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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:
GiraffeorOcelot · 15/05/2017 12:20

Sounds hardwork Laniakea - good luck to you. I am glad study leave is not happening at all at DS's school. I am aware though that some kids are calling in sick every day. I would just find it so hard to get him out of bed at a decent hour.

ifonly4 thanks, I remember I have a lovely body shop sleep spray which we'll give a go. The disgust at switching the wifi off at 10pm was quite funny too Grin

teddygirl hopefully your next few mornings will be a bit better!

Sprog19 · 15/05/2017 12:56

DS1 just about to go in for his first Law exam. He's got both his Law papers and some Biology and Chemistry this week. Has worked really hard and knows his stuff. However, DS2 has had diarrhoea all weekend and I've been in bed all morning feeling sicker than I've ever felt before, though it's lessened enough now for me to be on MN. DH has been out and bought Sains out of bleach, plastic gloves etc but I'm wondering if we ought to ship DS1 off to stay somewhere else for the next few days. Aaargggh - just what we don't need.

t875 · 15/05/2017 13:32

Sleep issues dd does head space before going to bed that seems to have helped.

Good luck today everyone!! Dd is doing group revision for RE on Kahoot!! No exams till wed for us

Merrylegs · 15/05/2017 14:13

Dd seemed to think RS went 'ok' today. She's hoping to do it for A level so really doesn't want to stuff up. The main thing is she was calm, read the questions carefully, answered the question that was asked and didn't run out of time. These are all good strategies, right?!

ifonly4 · 15/05/2017 15:04

Merrylegs, sounds like she didn't let her nerves get the better of her, she did everything you'd hope for in an exam. One down!

Sprog19 · 15/05/2017 15:08

That sounds very positive! Just waiting for DS to arrive home - even if I do have to speak to him at a distance 😟.

Iwantacampervan · 15/05/2017 15:42

Joining the thread - I remember that I found it useful last year. Exams start tomorrow - French and Biology and then Chemistry on Thursday. They have to be in school until half term which is good and will keep her focussed. She brought home a Year book today with photos of their trips etc over the years - I'm not adjusted to the fact that in a month's time I'll no longer have a child at school with uniform etc but 2 at sixth form college.

PossumInAPearTree · 15/05/2017 15:44

Dd back from RS and upset.

She says she didn't have enough time. Spent 1.5hrs on the first half and then rushed the second half in 30 mins. She said she knew what to write but just didn't have enough time.

She gets extra time due to dyslexia.

PossumInAPearTree · 15/05/2017 15:47

And she's planning on doing it for a level and got an A for her mock. So not sure what went wrong.

LIZS · 15/05/2017 15:49

That's frustrating Possum. Does she have a second rs paper? Exam technique is one area often overlooked.

BertrandRussell · 15/05/2017 15:50

Oh dear Sad. It's often timing that's the problem, isn't it? She's probably done better than she thinks- and there's another paper to go......

PossumInAPearTree · 15/05/2017 15:56

Yes, one more RS paper. Which I pointed out that if she finishes that one she will have done 75% of the total papers. But obviously it's still not great because unless she has got close to 100% in the stuff she did answer she won't get a great mark. She reckons she will have the same problem with the next paper and also with English. She just can't write quickly enough. She says she knows what she wants to write, she's not thinking for a long time....she just can't physically write fast enough.

BertrandRussell · 15/05/2017 16:04

Presumably wherever she wants to do A levels will take that into consideration? And she should have picked up loads of marks on the short answer questions?

LIZS · 15/05/2017 16:11

Does she gets access arrangements other than extra time? Might be worth touch typing or scribe for A level if she plans to do any essay based subjects. Too late for now, as it needs to be established as her normal way of working.

PossumInAPearTree · 15/05/2017 16:23

No other access arrangements but afaik it's never been an issue before today. She got tested to see about the extra time....I would assume if she needed a scribe this would have been picked up?

She's now flapping about an essay subject at a level. Told her to wait until the results come out before making any decisions.

LittleHo · 15/05/2017 16:35

Possum ds said a lot of people in his year ran out of time in the RS exam if it is any consolation.

PossumInAPearTree · 15/05/2017 16:39

It is littleho. Thanks, have told Dd.

She said she asked people at her school and everyone said they finished. She reckons even the other extra time kids left with the main bunch of kids and didn't use their extra time.

I've told her that just because they finished doesn't mean they did well. Better two sections of decent stuff and two sections of rushed stuff than four sections of rubbish......just trying to think of positive stuff to say to her!

pointythings · 15/05/2017 16:43

DD said RE was very doable and she feels she did well. But it's one of her strong suits, A and A* in her mocks and she loves the subject.

Just French to do this week, all the really heavy stuff kicks off next week. They have to be in as normal until half term, after that's it's exams and compulsory revision sessions only.

TeenAndTween · 15/05/2017 16:47

Possum

I think she needs to try to spend the time more evenly, as it is easier to get the first marks on a question than the last ones.

Also, has bullet pointing answers been discussed? So key points are made even if not dressed up in full sentences?

teddygirlonce · 15/05/2017 17:07

PossumInAPearTree small consolation but DS said he literally finished with "10 seconds to go" so obviously time was tight (and he's usually too speedy).

I was going to say that timing is key. Hopefully your DD find herself speeding up once she gets into the swing things, as the exam season progresses.

There's much to nailing exam technique isn't there? Revision is just part of it. Unfortunately, some of the aspects have to be learned through 'trial and error' Sad.

Laniakea · 15/05/2017 17:13

I'm sorry to hear that Possum ... dd's friends who took it today said that they were writing up until the very last moment so it sounds as if it was pretty tight anyway.

DD has put her French books into the recycling bin! She's doing a biology paper atm.

Iamnotminterested · 15/05/2017 17:32

A happy DD here, thank God; she said Sociology went really well ☺

Original poster
pasanda · 15/05/2017 17:48

Sorry to hear that possum My ds had the same in a history mock.

Iam - sounds like a great start!

DS has been off today - I had to call the school and pretend he was sick as official study leave doesn't start until next Monday which seems strange seeing as GCSE's started in earnest this week.

He has been revising hard all day and I have no doubt he is working harder here at home than the 4 hours at school. Planning to do the same tomorrow, in on Wednesday, then another day off on Thursday. 1st exam Friday pm - PE.

If the school don't like it - tough. I want him to do what he thinks is best for him.

OP posts:
PossumInAPearTree · 15/05/2017 17:58

teen. Have reminded Dd of your points. So if she has two hours and four questions she should move on from question one after 30 mins even if not finished. Thanks.

Merrylegs · 15/05/2017 18:13

Also I found this from the OCR RS Mark scheme to examiners, which reads really well I think:

'It is important to remember that we are rewarding candidate's attempts at grappling with challenging concepts and skills. Reward candidates for what they know, understand and can do. Be positive. Concentrate on what candidates can do, not what they cannot do.'

Possum, it sounds like your dd knew a lot, and so she will be rewarded for that. It will be obvious she had plenty to say - and she has another shot with the next paper too!