Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

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:
Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 05/05/2017 16:25

DS2 says the Nat5 was okay. Only half of the stuff that he'd gone over with DS1 came up. Paper 1 started okay but the last few questions were very tricky. Paper 2 was more even throughout but a bit harder than paper 1. he thinks he's done enough to pass but then he thought the same with the prelim and only got 26% so we will need to wait and see. I really hope he's done enough and also your DD Groovee and anyone else who was doing it.

OP posts:
weegiemum · 05/05/2017 16:57

Hope all the examineers can enjoy the good weather this weekend as well as getting some work done.

Dd1 has stopped work for the day and is having a small glass of wine in the sun, well deserved after a day of the Russian Revolution!

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 05/05/2017 17:09

Next week's agenda:

Monday - Chemistry
Tuesday - History
Wednesday - Media, Music tech, Graph Comm, Stats and Urdu
Thursday - English H and AH
Friday - English Nat5

OP posts:
prettybird · 05/05/2017 17:31

Ds has come home from gym all happy (SmileConfused) because while he was cycling there he worked out what was wanted in the circles question (apparently it was vectors?).

I've asked him how many votes he thinks he's lost as a result of not having realised that at the time and he said.....Shock...... two Wink

What he's slightly more worried about is that because he spent time on the circles question, he didn't have time to go back over the paper to check for silly mistakes. But he doesn't think it's too much of an issue on this paper (more so on Paper 1 but he had time to check and re-check it).

He's highly amused that there is already a change.org petition complaining about Paper 2 being "beyond challenging" and demanding that the pass mark be reduced. As far as he is concerned it was fair.

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 05/05/2017 18:17

I think the complaints about the paper being too challenging has become an annual event now. I don't know if its the curriculum, the teaching or just pupil expectations, but I think we have to realise now that they are asking questions in a different way. This is to test the application of the maths within scenarios rather than just testing whether they know how to complete each type of maths question.

It clearly doesn't suit everyone but that's what they have to work to now I think.

OP posts:
prettybird · 05/05/2017 18:45

As I said to ds, it's one of the things I like about CfE, especially for Maths and Physics (even though it would have crucified me for Physics in my day and I wouldn't have got my A): it's not about rote learning which I was good at, it's about how well you truly understand the principles and therefore should be able to apply them in all the different scenarios that the exam questions come up with.

Superjaggy · 06/05/2017 09:13

Hi, haven't been here for a while but my DS had Nat 5 maths yesterday too... he said very little about it but he feels he did enough to pass (he's in S5 and all his other exams are Highers, he just needs a pass in maths so he can apply to Glasgow for politics or other social subjects). Interesting to hear that some of you DC said it was tricky though - hope DS not deluding himself!

So we have a pretty well laid out timetable now of H History and English next week, Business and Modern the week after. Think I'm more nervous than him!

Good luck to all of yours, and I hope they're all getting some vitamin D this weekend while it lasts!

OwlMother · 06/05/2017 21:16

Ds1 did the maths higher too. Although not a maths person at all he felt the paper was "fair" and not as bad as school had feared/prepared them for. The tricky question with the circles he struggled with but said that any complaints about them are unwarranted as these "a-grade" questions are supposed to be challenging and whittle out the really able mathematicians. Quite proud of how mature he's become. In previous years he'd have made excuses about questions he couldn't manage and would have hidden behind the excuse of an "impossible" paper. He's finally growing up!

LittleRedFrog · 07/05/2017 08:56

DS was pleased with the Higher maths papers overall. He found paper 2 trickier than paper 1, but certainly didn't think there was anything unfair about it. Chemistry and English coming up for him now. Good luck to all for the exams coming up this week.

prettybird · 07/05/2017 09:22

That's a lovely mature attitude owlmother.

Ds had time "off" yesterday across at Scotstoun, as his school was in the final of the Scottish Power Glasgow Warriors Championships (S1, S2 and U15 girls). They won, and as one of the coaches he got a medal too and the chance to parade around the stadium as champions at half time. I think he feels it was a good use of time! Grin

Head back down today for Chemistry tomorrow.

He much prefers that the Higher exams in the morning; gets it over with and then there's enough time to clear your head (he does it by going to the gym - and the cycle ride there helps too that's when he worked out what they were looking for in the circles question Wink) before getting stuck in again (in his case, like littleredfrog's ds, English on Thursday).

