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Original poster

Year 11 support thread

999 replies

pasanda · 10/02/2017 09:37

I can't find a new thread, moving on from the old full one, so I thought I would create one (please tell me if I'm wrong!)

Last night ds stayed up till 4.30am doing his biology coursework Shock

This time the tsunami affect didn't work and he left it far too late to do a reasonable job. Which is a bloody shame because he wants to do biology A level and he has done so well in his other controlled assessments.

I wait with bated breath to find out his mark

Oh well, thank God for half term!!

OP posts:
AtiaoftheJulii · 13/05/2017 19:18

Lol, I started reading if only's post without having noticed the name properly, and thought Laniakea had written it! And then read the next post and was quite confused!

Ds hasn't done any work today I don't think, but he's relaxed and happy which is the main thing, and has a plan and is currently tidying up all his books and papers and work ready for the next few days.

Laniakea · 14/05/2017 10:11

lol it does sound like ifonly's dd & mine could be related!

Laniakea · 14/05/2017 11:00

dd was supposedly doing a couple of hours of French starting at 10 ... I checked on her at 20 past she was on tumblr/listening to music, shouted a bit, checked again at 10:50 ... this time browsing lipsticks on feelunique. I have her phone & I think I'm going to keep it now, she needs the internet for French (listening exercises) & I can't watch her all the time. I'm raging.

Quadratilla · 14/05/2017 16:07

DD is avoiding doing a past Biology 1 paper. For some reason she has a complete aversion to doing past papers. To be fair, she is revising the poems for English Lit. But as I typed that, I can hear her singing...and it's not the Music GCSE pieces Hmm

pointythings · 14/05/2017 16:14

DD1 has done some revision this weekend but has a two hour block of revision directly before each subject exam so is not doing too much. Instead I have made her do some heavy gardening - fresh air and exercise. (I am paying her for this, I am not completely evil)

AtiaoftheJulii · 14/05/2017 17:06

Ds has done biology revision (units 1,2,3 - he's doing OCR so that's half the syllabus for him) and a paper. Got a good mark - the grade boundaries are pretty low for OCR gateway tbh.

Some drama tonight I think. He's having a break atm though!

errorofjudgement · 14/05/2017 17:23

I'm in DDs good books having made up a pre-exam goodie box of new body sprays, rosemary essential oil (recommended by form tutor), rescue remedy pastilles, chocolate and savoury snacks.
Plus we've got fabourite meals lined up for dinner this week.
Good luck to all those starting tomorrow, and continuing good wishes to those who have already started.

pointythings · 14/05/2017 17:44

error we have an exam goodiebag too, rescue remedy defo included.

teddygirlonce · 14/05/2017 18:22

Good luck to all DCs starting their GCSEs tomorrow.

Not sure if the relative spread of the exams makes it better or worse - more extra revision time but two weeks in and DS will have only done 11/28 exams...

RaskolnikovsGarret · 14/05/2017 18:41

Bio and French here too. DD had a freak out last night, saying she would fail both. She says she spent two hours translating her biology notes into French in her head.... She finally slept at 2.30am, in tears.

Am quite surprised actually. Although she has worked hard, she has never worked beyond 6pm, and has been joking around throughout, we have talked openly about stress etc. She has also seen friends and family.

She seems fine today, I made her stop revision early, and we have discussed strategies for sleeping (she has a tendency towards insomnia).

Anyway, we will see. I have ofc reassured her, and told her it doesn't even matter if she fails everything. I do feel guilty about working full time long hours with a long commute, so I can't be there all the time. I will try to leave a bit earlier tomorrow.

Hope your DCs are well. Good luck to everyone!

LIZS · 14/05/2017 19:11

French , drama and chemistry this week. Drama causing angst atm, one particular question seems to be problematic.

Iamnotminterested · 14/05/2017 19:43

Sociology tomorrow here. She knows her stuff - predicted A* - but has reached the "I don't know anything and I'm going to FAAAILLLL!" stage. DH is going through the revision cards with her, at her request, and I'm thinking of spiking her bedtime drink later so she sleeps.

AtiaoftheJulii · 14/05/2017 21:30

LIZ is that AQA drama? Ds's group have been told to do section A and section C.

Iamnot hope she's settled down. I've definitely done hot chocolate with a hefty slug of Bailey's or similar before!

t875 · 14/05/2017 21:55

No exams here for us till Wednesday! Good luck for all those who are having them tomorrow!! We are surprisingly calm - fingers crossed this stays this way leading nearer!!

