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Original poster

sqa exams 2023

811 replies

NicolaSturGONE · 05/03/2023 15:50

So only about 2 months til the final exams so starting a thread to discuss revision, exams etc.

Have any schools released details of easter revision classes yet? I've heard nothing from our school and don't know if they are doing any. If they aren't, I might look at what else is on offer over easter.

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Shelefttheweb · 01/05/2023 20:36

I often get a bit more - a half-described problem with various questions that I am not allowed to have an opinion on as I wasn’t there/don’t know the marking scheme. I’ve learnt not to stress over this or do more than listen and make sympathetic noises. Too late to make any changes at that point so focus on the next one.

weebarra · 01/05/2023 21:12

Just asked DS1 and they just put all the bags in a pile at the front with their phones in.
Nat 5 history tomorrow, one of his favourite subjects so hopefully all will be well.

RollOnJune23 · 01/05/2023 22:06

weebarra · 01/05/2023 21:12

Just asked DS1 and they just put all the bags in a pile at the front with their phones in.
Nat 5 history tomorrow, one of his favourite subjects so hopefully all will be well.

Thank you! That would make sense. My ds doing that one too, though at this moment in time I think I know more about it than him.

Shelefttheweb · 01/05/2023 22:29

Cake craft - why? I am not arguing that it is not difficult (I don’t know but I can see it could be made difficult) but why have this as a subject? There is actually a fairly limited number of Nat 5 subjects so why Cake craft and not horticulture, animal care, Polish, or Law? It just seems an odd choice to have as an SQA Nat 5 subject.

RollOnJune23 · 02/05/2023 00:52

There are National 5S in Childcare, practical engineering, Urdu - I think there's a pretty good range, though my dc's school definitely don't offer all of those!

GottoHandit · 02/05/2023 07:14

Just about to wake DD and give her breakfast. History this afternoon Maths tomorrow morning. So wish there had been more of a gap before Maths. She does Art and there is a whole TWO WEEK gap between her Chemistry N5 and the final Art Nat 5. She so wishes that Chemistry or Maths was her final exam with a two week run up to it! It could literally make a potential Grade’s worth difference.

DD not happy with the non-calculator arithmetic that’s required in the exam. I mean honestly who doesn’t resort to a calculator or spreadsheet in real-life to do long division and/or percentages?! I waded in and asked to have a look but hit a wall when I was left with a 3 digit number to divide into a 6 digit number - my (very bad) school maths failed me 😳

RollOnJune23 · 02/05/2023 08:34

I'm the only one up here! Wondering whether to try to make him revise any more history this morning or if that's just too stressful.
Leaving some highlighters by the front door - I'm assuming can bring a bottle of water?

Rae36 · 02/05/2023 08:39

Higher history for ds today. One if his favourite subjects but he struggles so much with the essay structure. His grade won't come close to reflecting the amount of time and effort he's put in. I feel so sad for him.
If an employer wants someone dedicated and hard working ds is the guy for them. But I'd they want someone with an A at Higher he won't get a look in. With hindsight I wish he'd made completely different choices for this year, he's doing lots of heavy writing subjects. Poor lad. Hopefully S6 will be different, he's chosen more of a range.

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 02/05/2023 09:10

DD seems relaxed this morning. Gone into school to study before History this afternoon. Then back home to study for Maths. I agree, it would have been good to have a gap between History and Maths. The other subjects are too spread out. She doesn't have D&M until the end of the month.

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EVHead · 02/05/2023 09:15

RollOnJune23 · 02/05/2023 08:34

I'm the only one up here! Wondering whether to try to make him revise any more history this morning or if that's just too stressful.
Leaving some highlighters by the front door - I'm assuming can bring a bottle of water?

They can take a bottle of water in but it must be a clear, uncoloured bottle with no writing/text on it.

theferry · 02/05/2023 09:16

DD also has history and maths. Very stressful. After that she has more or less a week between exams. Will hopefully be a bit less stressful while she can revise one subject at a time.

EVHead · 02/05/2023 09:17

Kids should have had a paper copy of this, which has useful info in it.

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/Your-Exams-2023.pdf

RollOnJune23 · 02/05/2023 10:03

Thank you, @EVHead so much - that will be the document he never picked up at registration because he never gets in on time for it Angry

spiderplantparty · 02/05/2023 12:25

Just waved DC off for Nat 5 History. Fingers crossed. DC messed up the prelim by screwing up the timing of the questions, spending far too much time on some and then not able to finish the paper. I've explained about time management and hope this time it is better.

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 02/05/2023 13:05

arrrgh, I'm just picturing her in that exam hall and hoping she's not too nervous. Good luck all fellow history kids.

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Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 02/05/2023 16:47

Well she says it wasn't so bad. There was only one 4 mark question for migration and empire which apparently was worded confusingly.
Maths tomorrow!

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RollOnJune23 · 02/05/2023 17:16

History done, he wrote a lot though who knows what? Feeling relieved to get the first one down!

Igneococcus · 02/05/2023 17:19

Was that the question about migration pattern @NicolaSturGONE
ds just home from history Nat5. He says quite a few of the other students didn't answer this one at all, he tried, otherwise he is happy with the exam.
Math tomorrow.

libertyfabric · 02/05/2023 17:39

My DS left the exam for 20 minutes as he had a panic attack. Aaaarrrrrgggghhhhh

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 02/05/2023 17:41

aw now @libertyfabric will they let him retry it?

@Igneococcus just asked her and yes that's the one. She said she waffled about irish migrants staying within their own groups etc which sounds okay to me without seeing the question myself. She is mad cause her teacher told her it was unlikely a question about Hitler would come up again and it did but she said it was okay. She said Atlantic Slave Trade was the easiest part.

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weebarra · 02/05/2023 17:59

Yes, DS1 said that his teacher felt that Hitler had come up so much that it was either very likely or very unlikely it would come up 😂
Your poor boy liberty, is he ok?

Chompiemompie · 02/05/2023 18:30

Hi all. Dd out of history. Overall OK but a question on something they hadn't studied(poison gas??) so she's panicking about that.
Maths tomorrow and she hasn't done one bit of studying

Igneococcus · 02/05/2023 19:20

dd, who did history for Nat5, Highers and AH thinks it was a really weirdly worded question for a Nat5 exam @NicolaSturGONE that is if ds remembered how it was phrased correctly. Strange that the teacher would think there won't be a question on Hitler/nazis.
ds has exams on three consecutive days next week and then two weeks break before his last.

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 02/05/2023 19:23

Its a shame they can't seemingly take the question paper home like in my day (god, that makes me sound old 😂) but it would enable me to check!

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libertyfabric · 02/05/2023 20:17

Thank you. He spoke to pupil support & guidance who apparently calmed him down enough to go back in and they gave him the 20 mins back at the end - he's in separate accommodation for exam anxiety anyway. I'm gutted though as this was his strongest subject - target A grade, although I'm obviously being supportive and not showing him how I feel.