The 2017 Exams thread.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

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?

I must be a bad mother because I have no idea what ds' study schedule is . He seems to be on top of it and confident - and to be fair on me , he's justified that trust to date (have had conversations with him about it in the car to/from rugby training which seems to be the best time for him to open up/listen ).

Thanks, that sounds fairly similar to what DS has been doing - he's been doing two hours a day during the week, with Friday evenings and one day off at the weekend and a couple of hours on the other weekend day. We haven't been using an app, but he's also been dividing it into 30-minute sessions usually. He has stuck to it really well after a few difficult conversations about it all towards the end of the Christmas holidays.

Part of me feels he could do with a good few consecutive days off, just for a bit of a break, but there's also part of me that thinks he can relax once it's all over! His exams are quite well spaced out, so I suppose he'll have quite a lot of time when study leaves starts too.

My two like the structure - we didn't dictate to DS1 before the prelims so he did nothing....he is however a bit better self driven than DS2 but also to be fair to him, after the first week I've not had to remind him at all. I think he is feeling the benefit and has said that he will keep it up right from the start in 5th year (except the weekends unless he has to) as he's felt far less stressed knowing he has done his work and enjoyed his free time better. He thought he would hate the structure but he's liked it. I'm hoping it will help him for Uni and for life really. It's a life lesson to get the things you need to do (usually the things you least want to do) out of the way so you can enjoy your free time.

Littlered, you could give him the entire 4 day Easter weekend off (or maybe a couple of weekends) as it sounds like he has been doing a fair bit and as you say, he will have time during study leave too.

My two are away for a long weekend sailing and boating at the beginning of the holidays, they certainly won't be doing any study at all then.

Thanks for your reply too prettybird and it's great that your DS obviously has it all under control! I think DS does too, but we were keen for him to up the work after the prelims, as his results were good, but not as good as we're hoping he's capable of in the exams themselves. Provided he does well this year, I am determined that I will step back and leave him to it next year, but I would hate for him not to do as well as I think he's capable of this year just because he didn't put in enough work!

Yes, I think a weekend or two off could be the way to go - it would probably be good for him to have some down time. All we need is some more weather like we had this last weekend - it makes getting out into the fresh air so much more appealing and I'm sure that would help too.

My knowledge of my DS' study schedule is about the same as prettybird's... but it worked for him and for me last year for nat 5s. He's a bit worried about taking time off studying over the holidays but I agree with what lots of you are saying and I'll be encouraging him to have a study-free weekend at least once in the hols. And yes yes to him getting out on his bike on a sunny day for a while too.

Ds didn't do nearly enough work for his French Nat 5 last year and as a result he only got a C for it (I had half a day to work with him on his Oral: made great progress but could have done so much more if I'd had more time not enough).

Fortunately, he's motivated for all 5 of his Highers - including his English which we made him take which he has increased in confidence in over the year (got an A last year after getting 51% for his prelim; got 69% for his Higher Prelim) - which is why we're happy for him to shut himself away in his bedroom to study.

He's said he's going to go to the gym and/or do passing practice for breaks/relaxation during the Easter holidays. Plus he's still got the light relief of the responsibility of the S1 team he coaches (although there is an adult who supports him and who can take over).

He's keen to get Unconditionals for his university applications next year and insists he won't get Unconditionalitis so hopefully that will keep him focussed.

DS1 and probably DS2 going on Roaccutane so we are trying to time that in with the exams as it can affect concentration so want the bulk of the time to be over the holidays. However just also realised that it can give pain in the joints and fatigue and they both have DofE practices and expeditions in the summer too - as well as being overly sensitive to sun during our holidays abroad. Jeez, we really just need a 4 month + window with nothing on but there is no chance...

Our Easter Holidays start today. D's higher dance presentation cane third out of all the schools who do dance this week. It was a very feeling watching it. She's done great with it.

She did a prelim on the third unit of biology and went to pieces. Her teacher has been on a trip and the cover teacher was 15 minutes late with the prelim too.

So good news and not so good news then Groovee.

Our holidays start today too. DS2 was told that attendance at cathedral was now compulsory for S1-4 and that they'd be marked with an unauthorised absence if they didn't attend. I've given him a note saying that as we aren't Christians and further that we don't observe religion, that he has my permission not to attend and if they have an issue to contact me. DS1 says that 5th and 6th year were told not to go since there isn't enough room in the Cathedral! Honestly, I don't know what they are on. I think that in High school pupils should have the choice whether to attend a religious service or not and if necessary the school could make arrangements, for those who wish to opt out, to stay in school if they think people would just use not going as an excuse to get away early.

I've said to DS2 that if they say he needs to stay in school if not going to Cathedral then there is nothing I can (or am willing) to do about that. Attending school isn't optional as far as we are concerned but I'm not going to insist that a 15 year old goes to cathedral and I am not sure the school can/should either.

at the school about the cathedral trip WankersHacksAndThieves. But the school is cutting off its nose to spite its face if it marks it as unauthorised as it will affect their official stats too.

The pupils at ds' school are told about services (so I believe - ds has never been to one) but are under no pressure to go.

There is a full Easter Study Camp at ds' school. He's said he might go to some of Chemistry sessions. He was doing an essay last night on "Streetcar Named Desire" so says that'll mean he'll definitely be going to English (last period before the school closes at 2.30) so that he can hand it in

I suspect its an empty threat and at the end of the day he's at the end of 4th year and has had half a days absence in total (because they sent him home) so I'm not bothered. It's a half day (1 hour actually) absence, it's not like they've put him on the sex offenders register or something.

No study camp as far as I am aware. Transport would be a pain anyway but suspect no-one would go regardless.

