Continuing Year 13: January 2016

[Needmoresleep]

Only two more terms at school. Let's support each other support our DC in getting through to the end.

My DD did the OCR chemistry rather than AQA. Anyone else?

Think it is EDEXCEL cemetery here. The verdict - a strange paper.

Anecdotally Cambridge offers do seem to vary. We have heard of a couple of 4x A* ones. Imperial seem to vary even more.

Ocr salters chemistry here. I haven't asked, dd hasnt said how it went today. We have agreed it is best that way. I deduce, from the fact that we have not had tears or swearing, or claims that she may as well give up, that it was ok!

The student room thread on Aqa chem has a link to a petition complaining about the paper!

OCR Salters Chemistry here too - it was "tough" apparently (according to both Dd and the Student Room) with some odd mark requirements - only three marks for something which has six points worth of answer. DDs teacher reckons everyone comes out of this paper in tears, next one should be a bit better.

Snowy, DS's school are paying for his STEP as well, but he was given a sheet with log in details at the exam. Maybe get your DD to check with school? Is she doing more than one STEP paper, it's probably the same log in for all 3 and she might get it at the end?

Stats 2 paper for DS1 today. He seems quite positive about it, though it's his least favourite maths topic.

Good luck anyone with exams today. DS2 has GCSE chemistry.

Cambridge produce, and we have, a document showing 'standard offer' for each college.

But this is just a guide - it is a typical offer, rather than a standard offer.

BTW it would be rare for even Trinity to ask for S grades from students from low achieving schools i.e. Trinity does not have a standard offer of S grades although it is true that quite a few applicants are asked for S grades. (However, a number of such applicants come from top private schools and highly selective state schools, have Olympiad experience etc, so definitely have a head start in getting Ss. Unfortunately applicants from low achieving schools are less likely to apply for Trinity maths int he first place.)

OCR Salters Chemistry here. It went well and was DS's first exam. It has taken the edge off his nerves I think.
It seems that whether it's GCSE or A level, every year there is one exam paper that is such a stinker they come out shell shocked. In the end if marks are low the grade boundaries will also be low. Apparently one of the Chemistry papers was like that last year (students weeping, petitions to the exam board etc). DS's teacher gave them it as a mock as an example of worst case scenario .

So sorry for the AQA Chemistry candidates. Ds said his friends were in despair over it. Very relieved to hear your ds was doing the OCR one Squirrels , and that it went well

Ds says thanks for all the birthday wishes yesterday. He has just used his nutribullet for the first time and is very pleased with it.

Thanks also Atiao and belated happy birthday to your dd

So sorry for the AQA Chemistry candidates. Ds said his friends were in despair over it

a hard exam means low grade boundaries and tends to favour those that are actually good at the subject as they are not hammered as much for silly mistakes.

S2 (OCR) was a piece of cake DD finished after 40 minutes. checked carefully and then had a long boring wait.

DS1 said S2 was nothing unusual and feels he did well. Phew! His friends doing AQA chemistry yesterday thought it was horrible, though.

OCR Chemistry here (think earlier I mistakenly said he was doing AQA Chem & Phys). DS said it went ok. Sorry AQA Chem was so horrible. We had a nasty AS Chem paper last year.

Glad S2 went well Ellen, it's probably hard to judge how he's done in STEP., hope it's better than he thinks.

Good that your DD enjoyed her birthday Atia.

Day off exams today, took him to Pizza Express to take advantage of their 2 for 1 offer then back to work for STEP 2 tomorrow. Going to be an exam every day now until 28th.

Bloody hell, that's tough. I told dd that she had it relatively easy with just 5 papers to sit, compared to the scientists. Unsurprisingly, this didn't go down brilliantly! But really, such a difference.

Gosh, BethanKate. That is a tough schedule.

My DD has done two, and has five left. By Friday lunchtime, it will be two left!

We have had the worrying news today that my MIL ie DD's grandmother has suffered a massive heart attack and is in intensive care so I don't know how that will affect DD. Exams are probably a good thing to distract her from worrying .
Tomorrow we have STEP 2

Sorry to hear that Snowy. OH and I went to the funeral of DD's great grandmother yesterday - she couldn't go because it was the same time as her Chemistry paper. You can only hope it doesn't affect them, and that they can worry/grieve when it is all over.

Sorry to hear about your bereavements Snowy and Leeds. Did you know that there is a chance your DDs can get special consideration? It needs to be noted at the exam office of the school and sent in with the Paper for consideration. Info here www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/a-guide-to-the-special-consideration-process-2015-2016

well it's not a bereavement...yet
I don't know about special consideration ...It feels like benefitting from MIL's misfortunesome

Thanks for that jaxxj. I was aware that you could get special consideration, but I would feel a bit of a fraud applying for it in our particular case.

Sorry snowy I meant to say bereavement/ serious illness. My DD 's friend had special consideration because a family member had heart surgery a couple of weeks before exams. If your DDis upset and it may affect her concentration it is worth flagging up I think.

Sorry about your MIL's illness Snowy, hope she will be ok.

Sorry too about your bereavement Leeds2.

DS said STEP 2 paper was really horrible & he's not sure he managed to do enough - answered one question fully but only half of other five. Feeling a bit dejected but has to leave it behind & prepare for M2 tomorrow. If can manage three A* or STEP 3 goes better still has a hope of Warwick.

DD found step 2 really hard today too. She reckons she has got a low 2 at best , and needs a 1 :-(

The thing about Maths exams is that they generally seem to come out with a fairly accurate idea of how they did. When DS1 did STEP a couple of years ago he was pretty spot on. The first two went ok but after STEP 3 he knew he had not done nearly well enough. The good thing about this was that he was able to come to terms with missing his Cambridge offer over the summer before results day and start to look forward to going to his insurance (where he is very happy). In a way it seems harder if it's borderline and there is the long uncertain wait to find out.