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Original poster

The 2017 Exams thread.

432 replies

WankersHacksandThieves · 17/03/2017 09:04

I think we all found the thread last year useful and supportive so I've set this one up for us all to share our woe, angst and (hopefully) joy for the 2017 exam season. I'm also trying to have something on Scotsnet that isn't politics. I'm trying to avoid that tbh as it just all makes me too angry...

Anyway, I have two going through it this year, DS1 in 5th year sitting 5 Highers and DS2 in 4th year sitting 7 Nat5s.

Studying has been underway since the prelims ended. They are doing 3 x 25 minute Pomodoro sessions on weekdays and 4 sessions each day at the weekend. To be honest it's mainly been used for the coursework up until now but the last piece is due in today for DS1 and DS2s is all in now so proper study can commence.

How is everyone feeling?

OP posts:
prettybird · 27/05/2017 14:16

That's what I thought - he should get 3 if not all 4 points for the question (provided he concentrated on the effectiveness of the different schemes) as he made sure to include 5 points in case one of them was "wrong" (or deemed to be a duplicate, eg encouraging cycling).

Noticed a strikeout fail on the laptop version of MN even though the post on the app looks ok, with the strikeouts in the correct places (ie the comment about the nickname of the Clyde Arc and the "probably should have" about the one way system in two separate places) Confused

weegiemum · 29/05/2017 16:08

Who is doing Art & Design tomorrow? My dd1 has higher tomorrow afternoon.

She is currently "tidying her room".

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 29/05/2017 19:01

No art for us this year weegie best of luck for your dd tomorrow.

OP posts:
Figleaf · 30/05/2017 09:13

While exams are fresh in our minds may I ask any Mums whose sons/daughters have just completed Higher Music to tell me what resources I can buy my son who will start this next week? DH and I did Maths/Sciences so are unfamiliar with this area (his others are Physics, Chemistry, Computing and Maths so we are ok there). Leckie and Leckie/Bright Red don't seem to do a Music success guide/revision book for Music. What have your sons/daughters find helpful?

weegiemum · 30/05/2017 10:13

figleaf I'd also be interested in resources for Higher music as my dd2 is doing it this year, and like you no-one in our family has done it before.

Dd1 is off to meet her boyfriend her exam. After this theres only one to go!

Figleaf · 30/05/2017 10:34

Hopefully someone will give us the advice weegiemum. Hope your DD does well - we were finished after Physics the other week.

SwiftAnchor · 30/05/2017 11:18

DD has just finished Higher Music, the one thing that she has complained about was that there was no study resources for H Music.

She spent a lot of time looking over concepts and styles, but this was mainly from stuff she had found herself on the internet. The biggest part of the mark is for the performance, so most of the year will be focused on that, this takes place in March. There is also a composition piece that has to be completed before the exam that is completed in class time. From what i can gather the actual exam is a fairly small percentage of the overall mark. (happy to be corrected if this isn't the case)

Good luck to anyone still with exams to go. DD had her last one on Friday. From what i can gather today the rest of this week is mainly being spent in bed "recovering!" Well until her pals finish their exams anyway, then I am sure she will venture out!! Grin

SwiftAnchor · 30/05/2017 11:22

Just a thought, this might be a good thread to swap any resources and study guides that are no longer needed (perhaps after results day in case it all goes wrong!! Wink Grin) We will have some Higher English stuff that we would no longer need and some other past papers books too I'm sure.

Figleaf · 30/05/2017 13:47

Thanks SwiftAnchor - good idea on the swaps too x

prettybird · 30/05/2017 14:38

FWIW, spoke to dh's nephew at the weekend (Head of Physics at a Glasgow school): he says his impression of the Higher Physics exam was that it was very fair, but that the Nat 5 was a stinker and that it's been getting progressively harder every year (so that the goal posts keep moving for the teachers).

YerAWizardHarry · 02/06/2017 07:58

Finished my last exam on Wednesday only just recovering from the celebrations can't keep up with the young ones in my class Grin I feel like I should be doing something productive! Nice to have some time to relax

ttlshiwwya · 02/06/2017 10:11

Reminds me of my husband who worked before doing his degree. He'd go out on a Friday with the kids in his class and then would need the entire weekend to recover.

Last exam for my DS2 today - Politics. Has enjoyed the course but hasn't really put the work in. Doesn't need it for what he wants to do next which hasn't helped.

