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!!!!!

Dyslexia and MFL don't mix, I was spectacularly useless at Welsh and French. DD1 isn't doing any for GCSE.

Non dyslexic DD2 is pretty good at French (loaths German, but they had a confusing introduction to it and it's never clicked).

Full on history and science revision here today after a far too relaxed week. Now joined in science by DS2 who is also doing B1, P1 and C1 alongside my DS1 - will literally sitting next to each other in the exam hall! DS1 is doing triple science so sitting all 9 exams at the end unlike DS who is doing the double award. Its going to be a more stressful few weeks than I thought.

I really wish I could do GCSE Welsh 2nd language but I'm miles from the fatherland

B2C2P2 here all day today - I've been testing him - its so boring, I don't know how ds can retain it as he, like me finds science a real drag, it might as well be double dutch as I have no idea if his explanations are accurate or not. dh no help - we're a humanities household.

DD is out all afternoon/evening with her boyfriend.

Nocomet, German never clicked with me either even after 3 years. It's so different to French, Latin, Welsh etc. I found it difficult to study it side by side with them.

EYV. Open University do a Welsh course.

DD was doing so well up until half-term, now struggling to get back into it and I honestly think she has hardly done any work all week, almost as if she needs to feel the fear first. I am really disappointed as thought she could use the last papers to bring up grades on the ones she was worried about. She told me her twitter feed is full of stories about other year 11s taking the week off, just wish she would realise this is not likely to be the truth.

Today she has done nothing at all as has been ill again. Not her fault I know that but just shows she shouldnt have let it till last minute which means she only has tomorrow to look at history revision.

Feeling a bit fed up with it all now, she has to do this herself I cant do it for her. Her headteacher told them all at the beginning of year 11 they will mostly get the grades they deserve. Hopefully I will be back to normal positive mood tomorrow but right now I am just thinking of what the HT said and how this is true for DD, probably sounds harsh on my behalf I know.

I feel the same as you Bouncing - DC has hardly revised. Its as if they have run out of steam and can't get motivated again after the long weekend break.

Another household where the momentum has gone! It is exasperating but I do have sympathy. It's all so long and drawn out. I think DS is still exhausted really, despite the break, and had enough - but still seven exams to go. He's decided to take Further Maths after all, so it won't all be over for another three weeks.

Most children I know have taken half term off. Its been full on since Christmas, I think they deserve a rest.

DDs off to a revision class this morning (music) and had her nose in a book all Friday and Saturday.

They finally get official study leave next week. Some science sessions, but she'll probably not bother.

Science is her thing and she'd rather do what she needs to brush up.

ds has 2 exams tomorrow , which clash so they have to do them back to back in isolation. Thinks there may be a history revision session in the morning.

Dd also has a two week break in exams. She is borderline A* in science and would love to get the grades but momentum is gone. In retrospect I wish I had thought of booking her in for a half term revision course. A change of scenery and a different approach would have helped.

revision class on a sunday!! your poor dd nocomet is your school worried about results?

interesting letter in the sunday times today in the chris woodhead column re special consideration due to noise in a GCSE german listening exam - wondering if he is actually saying exam boards have scope for more than 1% lift in the marks when schools send in special consideration reports. I would be very interested to read the report school sent off re ds (I wonder if I am allowed to request a copy - anyone know?)

Worth asking I would have thought, EYV. Quote the freedom of information act at them if they won't ( don't know if that will have any meaning but worth a try).

History and Music tomorrow. DS for once has appeared to be revising solidly today and was even spotted near the revision timetable on the fridge with a red marker making notes on it.

DD home today. She's just finished a degree in a History so has been giving him some last minute coaching. Hope it pays off.

History this afternoon. DD2 very keen to do well - is going to do History A level, and this is the Source paper that she did worst on in her mocks, so she was a bit on edge.

Hope getting back into it is ok for everyone.

Music this morning, final assembly last lesson.

Weird end if an era, but not end if a era feeling as she's staying on for 6th form, but they have a different uniform.

DD2 is slighter and they've changed the PE kit, so sime things may never need to be washed again.

final option choice this morning - the subject she should never have done; business!!

DD needs to wear her uniform six more times ever .

DS and i realised today that he has one exam in the morning, then nothing between 11 a.m. and a revision session at 3 p.m.

They aren't meant to stay on school premises in between now that they've officially left, and there aren't any buses between 8:30 and 3 (rural area).

I've said I'll nip out and get him for today, but with 12 more exams to go, we're going to have to come up with a better system! Can't believe it hadn't occurred to us before now, or that they couldn't just let the poor kid sit in the library.

That's odd...DC's school allows them to come in first thing and stay all day. Good job as we are rural as well and also it allows pupils a chance to speak to teachers, do some work etc in between exams.

Surely he just goes to the school library with a pile if books.

DD can't get home here, either.

He's adamant that they aren't allowed to stay, but I'm hoping he's wrong (not that uncommon with DS)! As this is the first day of 'leave', we haven't quite worked it out yet.

Yes school needs good results after a run in with Ofsted, but music is more the composition went right to the hand in date and the class are all happy to have one more practice.

That does sound odd kitties especially given the rural location!

DD2 has to be in school if she has a lesson that she hasn't yet had an exam in. Given she has science 4 days a week and lots of science exams still to come (plus maths and RS), she doesn't actually get a single day where she can officially stay at home all day. (She can just go for the lesson(s) and work in the library in between lessons/exams if necessary.) I am going to suggest she takes some completely off though, because her journey to school is nearly an hour and that seems daft on the days where she's just going in for one lesson!