Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

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:
MsAverage · 22/04/2013 00:33

Notfluffy, anything DD reads/watches/plays, "Hobbit" and LoTR, for example, or the wizards' world of Harry Potter cycle.

Coconutty · 22/04/2013 19:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KatyMac · 22/04/2013 21:30

DD is one mark under a C in Biology, one over a C in Chemistry, Physics not taken yet and 50-smething in the CAT - how that adds up I don't know

circular · 23/04/2013 13:01

KatyMac Grade boundaries for science seem to be all over the show.
DD got 41/48 in Biology CA but teachers think the boundary for an A is 42. That's 87.5% !

KatyMac · 23/04/2013 14:09

How bizarre!

I keep telling DD to work harder Grin

prettydaisies · 23/04/2013 20:38

Spanish oral done and dusted yesterday and course work for 3D design more or less finished.

DS has just decided he doesn't want to do 3D at AS any more, so trying to choose another one. He's doing maths (and further maths, but that only counts as one option choice at his school), physics and chemistry. He would like to do engineering eventually. It seems to be between geography and biology.

KatyMac · 24/04/2013 08:36

OK I have some actual marks 48, 49 & 51 each out of 80......

Doilooklikeatourist · 24/04/2013 08:49

I have DS doing 'A' levels ( well geography A level , ICT which is all course work and Welsh Bacc )

DD doing GCSE ( English , Science ,Welsh , Maths , Drama ,Textiles, ICT and History )

She doesn't seem particularly worried , and when I nag ask her nicely to revise , she says she is , and plays with her phone . Grrrr

She doesn't know what she wants to do , so will have to stay on at school for 6 th form .

I keep telling myself that I've only got 2 more years of it .... 2 more years ...2 more years ...

boschy · 25/04/2013 10:10

Oh dear.... 2nd maths GCSE retake, and she got a worse D than she did last time... oh dear oh dear. Maths is not a lot of fun.

Not much revision going on at home here, but she says they are doing it all in class. I'm just leaving her to it, cant see any sense in nagging!

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 25/04/2013 10:14

Glad to see this - I was wondering if there was one around!

Have a dd in year 11, first exams start on 13th May. I expect I'll be back in spades then!

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 26/04/2013 05:01

DD is in Y10, has had Maths papers already, and has English next Tuesday. Though she has no clue if it's Lang or lit...she was only told today. No exam dates given to parents, so a little difficult to help with revision!

Inncogneetow · 26/04/2013 07:38

What exam board is she doing CSECE? I know AQA and WJEC English Lit and Lang exams are just before and just after Whit half term?

That seems very poor that the exam dates are not being communicated to parents! We've had exam dates (in various draft formats and stages) four times, including the final statement of entry.

Cooroo · 26/04/2013 07:47

GCSEs here too. DD is in year 11 doing Maths, English x 2, Science, Spanish, History, Textiles, Music BTEC - I thought it was more? May have forgotten something!

Textiles deadline was yesterday and jacket not finished. She's cheerful - had to do a technology but not very motivated and says it's more important she spends time on her History. At 16 it's much harder to nag her into working.

Exam timetable apparently 'lost' and she'll get another. Seems FAR too laid back to me, I did O levels in the dark ages and had revision plans all over the place!

Results so far mostly ok though. She had to do an English 'talking' test, which seemed to involve having a nice chat about computer games with her English teacher, who assured her she'd get an A*! Science and maths much dodgier though.

Torn - it's good she's not stressed, I don't want to make her miserable, but I think she should be just a little bit more anxious!

beachyhead · 26/04/2013 07:50

Morning, 9 GCSE's to do here, Art and DT already in, but the remaining 7 to do....

We have a week from hell starting 20th May with 7 papers in one week...

Predicted A's in Art and DT, C's in everything else, but I'm expecting a D in one of the Sciences or Maths....

We are doing IGCSE Boards, which seem hideously hard.

For the first time this morning, she got up at 6am to learn about the kidney!

heronsfly · 26/04/2013 07:56

Can I join too, dd2 is doing English x2, Science x3, History,RE, Latin and Dance, luckily she has already done maths and got a B, its not her strong point so will leave it at that.She is also entered for the English laureate, not really sure what thats all about but I think she needs above C in 5 subjects for it to be awarded.

Doilooklikeatourist · 26/04/2013 08:08

Textiles deadline here too , which has meant her staying after school and doing extra work in ner lunch break .
Also Welsh Bacc deadline . It's compulsory ( in her school ) but it seems to be a waste of time ( and paper ) compulsory in 6th form too .
Anyone else in Wales ? Is it the same for you ?

Doinmummy · 26/04/2013 08:11

Hi , didn't see this thread , so started one of my own. Can I join in? DD year 10 has got science in May, she just doesn't seem to be revising enough, but I can't make her and nagging just causes rows. Also really worried about her maths, I think I'll have to get a tutor in, she just doesn't get it though, might as well be speaking Swahili to her.

Cooroo · 26/04/2013 15:54

Doinmummy, has she got a science revision book? We did Y10 biology intensively - a good hour every night, working through a page. I skimmed it, then read it out to her, we talked about it and she drew little pictures as she went, which is her best way of working.

Managed to keep it cheerful (abandoned if she was too tired and nothing going in) and she went and got an A for it! Haven't managed a repeat, it was too time-consuming, but very rewarding.

Doinmummy · 26/04/2013 16:03

We have got the revision books and I'd like to help her revise. I think it would help for her to read a bit and then me ask her questions but she won't do it that way. It's so frustrating . I just can't see her doing very well.

Inncogneetow · 26/04/2013 16:31

What exam board Doinmummy?
is a great revision site for AQA science. There are videos on all the different topics, plus you can print out sheets and add extra notes, etc.

Cooroo · 26/04/2013 16:47

Let her choose the way, Doinmummy. When I did Olevels I just used to write everything down longhand, it worked for me. But my DD does little doodles instead. Colours them in. I suppress frustration, because it does seem to work for her.

Doinmummy · 26/04/2013 17:14

I know I have to let her do it her own way, we all learn differently , but I really don't think she's doing enough.

Maybe if she doesn't do well in her mocks it will give her a bit of a wake up call.

I'm more stressed thn she is, just can't wait for it all to be over.

Doinmummy · 26/04/2013 17:16

Thanks for the link Inncogneetow will have a look.

Doinmummy · 26/04/2013 17:20

Can't get the link to work!

TheWave · 26/04/2013 17:23

Yes DD1 starts 13th May. Seems quite busy up to half term with all the Unit 3s of the sciences, MFL, RE, PE etc. Sort of waiting til May 1st as it will feel suddenly near as it's May!