Parents of Year 11s - the end is in sight

[228agreenend]

Hello everyone, new thread for the final push.

My son was feeling quite positive about today's maths paper. It's quite a shame really because this year is the first year he's actually enjoyed maths. He's always struggled with it but has had an excellent teacher this year who has really helped him. If only he'd had teachers like that previously.
He said tomorrow will be an emotional day as it's the leavers assembly, then they finish for study leave. He's not going back next year so apart from going in for a few revision sessions next week and, of course, exams that'll be his last day at school.

DS said that the maths wasn't insanely difficult. He's going for a C but part of the strategy is to get some of the A/B questions. He said that he did the histogram question which would have been A/B. Won't be burning the revision books just yet. His sixth form don't do re-takes but he has applied to one that does just in case.

Biology tomorrow. Then History, Phil & Ethics paper 2, Chemistry and Physics next week.

I said I would pay him to do a Biology past paper with me after dinner - sad but true!

For those of you whose dcs didn't enjoy today's Edexcel Maths paper, I recommend having a look at Twitter. The majority view there (a bit different from here) is that it was hard! They also have the grade boundaries for the last few years on there which cheered me up!
I was invigilating, but didn't look at the papers. The school where I work and dds school don't allow pupils to leave early.

That's reassuring thanks catslife

Catslife, I was surprised that my son was allowed study leave. My older son did A levels last year and the school (new head) said that study leave wouldn't be happening from last year. A friend's son is at a school nearby, one of the highest rated schools in the county, and he left when school finished for the May holiday. She said he's not using his time to revise though.

That's why DD's school doesn't allow study leave until the last week of the exams Madison.

Although, in DD's case, she gets more revision done at home than at school.

EllenJaneTK Congratulations to your son on the use of public transport - there's a whole world that opens up once you can use a bus (assuming of course that you live where there are some)

I haven't asked because I don't want to put ideas into his head but I suspect that DS has been told that leaving before the end of the exam is very definitely not an option. There would be little benefit to them seeing as they are stuck in school anyway (no study leave).

Maxtrue I recently worked out that my biggest barrier to exercise was that I couldn't face the instrument of torture that was my sports bra. I measured myself and bought a new one online, it fits very well which is more than can be said for the old one.

DD is now half way through her written papers. Eight to go. Her first Biology exam until a week tomorrow. She has Chemistry tomorrow. It seemed a slog at the time, but pleased Photography and Drama were done and dusted beforehand.

AQA Maths was 'alright'

NicknameUsed, my older son said that last year. Home is quiet when he was revising for GCSEs whereas they had to revise for A levels in the 6th form common room and people were coming and going, Yr12 were hanging out in there and end of lesson bells were ringing.
My younger son is better off in school I think, he needs teachers around to support him.

OCR Maths here today, which DS2 felt went pretty well. Biology 2&3 tomorrow. Then the final stretch next week. History Tues, and then Chem 2&3 & Physics 2&3 so a fairly spaced out week unlike this current one. Celebratory dinner out being planned for next Friday evening. Fingers crossed for everyone, and especially for those with exams still to complete after next Friday.

By leave early I meant leave the exam room before the official finish time for the exam. dd has been on study leave since Fri 13th May (not all pupils are offered it though). Revision classes were available at school before half term. These have now finished.

It's a shame DS has now realised he can leave early. Most of the rest of his exams are an hour long, though, science mostly, and you can't leave them early. I was invigilating today and it's so boring was reading the invigilators' manual which says when they are allowed to leave. There's strict guidance but schools can make them stay until the end, they just can't let them leave before an hour after the official start, to ensure they can't contact any students starting late, as you can start any time up to an hour late. The manual explains it much more clearly!

DS has a scribe (but not a reader or extra time) and he's in a side room with only a few students, so they aren't disturbing the majority in the hall. I guess one of the other students left early one day which has put the idea in his head.

His first solo public bus journey is a big milestone! We practiced it during the half term with his brother with him and me following in the car.

Cross post catslife.

oh I didn't know you can start up to an hour late. With bus fears, I've been paranoid. Do you then get your full amount of time?

Yes. Full time. If you're later you may still get it if you're supervised since the exam start time (sleep in , road accident etc)

Ds1 said it went well (I'll have to check which board) and seemed happy enough. He had biology revision this afternoon.
Double biology exam tomorrow morning and back to back German in the afternoon.

Maxtrue, I am slightly generous up top (H) and got back from one run to find I had broken my bra!

oh massive relief!!! not that I ever hope dd tests that, but it is reassuring, I can cross it off my paranoid list.

Just reiterating, Maths is DS's 'thing'. I would hope he did find it easy, the subject is something I could see him doing at degree. He absolutely doesn't reflect the average student. Not a boast, he's shite at anything that requires an imagination

Hewl, hoping your DD is ok, and that you are too. It's such a tough time. They are so tired.

Thanks, TheSecond

My son has just burned all his past Maths papers in the BBQ !

DD is feeling shattered and exhausted can't sleep at school as she goes over what she did wrong in her exams can only sleep at home when she can switch off. DD has a busy weekend revising history R.S and chemistry

Our school don't let any of them leave the exam early. I like that policy as it might make one or two of them correct a few errors through boredom, rather than just leaving because they can't be bothered any more.

dd has just begged me to look at the mark scheme to see if she got question 1and 2 right. she did. That's 5 marks

DS thoughts today's maths paper was "really hard" so I'm slightly relieved to find a couple of you had a similar reaction. I'd started catching up on today's comments with dread as everyone seemed to find it easy!

Science tomorrow and then just 3 exams next week thankfully. Tempers are fraying a little in our house and we aren't sleeping due to the heat and everyone is fed up of the exam stress and treading on eggshells around DS

Hewl, ds1 had his melt down a couple of weeks ago. He did better than he thought when we looked at the mark scheme.
Chocolate is a good idea as is for you.