Exam results 2024

[motheronthedancefloor]

Thought I'd get started on the exam results thread as we have a month to go!
I think, as a parent, I'm more nervous about this year (Highers) than last year (N5) as the Higher results will influence university applications.
DD tells me she's not thinking about her exams, but then she throws into conversation how 'super smart' her friends are and how they will probably get As, and also has asked me if our postcode is eligible for widening access (it isn't) so it appears to me that she IS thinking / worrying about her results.
We do have a holiday coming up which will hopefully help us all relax.
How are other kids doing?

haha DDs BF signed up to the text alert last year (N5s) but slept through and was still in bed when the postie arrived at lunch and didn't check them til later. DD was going nuts wanting to know how he did but like most boys he was like meh. He's signed up again this year and will probably sleep through the alert again although he's a bit less meh this year and starting to think about careers!

I'm hoping the results don't mean recoursing. At the moment DS has a nice year planned which suits him perfectly as an S6 experience:

AH Physics (this is his 'fun' column 🤣🤣)

Crash H Biology (not done since S2, but he's done Hs in the other two sciences and is enjoying so far)

Crash H RMPS (I quote "it's good for me to do something that will challenge the not science bit of me"

A practical computing qualification at a local college on Tues and Thurs afternoons. He'll have to manage his time and it's on the other side of Edinburgh, so it'll be good for his independence skills.

And a study column - a great way to start managing independent study effectively.

We are waiting on advanced and normal
highers froM S6 coming. DS needs a B for his conditional. Last year he didn’t get what he hoped but a single B is achievable for him particularly with his choices but I’m still nervous. I won’t sleep tomorrow night.

DD plans to do H Photography next year as its a hobby in her spare time but the teacher is saying 'no' to all DDs assignment ideas and now DD has no clue what to do. If anyone's DC has done Photography, what was their assignment on please?

She's also doing AH History next year and H Psychology so not really 'easy' subjects but if she gets good grades for her 5 Highers this year then she can relax a bit in S6 is my hope. She's also got work experience planned related to her career idea but the place has yet to confirm dates/times and she's anxious it will fall through and affect her UCAS statement if she doesn't have experience.

I will ask ds how he picked his and what sore of guidelines his teacher gave him. Im
pretty sure she encouraged them to pick something that they knew a lot about like a hobby. He used his chess set and manages to get lots of great photos and use lots of different techniques to take some cracking photos and had some ideas I wouldn’t have thought of.

Not wanting to detail the thread but does anyone know when SQA publish the exam timetables for next year? Trying to confirm number for a wedding save the date rsvp and wondering if my son might be free to go or not.

DS waiting for Higher results. He sat 5, has already left school and needs H English at a pass for his college course but I'm really hoping he passes all or most so that he has options if he doesn't love college... This is the most tense I've felt cause last year he was due to stay on at school so the plan might have shifted but it wouldn't have changed totally, and DD had unconditionals for uni based on her S5 results so by the time she'd left school those results were about pride more than anything else!

He won't decide what he wants to do tomorrow (we're going out for a meal) in case he doesn't get what he needs. Clearly getting more nervous as it gets closer.

It is usually in August, but nearer to the middle/end of the month.

Does anyone know if schools typically share bands via email if requested, or do they have to go in for them? We are away on holiday until the 15th but my child is keen to know their bands as well as their grades.

Good luck 🍀with results day tomorrow everyone!

Hope all your dc get the results they deserve.

Every school is different. Ours didn't share at all unless there was a valid/justified reason for knowing the band.

I see - I just don’t get that or why they don’t just have the bands published openly. My understanding is that they exist for Oxbridge who will only accept band ones, is that right? But I also think those sitting the exams have the right to know and don’t get why they would withhold.

We would not email this information but would readily share this info with students if requested.

Sometimes it's helpful to know - a band 6 C at N5 is going to find Higher extremely difficult, so it's useful to have the information to help have that conversation.

You mean just share verbally? Or share via email if requested? It is the being away bit that my child is concerned about.

@Bluepeach my understanding is the schools are given the details for internal school metrics.

The grading system in Scotland is A, B, C.... and unless there is a specific question/concern on a specific subject there is really no need to slice finer. Our school tried to discourage asking, otherwise they would have a queue of students outside the door.

I would prefer to do this verbally - I'd want to talk it through with them if I thought they'd be disappointed. I don't think our school would give out an email from office staff with this info either, I think each teacher would need to be contacted.

DD has said she thinks the best she will get is AABBC. The C Is in doubt as she really struggled withi Chemistry. We wont know for sure until tomorrow. I know she'll be gutted if she doesn't get the A for her best subject or the B for English that her course requires.

Nerves definitely ramping up today! He’ll be much more disappointed than I will be if he doesn’t get what he’s hoping for though!

I’m trying not to make any predictions but it’s hard! I’d love my student to get As in their best subjects and Bs in their not so easy subjects but am not sure what they were able to pull out of the hat on the day and neither are they 😁All will be revealed tomorrow!

DS is having a breakdown after he realised its results day tommorow, he completely forgot ( casual DS 🤣🤣). I made him cheesy pasta to calm him down, he such a little supatrupa. I hope he is not disappointed for his results tomorrow. He is doing 3 advanced highers ( Advanced higher PE, Advanced higher Maths and Advanced higher chemistry) He such a wee smarty pants😂. He got a conditional to Glasgow university and gran is coming up to celebrate and is throwing a wee party. He better do WELL or the party will be VERY AWKWARD ( it’s the mother in law😬). Best wish to all your children and please congratulate my son if he does well tomorrow as I will show him the reply’s. Signed MMT

You could make a freedom of information request. However if there are small numbers in any class/classification (generally considered below 5) they shouldn’t release that number as it becomes too identifiable.

UCAS notifications may be available before results. My DS found he had got in to uni before he got his results.

School should share this and marks for each paper if you didn’t get what you hoped for - how else can you assess whether to put in an appeal?

Do they email him or did he log in and find out?
I’m getting nervous now. I’m sure ds will be fine.
going to have a glass of wine with my mum in a bit.

Our school share the bandings, I think they had them by lunchtime and we were emailed them that afternoon or the next morning.