Parents of Year 11DC support thread. The final term.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Eep.

Ah, well, it's going to rain tomorrow fantasy - at least where I am. That'll soon get them back inside revising

Had history and French today. Ds seemed quite happy with history, but just let slip he initially went blank,on the first question, but managed to write something. Exam nerves?

However french(listening and speaking) was difficult. Apparently he wasn't the only one who,found it difficult. That's one subject he was hoping to do better in. Argh!

I feel,I need to ask each day how he did in the exams, but also don't want to know,in case they went badly. Even though I know that there will be some exams which seem bad, but you do,well in, and other 'easy' exams you do less well in.

Chemistry tomorrow, probably ds's weakest subject.

A week today dd will have done her third exam!, she's added them up and in total its only 4 weeks of exams, which isn't that bad, she's only got 1 week where theres one everyday however the one with exams every day 2 are english so not knowledge based and one of the english is 45mins long.

History had weird questions according to DS

Sounds like it is all getting going for them.

Much appreciated!

228 Chemistry is also DS1's weakest subject, although he is not dreading tomorrow's ATP paper nearly as much as he is dreading next week's extended theory paper.

DD has done a solid 5.5 hours tonight. I am in awe.

Just catching up after a bit of a crazy weekend. We had dance competitions and then we had a bbq yesterday evening/afternoon for dd's birthday. Couldn't have planned it for a better day weather wise!
DD squeezed in some revision in between dances and then a couple of hours each evening, and has done a good 4 hours of science and French tonight so she feels she can take most of tomorrow evening (her birthday!) off.
This week is mostly going to be about ticking off 'last times'. They start exam leave next Friday, but as they have a 2 week timetable she has her last ever pe and re lessons tomorrow, and will have her last ever chemistry and graphics lessons this week too! It's a strange feeling for them I think - excited for the future but very aware that it's the end of a big chapter of their lives.
and for everybody with exams this week. Good luck to all the dcs.

To all those of us with another week to go, enjoy the last few days of calm before it all starts

Ds1 has German oral (speaking and listening? ) tomorrow. He has been very relaxed today. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Good luck to everyone with exams today!
Ds has ATP Chemistry which his favourite subject and the one he dedicates the most revision time to at the expense of subjects such as English Literture.
Ds's summary of the poems of Thomas Hardy - he's miserable, the poems are miserable, this is a waste of time, where's my chemistry book?

Yes Lobster my DGD is in yr 11 and doing GCSEs and said last night this is her last term of secondary education. I felt a bit tearful, remembering her at nursery when she was 3! What I wondered was about the way the exams are spaced. She's done drama and art and French oral - nothing this week and French listening (I think that's what she said) next week. So she'll have 7 more before the end of term and that school breaks up really early in July (they get 9 weeks summer holiday) I can't understand why they are cramming so many in the last weeks of term.

I can see others are taking more academic subjects than drama and art. It's a tough time for them isn't it. DGD is going into the 6th form next term so she still has 2 years at the school. Are others doing this I wonder or maybe a 6th form college?

Spacing of exams will vary if you are taking different exam boards. igcses with Cambridge tend to start earlier as international schools finish in mid June or early July for the summer and are back at school in August.
Ds had his first exam with cie on 26th april, his last will be AS maths on 15th June with a different exam board.
Ds is moving schools and starting the IB in August.
I agree seems like such a short time ago they were starting school. Good luck to you dgd.

Ds's summary of the poems of Thomas Hardy - he's miserable, the poems are miserable, this is a waste of time, where's my chemistry book?
That boy gonna go far! Good for him

I adore Hardy

Exit - fancy a quick trip to China to encourage my son?

I'll get my coat.

Did she manage to get out of bed this morning Exit? I'm glad she has picked herself up out of her funk.

Spacing is a little crazy, but its just the luck of the draw. Next week dd has 3 on one day then one a couple of days later. The following week I think she has 7 exams. ugh.

Yes she's up and on the bus.

She has now announced that she wants to get gifts for her three favourite teachers. By Friday. And I have to help her decide what to get.

Personally I think a hand written card thanking them is the way to go.

What do you lot think?

Hand written card and small box of chocolates each. Teachers survive by mainlining chocolate at this time of year.

Definitely a card with naice biscuits.

Agree with badkitten - card and small box of chocs. I think cards and a heartfelt thank you are always appreciated.

Ds just back from school. Chemistry ATP was fine and three of the things his teacher had reminded them about in their revision session this morning came up in the exam. Chemistry teacher has now been elevated to god-like status by Ds.

Sadly he now has to revise some Hardy so misery abounds!

Someone read out a synopsis of Tess on R4 the other morning. I actually burst into tears at the end

Interestingly, it was said on the programme that Hardy used to write letters for the local 'country folk' , often to do with affairs of the heart, and this is where he got a lot of his material.

I wrote an essay on Tess for A level without having read the book. Gotta love York notes!

DD is shattered it's hard seeing them so tired when they can't be tired