LIZS · 14/05/2017 22:00

Yes it is AQA and advice is same. Section C is the problem one. Each timed answer has varied in mark ( and between the 2 teachers marking) and she now can't see the wood for the trees. Hopefully there is time for a further revision session before Thursday to clarify it.

GiraffeorOcelot · 14/05/2017 23:11

This week DS has biology, chemistry (both AQA) and then Edexcel spanish on Friday. He seems to be in control and worked for about 4-5 hours today then went out with friends for a few hours. As always a tricky balance to push to work but not push over the edge. I think the balance is about right but who knows?!

This week's exams are the ones where DS is pretty prepared, it's the ones next week and after half term which are trickier for him.

Still got to go and buy the good luck card tomorrow as he starts on Tuesday. Going to write something with draylon's the sky won't fall idea and lots of we'll be proud whatever the bit of paper says in August as we know he's worked hard.

Anyone got any sleeping tips? DS is struggling to sleep...

AtiaoftheJulii · 15/05/2017 07:41

Good luck to any with exams today 🍀

Each timed answer has varied in mark ( and between the 2 teachers marking) and she now can't see the wood for the trees.

Oh, yes, that would be frustrating for her - hope she can get a clearer idea of it.

teddygirlonce · 15/05/2017 08:10

Nerves showing here - DS managed to somehow unclip the lid of his water bottle in his school bag so about 3 minutes before departure for first exam (RE Ethics), he had a bag swimming with water...Rescued pencil case etc...only to swing his bag round in the kitchen and knock a punnet of grapes off onto the floor....devastation zone...

#thingscanonlygetbetter.

Sending positive vibes to all DC doing exams...

Fleurdelise · 15/05/2017 08:45

Good luck to all the DCs starting their exams today. We got an email from DS's head teacher wishing the pupils good luck which threw me into a bit of a panic attack. And I'm not even taking the exams myself.

LittleHo · 15/05/2017 09:08

Oh dear teddygirl. You don't need mornings that start like that.

ds is just relieved the exams are beginning now as it has all dragged on so long.

Dancergirl · 15/05/2017 10:07

Thanks fleur

First exam here this morning too - RS paper (ethics). Dd seemed nervous last night but was calm this morning. I'm going to pick her up from school afterwards.

little I agree, they get to the stage they just want to sit the damn things!

ifonly4 · 15/05/2017 11:04

Laniakea - good luck to your DD for french & biology tomorrow. Here French is all in the morning, so that's be one subject totally out of the way. DD has now decided to do a little bit of french!

Also, hope it does well for all your DCs and you this week.

GiraffeorOcelot re: sleeping ideas it might be worth getting something like lavender oil or something from Boots who sell sleeping aids. Also, try and avoid anything caffeinated. If he can't sleep in the night, it might be worth him getting up for a couple of minutes (even if just to go the toilet) - I sometimes find that helps me.

DD's study leave doesn't start until half term. She's been banging on about staying at home as she thinks her time will be more effective as she won't have other pupils distracting her while studying. Also, feels revision sessions are covering the basics which she is adamant she knows. She's spoke to HOY who wouldn't decide one way or the other - she knows a few others are already not going in. So today she's at home - I've sent an email to HOY and left a message for absence officer explaining why and, so far, no one has come back to me!

She's put loads into her coursework, but hasn't revised much until recently. She's now really getting down to it. I told her if she was staying at home today, then she had to be studying/doing homework, planning otherwise I wouldn't agree to any more time off. She was doing maths at 7.30am and has only broken off for getting changed quickly, a loo break, quick play of keyboard and snack, so about 20/30 mins. I've told her fresh air is on the menu today even if it's raining as she hasn't been out since Friday!

DD is apprehensive, but actually says she wants to treat the exams as a challenge so wants to start them. This week french x 2, biology, RE and chemistry.

BertrandRussell · 15/05/2017 11:07

Ds has RE today as well. He seems resigned to his fate.

I managed to get him a shout out from his favourite DJs on Saturday, so that made him very happy Grin

Laniakea · 15/05/2017 11:18

"Ds has RE today as well. He seems resigned to his fate."

My dd's two best friends start with RE today - they seem to have a similar attitude! Grin

Well dd is apparently doing French (ie not at all) again & she'd like to point out she was browsing ASOS not feelunique yesterday

Laniakea · 15/05/2017 11:21

I'm going to oversee an hour maths in a minute - she can't wriggle out of it but goes as s l o w l y as is possible & then screams at me for looking at her.