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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Y13 support thread, anyone?

700 replies

cardibach · 06/04/2014 19:20

I remember our GCSE one 2 years ago. It was a haven! I hesitate to start this as I'm not totally confident of wanting to post DDs results in the end, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
So, how's the revision going? What are the tricky subjects for anyone's DC?
DD is revising steadily, but then she always does and has had some disastrous module results, so not filled with massive confidence. Biology is her issue - she knows and understands it but can't seem to give the examiner what they are looking for. We've had papers back and her tutor says she hasn't answered anything incorrectly, just hasn't said precisely what the examiner wants. Seems so unfair.

I'm stressing. Anyone else?

OP posts:
Isthiscorrect · 16/05/2014 05:33

Ds doesn't have his first until June 2nd, so still plenty of revision, although it is prom tonight. Gulp for a long time it seemed this day would never come and now the finish line is in sight and I'm both happy and sad.
As library mummy (librarian) the GCSES and AS students have already started and my supply of chocolate and tissues is diminishing daily. Happily most of my regulars to the library seem to think they have done okish which past experience tells me is good. I feel for each and everyone of them everyday.
Good luck to all you DC.

HPparent · 16/05/2014 07:57

DD starts hers with AS chem resits next week. Her last day at school today. The girls dressed in their old uniforms and walked as a group to school.

Original poster
cardibach · 16/05/2014 16:44

I'm really confused about proms before exams. On of our local schools did it. Way to distract pupils from work before exams - days of prep, (probable) hangover, days of dissecting what happened...makes no sense to me. Surely prom is for leaving school and would be better after exams? Hope your DS enjoys his, though, Isthis.

OP posts:
summerdip · 16/05/2014 17:21

Good news. My Ds feels really good about his FP1 resit. It is just good to start well.

Good luck with prom - maybe nice to have a bit of light relief during the heavy tension of revision.

Choc. and tissues - what a nice librarian!

I find they all need as much support as possible - a kind word and a smile goes a long way!

prettydaisies · 16/05/2014 21:21

So DD has had her last day (well morning) of leasons. They had a barbecue for lunch and then various inflatables on the field for the afternoon. She enjoyed it though. I feel quite sad!

summerdip · 16/05/2014 21:39

It's quite a moment when you realise they no longer will be part of a school - secure place for children. Soon out in the big wide!!

Felt a tinge of sadness last week too- but my son had a bit too much to drink at a garden party! Not so pleased then - worry he's getting older and I have no control!! Grin

BackforGood · 17/05/2014 00:02

I've only ever come across proms being at the end of June - after all the exams are over. Never heard of one happening during revision time!

Isthiscorrect · 17/05/2014 08:17

Backforgood, we live overseas. As the exams end for each student most students leave. It's virtually impossible to guarantee that even half the students would still be here when the exams ended.

FantaSea · 17/05/2014 09:28

Isthiscorrect you sound like a lovely librarian.

It is a mixture of emotions for me with DD leaving school - she has found the sixth form very challenging and in that respect I am relieved that she is at the end of it. However, leaving school means that she is growing up and as summer says, no longer being part of a school, feels very strange and unsettling.

summerdip · 17/05/2014 13:07

It doesn't quite feel real that my DS is leaving yet - school is just such a focus right now with exam season.

Will be strange when dust settles and new age slowly dawns at end of June.

FantaSea · 17/05/2014 13:35

I think some of the reason I feel unsettled is because school has been such a big part of all our lives for the last 14 years and now, she won't be going anymore.

onadifferentplanet · 17/05/2014 15:41

I think it finally hit Ds last night about nine o clock that school was done for good, he's gone out to his weekend job and with this lovely weather will be very busy so probably not in the mood for revision tonight. First exam for him is next Wed. Ds' last day was a morning of revision followed by a BBQ lunch, ice cream and bouncy castles and the informal photo which they all wore fancy dress for. So that's 3 dcs finished ,one more to go I feel very old today!

HPparent · 17/05/2014 16:53

The end of year 13 seems to be a time of reflection for us parents. DD hated her school though she quite enjoyed the last day yesterday, everyone dressed in uniform and they had a bouncy castle etc. I feel awful that I left her in a school where she was unhappy and persuaded her to stay for Sixth Form (which I thought would be a better experience).

