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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:
Laniakea · 16/05/2017 21:08
Grin
GiraffeorOcelot · 16/05/2017 21:23

Just looked at the #aqabiology on twitter, it's scary and makes me more worried as DS wants to do it at A level so really needs good marks.Confused

GiraffeorOcelot · 16/05/2017 21:26

You just never know do you until the day in August 😬

Toffeewhirl · 16/05/2017 21:29

DS took AQA Biology (Core) today. He's very upset because he ran out of time and missed out several questions. The six-mark question was on reflex arcs, which he had revised really well - and he didn't do it! I'm so frustrated with his school because he's entitled to a prompt in the exam, but they didn't provide one.

He was meant to be spending this evening revising for ICT tomorrow and Chemistry on Thursday - but he's so disheartened by today that he's refusing to do anything. Feel so sorry for him because he's worked so hard.

GiraffeorOcelot · 16/05/2017 21:37

Oh no toffee, I really feel for your DS. Why did school not provide the prompter? Have they said?

errorofjudgement · 16/05/2017 21:56

If the exam arrangements haven't been followed correctly, is there any recourse? It might be worth checking with the exams officer tomorrow.

Original poster
pasanda · 16/05/2017 22:02

toffee - that's awful that they didn't provide what they said they would Sad And for him now not want to bother makes it even worse! How do the school think that helps fgs?

Thanks cricket - I will pm you.

OP posts:
DrMadelineMaxwell · 16/05/2017 22:24

DD just told me 'It was fine' about the biology exam. She felt over prepared yesterday, so hopefully she was just prepared enough to feel that it was easy enough.
They have to take all 3 sciences here, no choice, and then choose as an option whether to do 'extra science' and do more for each of the three. No idea whether that's classified as double or triple science though.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 16/05/2017 22:25

Jewellery hating DD has decided she could do with a watch to be able to better keep track of time in her exams. The theatre they sit the exams in has 2 clocks on the wall, but I've ordered her a cheap and cheerful watch (on prime to get here tomorrow) for her. She's obv used to using her phone for the time.

If she doesn't want it after the exams then her sister can have it!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 16/05/2017 22:27

aqa biology discussion brings back memories of last years awful b1 paper.

Hatethegym · 16/05/2017 22:31

Does anyone know about the extra marks for candidates who sit more than the "allowed" time in one day? My dd has a day with more than 5 hours and she has been old she will get credit. Would that just be for the final paper of the day? She was offered the choice to take it the next day but she didn't want to.

Fleurdelise · 16/05/2017 22:59

Giraffe I felt the same when I read the questions on Twitter, it got me worried but DS tells me he answered the 6 marks question and the biomass q is the only one he believes he got completely wrong (yes, I kept asking for more details as the questions were unraveling on Twitter). We'll never know till results day. DS also applied for Bio A level so fingers crossed he'll get his A.

Toffee that's terrible, I am so sorry to hear your DS is disappointed and disheartened after today. Try to encourage him to put it behind him and move on, I know how he feels as I went through something similar in my exams back in the day and felt like "what's the point".

Rosieposy4 · 16/05/2017 23:05

Last years B1 wasn't awful!
Made the mistake of discussing the bio paper today with ds4, his choice.
He is desperate for an A* but has made several errors, hopefully it is recall bias and he was just talking about the questions he found tricky, he does a different exam board to me so I can't even check the paper...

Quadratilla · 16/05/2017 23:07

Hatethegym - I think I read it was 2% extra on the last exam paper if the total exam time was over five and a half hours. Haven't heard anything from DD's school - but her long day is only five and a quarter hours. Also hers are a mixture of boards and GCSE/IGCSE which may throw a spanner in the works.

I'm sure someone will be along with a definitive answer and a link..

tiggytape · 16/05/2017 23:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dancergirl · 16/05/2017 23:25

For anyone's dc who did the Edexcel Biology paper - what did they make of the question about fungi eating wood or something...?

Toffeewhirl · 16/05/2017 23:37

Thanks everyone for your encouraging and kind words. I've spent most of this evening trying to boost DS's confidence again. Gave up on suggesting revision; instead we watched a couple of episodes of some funny TV shows.

I heard back from the school SENCO, who confirmed that DS should have been assigned a prompt for the exam. He said he'll speak with the school's exam officer tomorrow to find out what went wrong and ensure a prompt is in place for the next exam (which is at 9am, I think, so he'll have to be quick). I'll ask him if this issue can be taken into account when the paper is marked. It should be, really, as it put DS at a disadvantage.

Danglingmod · 16/05/2017 23:51

I seem to be the only one with a dc who sat ocr biology today...it was "fine."

Hatethegym · 17/05/2017 00:01

Thanks Quadratilla (that's not a nod to tomorrow's Latin paper is it?) My dd is also doing a hotch potch of GCSE/IGCSE and boards so it does seem to count. Although I'm wondering now, as she's not doing 5.5 hours in one day so perhaps school got it wrong. If not maybe you need to make a fuss on your dd's behalf

Fozzleyplum · 17/05/2017 00:09

DS is sitting the Latin paper tomorrow. I had a quick look at Ummidia Quadratilla this evening; it's like Ab Fab, Roman style.

Hatethegym · 17/05/2017 00:16

Hmm this article agrees with your knowledge Quadratilla www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1583520/Special-consideration-for-exams-the-rules.html so I've either counted up the time wrong or school are talking rubbish Confused

Hatethegym · 17/05/2017 00:21

I've counted wrong Blush it's nearly 6 hours so school was correct

AtiaoftheJulii · 17/05/2017 07:04

Yes, it's still the same, 2% for the last paper - google JCQ special consideration for the latest information. Latin seemed to clash with everything when my dd1 did it! She only hit 5 1/4 hours though.

Toffee - what a shame for your son Sad Hope he can forget about it today (for a while at least).

PossumInAPearTree · 17/05/2017 07:59

dancergirl dd says no fungi questions on edexcel. Confused

HappyMum543 · 17/05/2017 08:18

What are the grade boundries for edexcel science this year does anyone know?