Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread 2

[HSMMaCM]

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

Definitely need a transparent pencil
Case!

DS didn't tell me for maths and had to rock up with a sandwich bag!

That's funny WordFactory
Glad I've found this thread before we kick off - I can see
it's going to be good company

We got DD a clear pencil case in Smiths during the easter break, a long one which should fit a 30cm ruler. We've also got some good staedler erasers and pencils (cheap ones which break readily are a no-no) and a selection of different black pens because she says that if she's doing several hours of writing in a day she likes to be able to vary the grip. I think DH also got her a spare calculator identical to her usual one, and she says she's got geometry set stuff (remarkably, though I did get her several protractors a year or two ago as they kept going missing).

The different maths qualifications are confusing. The were originally supposed to be doing a 'free standing maths qualification' Additional Maths but the exam was on the same day as she has Computing, german reading and listening and geography - most of the others had two out of those three. So they're doing AQA Level 2 cert in Further Maths instead, which apparently is easier. There was one year 9 prodigy in their class who is going to do the Additional Maths - and then she'll do the normal GCSE at the same time as her cohort which is a bit odd but I suppose it would be a bit hard to accommodate her differently.

DD is pissed off about that day with clashes and another with Electronics, Drama and the othe geography paper. Apparently they're not allowed to do more than 3 hours together and both days the timings have too much in the morning (the german awkwardly totalling 1hr35 plus 1:30 computing) - so she'll have to be sequestered a lot of the day and get 3 hours on both afternoons which is a bit grim.

Oh, as well as the clear pencil case, she says that if they take bottled water the labels have to be removed! (I seem to remember back in the day we managed O-levels without having to drink during them...).

Oh yes, clear pencil case, I have to get DD a new one, her current one is falling apart.

DD is doing AQA Further Maths. Apparently useful for A Level Maths, which she has chosen to do.

Thankfully she has no clashes, but a few days with 2 exams in a row and an afternoon one.

I'm off to test her on her French vocab now.

Thanks for the reminder about clashes. I've just asked DD if she has sorted hers and had the reply 'I'll do that tomorrow' so that's a no then! A bit like her 'I haven't really been revising' from earlier. She was home late as watching friend's drama thing, which meant I had to rearrange Japanese tutor.

Her school sell equipped clear pencil cases for £2.50 which is handy. Friend's DD is doing an extra Maths something, friend a bit vague what it is but her DD is freaking out. Apparently other parents have tried to get their DCs out of it but the school won't let them. This was only sprung on them about a month ago.

I haven't updated after my epic moan a couple of months ago, things are much better. DH is nearing end of 3 month trial and fingers crossed all going well and he will get a permanent contract. I'm getting to grips with my little business. DS much happier (think he was anaemic) and no more panic attacks or requests to change school. Things quiet on FIL front for now. My Mother is in the new Dementia Home. Things haven't been smooth with that but I've done what GP said and am standing back and feel all the better for it. Brother still going on about possibly moving he but let it was over me now. Thank you all for your support during what was rather a shit time. DD's school disaster feels a lot more manageable without everything else piling in amd I feel fairly philosphical now i have a plan for her. WF, great news about the contract, fingers crossed.

Ah, I understand about the Further Maths / Additional Maths thing. For a minute there I thought your lot had skipped A Level maths and gone straight to FM! My dd is doing the Additional Maths route.

Glad to hear things are going well with your mother SugarPlum. I remember things getting a while lot easier when my PIL (both dementia) went into a care home.

Good luck with the jobs / new contracts.

They have checks at local school to see whether any teens have written information on their skin (under clothes). Never mind writing on the water bottles!!!

I had no idea about clear pencil cases!

Have had many conversations with English teacher about which tiers DS should be entered for but it's done now. No going back.

I bought DD's clear pencil case in Wilkinson's and it was

DD did her Art prep today and it went "fine" which is good. She seems quite upbeat but this is probably because she has a whole load of social stuff lined up to do on the weekend

Am liking the idea of a to fo list for after the exams!

DD did the parents presentation of their drama pieces, which they're being examined on next Friday. It went well today, so as long as it's the same next week, they should be fine.