These are the two exams he's least confident of getting As for, although he says he's a 100% confident of Bs. But he assures me he is still working for As. A very different attitude to last year, where he was fearful of a C for English (his Prelim hasn't been good as he struggled with Close Reading and he hadn't fully registered how his strong portfolio gives him a good starting point). Smile

SwiftAnchor · 07/05/2017 18:15

Good luck to everyone with exams coming up next week.

DD has history on Tuesday (best subject so that should be fine) and English on Thursday - she's a bit less confident for this so hopefully it will go well. It's close reading that she struggles with, but like prettybird said hopefully having a decent folio will help!

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 07/05/2017 18:23

Yes, good luck to everyone. I have DS2 doing Chemistry. History and English this week and DS1 doing Graph Comm. DS1 again not that fussed. Ds2 stressing about Chemistry and a bit about English as he struggles to remember his quotes etc. History is his favourite subject and his teacher seems to be confident that he'll get an A in that. He got a B in his english prelim and just failed Chemistry so he should have a decent chance of a pass. Not sure he has done enough study for it to be honest.

OP posts:
prettybird · 07/05/2017 18:53

This year ds got 69% for his English prelim - and whereas other kids in the class were disappointed with such a score, missing out on an A by one Mark, he was over the moon! That's partly what has given him confidence (last year he got 51% for his prelim and still got an A).

Barely seen him today - he's been ensconced in his room the whole time. Complained at his dad for playing Mr Blue Sky really loud while he was scarifying the lawn Grin (Complaint was he couldn't hear the words so it was distracting). He's got no taste Wink

prettybird · 07/05/2017 18:58

Wankers - how did your ds find crashing Graphic Comm? One of ds' friends is going to crash Advanced Higher Graphic Comm Shock next year - but he is precociously talented and clever. Wink (Was just going to do Higher but did a trial class and the teacher said to do Advanced Higher)

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 07/05/2017 19:02

DS2 loves ELO, well he did about a month ago, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin seem to be flavour of this month... He got 64% in his Nat 5 prelim. I think DS1 was similar and got an A in the real thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 07/05/2017 19:06

He's found it easy pb his teacher said you wouldn't know he was crashing when comparing him to the other pupils. He is however good at computing and engineering and better at Art than his result would suggest. In other words, it was right up his street. He's dropping it in 6th year and it wasn't a hard decision, he says there is too much time heavy work to do that he can't just fly through like he does for the other subjects. :o He likes an easier life.

OP posts:
prettybird · 07/05/2017 19:19

Ds' friend wants to be an architect, so it is relevant for him. Ds complains that it is a massive loss to science: this boy is doing Advanced Higher Maths this year (and cruising it), despite being one of the youngest in S5.

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 07/05/2017 19:33

DS1 wanted to be an architect when he was younger - he has a proper drawing board and everything. The appeal of computers has taken over and he rarely draws anymore :(

OP posts:
prettybird · 08/05/2017 08:02

Good luck to everyone doing Chemistry.

prettybird · 08/05/2017 13:50

Ds not very communicative but as far as dh and I can make out, Chemistry went ok. He still reckons he's on course for a high B/low A but says it depends on his assignment.

He's now off to the gym so might be a bit more communicative when he gets back, before he gets stuck into his English again.

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 08/05/2017 13:55

DS2 still mid exam. He has to get some study done for History tomorrow and then Nat 5 english is at least Friday rather than Thursday so that gives him a couple of days. He's looking forward to having a morning exam even if it does mean the train and a walk home unless he wants to wait an hour for the bus.

OP posts:
Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 08/05/2017 15:27

Nat5 was fine - he says it was a fair paper. He hasn't added up what he thinks he's got as doesn't want to jinx anything Hmm, he thinks he has probably passed but didn't really want to commit.

OP posts:
IndigoApple · 08/05/2017 19:16

DD thought Higher chemistry went well, which was a relief after Friday! Thankfully the rest of her exams are better spaced out now.

LordPercy · 08/05/2017 20:39

DD thought N5 chemistry was "okay" and she's now free until English on Friday. DS1 has Adv H history tomorrow and English on Thursday. He's currently on his Xbox chortling away to his mates Hmm. Mind you I've been asked to quiz him so much on his history facts that I feel I could write a paper on the Guardians, the treaties of late 13th C Scotland and Bruce and his guerrilla warfare tactics 😂

prettybird · 08/05/2017 20:54

All in all, seems a positive day for everyone Smile

I'm assuming that the lack of communication from ds is a good thing Wink

He's also on his XBox at the moment but he says he did 2 good hours English study earlier.

Swipe left for the next trending thread