Year 11 GCSE exam support thread 3 - the exam weeks

[HSMMaCM]

New thread for those of us starting the exams.

Keep calm everyone.

text received on chemistry

'good' apparently and 'Yeah' when I asked if he got questions he knew answers to.

Had a call from DD2 to say Chemistry had gone well, which is a relief. She doesn't get study leave (probably part of the upset about food as DD1 only has to go in for exams) so I'll find out more this afternoon after school. Hope it was OK for everyone else too.

I have to wait until 4.45pm to find out how Chemistry went.

Just had a text from DS2. Apparently he got given the double award paper and didn't notice! Completed it in 20 mins. Then got given the triple award paper and 20 mins extra.

He says he didn't rush and didn't need the extra time but I can't believe that he completed two papers in the time allotted for one without something suffering somewhere. He is dyspraxic with time management issues anyway.

I have emailed his tutor to see what they say. Thankfully DS2 is not in the slightest stressed about it. Unlike his poor mother!

Wow Truffle! That sounds odd. I'd be really stressed too.

I shouldn't txt DS to see how chem went should I???? sits on hands

He texted me on Tuesday after his exams so I'm thinking I'll leave the ball in his court. Hopefully he's unwinding with some rhubarb tray bake!

DS told me the other day how in one of his exams the invigilator had clompy high heels and that drama exam students were in and out every 45 mins, followed by instructions given etc etc. He said it was like being in a normal class room.

Meanwhile back in primary school....DS2 (yr1) has told me they've watched 2 films when the year 6s have been sitting their SATS. FFS....my 6 year old's education is being geared around the needs of the year 6s.

FFS....my 6 year old's education is being geared around the needs of the year 6s.

Make sure you campaign for him to get extra time in his GCSEs because of this dip in his education.

DS says chemistry was fine though he'd never heard of Indium...

Not heard from DD but she's doing a different exam to him anyway (one IGCSE one GCSE).

soup I WILL. Goddamn it I will!! tries not to think about doing this all again in 10 years time

Their worst subject chemistry - very bad for one, pretty bad for the other. I don't hold out much hope for good results, but they had a go.
I don't even know which ones they do iGCSEs and which GCSEs as it seems to vary. I think mostly they are doing iGCSEs but that is not the case for all their subjects.

None until next week now so they are home. Then one a day every day next week.

:)

I will have DS1 doing A Levels, DS2 doing GCSEs and DD doing Y6 SATS in two year's time... I could not have planned it any worse!

Ds wants to do chemistry at 6th form, he won't be home until 450 as he is staying behind for English lit revision. I am at home today and I don't think my house has ever been so clean!

Dd1 home after Chemistry - went well apparently.Also made a big vat of homemade Chicken soup as she has a bug ( swollen glands that we all had last week).Mind you it hasn't stopped her eating!Quiche,soup and profiteroles have all been scoffed.Dd2 ( 10) has told her she needs to diet after her exams .

DH drove DD to school this morning, leaving 10 minutes before the time we usually take her to the bus-stop so she was way early. Seemed quite cheerful - have yet to hear how it went. She was planning to do some revision afterwards (she'd taken electronics and physics revision guides which are two of her favourite subjects), then have an hour off chatting to her friends over lunch, more revision and then get the normal bus home. So far, so sane! (and she pretty much made us all go to bed at 10pm last night )

Whoever said of chemistry: 'Apparently it's hard because you can't guess.' - well, you know you really don't want people running chemical plants or being doctors etc who qualified by guesswork!

Glad to hear Chemistry seemed to go OK.

DD can't wait to be finished with Science. She really wishes she had known how hard Triple would be (I always thought Double is better, but DH thought differently) and is adamant DS should do Double. Me too!

Happy 16th to mini-Littleham

Truffle, that sounds very disorganised of the school - glad your DS wasn't too phased!

Text received here that chemistry was really good and that he was relieved. Nothing tomorrow so I'm gonna give him the night off from revision as he was knackered yesterday.

Chemistry was "not too bad actually " Phew

Errol, absolutely. In fact what that says is that many GCSEs are too easy if you can get answers by guessing in so many subjects.
Now his big sisters say chemistry was easy and one of those did science A levels. He said biology was easy as he'd actually learned it and the bits of chemistry he said which are like maths are easy. Anyway it's done now and they are doing double not triple science so after physics next week that's it for science forever except I hope they'll be interested for life as I've always been.

Text just received. Chemistry exam = good.

I'm quite relieved as I wanted her special day to go well. Three days off for dd3 now (although dd2 has an A Level exam tomorrow). DD1's university exams start next week, but she says she is fine and that I shouldn't be such a worrywart.

Truffle - another exam mess up! What a shame for your ds & hope it all turns out ok. Lotus - at least they have got their worst subject out of the way.

Indeed - mine said it was a relatively easy chemistry paper which will mean the grade boundaries are lower so in a sense no help for those who aren't good at it but it's their fault for not working harder.

DS currently conked out on the sofa (shock of having to get up for a morning exam after study leave started this week)! Chemistry went well apparently - he say there was a question on electrolytes that he thought "oh sh*t, don't know about electrolytes ... o wait a minute ... yes I do ..."

He really is going to turn his mother grey before the 17th June ...

I was walking over Westminster Bridge at 8.45am this morning listening to Big Ben peal the quarter-to-the-hour, and I thought first of DS ("you may turn your paper over") and my good MN friends up and down the country dying just a little bit at that moment ...

Sending you guys lots of love xxx

That is really not good Truffle, I'd be annoyed too.

Happy Birthday to Mini Littleham

DD was nervous about Chemistry but I pointed out it was only going to be an hour and it isn't one she is trying to pass.

Soupdragon if you start buying wine now you might just have enough to see you through in 2 years time.

Waiting to pick up DS, last day of SATS. Been slapping Gove to pass time, that is a good feeling !

I have had these texts from DD.

1. Can u pick me up at 6. We have LAX.

1. Bring snacks please.

1. And 2 b/day cards. Not same. Or we can pick up on way home.

1. Chemistry was gd BTW x

DS1 got on the bus twenty minutes ago and would have switched his phone on. I have heard nothing.