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.

Good luck all, chemistry and computer science and whatever else. DS dropped computing after AS as there wasn't enough programming and too much writing!

A few of his friends have finished completely, next Tuesday still seems a long way away.

Good luck all DCs with exams today.
DD has chemistry and is hoping that it is better than last week.
Then 2 to go - Friday and next Tuesday.
DD is definitely flagging. This sounds awful but I gave her a small glass of coke with her breakfast - I thought it might wake her up and get some sugar in her as she was half asleep and feeling sick. She did then have some cereal. She is not good first thing in a morning and won't drink a hot drink.

My DDand DS have been having a small bar of 70% dark chocolate before an exam and some almonds which they have said it helps!

DD2 got up at 6 this morning to do a past paper (Chemistry), finished it, had breakfast, went up stairs to shower and get dressed, and fell asleep . She woke up in time to get sorted, but I don't know how much of an effect that will have had on her [sigh].

re invigilators not being great - DD is in a separate room for medical reasons (so as not to disturb everyone else if there's a problem), and has her tablets in a pill box on the desk in front of her. All previous invigilators have been lovely when she's asked them to remind her when it's x time as she needs to take her tablets. Yesterday's invigilator decided that she wasn't allowed to keep the tablets on her desk, snatched them away and marched off to the exams office to "get them checked out" . Not sure how she thought the exams office would be able to identify what the different white and pink tablets were, or why she couldn't put the "needs separate room" and "tablets" together and come up with "might be ill and need them", but thankfully the exams office (who love DD ) set her straight and DD got her medication back.

Not as serious as eg taking insulin from a diabetic, but without them DD would be totally brain fogged, probably fainting, and therefore failing her exam. Our invigilators are normally so lovely, this was quite a shock to the system.

Jax in your shoes, I'd be making as much fuss as possible with the exams office and head of year, the school can certainly (afaik) contact the universities directly, but yes, get a report in, even if it's only 2% consideration, then there's a paper trail if begging phone calls to unis are needed in August.

Jax, your daughter might consider emailing her Unversity with a question. A gentle "this happened, I really want to study at your University and would be gutted if I am subsequently a mark or two off. Would you be interested in having confirmation from my school."

Then there is already something there should the worst happen. It probably won't but I do know of someone with a longstanding chronic condition who had a flare up during A levels and did not say anything as his approach was to minimalise his problems. Then missed his offer by a couple of UMS. After some discussion the University agreed to take him but unfortunately did not have any places left. In his case it would have been better to have the paperwork in place before accept/reject decisions were made.

Good luck for ComSci and Chemistry today! Hope they go really well and everyone comes out feeling like they've given a good account of themselves.

Jax hope school are less defensive and more helpful today. Good advice in the posts above.

Yes, chemistry today, maths C4 on Friday and physics next Tuesday. The end is in sight. I had thought there were four as I had not realised just how long C4 is. DD gets extra time so 187 minutes of maths, albeit with a short break in the middle.

Its good though that they are all morning exams and that the weather remains a bit iffy. The end is in sight and and the focus is switching to planning for end of term events.

DD hates the morning exams - she is not a morning person! And her hay fever is still awful
The news on student room is that AQA chem5 was a good paper. No news from DD yet

Any views on OCR Chemistry? DD not a happy bunny.

Oh dear Leeds, that's not good.
DD says AQA was 'reasonable', better than chem4, but she knows she messed up the 7 mark question.

I will be glad when it is this time tomorrow, and the last exam done!

Verdict here is that Edexel chemistry was hard.

I do wish they all did the same board! Although I think it is a good thing that all the chemistry papers, from whatever board, seem to be at the same time as this must cut down on timetable clashes.

OCR Chemistry was awful according to DD - she's now planning what to do with a gap year, as she's determined she's not going to get the grades she needs . Might have a pootle round the Student Room and see how bad they think it was on there.

Chemistry (OCR) was "an average paper" according to DS. He thinks he did ok and the consensus among his friends was that it was a reasonable paper but one or two questions were "weird" .
I agree there should be one board. One exam for everyone. There are even different versions of the same subject within exam boards.

If you do go on the Student Room MyVisions, could you let me know? I cannot get my head round that site, and never find what I want!

think I found the correct TSR thread - Dds paper was OCR Salters B which not many school use - it's all context led, but is (I think) the only one to still have coursework. Which is what Dd is pinning her hopes on, as today's paper was generally regarded as the hardest one yet .

Phew! DS rang earlier to say computer science went really well! So relieved. He has worked so hard on it. It's lovely to be able to think that one subject is now finished and done with!

MyVisions how annoying for your DD and extra stress as well.

Sorry some of the chemistry papers were not kind. It does seem absurd to have so many different boards.

Glad to hear that, Morvah. Great to have one subject done and dusted!

I checked with my daughter, MyVisions, and she said she did the Salters A paper. I thought I hadn't heard mention of any coursework .......

AQA chem 5 - a nice paper.That is the verdict here! Mind you chem 4 was a shocker!

Fingers crossed for the outcomes of the various Chemistry papers for all the dcs doing it today. Glad the computer science was OK Morvah Jaxxyj I really hope your dd gets her Spanish issue sorted soon. What a horrible thing to have happened.

jaxxyj on the AQA website under 'A-level MFL Administration Point 16' it says that:

'if the candidate’s CD player breaks down, the candidate may be provided with a standby machine provided by the centre (see paragraphs 3 and 8). The candidate must remain under supervision throughout and must be allowed the full amount of time specified for the test.

Candidate and Centre Support, Irregularities Section (AQA, Manchester) must be informed of the incident in writing as soon as possible after the test'.

So they should have given her extra time without her asking & they should have sent in a report.

DS said OCR Chem today ok but some questions he couldn't do & reckons he lost about 10 marks. Didn't do well enough last year for an A* but if Physics doesn't go to plan on Tues may need an A in Chem (unless STEP 3 tomorrow a lot easier than he expects).

Having salmon for dinner to give him a brain boost.

Well after a tough 3 days, DD is sat playing the piano and then is off to the gym with her sister .......she is obviously feeling ok about maths C4 on Friday (I hope!)

A decent break will do her the world of good, hellsbells.