Page 36 | Parents of Year 11DC support thread. The final term.

JWIM · 13/05/2016 08:27

Well I have been mostly lurking but now seems a good time to join in. DS will continue in school throughout the exam weeks. Lessons for exams to come and revision in periods where exams completed. They have a Leavers' Service on the last Friday of this half term (27th) after the Eng Lit paper. We will be going. Prom not until they have all finished.

I am so impressed with DS's school. The staff are endlessly encouraging and show considerable faith in their students. DS has been helped through a minor stressful few days at the start of this week with no drama and great support. My raising of his stressy event on Sunday evening was responded to by Form teacher and HoY very swiftly. I hope that the children do well for themselves but I do also hope that the staff see great returns for all their efforts.

Best of luck to DC taking exams today and those that start next week - Tuesday for DS.

starfleet · 13/05/2016 12:14

Glad your DS enjoyed his prom Ellen.

DS's isn't until the end of June and we go off on holiday the day after - he won't be getting much sleep as he is talking about an after party at someone's house.

He has been doing lots and lots of practise papers and finally got 100 UMS points on his last 2 Biology ones which he was really pleased with. He lost a huge amount of confidence with both Chemistry and Biology at the end of last school year due to one of his teachers but he seems to have got it back now.

Exit - DS's maths teacher has been giving them (according to DS) brutal maths papers with all A* questions on them and has said anyone getting less than 70% will be getting an email home - I haven't had one yet but there is still time!

He said he will go into school as normal until half term and then work out what he wants to do - might still do full days until the last exam as the teachers will hopefully be on hand to help out if it's needed.

TheSecondOfHerName · 13/05/2016 13:53

DS1 has been having problems accessing Tassomai yesterday and today, which is not great seeing as his science exams are next week. Has anyone else been having problems with it?

navylily · 13/05/2016 14:02

DS had trouble with it last week second but it was working fine for him yesterday.

Icouldbeknitting · 13/05/2016 14:03

DS didn't mention any problems with Tassomai yesterday, I got on ok this morning to have a look how he was going on. I will check with him when he gets in.

It's all getting very real now. I know some of you are old hands at this with a few exams already crossed off but DS has his first one on Tuesday. He does't seem as cocky as he was a week ago.

derektheladyhamster · 13/05/2016 15:51

4 exams down
History was OK

FantasyAndHope · 13/05/2016 16:39

DD has left! She's coming home!

needastrongone · 13/05/2016 17:38

Blimey, 4 exams down! DS starts Tuesday, I assume that's Biology for those who have said they start then?

DS is wavering with his 4th A Level, but the school are fairly flexible.

He's chosen Systems and Control. He fancies getting A's in his A Level choices. His coursework was excellent, but he lost 10 points for the fact it didn't work, otherwise full marks!! He also have been doing past papers and making an A, but not A.

Chemistry is more solid, but I'm not sure he enjoys it as much.

I've said just to see what his results are, then see what he wants to do.

needastrongone · 13/05/2016 17:38

A*'s at GCSE, that should say!

TheDrsDocMartens · 13/05/2016 17:50

Dd1 starts Monday. RE & Law.

Icouldbeknitting · 13/05/2016 17:54

It's a biology start for us next week too. I think he'll be more settled once he's actually started, the waiting has gone on too long now.

DS is also wavering with A level choices, it doesn't matter because he can choose on enrolment day if he wants. This week started with thoughts about swapping english to literature - a big surprise there as earlier he was adamant that he never wanted to read someone else's choice of book again and he dismissed one sixth form because they only did combined english and literature. I pointed him at the sixth form prospectus and the A level syllabus for both and he decided that maybe english was a better bet after all. Two years is a long time to be studying something that you don't care for. He has a two day taster session so hopefully he'll come back confident that he's made the right choice.

navylily · 13/05/2016 18:09

DS has been wavering over A level choices too - he's down for computing (along with double maths and physics) but is wondering about chemistry. He's really enjoyed computing but I think has been put off by the very obscure marking of the coursework and not understanding what it is they really want him to do - he loves the coding and is apparently very good at it. Though chemistry he's not really got on with the teacher this year, so might love that too with a different teacher. I think it's something for him to ponder over the summer, though tbh, thinking about sixth form does seem to encourage him to put some effort in now as he's reminded about where it's all taking him.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 13/05/2016 18:09

Welcome JWIM :)

dd has got all nervous about biology and chemistry. She starts with two french then biology on Tuesday. Poor kiddo.

