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Secondary education

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Original poster

Year 11 GCSE countdown. Revision angst begins.

999 replies

Fastenurseatbelts · 01/04/2014 13:55

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!!!!!

OP posts:
Asterisk · 20/05/2014 22:35

It's Cambridge IGCSE chemistry tomorrow for us, cue woe from DD about how much revision she has done and yet how badly she is still doing on practice papers. CIE higher tier Chem does seem an absolute stinker, IMHO.

I'm fervently hoping Sunshinecity is right on Eng Lit. Like many of you, DD says she can't tell how she did but ran out of time. She did AQA Mockingbird and Inspector Calls. Said the questions were great but she didn't think she did them justice and it felt very rushed. School doesn't reveal marks for CA either, so it's all a bit ho-hum. Teachers seem convinced that A*s will be rare as hens' teeth this year...

Ohwhatfuckeryisthis · 20/05/2014 22:38

Best wishes Mary.
It was Hound of the Baskervilles and To Kill a Mockingbird. Dd was chuffed at the questions and said she could have written for hours.
Strange child.
Business for some tomorrow, (not for dd) last two lessons then a celebration event, lots of tears (even though they will see each other again Thursday) shirt signing embarrassing stories that couldn't be told in mixed assemblies.

MorvahRising · 20/05/2014 23:21

We've got a free day tomorrow as well, although he has to go in. Then English and Geography on Thursday.

In fact throughout the whole six weeks DS hasn't got a single Wednesday exam.

Mary good luck for tomorrow.

MrsMaturin · 20/05/2014 23:50

I am really starting to worry about the grade boundaries and the A situation. I think Asterix junior's teachers may be right and there are going to be a lot of really bright kids who are disappointed in August when they WOULD have got A with those marks last year. Nothing will make dd feel anything other than a failure in that sitation :(

MorvahRising · 21/05/2014 06:41

Oh crikey MrsM that is a horrible thought and DS would be pretty shattered too. I suppose we must hang on to the thought that SOMEONE has to get A*s . . . . .

ISingSoprano · 21/05/2014 07:03

Dd was reasonably happy with eng lit yesterday although she did slightly run out of time. She had a debrief with her fantastic English teacher afterwards.

No exams today so it is their 'leavers' day with photos and assembly and general trickery and mayhem!

littlewhitebag · 21/05/2014 07:13

My DD would be devastated if she didn't get and abundance of A. She is predicted all A but we know that some (i.e. Physics) will not be at that level. She has worked solidly and really feels she has to deliver those A*: not just for her but for her teachers and for us. She is putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on herself.

Coconutty · 21/05/2014 07:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsMaturin · 21/05/2014 07:44

BLOODY GOVE! Angry

I hope that git gets a really good electoral kicking next year.

Littlewhitebag - I feel your pain.

LIZS · 21/05/2014 08:06

2 days on study leave until History/Latin on Friday. ds couldn't fathom on q on igsce maths yesterday, something about angles which was worth several marks but he could only answer part.

MissScatterbrain · 21/05/2014 08:56

I couldn't sleep, dreamt that I was doing the Eng Lit exam and struggling.

DC is expected to get a string of A* but its not looking hopeful as revision does not seem to be a priority any more.

Bloody Gove indeed. Dreading tomorrow's Geography and Eng Lit (poetry weakest area). History on Friday should be ok though.

MissScatterbrain · 21/05/2014 08:57

*is DC's weakest area

sunshinecity17 · 21/05/2014 09:14

'We've been warned that A* grades are going to be harder than ever '

I can't remember a year when this hasn't been said

sunshinecity17 · 21/05/2014 09:18

To be fair any school that still does OMAM for higher pupils is short changing them

why?

Best1sWest · 21/05/2014 09:22

I'm thinking further down the spectrum. DS targets are mostly Cs and Bs with one A. If the A pupils all go down one grade, then so will he and might not get the 5 Cs he needs for 6th form.

MorvahRising · 21/05/2014 09:23

Further to eatyourveg's DS's experience, DS told me this morning that in one of his exams last week the invigilator's mobile actually rang, and the invigilator had to rush to her bag and turn it off! It really is extremely careless and unfair to the candidates.

