2024 exam thread

[motheronthedancefloor]

Hows everyone's kids getting on with their exams / studying?

DDs first Higher exam is D&M I think. She's been busy working on past papers but feels fairly confident. She is least confident about Chemistry.

@YouBelongWithMe I don't know much about insulin pumps but hopefully your DS will take it in his stride. If it were to affect him adversely, can that be something that can perhaps be taken in account when marking? As it's a medical issue? Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.

Yes, I'm hoping it will be pretty smooth. They're only fitting it with saline the day before the exam, and he'll use that for a week before switching to real insulin, so he won't actually have to use it to manage his blood sugar in the exam. It's more just the discomfort of it (and potentially missing some last minute revision as he needs to be in hospital for most of the day before the exam). He has some exceptional circumstances evidence banked, but only at a C level. He's prepared to get a C but wants the chance at the exam in case he can swing a B.

DD has her D&M exam today.

@YouBelongWithMe (great username, DD would appreciate)! - DD also has her H Chemistry and is finding it tough. I'd be delighted if she got a C but even more so if she got a B as she's tried so hard to improve with tutors, supported study, youtube videos, past papers etc. She needs AAABB for her preferred university although she's going in 2025 not this year. She'd rather get the grades this year though so she can (her words), 'relax' a bit in S6.

DD thought D&M Higher was a good paper but that's her best subject so it was never a concern. A week til English and RMPS now.

Anyone else find they are like a cat on a hot tin roof? My DC has left the house to go to an exam and I will be worrying constantly until they are back home and I find out how it went. They have done lots of work and I just hope it pays off for them.

@bluebellsandspring Absolutely yes. I was so twitchy on Tuesday. Tomorrow will be worse because Drama is the one DD is most worried about. Lots of deep regular breathing and try to distract yourself!

DC in for business higher...they're almost finished...I am twitchy!
English is next...anyone got any hot revision tips? I find it hard to help with this one!

Write an essay a day so they're used to the demands of the paper. Short bursts of quote revision for SST. RUAE past papers and mark themselves.

What are their texts?

hot revision tip - don't let your DC book a concert the night before English and tell you too late. Dont let your stupid DH agree to it either.

Can't cancel as its a lot of money and DD friend would be going alone otherwise which isn't fair on that other kid. Pure raging but DD has a tutor so will try to book additional sessions and hopefully she'll get enough sleep the night before.

Thanks @YouBelongWithMe !
They have the Yellow Wallpaper and Men Should Weep.

Ds got the grades he needed in S5 and has 4 unconditional university offers for 2025 (he’s having a gap year to work and save some money). However, he has had a touch of unconditionalitis this year and is too relaxed for my liking! He’s away off galavanting lunching with the young ladies today.

How was maths for everyone? Not going to lie, this is the one we are most worried about for DD.

My DD said half the hall left early including her! So I don’t know if that’s good or bad. She seems to think it went okay. She’s most worried about English on Tuesday.

Glad we have reached Friday, three exams has been a stress which reached boiling point last night in this house attempting to revise for Drama today. DD seemed to think mod studies/business and Drama were ok - although she can never remember any of the questions when she comes out, highly frustrating when I have been helping her so much as I am curious to find out what they are. Two next week and then finished next Thursday thank goodness.

Has anyone's kids struggled with these sets of exams?

My DD is doing Nat 5s and has said they have all been basic (easy even ). Nothing challenging apart for the odd question. This is not boasting at all. And I'm not being Goady , just seems to be odd they have all been good,
She's an average student and can tell if she's done well. Not killed herself with revision either.
Her friends , a complete mixture of abilities haven't struggled with any papers so far. Is this not strange though?

I'm not complaining and happy they all seem content. Contrast to my other kids in previous years who would have varied responses to difficulty of the papers!
She said the teachers have said the papers have been the easiest they can remember.

Will this boost grade boundaries? Are standards dropping ?
I know it's only nat5 level but worrying if kids are beeezing these and then huge jump up to Higher

@Hapagirl48 yes my DD said she finished the maths paper in 30mins and was 1.5hr long!
Again not boasting, she's not a maths whizz kid- usually runs out of time! I find that worrying but she assures me she checked over her work twice and just sat there till end anyway.

We had the same concern, but apparently most of the exam hall were out early. The last question seemed to be the only challenge.

Aaargh, my DD finished higher Drama an hour ago and hasn't responded to a text or a call - I'm hoping it's because she and her pals are deconstructing together, rather than because disaster!

DDs BF doing N5 Maths found the second paper hardest

DD’s higher drama did not go well. She ran out of time.

My daughter did N5 maths today. Her most challenging and disliked subject. She said the first paper was a breeze and the second was a bit harder but ok.
I never thought I would hear those words out of her mouth!
She has said they were all 'fine' so far, so I took was pondering how easy they've been.
It seems to me that my daughter has just done a lot of memorising things and regurgitating them in the exam (especially French). She has older brothers who did Standard Grades and I really think they seemed much more difficult 🤔

@Xyz1234567 I hear the same from my daughter. Said nothing challenging AT all. Last question in maths hard but she's checked on tiktok (maths teacher put answers up) and got everything right apart from this. She's always been a mid B grade student!

Said with other exams - she's done 5 now she could answer every question. All her friends have been the same and these girls aren't the grade As type students.

I know it's only nat5s and highers/AH will be different but surely the exams should be a bit challenging?
I've 2 other kids who did nat5s 2022 and 2019 , they were much more capable and the exams were mostly difficult.

So my DD will be delighted to get great grades but will she and this cohort been given an easy ride have a negative impact next year? Like who would complain the exams are too easy ??? Not the students , teachers or school? Makes everyone look good .

Not all kids are finding these exams easy. I invigilated Nat 5 physics last week and you could tell just watching the kids who was working well and finding the paper OK, and those who just didn't have a clue.

SQA won't let everyone get As. They'll adjust the grade boundaries if this year's cohort have done significantly better than previous years.

Yeah, mine too 😞. She got halfway through paper 3. But appeared that paper requires 10 paragraphs, and each one has to be a sheet of A4 - that seems a hell of a lot of writing!