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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:
hellsbells99 · 02/06/2014 11:39

kitties - I remember this from last year and just emailed in saying DD1 would be in all day when she had an exam because of transport. I think a lot of parents did the same. We just got an email back saying no problem and they were welcome to use the library or a classroom that was put aside for their use.
DD2 finished on 9th May for study leave and has been trying to only go to school for the actual exams because she prefers to study at home - any revision classes are optional and only in school time not sundays.
Music this morning which apparently was 'so so' - not sure whether that means average or terrible!

MissScatterbrain · 02/06/2014 12:06

Kitties - think you need to call the school to check.

KittiesInsane · 02/06/2014 12:16

Just retrieved DS. He thinks the library is being used for students with extended access times for exams or isolation between exam clashes. I'm sure it can't be the only free room in school, though; will have to enquire further!

MorvahRising · 02/06/2014 12:45

Our school has a revision room which they can go to; it's supervised at all times which is v sensible. They can't use the library as it's where people with any sort of SEN do their exams, the computers are set up if there's an issue with writing etc and if anyone needs a scribe they sit in one corner.

hellsbells99 · 02/06/2014 12:59

I know our school library is very busy at the moment with year 10, 11 and 12s all on study leave - hence they have also allocated spare classrooms for studying in.

KittiesInsane · 02/06/2014 13:57

I've checked with the head of year. It's a fire safety precaution, apparently. They have registers for exams and revision sessions but don't want to rely on random year 11s remembering to sign in and out if not expected in that morning/afternoon.

Hmm. As they had a major fire two years back (and evacuated the whole school in minutes, to be fair), I can see why they'd worry, but there must be a better way?

hellsbells99 · 02/06/2014 14:27

Now they are on study leave, ours have to sign in and out whenever they are in school for exams, revision, studying, music lessons etc.

MissScatterbrain · 02/06/2014 14:42

Yes, my Dc have to sign in and out - we got a letter explaining the importance of this. They also can choose to go into school to study even though they may not have an exam that day.

eatyourveg · 02/06/2014 15:49

ds has to sign in too (the letter said it was so the kitchen staff know how many lunches to prepare (compulsory at his school) - no mention of fire regs Confused

SupportManager · 02/06/2014 16:17

How's it gone for everyone today? History here. dont know yet how it went. Dd's said all along that this one's easy for her, but she seemed worried and uncertain as she went out today, so that's made me wonder how much of her confidence has been front/kidding herself ....Confused.
Have a lot of people got English Language tomorrow?

MorvahRising · 02/06/2014 16:24

DS has to sign in and out too.

We've got Eng Lang tomorrow, AQA. DS is fairly laid back about this one.

LIZS · 02/06/2014 16:24

waiting to hear from ds . Had a clash this afternoon so History followed straight away by Latin and wasn't sure when he would finish.

Marni23 · 02/06/2014 16:43

DD found Latin paper 2 today harder than the past papers she's been doing (and getting very high marks in). Will be interested to hear how your DS found it LIZS

LIZS · 02/06/2014 17:23

ds reckons it went fine apart from one verb he definitely got wrong. Not looking forward to the literature papers though.

AtiaoftheJulii · 02/06/2014 17:42

Latin caused both of my dd1's clashes last year.

DD2 had History - source paper about protest. She was almost convinced it was going to be about the miners' strike, so when it wasn't, she was a bit thrown, and isn't completely confident about it now. She saw her History teacher straight after, and said to him that she might have to rethink her A levels, degree choice, rest of her life etc ... to which he told her it was one paper and not to be so silly :) Anyway, it's done - on to Chemistry on Friday!

Marni23 · 02/06/2014 17:52

Glad the paper went well for him LIZS. DD sounding a bit more positive now she's home but definitely found it trickier than the past papers. It's one of her A Level choices so I think she's particularly anxious about it. Anyway, it's done now. Onwards and upwards to the Lit papers (which she loves).

KatyMac · 02/06/2014 17:54

DD says Business was awful - mind you even if she got an A in the exam she'd fail as she didn't do enough CA Hmm

nostress · 02/06/2014 18:29

Ds's laptop crashed mid exam. He says he remained calm told invigilator, who was very stressed about it. She managed to get it back on and he went on to finish. School were closed when I found out so I've emailed to ask if it went on the exam report. I didnt want to stress ds by asking questions just hoping he checked that it was all there. Any experience of this?

LIZS · 02/06/2014 18:37

Nightmare nostress. One of ds' class had a laptop running on battery as the teacher had forgotten to turn on at mains, it went blank but fortunately recovered when plug was put on .

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 19:21

DS laptop crashed too just as he was finishing off history and the screen went completely blank. Fortunately they managed to recover it but makes you wonder if the equipment is up to scratch.

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 19:25

He also found out today he's been allowed a resit of his English part 1 in which he got a D in January. I don't know if 's the school or the WJEC that's allowed this but it's not on his exam timetable.
It's tomorrow! Eek!

KatyMac · 02/06/2014 19:33

Best that must have been a bot of a shock - how does he feel about an unplanned re-sit?

Leeds2 · 02/06/2014 19:36

Gosh, Best, good luck to your DS tomorrow. Hope he doesn't [anic about the lac of revision. Seems very harsh to me, although glad he is getting the opportunity to resit.

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 20:03

He's ok thanks. He is quite good at English really but loses out on the SPAG marks because of his dyslexia, plus there were bad results all round on the WJEC English in January so I am hoping for better this time.

YeGodsAndLittleFishes · 02/06/2014 20:07

Best1sWest how did your DS get on in his music exam today? (Or was it a revision session?)

DD thought hers was good. She had been stressing about it, and was feeling it was her worst one. Not brilliant, she sad, but not a disaster and there were some bits she felt she had done well in. :)

DD has English language exam tomorrow - could it be the same one, I wonder? (OCR info and ideas?) Fimgers crossed for them both!