exams are if I hadn’t written them down, but I was hoping he’d get better by year 13?!

Yes clear water bottle is a thing. Though a bit daft I think - how much could one hide on that?

Good luck to GCSE dc.

I'm ok with clear pencil cases. icanbe and I have ds's the same age, so like her I've got ds1 doing A'level's, but my ds2 (13, year 8) is already used to clear pencil cases, since exams in year 7.

Re clear pencil cases - both my DC use a ziplock food bag. Does the job and easily replaced if anything happens to the original one.

We are a ziplock household too! DD has RPE this morning and computer science this afternoon, so it is all starting with a bang. She is v self contained and competent and produced v good mocks last month, but even she did show a bit of nervousness last night. I think she is just relieved to be getting on with them though.
Eugh I will be so relieved to get through the next 6 weeks or so!

DS2 has started GCSE's today 2 exams and 6 in total this week. Feels strange he has started his exams today when DS1 won't start his first proper "real" exams till next week. DS1 is now on exam leave.

Good luck to all those with DC sitting GCSEs from this week. Seems a very long time ago I counted 24 papers on DD’s exam calendar in 2020! A levels seem positively light in comparison :)

Are any others here commencing A level written papers this week? DD’s start this Weds, and will have 3 cleared by half term. Nerves are kicking in, but thankfully she’s taken herself off to public libraries daily (to stop herself falling into bed with TikTok), so I only get the angst from 6pm…

Next Thursday for DS. He is still ultra chilled. Yes, the public libraries are very in vogue here too!

We have one paper next Wednesday and then the other seven spread out after half term. Maybe he'll start revising this week 🤞 DD has Core Maths and her driving theory test mixed in with that, plus a day in hospital for tests. I can't wait for 24th June!

DS starts next Thursday with the Russian history paper.

Anyone here doing Edexcel Biology B? I can't remember. Just wanted to pick someone's brains about exam content.

Dd starts next Tuesday. I’d written all her exams on the calendar (taken from the exam board pages as she didn’t get her own timetable) and she told me I’d got them wrong! This morning she decided I was right after all and now she’s stressed as the RS ones are sooner than she thought!

Sorry @JustHereWithMyPopcorn AQA biology here.

DS has one next Wednesday and then one on Thursday. He has 8 after half term his last one is on 22 June and DS2 has last one on 23 June.

Sorry @JustHereWithMyPopcorn OCR biology here.
DD starts next Tuesday (psychology) and another on Wednesday (business). Remaining 7 after half term, ending on 24 June.

Hope GCSEs went well today.

Sending positive vibes to all sitting GCSEs and hoping that those that have had the first one(s) today have found the paper(s) okay and are feeling more ‘settled’- for want of a better word.
DD ‘kicks off’ next week on Monday with 3 ‘on the trot ‘ finishing on Wednesday afternoon.
These first 3 are, in her opinion, the most difficult of her suite of papers leaving 7 - the last one on 23rd June.

Next Friday for Geography here, then the rest after half term. Three in the last week!

RS seems to have been ok for DS, but a class taught by a different teacher had, apparently, been taught some of the wrong spec - stuff they didn’t need to know, and not some stuff they did.
Not sure how that happened, as nothing has been cut, but not a great start for some.

Oh no, that's a tough start for RS as you say. Must be a nightmare for the staff, the thought of that would keep me awake at night if I were a teacher. All ok for DD although apparently she struggled with "the funeral question". Welsh and biology for her tomorrow.

Sorry Just, WJEC biology here. Looks like we have all the exam boards covered between us, which is not much help to you!

Thanks for the pizookie recommendation Also, I had not heard of that but made it tonight and it went down a storm. DS is a picky bugger hard to please with food but even he came back for more.
Does your DS need certain grades for his place next year or is it unconditional?

Sorry @JustHereWithMyPopcorn we are aqa here too. DS 2 is on his third week of written exams, it feels nice now every one else is starting too.
DS1 has his first paper in 10 days, he is doing lots of papers but also going to the gym.
I’m focusing on feeding them really well and trying not to nag too much. Work is very busy, DH away this week (single parents I don’t know how you do it) so feeling a bit tired.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn I think DD is doing Edexcel Biology A (Salters-Nuffield). That's probably different to yours?

Hi All! DD finished school last week and had a lovely week with the last afternoon in the pub!

11 exams here ....starting next week with economics and geography!

School have organised some revision sessions this week and getting on with revision after a Eurovision party at the weekend.

We have OCR Biology here .....

Dd has her first exam tomorrow but seems reasonably calm so far. Ds is struggling to focus at the mo and feeling a bit overwhelmed I think. Dress up days all week for sixth form this week: Ds is taking a low key approach but wore dh’s old band t shirt today for 80s/90s day today - a band Ds (& his gang) are now really into, which is somewhat adorable (Radiohead)

Thanks for pointing me to the new thread @EspeciallyDistracted! I can’t believe I missed so much that it’s already 16 pages in!

I am feeling very nervous and stressed. Even more so than DD. Any tips on how to stay would be very welcome.

DD is already moaning that being is school is a complete waste of time and still have this week and next week to go before breaking up...

@Piggywaspushed DD liked the HUGE post it pads from Sainsburys so thanks for that. I've been told DD wants to do her workout in the lounge at 10.30pm tonight so can we vacate..