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.

I couldn't sleep either. Suitcases under red rimmed eyes today. Feeling sick. It feels worse this week somehow. Just got to keep telling myself that she finishes on Friday (although older dd will have another week).

At least I'm not the only one who isn't sleeping! Maths this morning. DD is expecting it to be just as bad as the last one I guess that's good, in a way. If it's not so horrible, she will have a pleasant surprise.

Sorry to hear so many having trouble sleeping. I had that at the start of the exams, along with anxiety dreams, but I think once the first few were out of the way and weren't total disasters I've settled down! DS in contrast has been totally laid back and enjoying not having normal schooldays

to those not sleeping. It's hard enough without being sleep deprived.

DD back and said her and friend found foundation very hard. Friend's son unwell and walked out after an hour poor thing.

She only spoke to 2 who did Higher, they said much better than last week.

No word on Maths yet.

We also have chemistry tomorrow , physics Friday then Graphics next Weds.

DD just called to say the maths paper was better than last week's, but still harder than the past papers she'd done. Hopefully that's the last time she'll ever have to do maths, though, so there is a bright side!

DS said maths was better than last week but all the way home kept remembering all the silly mistakes he'd made (stop telling me!). It was still harder than all the past papers they'd one. Usually there are quite a few 1 and 2 mark questions at the start but this time there were only a few and then straight into the 5 markers. Oh well, he wasn't planning to do it at A-level anyway

Yes - Edexel Maths paper today harder than the past papers. Oh flip. She does want to do it at A Level.

DS said that the way the maths questions were worded on Thursday made it more difficult than today's paper but although he said it went okay overall, he definitely stuffed up on a question or 2. He has a media mock this afternoon (he's spent more hours on that bloody subject than any other).

Cam they resit Maths in November ?

dd says Maths was OK apart from the last question so I think that's quite encouraging, especially as she didn't find the last (notorious) paper too bad either. So hopefully looking like she's quite good at Maths which will be useful generally and particularly as she needs an A level to go with Biology and Maths might do the trick (along with probably Geography and Art) - and since she doesn't fancy Chemistry or Physics
dd says her friend who found the last one difficult thought this one was easier so hope that's the general feeling?

DS did the AQA Maths and he says it was 'ok' but none of them managed the final question. He reckons a couple of questions went 'off spec'. He needs an A in Maths to be able to do A Level.

My smoke alarm went off at 2am last night. Leapt out of bed, heart in mouth and careered around the house desperately trying to find the source of the smoke/fire. Eventually decided there was none, so stumbled around in the dark, opening windows in case it was just the heat that had triggered it.

The DCs slept right through the whole thing which is good that it didn't interfere with DS' sleep before his Maths exam, but worrying that they didn't register it at all.

I then spent the next 3 hours lying in bed, fretting about DS' Maths. This is going to be a long week.....

I was thinking of buying DS a little "Well Done, You've Made it to the End" present for Friday. I'm now thinking we parents deserve a little gift too!!

Just had an emotional text from my dd in floods of tears about maths exam this morning. It's her weakest subject and she's worked so hard for it: she found the paper " .... really, REALLY hard ..... ".

Poor girl. She's still got 11 exams to go and sounds as though she's been hit for six by the 2 maths papers :(

I was thinking of buying DS a little "Well Done, You've Made it to the End" present for Friday. I'm now thinking we parents deserve a little gift too!!

I think you're right!

DD thought the maths was harder than previous past papers but good - challenging rather than tricksy. She's confident she's done well on it - but then, as her definite A level choices are maths, FM and physics that's just as well!

Was it Edexel Maths doglover?

Any news on Edexcel maths? DD is asked to text me and never does so I rely on what I read on here.

doglover that sounds awful, poor girl. Does she need a particular grade in maths or will she be (like my DD was 3 years ago) delighted with a C?

(I kind of cried a bit when DD got a C. With relief.)

Oh, I'm sorry doglover - was she doing the Edexcel higher? It sounds like there were less 'easy' questions than usual, which will have made it worse for those who struggle. But it's likely that others will have found it similar.

Hard too for her that she's still got so many to go, when a lot of kids can see the end in sight.

Torres, my DD did the Edexel maths.

DD text and said maths was hard.

I text back saying 'you could do some of it though, right?'

And the reply was 'yeah xx'

So there we are.

Text saying it was better than paper 1. Well that's something.

Yes, Edexel higher level paper. She (and we!) would be over the moon with a C ........ she's been desperately trying for a B ....... but we know that this isn't realistic after her reactions to the 2 papers. She isn't an emotional girl so to hear her so devastated is heartbreaking.

I think she needs to get a C for sixth form but has never wanted to take maths any further! She excels at English, music and media but has always struggled to apply knowledge in maths :(

My DD said it was ok, better than the last one, but as she didn't revise and is feeling depressed (see higher in thread) I am not sure if she is just saying what she thinks I want to hear now that she has freaked me out. She went straight to her room so I have no more info than that. It is her weakest subject apart from physics. I'll be glad when this is all over. Do you think they know what they out us through? I found myself wandering around Tesco this morning sending her positive mental energy. The trolley was pretty empty when I got to the checkout; as was I. I don't usually do this kind of stuff btw.