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Scotsnet

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

Scotsnet exams thread 2022

430 replies

WeAllHaveWings · 08/01/2022 14:40

I haven't seen a thread for this years exams yet so thought I'd get the ball rolling (hopefully not too early!). Who has dc sitting exams this year and how are they getting on with their prelims so far?

ds(17) is in S6, he is sitting

Maths AH
Physics AH
Geography H (crash)
PE H (sat 2 years ago at NAT5)

They had their prelims in December which was good as they could relax over Christmas. He has had results back for 3 - will start with the good - Physics AH 70% 😀, then the no so good - Maths AH 45%, PE H 42% 😮.

He is very pleased with Physics, as he didn't expect it. The others he expected but seeing it has still been a shock. Hopefully in a good way and he will get his finger out as he hasn't been applying himself this year due recent first car freedom 🚗 + first girlfriend since he was 14 👫 + out together in said car 💏 + finally started his teenage rebelling phase 🙄.

Did anyone find it was similar in S6 with their teens? I think he is just scunnered this year with school and going through the whole studying and exam process for a 3rd year running. Many of his friends seem to feel the same this year.

OP posts:
Bluepeach · 02/05/2022 14:37

@Aurea ah ha, got you! I think it is me with the mushy brain!

Tempusername999 · 04/05/2022 11:29

Was hoping for some advice, my daughter s4 has dyslexia and receives extra time during exams. This normally includes a smaller room but this am is the National 5 maths exam and was told to report to the main exam hall. The school has decided to place all the children with extra time on the stage and due to the rules around the 30 mins break, they had to join the second part 15 mins later. They have had to walk the length of the hall in front of their peers to take their seats on the stage . My daughter is a shy, anxious girl who has found this really upsetting, especially with the large number of older pupils also present . I do understand schools are struggling with space but feel there must have been a more suitable alternative? Hoping other parents in similar situations could advise if this is a normal approach by a school ?

untitled01 · 04/05/2022 12:44

@Tempusername999

That's a shame, your poor daughter. I'm an invigilator and I can confirm that what your daughter encountered is not a normal approach. I'm not sure what you mean by the thirty minute rule?

Maybe the school does not have enough invigilators?

Tempusername999 · 04/05/2022 13:14

@untitled01

thanks, that’s helpful to know . My daughter asked to join the second paper at the same time as her peers but was told that they had to be given 30 mins between papers, meaning those who had extra time on the first paper started the second paper 15 mins later . I also work in a LA service which is massively impacted by short staffing and reduction in budgets , so I’m trying to reasonable about why this has happened. I also presumed it would be down to lack of invigilators but apparently the hall was too small, and a % people - with surnames in the lower alphabet without extra time were put in a smaller room.

MistressIggi · 04/05/2022 21:40

If you think that is negatively impacting on your dd contact the school, as it could happen for her next exam?
If you're just thinking in terms of space, I can see why they thought it would make sense, but obviously can make students more anxious!

PrincessRamone · 05/05/2022 20:43

@Tempusername999 that sounds awful. I can imagine it must have felt quite humiliating, as if they were being paraded about on the stage due to requiring extra time. I realise that wasn’t the schools intention, but poorly thought through.

PrincessRamone · 06/05/2022 20:57

A third of the way through DS’s N5s now 🎉

PurpleBrenda · 07/05/2022 09:31

Can we restart this discussion now that the official exams have started?

So far Higher Geography went well.
Advanced Higher Maths a nightmare ( I posted yesterday on this)
Higher English and Higher Physics yet to come ....

Anyone else?

KnitPurlKnitPurl · 07/05/2022 09:38

Late to the party but I have a daughter in S5 who is sitting Highers in English, Geography, History, Food & Nutrition and Drama.

So far she has just done Geography. Was incredibly nervous going into the first one, it was a case of not knowing what to expect having not done Nat 5s. Felt it went OK, although the map question was apparently "weird". She's fairly confident about Food & Nutrition on Monday as she did very well in her prelim, more nervous about English on Wednesday.

PurpleBrenda · 07/05/2022 09:48

Sorry for my last post. I am new to mumsnet and thought the last post was in January. I didn't realise it was still an active discussion. I think this is a great thread and very useful.

applesandpears33 · 07/05/2022 11:14

Two exams down, two to go. So far all seems to have gone OK. Heard back from all the unis now and DS has decided where he wants to go next year. He's received a conditional offer but it is a low one and he should meet it.

