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Secondary education

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Original poster

Average (or lower) acheivers exam thread time?

299 replies

yolofish · 27/04/2015 00:57

Is it time for this? I mean those of us with kids who will not get 11 As in their GCSEs, or 4 As at A level.

I know most mumsnetters will not be in this particular boat Wink but quite frankly in this house we just have fingers crossed for a C at GCSE English language for DD2, so she can get into 6th form and dance to her heart's content, and for DD1 good enough results to get into Y14 to finish off her media studies A level (started too late in Y11 to finish this time round).

They are not knuckle draggers, or indeed thick as pig shit (both comments I have read on here). They work hard, are good kids - but a row of A*s will not be on the agenda.

Join me please if you feel the same!

OP posts:
Four125 · 16/05/2015 20:45

DD has gone to a party, she hasn't touched her revision this weekend.
She's got 4 exams this week, the first one is English on Monday.

TeenAndTween · 17/05/2015 18:43

English Lit tomorrow. Shoot me now please. If only I could be there to say 'expand that please' all would be OK too.

SugarPlumTree · 17/05/2015 19:03

This is one we're counting on DD passing, I just really hope it's not a horrendous paper.

She's on study leave now so haven't renewed bus pass an been working out taxi duties .

Moominmammacat · 18/05/2015 10:14

Does anyone know what "average" actually is? How many leave Y11 with maths and English lang for example? And would that be higher tier ...

Four125 · 18/05/2015 11:21

2014 national percentage 5 A* - C including English & Maths is 63.8%

So median average is somewhere around 5 A* - C including English & Maths.At the moment up to 2 BTECs can count towards that result.

Four125 · 18/05/2015 11:23

Lit paper done, she answered the question about parents & children and seems to have answered well.
DD wasn't sure about the poetry but it has been a strength in practice papers so here's hoping.

Original poster
yolofish · 18/05/2015 13:01

have not heard from DD2 re Eng Lit yet - it was OMAM and IAC today, poetry is thurs or fri... mujst be different exam boards

OP posts:
Four125 · 18/05/2015 13:07

P&P plus unseen poem today for us.

Moominmammacat · 18/05/2015 13:53

Thank you Four125 ... I've always wondered about that.

Original poster
yolofish · 18/05/2015 22:14

Eng Lit was "actually, OK... and if it was terrible I'd have been crying". Either DD2 is coping with her exams much better than anyone would ever have thought, or we are in for an 'interesting' results day. I have to say, she is working bloody hard.

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Original poster
yolofish · 21/05/2015 08:45

Textiles was "ok", physics was "really hard". ICT today and she is not looking forward to that. meanwhile DD1 has sociology today, thinks she will fail.

OP posts:
catslife · 21/05/2015 09:10

Y10 dd has a last completed her Core Science exams OCR 21st C. Biology was OK, Chemistry was good and Physics had too many calculations! She did attempt all the questions and hopes that she has done well enough for a least a grade C (would be delighted to obtain a B) but we need to wait until September (start of Y11) for the results!
Good practice for next year and really hope that she won't have to retake in Y11.

TeenAndTween · 21/05/2015 11:02

DD is exhausted. Tearful this morning. I'm half expecting a call in the next 15 minutes to go and collect her, but I'm hoping she can last 1 more lesson, as after that I already have permission to bring her home, so I don't want to annoy the school too much.

I've been trying to do a revision timetable for half term, balancing much needed rest and recuperation with also much needed revision. If she does all the maths she's been given she won't have time for anything else, so that's not going to happen!

And they are threatening to cancel prom as not enough pupils have bought tickets!

Four125 · 21/05/2015 13:13

Physics yesterday was 'really, really bad' ah well.
She's done until 1st June now Confused

SugarPlumTree · 21/05/2015 16:47

I hope she is ok T&T, so stressful for everyone all this Flowers

DD had one of her stomach migraines this afternoon, something that only started this school year. I asked he if she wanted the sick buckets she declined, then promptly vomited over the floor. Think she is very anxious about poetry tomorrow.

TeenAndTween · 21/05/2015 19:00

DD came home as planned at 12:30 in the end. Ate lunch. then went to sleep for an hour and a half, before going back for a Poetry revision session.
I think the sleep will have done her more good than trying to revise, she seems much brighter now anyway.

Sugar - hope your DD is feeling better. We keep saying, just do your best and what will be will be. I'm trying to internalise all the stress both mine and DDs.

SugarPlumTree · 21/05/2015 19:32

I'm glad she made it through till the planned time T&T. Definitely agree about the sleep. I'm hoping that DD wilol feel much better in the morning. Just spoken to neighbour's daughter who is down and she used to ger stomach migraines. She'll be back next week and will speak to DD about them.

Original poster
yolofish · 22/05/2015 09:22

your poor DD T&T, hope she's feeling better. Thank fuck it's halfterm, 13 exams in 2 weeks has worn DD2 out completely, she's shattered. Planning to let them both sleep to excess, no revision for at least the long w/e and then a mix of revision and fun stuff for the rest of the week.
Eng lit - poetry this am for DD2. if she fails (which she expects to) it will be DD1's fault for eating all the bread this morning.
DD1 had sociology A level yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by how it went. Media today for her.

OP posts:
thunderbird69 · 22/05/2015 11:00

DS had AQA poems this morning - got a text saying he think he did quite good. He's doing the foundation level so a C will be most welcome - English really isn't his thing.

It's been a funny old 2 weeks, he hasn't been anxious or nervous but it has felt quite an upheaval from the usual routine and our house is full of piles of paper and books! Looking forward to the half term break

SugarPlumTree · 22/05/2015 11:22

AQA poetry here and DD came out fairly happy.

Original poster
yolofish · 22/05/2015 16:29

poetry also good for us - they did a walking talking thing yesterday and by sheer good luck the unseen poem chosen for yesterday was todays exam! asked DD2 what it was about, and she said "dunno, love or something". however she screwed up the first 20 mins or so by not knowing what to write. so swings and roundabouts I guess.
DD1's AS sociology was "ok but I didnt do as much revision as I should have". doh. apparently it's ok though as Sir makes them retake if they dont get an A???
am on the wine, have banned revision for next 2 days.
agree with you thunderbird, its the upheaval and the MESS!

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TeenAndTween · 22/05/2015 18:45

DD reasonably OK about the poetry too - one of her favourite poems came up. Though I suspect she didn't really write enough.
She's only got 6 exams after half term, but that includes the 2 most critical subjects so we can't relax yet.

Original poster
yolofish · 22/05/2015 22:01

well yes T&t maths is the biggie here... hits us on both counts - dd1's 10th (I think?) attempt at the magic C, would love to to think she could get it this time, and DD2 as well.

OP posts:
Four125 · 23/05/2015 06:27

Yes, yes, the mess everywhere!
Piles of paper, random notes and the pens all over the place.

DD still has 8 exams after half term, school are running sessions over the break, I think they should be able to have time off.

skinnamarink · 25/05/2015 16:51

I have loads of friends who did poorly at GCSE only to realize they needed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and do better at A level, then went on to Oxbridge. Similarly, a lot of people I know only got interested in academics at uni, did brilliantly, and then went on to to doctorates in amazing places. Kids have to love what they're doing to do well.

That said, a lot of doing well in exams is technique, and that can definitely be practiced. A few friends have recommended this course to me:

www.mathscrashcourse.com

They mark past papers and then give the kids a session explaining where they went wrong, and how they can improve.

Sad that education is such a 'system' now, but such is life...