Y13 support thread, anyone?

[cardibach]

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?

OCR Physics today: DS said unusual questions not like other exam papers.

Here's hoping it was okay.

Caribach, I really feel for your poor daughter. I am sure things will turn out well for her. Good she has supportive friends.

Summerdip - seems 2014 is the year of the weird question!

whatsinaname thank you for your kind words.

cardi it is so hard isn't it? We have had tears here over the chemistry this week too as she found the exam on Monday so hard. It is good that she has such good friends who can help her. When DD is upset like that, I feel so helpless as there is nothing I can say to put it right. It will be over soon.

Pleased the Physics today went well for them all, that is good news. DD has Decision Maths tomorrow, and we have had tears over that today. It seems as though the Chemistry on Monday has really unsettled her, and then the Statistics yesterday wasn't as good as she was hoping and now she feels that it is all going wrong. I am reasonable at maths myself so I have been doing Decision papers with her today and she seems a bit brighter this evening - luckily the last one we tried was ok, they do seem to vary quite a bit in difficulty.

Very best of luck to everyone for tomorrow

Well, the paper DD did earlier was 2 marks off a B. WIth the high marks she thinks she got on the prac, that would be enough, if repeated in all the papers. I hate all the uncertainty.

cardi that's a good score, DD would be very happy with that. I understand what you mean about the uncertainty, it is horrible. DD spends a lot of time worrying about her totals and worrying she won't fall into the C boundary.

Another day of straight revision here - working for Biology tomorrow.

Next week is DDs worst week - 2 maths, 1 bio and 1 chem. any other mums of scientists really not looking forward to next week?

Beck DD has Biology tomorrow too and the same as your DD next week, C3, C4 and the long papers for the Biology and Chemistry. I am not looking forward to it at all either.

DD has Decision maths this afternoon and is dreading it, poor love. I had a dream last night that I had had an email from the school to remind me that DD had to take my pile of clean tea-towels into the Decision exam and in my dream, as we were going out of the door, she was holding her pencil case and the pile of tea-towels. I think it is safe to say that A levels have made me officially mad

Just maths papers left here. There are only so many past papers you can do each day, so the worst is over. DS usefully has some good AS grades in the bag, so he should be OK for maths, and further maths does not form part of his University offer.

The end is in sight.....

Fanta anxiety does funny things! I was really pleased with DD's Bio score, but given she got an A on a past paper the morning she took a module and then got a U in it I'm not that reassured...

Beck 2 Maths,physics and chemistry next week.DS's worst week but the end is in sight thank god.
Also been having weird dreams, running after DS to tell him something important,but never catching up!
At least he now has a four day break before the onslaught. He looks so tired and pale.
Roll on the end of next week!
DD will have finished her GCSE's and be excited about her prom.
The whole house will be able to take a big sigh of relief( including me and I'm not even doing exams!)

DS still has nine papers to go, mostly maths but also Chemistry and Physics. He is struggling with neck and back pain from sitting at his desk so long. I keep trying to get him to take breaks but his idea of a break is to watch YouTube......sitting at his desk. I got up at 1am last night and he was still working away on a Maths paper . He needs A* for his Further Maths so there is no margin for error.
On the bright side DS2 has just done his penultimate GCSE paper. Two weeks gap for him until Stats.

Both of my kids are still doing exams till 23 June, so the end doesn't seem in sight yet.

DD is quite lucky hers are spaced out. Biology tmrw and then the dreaded Chem 5 and Biology next week.

DD2 has her Product Design GCSE paper tmrw. 5 GCSEs done and another 7 next year at the end of year 11.

Just read that Friday 13th coincides with a full moon - only happens once every 100 years or so - hope its a good thing rather than unlucky!

summerdip, ds said the same about the physics, but everyone said the same so he is not that bothered. He said it was the hardest so far but I dont think he was OCR.

thank you bruffin.

2 further maths papers today - one super confident, one dodgy - scared he'll make silly mistakes.

This agnostic is praying! Please let it be going okay - right now. Who would have thought motherhood was so absorbing that they are in your minds willing them well quite often

Two Further Maths papers went okay - can't tell if he made silly mistakes but he understood except last tricky question on Differential equations.

Fingers crossed - Newtonian World, Physics: only paper caused any issues so far

We're just over half way - 23rd June here last day too.

24 th is the last day here.... Stats2

cardi DD finds that with past papers - her scores are very variable.

Decision maths today which was hard but DD finished at least. Many of her friends didn't have time to start the last question (there were 7 I think) and lots of people spent a lot of time on a question which had never come up before! The exams this year are certainly hard. Biology tomorrow.

Bio tomorrow here, too. Her scores have been more consistent of late - mostly Cs which is fantastic. Fingers crossed. Her car broke down today when she nipped out to buy something nice for lunch so she lost and a half hours' revision time. Fortunately she knew the woman in the shop who gave her a phone to call the RAC. Woman's husband is a colleague of mine so she told him and he told me! I love living in a small community!

DD thought physics yesterday was odd; also OCR. She needs an A and was quite upset by it, but geog went well today. She's going to do as much as she can for the next physics paper which she says is weighted more heavily.

Last A2 here today. Happy and sad. Happy they are over and hopefully I will get my boy back for some smiles and fun and bittersweet for me as he prepares for his exciting new life.

isthiscorrect- aww, yep, I know how you feel. Letting go after years of meticulous care.

My DS went for a group watching of football as they have 3 days off before it all kicks off again. Had some beer! Not a lot but it's strange that he acts like an adult - getting used to it. Was a useful break from the stress and grind of studying.

Pretty Daisies - we are doing a lot of revision for final Physics paper here too. My DS find this one the most tricky though and apparently there is a huge amount to learn. We're aiming for A/B.

Classics yesterday went well, phew, one more to go next week.

Isthiscorrect I know how you feel too - it is hard letting go.

Biology this afternoon and am hoping for a nice paper. Hope all the morning exams went well and very best of luck to everyone for this afternoon

Thanks Fantasea. Biology here as well. Hope the ex boards surprise them with a nice paper!