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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!

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thunderbird69 · 02/06/2015 16:53

DS sent me a text this morning saying he'd definitely passed. But when I picked him up he told me he didn't do too well on one question...sounded less certain. Fingers crossed!

SugarPlumTree · 02/06/2015 17:12

Fingers firmly crossed for them both then. It is really wearing on the old nerves all this isn't it ?

Japanese seemed to go quite well she said . Couple of bits of vocabulary she didn't know in the reading bit and guessed at incorrectly and a little bit in the listening paper but finished with a lot of time to spare (trying to be chilled about that)

Original poster
yolofish · 07/06/2015 21:34

mine (both, DD1 for the xth time, and DD2 for the 1st time) did AQA maths this week - both said it was really really difficult. I was away for work all week and am frankly disappointed to have just missed one of their exams...

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Original poster
yolofish · 09/06/2015 13:19

how's everyone doing? chemistry for DD2 today, she wasnt happy at the prospect. maths again this week, teacher the last question on last week's AQA non-calc paper wouldnt even have been in an A level exam!

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TeenAndTween · 09/06/2015 18:38

DD's chemistry today was bad she said, but not as terrible as Chemistry 1 (which everyone else seemed to find fine). She woke up this morning having seemingly forgotten everything she knew yesterday.

I think her reserves are completely empty now. We had 4 days away at Easter, and she took 5 days off over Christmas, but otherwise she's been working pretty consistently since start y11.

Thank God there is only Physics left on Friday for her. Tomorrow I'll let her sleep in as long as necessary, then we'll need to start on Physics revision which has been neglected in favour of Maths, English, and the earlier science papers.

I'm shattered too.

SugarPlumTree · 09/06/2015 18:55

DD very edgy, Maths 2 didn't go well. She's uptight about Thursday which is her last day but has a clash and not looking forward to isolation.

I'm edgy too and have just finished DS' s project for him - I'm not having the GCSE'S finished and the weekend ruined by a Year 6 project.

TeenAndTween · 09/06/2015 19:04

Sugar Grin I've been threatening DD2 (y5) that after Friday she can have lots of quality attention from me with respect to her schoolwork. She's not impressed!

Lancelottie · 09/06/2015 19:32

DD has similarly been suffering from my spare attention now DS has finished. Year 8 Maths has never had such keen parental input!

thunderbird69 · 10/06/2015 09:50

DS has History today and thinks he will struggle to pass this one (based on CA and 1st paper) he's not too fussed about it though. He's also sure he's failed art (ceramics), due to 1. he has very little artistic ability! 2. the class did no GCSE work in year 10 as they didn't have a permananet teacher

Good job he is doing plenty of other subjects so should still get a reasonable number of passes

Final physics paper on Friday and then a long wait till 22nd for his last exam (DT)

Almost there!

Original poster
yolofish · 10/06/2015 10:00

chemistry yesterday was 'weird' and apparently they hadnt been taught the maths they needed for it (no, I dont understand either).
maths tomorrow for both, please god the AQA calc paper is better than the non-calc one, or that the grade boundaries hit the floor come results day.
school has just decided that all Y11s need to do the ECDL thingy in order to get into 6th form. so that's a joy (although I gather it is a really good qual)

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 10/06/2015 10:09

What is ECDL?

TeenAndTween · 10/06/2015 10:10

DD did the ECDL this year. They decided only to put the top 2 ICT sets in for the GCSE. I think it was very useful, and she got a really good result, but it seems weird making it a 6th form requirement at this point.

DD is fast asleep still. I'm debating with myself when the benefit of sleep now will stop outweighing not revising and possibly not sleeping tonight.

TeenAndTween · 10/06/2015 10:12

European Computer Driving License.

4 tests (which you can retake)

  • 1 on word processing
  • 1 on presentations
  • 1 on spreadsheets
  • 1 on 'productivity' which is using the 3 tools together sort of, I think.

Mainly practical, with a few simplish theory questions on the end.

thunderbird69 · 10/06/2015 12:09

not heard of the ECDL, but sounds like a good idea

Got a text from DS saying History was very difficult, so I think we may be writing that one off. In a good way, it is a different exam board to the others so won't appear on the same certificate!

TeenAndTween · 10/06/2015 12:29

The ECDL is a Level 2 qualification (at least the units DD took are), which means it counts as one of her A*-C passes needed for college.

Original poster
yolofish · 10/06/2015 23:45

mine have both been slogging the maths today in advance of tomorrow; teachers came up with a draft paper of the type of questions they think will come up. I do hope they are right; I couldnt understand most of them!!

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Original poster
yolofish · 11/06/2015 12:22

10 minutes to go til maths. I feel sick... pray they both get through it.

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SugarPlumTree · 11/06/2015 18:54

Hope Maths was OK Yolo ?

TeenAndTween · 11/06/2015 18:56

Daft question.

Would giving DD a coke to drink before her Physics exam speed her brain up a bit?

Sugar - hope you're all feeling calmer now.

SugarPlumTree · 11/06/2015 19:02

Don't know T&T, it might I guess.

Yes all a lot calmer now and she survived Philosphy and Japanese, though felt ill and panicky in Philosophy.

Good luck for Physics tomorrow Flowers

Horsemad · 11/06/2015 19:28

TeenandTween, someone in DS's exam had Coke in a bottle without a label on Shock

Original poster
yolofish · 11/06/2015 22:37

thanks sugar. DD1 (taking for 9millionth time) said it went "reasonably well" and DD2 (taking for 2nd time I think) said it was "ok". that's not too bad is it?

teen DD2 has done nothing for physics tomorrow on the grounds that P1 went ok and if she doesnt know it by now then mugging up will not help. she's concentrated on finishing dance coursework instead, which is prob sensible as that's what she wants to do for A level.

just keep telling myself: this time next week all the exams will be over for my 2!!!!

OP posts:
thunderbird69 · 12/06/2015 12:36

Bit of a late response on the coke question, but my DS has been having a strong coffee before his exams (his choice). I'm sure I've read that caffeine improves mental functioning, here's hoping.

Original poster
yolofish · 12/06/2015 12:59

god yes, I couldnt function without first my morning tea and then a coffee an hour later. well, I probably could, but I dont want to!

I actually felt physcially sick for them both before yesterday's maths, ah well it's over now and nothing to be done except hope for really low grade boundaries.

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TeenAndTween · 12/06/2015 13:00

Hope so - just given DD coke with her lunch. Smile

Kicking myself I didn't think of it on Tuesday when her brain was on a go slow before Chemistry.