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!!!!!

Coconutty how did you work out that your ds had A* for his practical PE? is there somewhere that equates the raw scores and grade boundaries just for the practical bit? ds has only got 4 different raw scores each out of 10. They weren't given grades afaik

Same as eatyourveg for PE. Ds has 4 scores out of 10, but wasn't told a mark. They have not been told marks for anything as a few years ago it all went wrong with the grades boundaries, so now the school are very cautious!

Coconutty 28 might be an exaggeration! She could be counting each separate unit, iyswim. Perhaps in doing that, it makes the 2O+ exam sittings spread over 5+ weeks seem less stressful to her. She is doing 12 GCSEs (and grade 5 music theory).

I get texts afterwards saying things like 'there were gay prawns in my exam' or 'Japan is now a developing country' and we have a laugh about it. It's been fun. Just glad she is alive, tbh, and has managed to reforge a few friendships before leaving that school. (She's on anti depressants. This could have been so, so different.)

We have had a particularly bumpy ride this last year, certainly. I've felt with DD that her terrible twos started at about 6 months (drawing breath between colic and teething) and just didn't ever stop until getting the ADs a couple of months ago.

We have had a particularly bumpy ride this last year, certainly. I've felt with DD that her terrible twos started at about 6 months (drawing breath between colic and teething) and just didn't ever stop until getting the ADs a couple of months ago.

DS has been given grades in some subjects, but with suitable warnings.

Music is a problem here too. Performance and composition were fine, syllabus only finished in the last lesson (African music bit) so absolutely no revision done in class. He says that is his focus this week, and is also the first subject he would like some testing on! Exam is the first day back, so at least it will be over and done. He is predicted A/A* but actually would be happy with a B.

Dd has been chilling out today and cleared out a load of now not needed stuff from her room. V good for her. She plans to start work again tomorrow.

DD had to dictate her answer for the gay prawns question to her scribe - she says it was pretty embarrassing

Leaping I did ask if it was an RS exam DD had gone into by mistake. She thinks she did well on that question but some of her friends' answers were hilarious.

I did calmly check whether the prawns were flying around the room or talking in the exam, and did we need to go back to the GP which amused DD, thankfully.

YeGods, DS1 needs 22 points for his sixth form, but they only offered to those with predicted grades of 28 and above! Not in Gloucestershire are you?

Dd and friends have all done bot all since breaking up Friday. They are currently at a small local music festival. Saying that they are all predicted a and a*s and have found the exams so far fine.
However, biology looms and as some of the units they haven't even covered. (Thank you teacher) they are getting together to brainstorm them this week.
A question though about post exams. Dd has chosen eng lit, Spanish,history and art. She is targeted for Russell group unis. Dh is very down on her taking art (she is talented, but not massively) and thinks it will affect an application to RGs.

Ellen shhhh!

OhWhat What is your DD hoping to read at uni?

As long as the Art doesn't drag time and focus away from the other subjects, having 3 academic facilitating subjects is going to be fine. The fourth subject won't be detrimental. The Russell Group "Informed Choices" gives quite a narrow view of things. The Trinity, Cambridge categories are much more flexible and are an interesting read - www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=604

Languages (probably Spanish) and either history or English. She is tempted by the thought of studying abroad currently-Dutch unis are quite proactive in recruiting eu students (Utrecht and Amsterdam are the stand out ones) and the do teach in English. However, I think she would be better off studying here and applying for a place on the Erasmus scheme where she can study abroad for a year.
God, this is scary, it's ten minutes since she went to "big" school.

DD1 has also put her foot down very firmly and told DH she is doing three sciences and Art, not maths.

It doesn't matter how useful maths is, she wishes to remain sane!

Given the amount of mess and number of last minute panics GCSE Art has caused, I'm not certain about everyone else's sanity.

nocomet I wish DS could give up maths; for some reason it's the one subject he lacks confidence in. His teachers all say he should get his A*, but when faced with a question he doesn't immediately get he freezes. A teacher in year 7 completely ruined his confidence and he's never got it back, in spite of having had fabulous maths teachers ever since.

Unfortunately he wants to do either physics or computer sciences at university so maths is a must, and he'll be doing further maths too!

Well done your DD for sticking to her guns! She'll hopefully enjoy her art, even if it causes mess and mayhem at the last fence . . .

YeGods, DS1 may be meeting your DD in Sept!

I have everything crossed here, even my eyes.

Well thats the bank holiday weekend over, back to work for us tomorrow, and back to school for DD. Revision sessions resume at 10am,mornings only for the rest of the week... the exam period is going on FOREVER!

DS has a three hour statistics crammer at school this morning, so we're up and getting ready! No such thing as half term!

DC has done sod all too...