DS didn't seem bothered, in fact thought it was rather funny. Having said that, he actually had a nightmare last night that he forgot to hand his phone in and it went off in his maths exam . . . .

eatyourveg · 21/05/2014 09:59

I wondered the same thing sunshinecity17 ds did Inspector Calls and OMAM

He seems more stressed out about his disappearing eyebrows now than his exams as his friends keep pointing them out. He woke up yesterday upside down in bed, head at the bottom feet at the top completely oblivious to the thrashing around he must have done in his sleep.

Will be very glad when he can knock 2 more off the list tomorrow (Geog and Eng) leaving just 7 for after half term

nostress · 21/05/2014 10:27

Best1swest. I have similar worries! Ds is predicted 1A, and then all Bs (3) and Cs (the rest). Honestly I would be happy if he got all C or over but he needs BB in sciences to do the A levels he wants. So he would be distraught if he didn't get that in science. He has SEN so its so difficult to know what will pan out. His CA are only B and C but he is regularly getting As in practice papers.

All:
Re A do you think the proportion of A to A will be the same? So just make the A* tougher or do you think all boundaries shifted so less at all the higher levels.

I am predicting a drop in those who score of a C and above because lets face it kids with SEN have been screwed over with the removal of special arrangements especially for those who are brighter but still have a SEN.

I wrote to my MP re SEN/GCSE/Special arrangements and that was 5 months ago and he hasn't bothered responding TOSSER.

Bloody Gove.....

eatyourveg · 21/05/2014 10:45

What's happening to the special arrangements nostress? ds3 (the one doing GCSEs) has got 25% extra time and a separate room and ds2 has got 25% extra time, separate room, rest breaks, reader and prompter. They're not withdrawing them are they?

nostress · 21/05/2014 11:27

If you've still got extra time you should be ok! Basically theyve made it much more difficult to get extra time and it has largely been withdrawn. At DSs school 'the vast majority' (quote from dep head) of those with sen/dyslexia/dyspraxia etc have had it withdrawn. They have made the criteria alot stricter and ed psyc report no longer enough. The criteria have changed so if you have a very bright kid with sen they are more likely going to have it withdrawn as you have to perform below average to get extra time. Previously the difference between the area of IQ affected by sen and the other areas was used as a guide (and writing speed etc). It will mean bright kids that could get A*s wont.

All kids in DSs school were reassesed in Jan and I think this is the case with all schools as you have to have an assessment within the last two years.

My DS has dyspraxia his school initially withdrew special arrangements and DS massively messed up mocks (only finishing 50% of the essay type papers) got ds and Es. He was predicted Bs and Cs. He was reassesed and FORTUNATELY his processing speed is below average so he was in the end given it.

However he still didnt manage to finish the english! He has a laptop for essay papers but no separate room. He did say that he finds it really distracting when everybody else leaves but I actually think this may help him as otherwise he would not have know to start the second question! So he spent all the ''real" time on 50% of paper and just 25% extra time on the other!

Im just hoping he gets his BBs!

nostress · 21/05/2014 11:30

I think its still ok for physical disabilities though!

eatyourveg · 21/05/2014 11:38

ds2's school routinely test all Y10s and follow up any whose results are under 80 or 85 (can't remember exact score). At the FE college where I work all new students registered with the ALS dept and any others whose concessions are due to expire, are screened in the autumn term and then go for more detailed testing if something is flagged up on the screening. Sounds like it may be the cut off score which is changing then?

nostress · 21/05/2014 11:39

Oh yes eat is your DS pulling them out? My dh does that when he is stressed. Theres a name for it tric something or another. Other people pull their hair but eyebrows is apparently common!

nostress · 21/05/2014 11:41

Cross posts! Yes I think thats it the boundary is raised. But thankfully this latest assessment lasts for 2years although DS is not planning on taking essay subjects at A level!

nostress · 21/05/2014 11:42

(Sorry for all mistakes - on my phone!)