Year 11 GCSE support thread 5 - finishing off the exams

[HSMMaCM]

Only another week to go for DD, but I know some of you have two weeks.

Almost done..just Further Maths exams on Monday and Friday next week. DD doing A2 finishes next Friday too so I expect both will be out partying this time next week.

Good they finish at the same time.

We haven't planned anything in particular, don't know if DD will want to do anything other than flop.

Wow canny- I can't imagine my DD sorting out flights! Did you get away?

DD and her pals have a big night out clubbing planned I've been pre warned she'll be crawling home about 7am I'm cool with that, as a former London clubber in the 80s I say go for it! (not that clubs are even half as cool as the ones I went to )

Kbear, DD has that final History exam on Tuesday too - what did you want to know?

Amazing, where are these clubs that you can get into at 16? I thought everywhere wants ID? Or is that your DD who will be finishing her A'levels?

Finished here now, went out for a celebratory meal and will be buying dd a book or two as she's got done she wants as a reward for her hard work. I'm dreading the results threads as well, hopefully this thread will pick up again then.

Got some! Shouldn't post in bed with no glasses on!!

Torres, how lovely that your DD wants books as a reward - DD stopped reading for pleasure in Y7 But will have to get back on it if she is to do Eng Lit at A'level!

We have an official Prom letter, woo hoo!

BTM does your DD like audio books.

I kept my DS reading alive through talking books, especially during car journeys together.

He has just read three books back to back! Unheard of! Though I wish he hadn't chosen the revision period to rediscover the love .

DD is back from her last day celebrations. She has tried champagne, practiced her prom make up and generally had a good time.

She packed her bag for dance and was confused, because she had no revision to pack .

Congrats to all finishers!
Gang on in there if you've still a few to go......It's great on the other side!

DD had some friends round for a pizza, burnt all their old notes on a bonfires and camped in our little summer house/ fancy she'd. They've gone to some giant water slide today.......so pleased they can enjoy life again!

Hang not gang!

TWF, that's worth a try - we have a very long flight ahead and a road trip so maybe I could get something for that. I guess you can download them onto gadgets like a phone?

DD seems to have quite a few post-GCSE celebrations lined up. Not sure if we will get a look-in to help her celebrate

BTM yeah phone/ iPod, iPad etc.

I will check our famille reading records for this year ( not as geeky as it sounds - I can claims lot of my reading materials against tax) and post some recommends.

DD has been to a free book place today and picked up 5 Agatha Christie books, she's book mad and has decided to try and read some classics over the holidays. She said that her and her friends were on FB chat the other night and spent hours talking about whether to curl their hair, she said they have forgotten what they used to enjoy doing before exams!

No one has mentioned rewards here so I certainly won't. They seem happy enough. I bought a thing which projects earlier this year and a big stand alone screen which is having quite a bit of use; one seem to be going out of a run in the woods every day which is very good; both are doing reasonably interesting cooking - one made himself mackerel in the oven for lunch and cooked 3 lots of veg plus some onions so he seems to be trying new foods and then an absolutely vast mixed salad and the other made himself steak and chips. They are considering ways to avoid the September induction weekend away. The letter doesn't look at though it's compulsory so I think they'll be okay. As with a lot of my lot their principal ability is to avoid any wonderful opportunity on offer....sigh.m Mind you I'm not a great joiner and the ability to be happy alone and never bored is probably one of my greatest traits so if they inherit that they are not doing too badly.

Just wanted to wish everyone good luck for the exams next week. It will be over soon.

Shock, horror, faint ..... I went upstairs today and dd3 has cleared & tidied her bedroom. Seven very large rubbish bags were filled!

We are pretty worried about Further Maths next week tbh. He is in a small group that were put forward and they have had barely any classes after Christmas for some reason.

He has found some online resources, is very good at Maths, but the whole thing is now turning into a complete nightmare.

And the prize for the most unexpected comment of the day goes to my DS, who finished his exams yesterday. This morning (i.e. the FIRST day of the summer holidays) he said:

"Ohhhhhh.... .... I'm really missing school"

Oh Linerunner, that sounds tough going Which day is it on ? It really annoys me when things like this happen , unnecessary stress.

Sugar, Monday and Friday for Further Maths.

I can see where the teacher was coming from, but it's just not been taught because of staffing issues.

It's pissing me off that he could end up with an A or A* in Maths, lovely, but a D in Further Maths. Won't that look a bit odd to university admissions tutors?

Sorry, first world problems.

It would annoy me too LR. Think a couple of friends' children got stuck in for it at the last minute at another school locally, even if they don't want to do it (I know it is Maths and last paper Friday). Is causing issues.

If that does happen with a D (and hopefully not) I would be having a go at the School to say on the UCAS reference that he was not taught the course due to staffing issues. Am sure they will be very reluctant to do so though and you would have to push. Others who know more than me may be along with wiser words .

Is it the AQA Further Maths?

DS1 is sitting this. He says the lowest grade is C and that you needed 36/175 to get it last year with 60 for a B and and 85 for an A. There's also an A* and A^ but he couldn't remember the boundaries for those.

They also haven't had any real formal teaching, just a Further Maths study session where they work together. He said concentrate on the questions where it's just applying a formula to a situation as those are the most straightforward and you can pick up lots of marks doing those.

A similar situation happened at our school Linerunner and the students involved still got their university offers. Does he want to take maths at university?