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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:
Nocomet · 02/06/2014 20:14

DD thought music went OK once she and the invigilator had worked out how her extra time worked out.

English Lang tomorrow, not any dyslexics favourite.

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 20:14

Hi Yegods. Yes, music exam today He was fairly happy, though a bit confused with the musical theatre song question. So glad it's all over.

It's WJEC English language tomorrow here. Crossing fingers AND toes for both of them.

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 20:15

Glad to hear that Nocomet. We can stop our mutterings now.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 02/06/2014 20:16

Music this morning for DS. He says it was ok. He was the only one who chose the Rag Desh questions apparently.

English Language GCSE tomorrow morning and the English Language iGCSE tomorrow afternoon, they are being locked in the Sixth Form in between.

DS is also at rural school, they have to attend morning registration if they are in school for revision/an exam, but can stay onsite between gaps, or can sign themselves out to go to the chip shop! he was thrilled to discover this today.

Also enjoyed going in in non-uniform as they are now on study leave.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 02/06/2014 20:18

AQA English Language for DS

YeGodsAndLittleFishes · 02/06/2014 20:25

DD found a helpful revision booklet on a random school website when she googled for it. Other than that, can't revise for this one, really.

Hope it goes well for your DD tomorrow too, nocomet.

Jellykat · 02/06/2014 20:33

Another one here whose DS has just completed Music today, and WJEC English Lang tomorrow..
All appears to be going ok, despite his Dyspraxia he's really trying hard.

Anyone elses DC doing Welsh on Wednesday?

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 20:53

DS doing short course Welsh Jellykat. How did he find the music today?

Jellykat · 02/06/2014 21:41

Hi Best1sWest re. the Music.. i think he got on ok, he said he wrote loads, i know he was absolutely dreading it as he's struggled. I did warn him when he chose his options, that he'd have to listen to a lot of 'boring' music, and i know staying awake during a few lessons was the main aim Smile
I know his composition was good, as he developed an amazing track which had a lot of positive feedback when he linked to it on Soundcloud, including from the teacher.
Our problem has been that he was the only 'rock' drummer in his year, and he's had 3 different teachers in 2 years, the latest being a classical Welsh Harpist, needless to say, they clashed a fair bit.
I just hope his 'i wrote loads' equals some good detailed answers, we'd be happy with a C.

How did your DS find it?

Coconutty · 02/06/2014 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Best1sWest · 02/06/2014 21:45

We had some run ins with the music teacher too. I'd be happy with a C too. His composition sounds great. DS struggled with his.

Jellykat · 02/06/2014 22:23

Fingers crossed for a C it is then W1B Smile

Good luck to everyones DC for tomorrows English!

doormouse04 · 02/06/2014 23:16

Same here, music dine. Comment was that none of it was too good, nor was any of it too bad. Wjec eng tomorrow and welsh on Wednesday.....

doormouse04 · 02/06/2014 23:17

Done not dine!

KatyMac · 03/06/2014 07:40

With English this morning, DD is panicking! Does anyone know the new rules about if you fail English or Maths?

LIZS · 03/06/2014 08:17

D or below and she'd be expected to continue to study those basic subjects at level 1 or 2 either at college alongside other courses or retaking GCSEs . Is her vocational offer conditional ? Do they offer Functional skills courses or she could enrol at a local FE college and study them in evenings/weekends.

KatyMac · 03/06/2014 08:22

Nope it's not conditional (well it was but she met what they needed in Dance via audition) so it's evenings & weekends

MrsMaturin · 03/06/2014 08:25

English language today. Dd also pretty relaxed about this I think. Then on to Biology late in the week. Tbh I'm dreading that as it was Biology that she really didn't think went well before half term.

I feel like I have ALWAYS been parenting a GCSE taking student! Does anybody else think this is really dragging on?

Nocomet · 03/06/2014 08:36

Music posters came down last night to reveal some complicated graphs (for maths).

Fingers and toes crossed as DD would love a B for English (some painful universities ask for it, regardless of subject. As does one local sixthform. Fortunately not the ones she's thinking of, but it still makes her huffy)

She only has Cs for the first CAs, which they did stupidly early in Y10.

Huge, huge good luck to everyone who's DCs are on the C/D borderline, and that as many as posdible of them never have to make sense of these new post 16 rules.

Nocomet · 03/06/2014 08:37

Music posters came down last night to reveal some complicated graphs (for maths).

Fingers and toes crossed as DD would love a B for English (some painful universities ask for it, regardless of subject. As does one local sixthform. Fortunately not the ones she's thinking of, but it still makes her huffy)

She only has Cs for the first CAs, which they did stupidly early in Y10.

Huge, huge good luck to everyone who's DCs are on the C/D borderline, and that as many as posdible of them never have to make sense of these new post 16 rules.

Nocomet · 03/06/2014 08:37

Music posters came down last night to reveal some complicated graphs (for maths).

Fingers and toes crossed as DD would love a B for English (some painful universities ask for it, regardless of subject. As does one local sixthform. Fortunately not the ones she's thinking of, but it still makes her huffy)

She only has Cs for the first CAs, which they did stupidly early in Y10.

Huge, huge good luck to everyone who's DCs are on the C/D borderline, and that as many as posdible of them never have to make sense of these new post 16 rules.

nostress · 03/06/2014 09:50

Stress here too (me not DS)! DS predicted B and C in lit and lang. He's keeping calm by ignoring the exams and not doing any revision now in the evenings (no exam leave so still in school). He says this is better than going in stressed! I really hope he reaches at least his predicted grades but I feel he can do better as they were based on him before 'the big push' from jan. I really hope that there isn't a massive fall in those getting a C or above as I cant believe how hard the kids are working and also all the effort the teachers are putting in with extra lessons in holidays/weekends. I don't know about this 'grade inflation' as i did absolutely f'all revision for my GCSEs years ago and I think these are much harder than the ones I took in 1989!

It pisses me off that the papers still talk about how easy the questions are and then pick a E level question to laugh at. There has to be easy questions and hard questions yet they never seem to print the hard ones! I'd like to get these into an exam hall and have them take the papers!

KittiesInsane · 03/06/2014 10:16

Stressy morning here with DS2 (GCSE year) yelling at DS1 (A-levels) to 'Stop revising Product Design at me!'

That nice two-year gap between sibs is not looking a good idea right now.

MissScatterbrain · 03/06/2014 10:20

I agree - seeing my DC go through this has been an eye opener. I only did one (or possibly two) papers for each science subjects at O levels instead of 3 exams for each science subject. Had a look at last year's Maths paper and there is no way I could do it well enough to get a decent grade.

hellsbells99 · 03/06/2014 11:11

DD2 had a lie in this morning as no exam until Friday - but it is biology which she also didn't feel went well before half-term. She is now up and working I hope.
Reading the latest posts on here I am very glad that DD's school did early entry in November, even though I know a lot of schools 'pulled' the entries as Gove suddenly decided that only 1st take of exams count in the league tables. So DD2 has English and Maths sorted which has reduced the stress levels. Although I know the odd uni/course asks for so many GCSEs in one sitting so DD may fall down there.
DD1 is in school for AS chemistry today - she was working until midnight last night so I'm not sure if she was able to sleep after that. Looking on the bright side for everyone on this thread, although AS levels have been a lot harder, they are in subjects that have been chosen and DD is interested in. So whether they go on to 6th form or college or dance school etc., at least our DCs will be doing what they choose to do next year roll on to next year.