Year 12 preparing for AS levels

[HSMMaCM]

Here we are everyone.

Study leave here and no exams so both DC still in bed. DD said she was putting an alarm on for 8am though. We shall see.

DD still in bed here.She's not been sleeping properly so I'm leaving her.She has one days study leave before each As exam .So Pure Maths tomorrow.Good luck to everyone who has exams this week.

btm DS and friends all saying psychology ok but all agree that some of the questions worded oddly. Fingers crossed. He was in bed by 10 and didn't get up till 7:30 do he's had a good sleep. Just need to keep on him about his English revision...

BTM is your DD doing AS History? DS's school not doing AS exams but he has History mock paper today. Panic had set in last night so after Bach Flower Remedy all round, we decreed that revision was "done" and went to the park to play football (me playing football never fails to amuse). His fever is better too but throat still sore - he had to get up early to make sure he had time to 'get his throat working'!

All starts today for us, with Geography (2 hr paper this afternoon) DD seems in good spirits and said "I think I can do this"! She has some cute learning aids on brightly coloured cards that she re-groups in different positions. She appears to know some stuff! I hope it goes well X fingers crossed. Timing DD, timing! Try to at least answer all the questions - it makes it easier for them to give you marks for it!

Best of luck to everyone else with exams today

yes Ono, AS History (school is doing AS's in everything) and Bach sweeties here too!

Bloody AS levels! DD did very well in her GCSEs and worked herself into the ground. All of last spring was wasted for her while she sweated and fretted and slogged away. Now less than a year later she's doing more exams and going through the same crap. They are still teaching some of the subject as they are taking the papers.

She has geography today - she got an A* for GCSE but is now worried that she won't even get a D (I doubt that personally).

What is the point of them? DD says it's so the universities can have an idea of how well students will do next year but they always managed before when there were just A levels. Call me a Luddite if you like but it seems to add stress for the pupils and the teachers for no real gain.

Bach sweeties here too ( plus drops and night-time remedy) so all bases are covered.Silver lucky charm bracelet purchased ( bought the Irish Shamrock one last year).Blueberries and blueberry smoothie this morning (or are Blueberries passe this year?)
Now do I need a cross in her pocket? ( catholic childhood ).

Hi Irian - my DD also has Geography this afternoon.

I'm hoping it goes well for her, think it's one of her stronger subjects ATM - partly as the teachers have got them well organised and prepared I think.

But hopefully considerable credit and consideration can also be given towards those GCSE grades so hard earned last summer.

Was nice back in my day to have a slight breather in lower sixth!

The GP gave DD something to help with sleep and sickness as she coped so badly last year. It seems to have helped a bit.

Anyone else's DC done Sociology this morning? DD said she was disappointed with what she did. Questions were "hard and badly worded like Psychology". Hoping teachers may be able to give some pointers before the second paper now they know what style of wording is being used.

Teta the cross in the pocket would probably get her disqualified

Irian I learnt all about Luddites yesterday when I was testing DS for his history, lol. Growing up in Ireland we only learnt Irish history which was very boring, no world wars or anything like that so I didn't even do it at O level.

"rian I learnt all about Luddites yesterday when I was testing DS for his history, lol. Growing up in Ireland we only learnt Irish history which was very boring, no world wars or anything like that so I didn't even do it at O level."

Glad to be topical to someone !!

Me (a week ago) - 'Have you got an exam pencil case?

dd3 - 'yes'

dd3 (tonight) - 'I need an exam pencil case'

Luckily I bought a spare one just in case. Patience, must keep my patience.

DD lost the pencil case I checked on several times over the past month. She went into her exam holding everything in her hands, rather than carry it in a freezer bag

DD not happy after Geography, all the wrong things came up, though she had tried to cover everything. And didn't ace the timing either. Poor DD she was a bit upset, especially as marks from this AS go towards the A2.
At least the other two subjects she's taking forward don't so she can have something of a fresh start next year with those.
A challenge not to be discouraged and to still do her best with the rest of the AS over the next month, especially this week and next (then half-term week, and only a couple more exams after that)

My DD found the AS Geography very difficult too. She has worked soooo hard for it and in the last few weeks has really made progress.

One of her teachers has been giving her 1-1 intensive help in free periods and at lunch times. DD went into the exam feeling really confident that she knew the content well but now feels as though she has really let her teacher down.

Poor girl has only recently diagnosed with a visual processing problem (Meares Irlens) and has really struggled with some of the AS level content.

She processes what she reads at a snails pace (the Ed Psych who diagnosed her was baffled as to why it hadn't been picked up before)

The school have put some extra help in place for her but it was only in the last four weeks or so. Thankfully she has 25% extra time and has her exams printed on coloured paper and can use a laptop to do her answers but nothing would have been enough for this exam- she found it impossible.

I feel so sorry for her.

Hopefully her other three subjects go well so this one won't matter.

It is a slight comfort to know that others have found a paper hard too isn't it, thanks for sharing your feedback Purple. Even though you then feel sorry for them too.

DS2 said Geog was a bit tricky, there were a few bits he didn't know. Didn't seem too downhearted though, so fingers crossed he's done enough.

Tomorrow he has THREE exams!!! He's already said he'll need a big breakfast as he probably won't get enough time to get lunch in the dining hall and so is taking a packed lunch. Good to see his appetite isn't affected!

All those tweets about the GCSE AQA Biology yesterday have made me feel quite nostalgic about last year, can't believe it is a whole year!

Anyone heard about maths this morning?

Ono, my DS was sitting that Bio!

dd3 did the C1 maths this morning (OCR). She usually gets full marks on this paper but she said people came out upset saying it was evil and she was perplexed by two questions. Oh well.

Don't know if it is the same across the country.

DS2 has done C1 (OCR) too Little. No update yet as he has more exams today. I'll be interested to see what he says as he usually gets high 90s on that one. He wasn't looking forward to M2 (doing that one now, fingers crossed for him)

Right, DH says DS's board is OCR MEI - is that different?