Year 11 GCSE countdown. Revision angst begins.

[Fastenurseatbelts]

Ok. DS1 has broken up for Easter and we now have to all accept that this is it. He has been doing dribs and drabs since mocks in February and an hour- ish in the evenings of stuff set by teachers.

Nowhere near what I remember doing for my o'levels a million miles ago. Friends tell me their kids are doing nothing yet. Not sure I believe them though!

Waiting for reality to kick in with him but he still seems to be treating it all like an end of topic test in class!

What's happening in your house? Are you staying well out of it or like me walking round waving a CGP guide 24/7!!!!!

So far ds1 has had biology yesterday - thinks it was ok. He has Spanish this afternoon. Tomorrow has chemistry and Friday has history and PE. They have study leave, but at the moment have timetabled revision classes which they are expected to go to.

He is quite chilled at the moment. I think he's just relieved the exams have actually started. He's not looking forward to English next week - used to be one of his strong subjects, but has dropped in it.
I feel fine - Just trying to stop the other 3 dc from arguing too much to keep the house calm!

I think A/A* predicted grades are very hard to live up to.

As are OK for subjects DCs are genuinely really good at (DD1 is that good at science and probably at maths), but A/A* predicted grades just because DCs are generally academic seem mind blowingly stressful.

DD1 has a A target grade for RE, Why, she's dyslexic and cannot write that well. English and Geography have been adjusted, but not RE. It's straight off her L5 (with a scribe SAT score. Without a scribe, pigs will be flying over tower bridge.

DS home from ICT and straight onto Chemistry - dunlurking exact feelings here. I am hopeless at science so can only read from CGP and question but can't help feeling there are a few gaps...strangely he's not panicking yet though - and I'm trying so hard not to. I shall deal with huge pile of ironing until he is ready for testing again - life must go on!

The whole predicted grades thing is very stressful for the youngsters. My DD is predicted all A* and she seems to think she is duty bound to achieve this.

I keep telling her that it is absolutely fine just to do her best and not worry about the grades too much but she doesn't seem convinced. I don't think she wants to let any of her teachers down.

This week and next week are absolute hell in terms of the number of exams she has to sit. Roll on half term and a bit of a breather.

Nocomet does your daughter use a laptop?

And I quite agree with this predicted grade nonsense based on your general IQ/SATs etc. DS was predicted Bs from the baseline screening in Y7. These got reassessed to Cs following 2010 election and tougher guidelines being brought in. He's dyspraxic and therefore his skills are patchy. All his controlled assessments for science y10/11 were done in y10 (he'd only just started at a 14-19 academy). He got B & Cs. School were happy with that based on his predictions. Now hes actually made some effort to learn the material himself using techniques to work around his dyspraxia he has improved to recently achieving As and As in all the practice papers. He was in tears last week as the realisation hit him that he is capable of getting As in the papers but the fact that his CA are not good means its practically impossible for him to get A* or A overall. They've now reassessed yet again his predicted to A and B. But he's gutted. I've said to him that he only needs Bs to get onto the A level course and that's where he can shine. But its heart breaking!

Nostress, I feel for you and your DS. Those predicted (in year 7) grades have a lot to answer for. DS1 has been in a similar situation for some subjects and was very frustrated because he was actually working at a higher level than friends with higher predicted grades who had done better at those diagnostic year 7 tests.

He's predicted A* in just a couple of subjects and for those, the teachers have given him guidance and feedback to ensure his coursework reflects what he's capable of. That hasn't happened across the board.

And then there was the Head of Maths, who recently told DS that the school wasn't bothered whether he got A* or not in his GCSE this year, as he'd got an A last year and had already met his target! Fortunately his actual Maths teacher is lovely and doesn't seem to share that attitude!

DD philosophical this morning and said her school year are the first of the transitional years for Gove and as he wants to make sure students have a fuller understanding of a subject and not learn by rote, then yesterday's biology paper and possibly others to come are being worded to force them to think logically and use common sense (sadly she thinks she is one of those that failed to do this).

Not sure that Gove wrote the questions but may be some element of truth in changes to the whole system from now on in!

All about chemistry today..

Bouncing beans, your DD may well be right. DS didn't do the Biology paper, as he took it in year 10, but said something similar about the AQA Geography.

