Parents of Year 11's - in the midst of exams!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

roll up roll up, for our new support thread for all parents of year 11 kids. Whether your kids work hard or not, what ever their goals (or not!) this is our place to de-stress :)

fedelix, I could never have something to eat before an exam and no different as an adult, if I'm anxious, I can't eat or I feel sick. It's never been a problem, on the opposite, I perform better on an empty stomach. DD is the same, I've battled with her for years to have breakfast, she won't have it, but then who am I to talk!

Getting harder to get anything out of her after exams, but she said Physics was easy.

Sorry Fantasy, just read your post. If it was ok, she can't have failed, just probably trying to keep her expectations low so not to be disappointed.

Edexcel physics was not the gift that biology and chemistry were (says DS). He had quite a bit more to say but nothing that is repeatable.

Blazer found, complete with bus pass and locker key! Very relieved daughter.

Now I can focus on the Y11 and his Maths exam.

I've discussed the paper and if seems to be she's dewelling on 3 questions and the rest of the paper was fine

What a mix of reactions on here...DD came home saying it was fine...mumbled easy. I just sat there with a goofy grin on my face and made a suggestion she could do Physics for A level....she left the room with an eye roll

Her confidence must be growing as she has just printed off 2 past maths papers to do.....

I am going to be huger than huge after all these exams

OCR physics was apparently full of maths - which is a good thing according to DS. He seems happy with it.

I only saw the Foundation paper knitting which definitely contained Physics questions!
Usually grade boundaries are lower for Physics than Biology or Chemistry as most pupils do find this the hardest Science subject. So I very much doubt that dcs who found it hard will have done too badly.

Thanks so much for all the helpful comments about food!

DD apparently didn't even manage a cereal bar this time, as she first tried to eat a packet of nuts DH had given her and her lips swelled up"! (no nut allergies previously in this house, and I hope not starting now!). So she did the exam without lunch, and on the remains of a not-entirely balanced breakfast about 5 hours previously (3 hash browns).

That said, on non-exam days, she seems to eat the large cooked brekkies I make her, so I shall have to continue my policy of feeding her up on non-exam days in the hope that will keep her going, a bit like a camel!

She said Physics was "OK". Big on communication she is not!

Catslife It's not as if he's bothered at all, he said that he did the best he could and that's it. Onward and upward and all that. Maths is not his superpower, he's good at talking about how things work but calculating is another matter. This is the first exam he's had where he's not strolled through it, I suspect he'll be having another tomorrow (maths).

Nwaiting to hear from ds about physics.

I'm a little nervous as he hasn't looked at it much recently, in favour of his other exams, and he wants to,do it for a-level.

Also, his exams are been going okay (apart from French listening) so,I'm waiting for a disaster to hit ... .

I'm in the pig camp, and if I miss a meal, I'll probably pass out.

DD's response to the Physics (EdExcel) was not great. Her other exams have been "fine" or "good".

Physics got an unsure shrug of the shoulders and a mumbled comment along the lines of her not being sure but that she didn't think sh'e done very well.

It is her most disliked and probably weakest subject though.

Your poor dd Fantasy. I think lots of people found it hard.

No clowns or cars but there were bats it was an exam that suited dd. Maths tomorrow.

Another maths boffin here in DS, so OCR Physics was right up his street, as there was a lot of Maths in it, he said. This is an A Level choice, so he wants to do well.

Business Fast Track was 'easy' too, so a much better day than yesterday

oh
I've spoken to DD and the more she has discussed it the more it seems she's done well and not badly think some questions have just knocked her confidence
She's not gcse aqa physics she's aqa igcse

Dd didn't manage to finish AQA physics but she liked the 6 point question. So she's a bit disappointed.

Ds has eventually got home after train problem.

Physics was okay, but i think on the poorer side of okay. He already knows he has got some questions wrong, and this is a subject he wants to,do for a level.

Maths tomorrow, another a level choice.

Ds1 said that he got an early question wrong and that it threw him off his stride. After yesterday's geography I think he needs a confidence boost.
Saying that he did ok on the questions they discussed afterwards so it may not be as bad as he thinks.
He has decided that after he has had this weekend off-we think he needs a break- he is going to focus his revision on the subjects he feels he didn't do as well in, the hope being he can still do really well.
He will still do the other subjects on his list though.

Hopefully he will feel better after tomorrow's Latin, it's the first subject finished and he can dispose of his revision stuff.

No idea, Ds hasn't phoned/text. This is either really good, or really bad

I'm looking forward to the twitter response to tomorrow's maths paper. It was quite funny last year.

Dd struggled with edexcel Physics and has worked herself into a terrible state about maths tomorrow

I've assured her that retakes at her new school won't mean she's back with the year 11s! That and chocolate have calmed her down a bit.

dd did OCR A core Physics last year and said that it was mathsy then. Her friends' verdict "We thought the Maths exam was tomorrow".
thesecond I remember last year and don't want to mention what happened with that particular Edexcel paper.
dd is busy doing practice Qs. Definitely doesn't want to take A level Maths but is hoping for a B.

I'm not usually a twitter person but I have to admit I've enjoyed reading twitter posts following some of the exams this last 2 weeks. You get a feel for how ridiculous some of the questions have been and how easy or difficult the questions were. Some great humour out there too which is great to see despite these young people being up against so much pressure.

DD is chuffed to bits that she got loads of retweets in a tweet about the polar bear question. I think twitter is helping keep her going !

DD did AQA and said she thought it went well.

DS is still not forthcoming with information about his exams!

All he seems to say is that they were "OK", apart from Geography yesterday which he said he wasn't sure about and doesn't think he has done particularly well on that paper. He has a decent grade for his coursework so is hoping that and the next two papers will bring him in a good overall grade as it's one of his A level choice.

Maths and Latin tomorrow - he had extra revision after school to prepare for the Latin verse literature and he is doing some maths past papers tonight. He is looking forward to Friday enormously as he doesn't have any exams - although is a bit miffed that I'm making him wait at school for me until 4pm tomorrow so that we can go and see the Art show - his GCSE coursework will be on display and I know I'll never get to see it otherwise.

He doesn't show that he is stressed but has developed eczema on the inside of his arms which is a sign that he is - Cetraben is his friend at the moment and I'm making sure that he is getting plenty of sleep and eating properly.

He has said some of his friends revise until 10/11pm - he stops about 8ish. I don't think he needs to do any more than that especially if he is starting as soon as he gets back from school which - dependant on exam times - can be either 10.30am or 3pm.

Nearly two weeks down.

Roll on 17th June!