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Original poster

Nat 5/Highers etc - Anyone getting ready with their S4 - S6 dc?

862 replies

weegiemum · 05/04/2016 15:39

My dd1 is in s4 and about to sit 8 Nat5s. I don't know who is more wound up about it - her or me! (and I'm a teacher!!).

Wondered if there's anyone else out there to hold hands with?

DD is sitting English, Maths, Ghaidlig (Gaelic native speaker), French, History, Art & Design, Physics and Design & Manufacture. First is English on 5th May.

OP posts:
YoScience · 13/05/2016 09:42

Thanks, I think she has estimated she has 36/90 across both papers, but I suppose she might pick up the odd mark here and there for working or something even if the answer is incorrect (no idea!) Felt really bad for her last night.

Hope you've done better than you think too Smile

Just waiting to hear how music has gone this morning. It was only an hour exam, as she has already had her 2 practicals, so fingers crossed!

unlucky83 · 13/05/2016 10:12

DD came home in a bad mood - said maths was Ok I guess - same as every other exam she's done
I didn't look here until I'd got a bit more out of her. When I did she said Paper 1 was hard and Paper 2 was easy and all her friends thought the same - only two people she spoke to thought Paper 1 was Ok (and one was the maths genius)
A bit of a relief to see that is the general opinion here.
I said the results were online and we started looking but didn't want to look any more -after saying I didn't get that a couple of times ...
I guess it being a bit different stops teachers teaching to the exam -and I'm sure if everyone has done badly they'll weight the marks...
And she did go and see her teacher about her unfinished work...she has until next Wed to get it in ...and she has 'gone into school' again today....
She has chemistry next week - failed her prelim ....I think I'm going to have to sit with her to get her started... I got her to do an English coursework essay by doing that...doing something I had been putting off whist she did her essay...

YoScience · 13/05/2016 11:23

Good luck with the chemistry study, Unlucky. DD got dropped down to Nat 4 in chemistry as she failed her prelim, which i am quite pleased about now, as I could imagine the panic!

DD was really pleased with music this morning, said it was lovely and peaceful and relaxing, she could have continued with it all day apparently. Not sure if she has actually lost the plot, but glad something has finally gone well for her! Grin

lamusic · 13/05/2016 11:45

Yo marks will be awarded for working even if answer is wrong, and if it's a 'common' wrong answer you normally get 2/3 or whatever!

Groovee · 13/05/2016 12:06

Glad music has gone well!

Unlucky maybe she does need your help to get started off than be easily led by a friend.

www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/38676.html

This is a link to complain about paper 1. Dd has complained.

AssembleTheMinions · 13/05/2016 12:06

Dd1 said that AH maths was easier than last years higher. The current S5's sat the exam she did last year in class and said that this years higher was '100 times easier!'

Anyway, she thinks she's done enough to get a C. Music today which should be easy enough for her hopefully. Her practical went well so that half the battle.

rogueantimatter · 13/05/2016 12:39

DS now off to higher music. He was very pleased with the higher maths paper. I hope they don't move the grade boundaries up too much. [selfish]. He won't go online as he thinks he won't remember if he's made silly slips and will get false impression of his mark. And we don't know the grade boundaries anyway. After last year you'd think an A in last year's maths exams would be considered to be worth more than an A given this year..... SQA get your act together please.

He's finally signed up for results by email/text.

prettybird · 13/05/2016 13:07

The reason they adjust grade boundaries is precisely for that reason: so an A one year is the same value as an A the next year.

Ds is now worried that the Maths Higher next year will be a tough one Hmm

He is still wittering on about Paper 1 just being the curriculum and all you had to do was apply it. Something to do with "trig identities" being straightforward (never heard of them or have forgotten in the mists of time but they sound a bit like quadratic equations but with trig symbols) It's easy to be so black and white when you find it easy. Hmm

Glad music went well.

If it's any consolation - ds is not looking forward to French on Monday although he is looking forward to that being the last day he ever has to study it

OneMagnumisneverenough · 13/05/2016 13:33

DS2 who has had issues with Maths last year asked DS1 if the bit he struggles with was in the exam - his face fell when he was told it was. I've now been told by school they will move him Maths class but I'm not allowed to tell him yet! Think I will still have to get some short term tuition on factorising for him though. Actually wondering if DS1 could teach him for cash or brownie points?

I think poor DS2 thought he could just forget about that bit of maths and move on - despite me saying it's not as simple as that. However maybe the hard maths Nat5 this year might mean that he gets a bit of an easier ride next year as that's the way it seems to have worked with the Higher. I know at the end of the day the grades and passes will all even out, but the benefits from feeling as if you've done well in the exam and get a B or whatever will be psychologically better than feeling you did really badly and still getting a B - if that makes sense?