Speeding through them Derek!

OP posts:

Icouldbeknitting · 13/05/2016 18:37

Where are my manners - I forgot to welcome the new joiners. There's still plenty of room for those of you reading along at home.

I've just hung the whites up to dry, only four more school shirt washes to go now.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 13/05/2016 18:51

navylily, DS1 had that exact same dilemma two years ago. He chose computing in the end but it was the AS level he dropped and he's going on with maths at university. I think he wants to work in computing eventually, but you don't need computing A level to do that. He also says the new computing A level is much better and more interesting than the one he would have taken.

Computing is seen as a facilitating subject just as chemistry, so unless he wants to go on to chemistry or chem eng, or something medical, either would be fine. People find chemistry A level a big jump from GCSE, but you can say that about all subjects.

navylily · 13/05/2016 19:05

Thanks Ellen That's interesting to hear. I think he's most likely headed towards engineering, which either would be fine for, or possibly computing at university, which doesn't require the Alevel, though I presume it would be useful. I've encouraged him to have a look at the syllabuses online and see what grips him. I think the step up from GCSE is kind of what he's after with chemistry as he says he keeps asking questions that the teacher tells him he doesn't need to know for GCSE Though DS's understanding is always a few steps ahead of his ability to explain himself in exams, and I imagine the Alevel may be more demanding in that way too.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 13/05/2016 20:43

DS1 says he would probably have dropped chemistry after AS and still continued with maths, FM and physics anyway if he had chosen chemistry over computing, so it didn't matter for him. He was a bit disappointed with the old computing syllabus and may have continued with 4 A2s if it had been the new syllabus. Universities' offers are pretty much based on 3 A levels so concentrating on 3 seemed sensible and he loves maths and physics.

Good luck to your DS in his choices and his GCSEs.

Shineyshoes10 · 13/05/2016 20:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

navylily · 13/05/2016 21:05

Thanks Ellen Dropping one after AS isn't an option he'll have of course as the sciences are all on the new reformed syllabuses.

Did check the university requirements but chemistry is only required for chemical engineering, vast majority of engineering doesn't need it I think.

Biology is his first exam on Tuesday too. DSD has 4 out the way already though.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 13/05/2016 22:11

how much revision is sensible this weekend?

OP posts:

littledrummergirl · 13/05/2016 22:45

Ds2 is also doing biology on Tuesday, I'm sensing a theme

Ds1 will revise the subjects for next week's exams this week. He has his usual club training tomorrow and is planning a bike ride. I'm hoping he does a stint at the rescue on Sunday and he wants to help dh fix the hole in the roof.
I think the revision will be very low key in our house.

starfleet · 13/05/2016 23:25

Biology on Tuesday here too.

DS definitely wants to do A levels in Physics, Maths, Chemistry and either Biology or Geography. He isn't quite sure what he wants to do at university yet but thinks his choices give him several options.

He's planning on finishing some past papers and revising Biology and Latin over the weekend.

raspberryrippleicecream · 14/05/2016 00:40

DD has French on Tuesday, then nothing til the week after, Eng Lit, Maths and Biology.

A level choices were handed in in February at her school. Though she's hoping they'll have changed an option block so she can do Drama, and they haven't finalised it yet.

HesMyLobster · 14/05/2016 00:54

Dd is the same as yours raspberry - her first is French on Tuesday then nothing til English the following week.
Her last official day at school is next Friday, but will go in for revision sessions most days I think.

This weekend will be a mixture of revision and socialising - she is having 12 friends over tomorrow for dinner for her birthday. They usually would have all stayed over but they have decided to finish at a sensible time and go home instead so they can get a good day of revision done on Sunday.
She will teach her usual dance and drama classes on Saturday morning, and then has a rehearsal for her theatre group's summer show.
So definitely not a weekend of constant revision!

228agreenend · 14/05/2016 11:31

I think we have biolog on Tuesday also, and then chemistry on Thursday. It's a light week compared to last week (6 exams over 4 days)

Ds has had problems with tassomaimals on. He hasn't done much due to the exams last week.

We got an email regarding six form induction yesterday. He has to go in six form 'uniform'. Ie. A suit. Aaaahhhh. Where do I get a long lasting, stylish, suit from? What shops are 'in' and 'out'?