PoloMintPatty · 07/05/2022 11:40

3 down here and 5 to go (nat 5).

Being a parent of a child sitting exams is slightly stressful!

neveradullmoment99 · 07/05/2022 14:05

PoloMintPatty · 07/05/2022 11:40

3 down here and 5 to go (nat 5).

Being a parent of a child sitting exams is slightly stressful!

Same here. Chemistry, maths and geography all sat. My child is sitting 7 though. Looking at Design and manufacture this week and English Nat 5.
Lastly will be art [ they only sit the evaluation of art work as they have already handed in a portfolio] Speaking Italian has also been sat so reading, writing and listening.

Aurea · 07/05/2022 14:51

Three down, two to go for my S5 DS

chemistry higher (fine)
application of maths higher (fine)
maths advanced higher (paper one fine, paper two a couple of tricky questions)
English higher (Wednesday)
physics higher (Friday)

WeAllHaveWings · 07/05/2022 14:57

ds has completed his crash H Geography, H PE and AH Maths

Just AH Physic left to go Friday next week.

Just 4 exams over 3 weeks doesn't feel as rushed/constant as the 8 exams of NAT5, but he is finding the depth of AH more intense (a lot due to not studying as much as he should have earlier) and is looking forward to Friday being over with!

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 07/05/2022 14:59

applesandpears33 · 07/05/2022 11:14

Two exams down, two to go. So far all seems to have gone OK. Heard back from all the unis now and DS has decided where he wants to go next year. He's received a conditional offer but it is a low one and he should meet it.

Great news @applesandpears33

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SpindleFibre · 07/05/2022 15:19

WeAllHaveWings, how did your DS find the AH maths exam yesterday?

WeAllHaveWings · 07/05/2022 15:30

Not so good @SpindleFibre but he, and his entire class, failed the prelim so he wouldn't be able to give a fair assessment of how the exam was really. A bad combination of poor delivery of the course at a low progression school and him not putting the effort in. At this stage he would be happy with just a pass but he is not even sure of that.

He said paper 1 was not two bad, but paper 2 very tricky. @Aurea 's ds is the very smart at maths one and would be able to say how the papers were.

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Aurea · 07/05/2022 15:51

Hi Spindlefire/Wings

Yes, my DS is a super keen mathematician and has gone through all the advanced higher past papers thoroughly.

In his opinion, compared to past papers, paper one of the 2022 exam was pretty easy and straightforward. He hopes he got all the questions right as he has a graphing calculator (permitted under SQA rules) where he can check his answers. It doesn't give the workings though so you can’t really cheat.

He found paper two trickier and he didn’t manage to complete two questions worth two marks each. Otherwise he hopes he got the answers right. He said he finished 30 mins early which I hope isn’t a bad omen.

He got an A2 grade in his prelim but he is hoping for an A1 this time.

applesandpears33 · 07/05/2022 17:18

I'm very glad to say my DS wasn't sitting AH maths. He's not maths or science minded.

Threeboysandadog · 08/05/2022 10:05

That’s Ds3 half way through now. The others are more spread out with Gaelic right at the end (26th I think)
N5 Chemistry - he thought was easier than the prelim
N5 Maths - first paper fine, didn’t feel he did well in the second paper which is usually his best.
N5 Apps of Maths - more difficult that he expected but thinks he’s probably ok.
N5 Administration - fine!

Physics, Music, English and Gaelic to go.

WeAllHaveWings · 09/05/2022 16:42

@Aurea and all, maths AH paper and solutions are on the net here if your ds wants a look

AH paper and solutions

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 09/05/2022 16:48

WeAllHaveWings · 09/05/2022 16:42

@Aurea and all, maths AH paper and solutions are on the net here if your ds wants a look

AH paper and solutions

the H maths and N5 maths are there too.

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Aurea · 09/05/2022 19:55

Thanks Wings

He's had a quick look at the solutions but can't remember anything he put down in much detail so he's (and I am) going to have to be patient.

KnitPurlKnitPurl · 11/05/2022 11:35

Higher English today.

DD more nervous about this than anything else.