DS2s college application for his course to replace the clash of the highers on the timetable needs to be submitted today. Not that anyone told him until I phoned this week to see what was happening. he got told yesterday he needed a personal statement for it so he had to do that last night. Hope he gets a place as he really fancies it now.

Just came looking to see if this thread existed yet!

Dd1 is in 5th year and studying for 5 highers - English, Ghaidlig, History, Art & Design and Graphic Comm. She's been choosing subjects for S6 - hopefully AH Art and English, H Human Biology and Nat5 Maths (she only managed Nat4 in S4).

This year I also have ds in S3, then dd2 in S2 - who is doing Nat5 Music. She's already done her practicals so just the one exam to study for. Ds is stressing about exam week when he goes back to school.

So we are taking them all on holiday to the Outer Hebrides for 10 days! Ds comment was "are you even kidding me on?". We lived there before we moved to Glasgow and still have a house there. Its wonderful, calm, quiet, remote and has no wi-fi. There's a mediocre mobile signal. Dh and I love it, dd1 admits it will make her knuckle down - though to her credit she's been working a lot harder than last year. She's going to have to go for walks to get enough mobile signal to call The Boyfriend, though!

You'd think we were making ds move to Outer Mongolia for 6 months. Most of his packing room is taken up with school notes and his PS4. Dd2 will like it fine when we get there because she loves the outdoors and farming and we live on a croft there so there will be lambs and chicks and she just gets her wellies on and helps the next door neighbours with the work.

So I'm supposed to be packing while dh indulges himself in power-washing the deck. He has a desk-job and loves getting out to do practical stuff, he's been out there for over an hour and isn't fed up yet. Apparently its much more satisfying than being a GP!

Hope everyone else has good Easter holidays.

Dd has been in school.

Biology extra tomorrow. Very grateful to the teachers who give up their time to support them x

Have a lovely time up in the isles Weegiemum. I'm sure the isolation time away will do everyone good. M

Ds' studying seems to be going well. He's sticking to his timetable of 4 intense hours a day (2 subjects).

He was commenting after rugby training that it was interesting the difference in approach of different schools. At his school Easter Study Camp is very much optional (although I'm sure the teachers will have strongly encouraged those that they think need to go), whereas at Bishopbriggs Academy, everyone is expected to go and you have to come up with a good reason why you're not going (eg a rugby selection day next Tuesday )

He then spoilt everything by being really, really rude to me, to the extent that I told him to not talk to me the rest of the way home and would have put him on the train to make his own way home if I'd had any money on me as I was so hurt, upset and angry .

He did eventually apologise properly (demonstrating his English Higher vocabulary: since when did a 16 year old volunteer that he was "mortified" at what he'd said ?)

I'm sure that it is mostly the stress of the exams looming.

My DS is being fairly studious, but he is tired and I can't get enough food into him!! Do boys have another growth spurt at 16/17???

My ds is hoping so - he's only 5'6/5'7 at the moment!

The argument started because he'd complained about supper last night being at 7.30, which he considered to be "too late" despite being earlier than we usually have it and when dh told him that if he was going to complain about what time dinner was, he should start making it.

So he did.

For himself.

Do boys have another growth spurt at 16/17???

They'd better fucking not have or I am going to have to raise the bloody door frames.... :o

DS1 is 6 foot 3 - well we think he is but he bloody stoops all the time so he may be bigger - he's definitely bigger than DH who is 6'2. Ds2 is a weeny 6'1" - can't see him growing anymore as he's too fecking lazy to make the effort!

Well done on making his own dinner though pb. If ours is later than 5.30 then world war 3 would break out!

Nice to see you back weegie and I agree groovee It's nice of them to make the effort. No idea if there is anything on at our school as that would require someone to communicate with me. That doesn't appear to be DSs job or schools...

Just dropping by to say hi.
I'm doing nat5 maths this year after failing last year's horrific exam.
Going to uni in August all going well to do a PGDE primary teaching so hoping this time I pass it .

Good luck to all your DC. I'm stressed out and I'm only doing 1 nat5. Wouldn't go back to school exams for anything.

I wasn't pleased with him making his own pasta: this was at 6.45 and he only had to wait 45 minutes. And we were having home made burgers (which he was told - and was up on the menu for the week which I keep on the fridge - but he decided he didn't fancy them) - de-frosted so I couldn't re-freeze them.

If he was that hungry, he could have had toast and/or yoghurt as a stop gap.

he was lucky he didn't get his dinner served up cold today as rafts what I wanted to do but his dad decided to have the cooked burgers as lunch

This was the straw that broke the camel's back though: he has two jobs to do (other than for his own benefit, like bringing his dirty washing down): empty the recycling bin and feed the cats. And he rarely doesn't reliably do either of them.

And then he complains that I don't do anything! having just provided him with a taxi service to rugby training on the other side of the city

On the communication with schools subject, ds' school tweets regularly about the supported study (and the Parent Council retweets it regularly when she remembers to go on to Twitter to check ) and the full programme is easily found on the school website.

@LeviOsaNotLeviosAR my Dd would agree with you regarding last year's exam in Nat 5 maths.

@Groovee it really was awful. Wishing her luck for this year!

DS1 only dropped 2 marks in last year's maths nat 5 paper. He didn't get the highest mark in school, lots got 100% I don't know where he gets it from.

'PB' hope that your DS gets his growth spurt. I'm the same as 'wankers' and hoping not as my DS is also 6ft+ and I don't want to have to replace his wardrobe again!

We also had constant requests for dinner last night! It was late ont the table but they survived.

Our school don't seem to do any supported study over the holidays but I'm not sure mine would go anyway. Fingers crossed the studying they are doing is effective.