Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread 2

[HSMMaCM]

New thread ..... (DD not sure about the prom dress she has bought!!!!)

DD is happy. New prom dress has arrived and she loves it. DH has also taken her to buy a pair of guinea pigs.

Glad she likes the second attempt HSM

DD had her drama performance on Wed. She is still aching all over from the unaccustomed exercise as they were off timetable all day rehearsing.

HSM, photo/linkie?!

T&T, it sounds like it went well then!

DD is flopped on the sofa watching bloody Jeremy Kyle again

Both my two stayed at home today to revise.

I had to leave them to it as I had meetings, plus a two hour return trip in the car (all was not lost I listened to a pretty good audio book). DH and I left them in bed and I must admit that I was a bit sceptical ( I wasn't meant to have to work much during this period!!!!)...but no, DD called me at 8am to say they were up and showered.

When I got home at 4.30pm, they were singing along to Frozen 'let it go, let it go....' but I can see by the notes/scraps of papers/past papers that a day's work has been done.

They're outside bouncing in the trampoline now.

DD has her French oral on Monday so am sure I'll spend tomorrow and Sunday going through it with her. Deep joy .

Ooh and yes to a link to the new perdy dress!

DD's lovely French teacher interviewed her in French today. Afterwards she told her that if she doesn't learn her other French verbal stuff, the interview she secretly recorded could get her a C. DD is visibly relieved.

Good luck with your French Word.

Thanks HS.

DD's approach is 'no stone unturned'. She prepares to within an inch of her life and then goes over and over it ad nauseum.

Which I can't fault for gumption, effort or ambition. But it's so boring for me!!!! I'm aware that this makes me sound like a very bad person .

Well, at least you don't get thrown out of the house, which is pretty much what our DD did to us when she wanted to practice her German without anyone overhearing! (neither of us speaks it so our presence was of no use merely an inhibition).

We've had a difficult couple of weekd. DS has been too anxious to go in to school on a few days. School have been brilliant though, saying all the right things (to him and me).

He's going to school tomorrow pm to go over chemistry module 5 whatever that is, bless him.

Hope that goes well tomorrow, Lynnette, it's good the school is being supportive.

Good luck lynette

dd's school were also good when she had a meltdown around French speaking test (a few weeks ago now) Had to tell them she'd been up all night preparing and was still very upset and worried. They said that she didn't have to do it, it was just an option (was an opportunity for a second attempt) Another time I asked could she come in at lunch-time as had been up again all night. I know it's not good BTW but I go to bed myself around midnight and sleep soundly so I don't know about it til the morning. But I guess if that's the worst of the teenage years school can cope! There is a lot of pressure on them - some of this was dd being given the opportunity to re-do something - a kindness that I feel is rather a mixed blessing!

I hope the exam season is easier than all the controlled assessments?
I can hope can't I?!

Lynette and Juggling, I feel your pain - I have an anxious DD too, although you wouldn't know it if you met her at home! Not getting enough sleep is a real issue for her, but we don't seem to be able to crack that.

Juggling, I am hoping that too, but I fear it won't all be plain sailing.

Huge sympathy to those with anxious children, I'm in the club. She hasn't done hardly any revision since Easter as the first exam gets closer. I haven't pushed as don't think it would take much to send her over the edge. One of her friend's is on half timetable as very anxious snd having bad time at home.

Juggling I wouldn't know if DD was up all night, I don't go in her bedroom.

HSM what a lovely thing of the French teacher to do.

I'

The idea of WF coming back to a Frozen duet is making me smile.

I was put with a friend last night. A year ago we were drunkenly counting GCSE'S on her son'sson's behalf. A year on he is on a BTEC and heading for distinctions. It is encouraging to see life after GCSE'S for those who struggle

DD has been trying to not succumb to her anxiety/panic and keep a positive outlook. She has been doing really well and is trying really hard to not crumple and cry, which is great. However, this is causing her to be ultra-sensitive and fly off the handle at a certain teacher who she thinks hates her

Ooh, I've just booked for me and dd to go to a Uni open day after the exams - to a Uni with a particular course that's caught her eye. I was unsure before as there are so many Uni's and courses to choose from, but dd showed me the website for this one she fancies, and I reckon going somewhere and having a tour round, meeting some students, and finding out more about courses in the general subject area she's interested in will all be good.

So feeling quite excited now to have that to look forward to for after the exams. I know it seems quite early but a bit of a taster I think is all to the good - plus I have a friend who visited some with her ds last year! (ie Y10)
Anyone else thinking of going or been to one already?

Hope dd approves when she gets back from band practice!

Oh gosh! I hadn't thought about visiting Uni's yet

My heart goes out to all those anxious DC.

Exams can be very stressful. I still remember the feelings.

My friend always says she was about 25 before she realised that April and May write rather nice months.

I'm hoping it could gently help with motivation (which we all need after all!) - plus it's always nice to have things to look forward to? Would be fun for me too I have to admit! - though of course cost of Uni can be quite scary these days plus the whole idea of them leaving home

DD is very sensitive too riget now and I am a bit worried about her and the replacement Ethics teacher.

Juggling you may have a good point. Last summer DD was a bit anxious about this year and spent some time looking at degree courses as she said she found it helpful to have an end goal in sight. She has found one she really wants to do and has consistently been interested in for months.

I think we might have a look in the Autumn once (hopefully) in 6th form. I have seen people go through the whole UCAS thing recently and want to make sure the whole process well spread out making use of the quieter times .

That sounds like a good plan SugarPlum - I think we will try to do that too.

Thanks SugarPlum - yes, I noticed there were Open days available in October too (at the Uni dd and I might visit) I think generally all the Uni's put on quite a few these days - not like when I was applying and the first time I saw any Uni was the day I went up on my own for my interview. I think that was very usual too and far fewer parents visited back then - young people were expected to be much more independent than they are now!
Perhaps we'll visit one or two more in the autumn?
I do think it can be helpful generally to look ahead and consider options, including contingency/ back-up plans.
Personally I found it helped both with motivation and with managing anxiety.

We are coming towards the end of the whole UCAS thing with dd about to sit her A levels and the information from posters on mn has been massively helpful.

Not thought of visiting UNIs here either. I made enough mess of the whole sixth form thing