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Secondary education

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GCSE Support Thread 2013

681 replies

wolvesarerunning · 18/04/2013 16:33

I've been waiting for someone to start this (was on the 2012 thread last year and am unlucky enough to have dc 18 months apart in consecutive school years!) Please join me to support and share the angst with only four weeks to go now to the first written exam.

OP posts:
boschy · 22/05/2013 10:37

yes, its tantrum city here at the moment too, poor DD2 is getting a really hard time of it although I do keep trying to get her out of the firing line...

footphobic · 22/05/2013 11:49

DD had Chem and Eng Lit earlier this week on Monday, and next is Physics and Eng Lit (poetry) Thurs, Music on Fri.

She is very stressed about Physics, it's her weakest science and the teaching has been poor this year due to a succession of supply teachers and lots of gaps and inconsistency.

The school are not allowing study leave and yesterday she couldn't find a quiet area at school to work, hopefully she can get her head down somewhere today.

She got quite upset and frustrated last night revising equations, not being able to get them to stick...me trying desperately to avoid a full on meltdown but can't say anything right.

See how she is when she gets in this afternoon.

Sonnet · 22/05/2013 15:19

Phew seems this has been a full on week for most of us!
DD had Eng Lang and Chem p1 on Monday, Eng Lit yesterday and Latin language today - Biology tomorrown and Eng lit p2 on Friday! - glad to get to half term!

MrsBartlet · 22/05/2013 15:38

It has been a full on week hasn't it? Dd has 8 papers this week but some of her friends have 11! She seems very pleased with how Latin went today but is dreading physics tomorrow - she did some physics revision in the Easter holidays but other than that yesterday was the first time she had time to look at it. Roll on half-term!

Casey · 22/05/2013 16:00

Our MFL teacher said the German foundation papers were very fair. I'm just waiting for ds1 to get home to tell me what the higher papers were like...

JWIM · 22/05/2013 18:00

DD said German papers were OK - higher not foundation. She is not looking forward to Physics tomorrow - other than she will never have to do it again. Have suggested she might focus revision tonight on the Eng Lit Poetry as she wants to do well and do Eng Lit A level, but as with all proffered advice (and I have tried very hard not to) it was met with disdain! Roll on Friday afternoon when both music is over along with the emotion of the last 'all in together' day at Secondary school with Leavers' service and ritual de-facing of shirts. And a prank! I have said to think on and make sure it is nothing too outrageous as they can still be banned from the Prom.

Abra1d · 22/05/2013 18:17

Physics a bit of an Achilles' heel here, so fingers crossed for tomorrow.

webwiz · 22/05/2013 18:30

DS isn't very well at the moment so I think an early night will be the best preparation for tomorrows English lit paper. He did poertry for a controlled assessment so tomorrow is Romeo and Juliet and Animal farm.

Movingtimes · 22/05/2013 18:59

DD1 said the German higher was really easy. Hope her confidence is not misplaced. Physics tomorrow and Music on Friday.

circular · 22/05/2013 19:12

Aview I thought as much about the poetry, but there's no telling her.

Casey · 22/05/2013 19:39

Yes ds1 was happy with the German higher papers too. Almost half way there now! He's done 8; 9 more to go, 3 of which are tomorrow! Smile

mumslife · 22/05/2013 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BestIsWest · 22/05/2013 20:32

WJEC Eng Lit here tomorrow. DS is Yr 10 so this is his first exam of this round. Science and History modules after half term.

MsAverage · 22/05/2013 21:57

Mumslife, the same subjects and the same story, "I do not need revision". On Sunday, before Chem and Eng Lit1, her classmate came to our place and they baked a cake (and burnt it).

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 22/05/2013 22:12

German was apparently annoying because the cd kept getting stuck for the listening bit and of course they had to sit in silence while it got sorted out... But all seemed ok in the end.

Another here whose weakest subject is phsyics, and has it tomorrow along with eng lit. She prefers the poetry one to the one earlier though. Just hope physics goes ok.

basildonbond · 23/05/2013 08:08

Biology this morning then a massively long break because of half term - the most concentrated burst is over now it's all dribs and drabs from here on in

EllieArroway · 23/05/2013 08:15

Eeek - it's the biggie for my DS today......Physics! He wants to be an astronomer, so this is vital to get him onto the A'Level next year. Shall be chewing my fingernails all morning.

English lit in the afternoon too.

Good luck to all :)

Sonnet · 23/05/2013 10:50

MrsBartlett - DD1 aslo said Latin went well today :)
Biology for us too this morning basilionbond, Eng Lit p2 tomorrow and then half term - breathe -

boschy · 23/05/2013 10:55

Eng lit here today. All day maths revision tomrrow, and then 3 sessions during halfterm of 3 hours each (bless the teachers, they are really working hard, only hope it pays off).
thank god its halfterm!

Kez100 · 23/05/2013 14:34

Any reports on Physics?

My son has sent a strange text saying OK, but a lot didn't make sense but his spelling in the text is appalling so that might be a bad dyslexic day for him and the not making sense was more a dyslexic thing or it might mean a bad paper- I'm not quite sure which yet.

Pity because he got an A in yesterdays mock.

beachyhead · 23/05/2013 14:42

English Lit here today, seems to have gone OK. She was doing Carol Ann Duffy poems... Biology was OK to Good this morning.

German yesterday was really split, she and the other girl (there are only two taking it) liked the Reading paper, but hated the Listening paper.... However, they haven't had a German teacher for the last four terms, so I'd be amazed if we pull that one off. Stand in is a music teacher who speaks German!

MrsBartlet · 23/05/2013 15:36

Dd said P2 was ok but P3 was very difficult (though I think that was probably down to the fact that she ran out of time to cover everything in her revision!) She is one very happy girl now as she never has to study science again!

Casey · 23/05/2013 16:27

ds1 said Physics AQA P2 and P3 were 'good'...!
He said there was a really bizarre 1-mark question about the space programme, tagged on at the end of something else.

He was also happy with Eng Lit (WJEC). He felt View from the Bridge question didn't go so well, but really enjoyed The Lord of the Flies question.

Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywrench · 23/05/2013 16:51

DS said Physics was ok but he couldn't for the life of himself remember how to do gradients... He had a mind block and a bit of a panic, then pulled himself together and did the rest before coming back to it. That in itself is progress because he would have a tendency to do things in order.

That's the bulk over for now. Nothing till the 3rd.

RussiansOnTheSpree · 23/05/2013 17:15

Dd1 said it was all 'good' (eng lit and physics 2&3). However since she is the epitome of an unreliable narrator, make of that what you will.