She has her first exam - a Chemistry AS resit this week. I wish I had talked her out of doing Chemistry. She is great at Biology - A* material and could have done English or Classics at Oxbridge according to her teachers. But she has set her career sights on a job that requires A at in Chem and swapped from Latin early in the AS level year. Her teacher thinks she is capable of it, but she has no confidence in her own ability. I can tell she is really worried about it. Her whole future (well according to her) seems to rest on these wretched exams.

summerdip · 17/05/2014 17:25

It's hard watching by our DC Hpparent - my DS achieved 98% in his Geography AS but wanted to pursue Further Maths which eh is not as good at for his career.

My DS is more blase about results whereas I want him to achieve first time and move on to something new. He is studying well though - I'll give him that when he is not a natural studier. Slightly over - confident here - more possible to make mistakes in that mode.

FantaSea · 17/05/2014 17:45

HPparent I do understand how you feel - DD hates her school too, but she changed school for sixth form and it seemed the right thing to do at the time. You do what you think is the best thing at the time though and sometimes, with hindsight it is easy to think you should have done otherwise.

summer I don't know what I would find more stressful - under or over confidence. DD is under-confident and very worried about everything.

summerdip · 18/05/2014 14:11

My husband says that Ds is not quite there with M2 - which has sent me on a wobble! He did okay in his mock but wants a half a grade higher - mid B wants an A.

It's a waiting game!!

Ds is studying - fingers crossed! Have to say I'd be delighted with a B but he has to get it in all papers - not so easy.

Timetraveller · 18/05/2014 16:59

DS has his first Maths exam on Monday - M3, then he doesn't have another one until June 6th!
Good luck to all beginning their A levels this week (and for resits too).
I hope they get the grades they need and that all the hard work pays off.
Good luck to us parents too, supporting them through this stressful time!

prettydaisies · 18/05/2014 17:24

DD has no exams this week so has spent today relaxing in the sun. Let's hope it's set her up well for the week!
I do wish everyone all the best.

FantaSea · 18/05/2014 18:36

First exam tomorrow, and feeling rather worried.

Good luck to everyone Smile

Original poster
cardibach · 18/05/2014 19:13

Good luck to your DC Fanta! No point in worrying now...(I still do, though).
DD has had a great week revision wise - very focussed and clocking up the hours we agreed easily. I took her for a lovely revision break at lunchtime today to a local seaside village for lunch and lovely ice cream. We had a relaxed chat like we used to before stupid exams! It was fab!
Last week of official school starting tomorrow.

OP posts:
FantaSea · 18/05/2014 19:27

cardi thank you, and I'm pleased your DD has had such a good week. Your lunch sounds lovely and it must have made a nice change to chat about things other than exams. It will be over and done with soon and that is what I am focussing on at the moment.

bruffin · 19/05/2014 08:33

Am jealous of the icecream by the sea Grin I spent a lot of time at welsh seasides as a child as my mum is welsh.

DS has worked really hard this week. He has M2 today and seems to be consistantly getting 58/72 which is usually an A. He said he went over the examiners reports for all the exams he found on line yesterday, which he found really helpful.

HPparent · 19/05/2014 10:43

Good luck for all DC taking exams today.

We had a brief respite from book revision at the Globe last night seeing Antony and Cleopatra, which is DD's set Shakespeare. DD has spent so much time on Chem she is not leaving much time for English!

DD looks really worried and stressed. I read somewhere that stress takes up a lot of working memory which probably accounts for mind going blank in exams. DD's first exam is Friday - AS Chem unit 1 resit.

FantaSea · 19/05/2014 15:15

DD is home and is reasonably happy with C1 maths this morning - what a relief.

HPparent my DD looks really stressed and worried all the time too - she looked about 14 this morning when she went in to do her exam, all pale and tense. She has the AS chemistry unit 1 on Friday as well and it is causing a lot of anguish - she scores well on one past paper and then disastrously on another, so we will see.

bruffin M2 is very hard, I have heard. Hope it went well for him today.

Isthiscorrect · 19/05/2014 15:34

FantaSea. Most of my students were reasonably happy with C1 this morning. Haven't heard yet about Business Studies or ICT. Not that I know anything about these subjects (librarian library mummy) but I do speak to these students everyday. It's like having a hundred children if my own ;-) Encouraging, cajoling, chastising, wiping up the tears, setting the straight and narrow. I love them all Blush.