Good luck to everyone else's DCs who have their last exam today.

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 02/06/2017 10:27

good luck to your ds and the rest of them today - they've had it hard having to maintain focus until the end. I'm glad it's all over and I'm looking forward to the holidays now. DofE stuff for us all weekend. DS2 away for his Silver practice now until Sunday and DS1 away at tea time for the weekend doing some kayaking training for his Gold expedition. So still busy busy in our house. Both now on their acne meds and DS2 having nosebleeds daily so is away with lots of tissues and kitchen roll and a ton of Vaseline for his lips. He's also had a few heat rashes on his feet so hoping all is well for him.

Next year should be quieter for us at exam time. 3 AHs for DS1 and 4 Highers (depending on results) and (hopefully if he gets a place) a level 6 NPA for DS2. Better than this year's 12 exams.

OP posts:
weegiemum · 02/06/2017 11:43

Dd1 is sitting Gaidhlig as i type - I'm so glad this is over! The last week especially has been mood swings and stressing out and grumping because all her friends are finished but we wouldn't let her go partying every night until hers were done as well.

Next year I will have dd1 sitting AH/H/Nat 5, ds sitting 8x Nat5 and dd2 doing H Music. I will need Wine

weegiemum · 02/06/2017 12:01

Just spoke to her and it went really well. Thank goodness for that!

weegiemum · 02/06/2017 16:01

Is that us then, until August 8th?

Thankyou all for your comments, support and ranting on, until the very end!

Don't drink too much Gin in August, waiting for the results. Hope your dc have a great summer (dd1 is at a friends house tonight. I'm not asking any more!!).

ROLL ON THE RESULTS!!

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 02/06/2017 16:52

Ah that's good weegie - everybody is all done now (but I don't envy you next year!)

And yes, let's all try to forget about it until 8/8 - shall we have a new thread or just use this one since there is lots of space left?

Enjoy your summer everybody!

OP posts:
readsalotgirl63 · 02/06/2017 20:25

DD off to an end of exams party tonight and then away on holiday with her pals next week for 10 days. Can't believe her schooldays are over. Well done to everyone - it's a tough time and as I've said before I'm in awe of those of you who have done/will be doing this more than once so Wine.
Enjoy the summer all - until the 8/8 !

Groovee · 03/06/2017 18:08

Delighted we have all made it to the end. Roll on 8th of August.

Dd's new timetable is ridiculous. She's in school for 4 periods before she has classes on a Monday as she doesn't start college until August for that column and the OU module is September!

Poor Ds has lots of PE!

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 03/06/2017 18:31

DS2 won't get his timetable until he goes back on Monday. He's applied for the college course which is all day Friday but a) he doesn't know if he has a space yet and b) it doesn't start until August, so I can see him being in a similar situation Groovee.

DS1 is supposed to get his timetable w/b 12th but that's also the Work experience week so who knows.... He has two free columns so I'm expecting he has lots of gaps.

OP posts:
IndigoApple · 04/06/2017 07:58

Thanks for all the support on here! DD back to school tomorrow. See you all on the 8th!

prettybird · 04/06/2017 09:04

Ds won't get his timetable until Wednesday: the S6s don't start back until Tuesday and he's off at Glasgow's Adventure Race as part of the school team.

SwiftAnchor · 04/06/2017 12:27

Well done everyone, we made it! 😄

I assume DD will get her new timetable tomorrow but will have to go elsewhere for one of her advanced highers so not too sure how that will work yet.

See you all on 8/8!!

Groovee · 04/06/2017 13:30

Dd is going back to school tomorrow as the school have cancelled the trip to London.

prettybird · 07/06/2017 11:47

She must have been disappointed Grovee - but probably the right decision. Headteacher at ds' school also took the difficult decision to cancel a trip that was due to go yesterday Sad. Big financial impact too which the school will have to find the funds to cover Sad (presume it wasn't covered by insurance as they chose not to go and the theatre tickets have already been bought and paid for).

Ds started back at school today. Had to drive him to school for 9.30 so that he could watch as much as possible of the Lions game before leaving the house spoiling him Wink Hope his S6 timetable is reasonable. "Only" doing two Advanced Highers and a crash Modern Studies Higher.

He got very wet during the Glasgow Schools Adventure Race yesterday but was one of the few that took a change of clothing. They came third which he said they were pleased about as the school enters a mixed (boys and girls) team and the teams that "beat" them were all boys.