OneMagnumisneverenough · 13/05/2016 15:39

Hmm DS1 decided he would have a look at the answers after all, he couldn't remember his working on all the questions but reckons he's maybe only dropped a couple of points in total. I'll still not believe that totally until 9th August. At least he hasn't been a smart arse and told anyone but me that. This is a boy who used to cry because he couldn't do his times tables and a number grid would leave him a slobbering mess of tears and snotters.

Kr1stina · 13/05/2016 15:45

He is still wittering on about Paper 1 just being the curriculum and all you had to do was apply it. Something to do with "trig identities" being straightforward

That is exactly , word for word, what DD said today . Then she recited the three simple equations that they needed to know < helpful > and complained about the online petitions .

so she better get an A after being such a smartarse

prettybird · 13/05/2016 15:53

Ds is also complaining about the petitions. He can't decide whether it's bad teaching or poor learning - but mostly coming down in the side of bad teaching, that those sitting it were a) surprised and b) didn't know how to apply what was in the curriculum.

He really should let it go though and concentrate on his French on Monday.

rogueantimatter · 13/05/2016 15:55

Very well done to your DC OneMagnum and Kr1stina.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 13/05/2016 16:03

Thanks rougue I think the key here is that not everyone is good at everything. Some people just have an aptitude for Maths. DS1 can't speak to people - that would be a more valuable skill imo but at least he does have stuff he is good at - it's good for his self esteem given that he's got a body he needs to grow into, very poor eyesight, bad skin and terrible lack of confidence at the moment . He'll blossom soon I hope :)

Kr1stina · 13/05/2016 16:06

Ha ha, our kids sound so similar pretty bird . If it wasn't for the fact that he's 4th year I would worry that he is one of her pals ( and I know she doesn't speak to poxy 4th year boys , she barely speaks to the 5th year boys because they are " so annoying " )

prettybird · 13/05/2016 16:14

Grin Ds barely talks to girls full stop.

Although the girls who play rugby at his school all know him. He's a good looking lad even if I say so myself so at some point "things" will start to happen Wink

Groovee · 14/05/2016 15:02

Been sucked into a Eurovision party for dd's friends. 5 are coming. Be good for them to relax X

OneMagnumisneverenough · 14/05/2016 15:24

It will. Enjoy!

DS has given himself a few days off... I'm going to take them out for mcdonaldsdinner later.

Kr1stina · 14/05/2016 16:39

Grin at Eurovision party , rather you than me

Last night DD and her dad watched the you tube videos with the H Maths solutions.

It was carnage I tell you. DH was arguing with the online teacher on the basis that he did first year maths at uni about 40 years ago so he knows all about it .

DD was shouting because she's got the right answer with the wrong calculations and the wrong answer with the right method because of arithmetic errors. And she didn't realise that she had to use the formula from the exam question paper in Q11 so everything is a disaster .

So she burst into tears and says she will probably fail and it will be the end of the world as we know it .

Sigh

Groovee · 14/05/2016 18:08

I thought Dd would be working. Came to bite me on the bum as they put her on last night instead!

unlucky83 · 14/05/2016 19:48

ahhhh I am on the verge of murder...
DD1 flying today ...have managed to get her to register for her exam results by text earlier - involved much messing about and lost passwords for her email account etc etc... DP (also I think has ADHD) came in and asking what we were up to etc -DD1 messing about saying don't look at me entering my password - so DP is pretending to look -and making her more hyper FFS it took over 40 mins to do it and by the end my patience was paper thin.
DP then asked me a bit later did I think DD1 should be revising -I said I was working on getting her to do some (she is oppositional -you have to persuade her rather than try and force her) DP loses his patience quicker than I do and they end up arguing and she gets stubborn so I said don't mention it to her at the moment....10 mins later he goes to talk to her and within minutes he has lost his patience and is ordering her to do her French Sad...
She hasn't so about 30 mins ago I go and start talking to her about finishing the work she needs to do - she has been to see the teacher and could do it - at least it would be something if she did that (revision won't happen today because she has gone into stubborn mood). She is being a pain - singing etc when I trying to talk to her and arguing black is white etc - again really pushing my patience but just as I feel like I have got her attention and making some kind of progress - DD2 and DP come upstairs and start messing around and then wanting to look out of her window to see if they can see their lost ball in next doors garden ... I have come away before I explode...
Deep breaths - I think I will be insane before the end of the exams...Sad

Groovee · 14/05/2016 20:36

Hugs Unlucky xx

Kr1stina · 14/05/2016 20:45

Unlucky - just remember your can't kill her until after the exams

OneMagnumisneverenough · 14/05/2016 20:49

Unlucky - just remember your can't kill her until after the exams

True, but she can start with DH and by the time the body has dissolved in acid in the bath, the exams will be finished...

Kr1stina · 14/05/2016 21:02
Grin
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