She came home to 2 new guinea pigs. They're our exam de-stress props. We know she might be off to uni in a couple of years, but they will be able to stay with us if she can't take them. (to help me deal with the stress of her moving out)

Good luck with the guinea pigs. I fell for that one & ended clearing them out for years. They are very intelligent little creatures but eat like horses & poo for England!

Clear pencil cases purchased today. I feel organised. The exams are so close now & I don't want to turn over the page on my calendar. I am in serious denial.

Well done for all the Art dc - very early exam isn't it?

dd has her first GCSE exam tomorrow - a day of art
She quite enjoyed the opportunity of two days of art for mocks and seems well prepared and happy enough - full of ideas!
Fortunately it's just the full day of art and then we get the long weekend to recover before second art day on Tuesday
Hopefully they are breaking me in to the idea gently - and dd too of course!

Then we have about a week to think a bit about other - much neglected due to art - subjects. And the rest kick off here on the 11th

We're having a nice healthy tea - simple pasta but with added tofu for extra energy. DH and I have a bottle of wine Not too much - have to get the show on the road in the morning!

Teen, just seen your post on another thread. Dd has hardly done any eng lit either, and she is taught by head, who you would think knows what they are doing!

dingit It's worrying isn't it! I just wish she had had an occasional exam essay writing h/w for English to learn the skills. She should get there but I could do without it all being so close to the wire. I think the CAs seem to take too much time and attention.

Juggling, good luck to your DD!
It's my DD's second day of Art and she seems quite upbeat, am crossing my fingers tightly! Am so glad that she isn't in the other half of the Art cohort who aren't starting on it till next Wed - she needs time to regroup and prepare for the 11th onwards!

dingit and T&T, DD had the opposite - essay after essay in Y9/10 which involved a lot of moaning!

Fingers firmly crossed for Juggling and BTM's DD's with the Art. Worringly little time till English Language GCSE next Tuesday.

We had a slightly stressy (do you spot understatement?!) morning today as dd wanted to send some photos to school for art prep and I couldn't quite believe she was leaving things so late in the day and hadn't at least done it last night. She said "well you told me to go to bed Mum" Argghhh! You just can't win can you?! Then she forgot her swipe card which she probably needs for ID purposes so we had to come back for that (fortunately we'd only got to the end of the road. We made it to school with about 5 mins to spare if that (for half hour early deadline)
dd was much too relaxed I feel - especially about actually getting there on time. But maybe artists need a certain amount of laid back attitude to help with the creativity?! Maybe it's just how life is when you're 16
And dh just wanted us out the house at usual time so he could have his coffee
This is all going to take some adjusting to!
Hopefully other subjects more straight-forward than art, with all it's time consuming prep
A really good thing that they are getting it out of the way first I agree Tilly

• Some serious re-grouping and revision needed here I think - and one week to do it!

Slightly anxious that when I checked that dd was ok she said 'don't worry Mum, if I don't know something I can wing it'.

So if she is working I worry about her stress levels. If she is not working I worry about her winging it. Can't win can you?

Good luck to all the artists today ( slightly smug that dd has already done hers ), but yes we had the last minute panics here too, leaving her printing until last, which given how temperamental our printer is, was very silly.
Dd has English language next Tuesday then a bit of a gap, but at least we can start crossing off the list!

winging it a great skill to have Littleham
Thanks for all the good wishes for dd
Hopefully we'll get better at this!

Juggling and Littleham, could your DD's send their chilled-out vibes over here please?

Then waft them over here please BTM

It is a stressful time isn't it ? My friend was in tears on the phone this morning, she has the double whammy of A levels with her DD being very anxious about University and it all felt a bit much. My garden has never been so well fed and watered as I keep going out to get a bit of breathing space and as a diversion tactic.

Every time I ask DS2 what he's revising, he answers 'Sports Studies'. I do hope he's been revising the other subjects.

DD managed to finish her Art piece! That's one subject done and dusted And she even stayed back for Physics revision, though was complaining they didn't cover the difficult stuff