Phaedra, think they are feeling like guinea pigs at the moment, and the schools have changed their whole approach to study leave too so it all just feels as though this is the year to try new things. My DD has said some teachers have been stressing where they are sending the kids into exams for the first time with no modules/coursework behind them, such as for RE, as it is new for them too.

Just hoping it doesnt go against them with final results but good thing is they are all in it together.

Media doesnt help when they give the impression that everyone gets all A*'s when this is not what happens for the vast majority. I do feel sorry for those that are predicted higher grades for everything as they must feel so much pressure.

Nostress, no DD1 doesn't get a lap too, she wants me to see if the SENCO can get her permission to take notes on a iPad, a couple of the boys already do. She writes stories on her iPod (long bus ride) and likes the keyboard and autocorrect very much.

It is very likely she'll get a C for English language also due to CAs done when she was 14

Like wise she'd have A* not A for core science if it wasn't for a C in a very wordy CA done earlyish in Y10, with no second tries.

She's sitting on a B for her Shakespeare, English lit. CA done this year with time to prepare.

She's also got her sisters cold so I'm off to fetch her.

My son uses an ipad with keyboard in lessons and gets a clean laptop in exams for long answer subjects. Which is good as his handwriting is appalling!

Roll on June 13th!

Worried about DD for tomorrow now, she seems to be struggling to remember (and even understand) some of the basics on chemistry. She has been working solidly since 9am and I made her stop about an hour ago as she was getting tearful, but she wants to do some more before bed. Think she now just needs to concentrate on the final science papers after half-term and try to bring up her scores overall as she will have more time to revise for those.

Absolutely agree roll on June 13th!

DS has been at school all day, got home at 5pm had a shower, dinner. Then had a poo and did some revision on the toilet! Did another 20mins and now he's finished and playing on the computer. So only 40mins revision today (hopefully he did more at school though). I'm happy to let him chill out tonight.

Busy week next week exams everyday! I've been invited out this Friday night and I cant decide whether to go. If I go I will get pissed and feel rough on Saturday so that basically writes off me being of use to help him. I've also applied for a job and the interview are Monday. I'll find out if I'm shortlisted tomorrow. I could really do with going out and relaxing for a change!

Dd looks positively ill this evening. Very sweet to me but very quiet. I am desperately hoping she gets her confidence back with tomorrow's papers or I don't know what will happen.

I know what you mean *nostress" - would love a night out myself but as you say if you're not feeling great on Saturday you may not be much help to your son. Can you go but take it easy to avoid the hangover or get the night re-scheduled to next Friday - at least then your son could I assume have the Saturday off too - it does sound most are over the worst by half term. I've already suggested to my mum friends that we have a mid GCSE's night out next weekend!

nostress

Evening all. I haven't posted here much but have been reading with interest.

Dd has been suffering a lot with anxiety over the whole exam thing. She had her first exams on Monday which actually appeared to go quite well but she had a melt-down on Monday evening. She is actually very able and I am really impressed with how well she is working and balancing that with other activities.

We are off to see ds (first year at uni) on Saturday for a birthday dinner which dd is really looking forward too. I'm hoping he will have a few words of wisdom for her!

June 19th is last exam date for us. Seems like a loooooooong way away yet!

Physics tomorrow. One of ds' prep school mates texted this am about how tough the Geography was . Normally a very laid back chap so must have been ! Now they are worried that they sit the same board for History (Friday) and that will be similar .

I am definitely getting the vibe that the papers have been written in a slightly different way which is throwing the kids a bit. Something else to blame BLOODY GOVE for.

Anyone else's DCs doing Aqa Additional Applied science tomorrow? DS has this and Eng Lit next week, then all his exams are after half term going right up to 23rd June.

Am hoping for lower grade boundaries in geography, lol.

DD has physics IGCSE tomorrow, then nothing until Monday.

Sorry Best - dd is doing triple science here so two papers tomorrow, same for physics next week and then the Unit 1 papers after 1/2 term.

She seems to have cheered up a bit thank God!

Be careful about posting question or answer details on here. Some pupils do not take the paper with everyone else because of clashes, health issues etc.
Good luck all.