Finishing year 13 in 2017

[HSMMaCM]

Hi all. Keep in touch with uni offers, new jobs, gap years, exams, etc. We can get through his

Another who said C4 was awful.

Liney, my DS was always fab at maths through primary then up to GCSE (he got an A*) but he has found A level very difficult. He took it as a 4th A level mainly just for the AS result for his Uni applications with the other 3 subjects being his main A levels iykwim. He said he felt he had reached his limit with maths as he has really struggled with it. He thinks he'll end up with a B (an alien concept for him, lol) but he is pragmatic about it. It is devastating though if it means the loss of a uni place for some!

Malpractice means that some students were taught to the test by teachers who knew what was on the paper in advance, or some students had somehow accessed the paper in advance, or something similar, usually.

What a farce.

My DS's maths teacher has been on sick leave since before half term .

My son found this paper awful, far worse that C3! I think it was leaked onto the web. I googled it after the leak was announced and found a chat room where people said they saw it prior to the exam. Also, a link on TSR was deleted. I'm wondering if they will have to disallow the paper and calculate the marks from the other 5 papers as they won't be able to work out who cheated. Also, how can they set grade boundaries fairly? All those who have seen the paper will do better than they would have normally.

Oh that is despicable. All those pupils who didn't see the leaked paper online are going to be so massively disadvantaged. I'm really fed up with these A levels. It's been a debacle from start to finish.

What a bloody debacle.I feel sad for the students who genuinely worked really hard and feel they have done well....,,if it's then disallowed.There has been issues in other subjects too this year.Apoarently the Aqa Biology retake had five questions that were the same as orevious years whereas the new A level paper was massively harder than previous years.
I'm so glad Dd did Aqa Maths C4 - which was ok ....but she's still grumpy.Had to buy the M&S Beauty Box (along with a side order of school uniform ) to cheer her up.

Are the exam boards competent?

OCR Biology had an uncorrected error in paper 1 (the standard deviation one) and a corrected-by-the-invigilator-reading-out-an-announcement error on paper 2. Can't wait for Monday's cock-up on paper 3.

Some actual biology from the taught syllabus would be nice, too.

DD received 3 dozen roses from a friend to mark the end of her exams today. She was thrilled.

Good luck to all those carrying on, fighting paper errors and leaks, hot weather, illness, etc.

HSM that is so lovely. Was it a potential suitor?

Shocked about the Maths leak but DH says it happens loads (usually small tuition centres) and papers are sold.

Hooray for the finishers!

The maths paper was apparently put online last night, and it was definitely a leak of today's edexcel C4.

Also another OCR biology error has come to light.

Flipping 'eck.

On a positive note, I had a lovely walk in a wooded Victorian cemetery and saw baby squirrels chasing after their mother along a tree branch. And I thought, 'better keep calm and carry on'.

I told her just because he bought her roses, she didn't have to sleep with him. It's a guy she's worked with, who seems to be hanging around a bit and is a few years older. Maybe a potential suitor, but I'm hoping she just concentrates on herself for a while.

Back from our meal.
My DS has decided we need to play board games now. Aaarrggh.

I wish his exams were still on...

We are done! 14 years of education culminating in 7 exams - doesn't really seem to be a fair assessment of a person's true abilities. As DS said, he is just dad that his grades will not reflect the amount of work he put in.

Still, we went for the obligatory Wagamama last night after the final one and DS has spent most of the day in bed watching box sets on his laptop. He has gone clubbing tonight with the one or two others who have finished and has a party tomorrow.

Hope you got on OK with the MRI Horse.
Dingit I hope your dad is OK

Sounds like the Maths paper was grim and that was before the news that it was leaked!

ono, when you put it like that, it does seem amazing - 7 exams to determine someone's abilities

My MRI was fine thanks, never had one before but found it strangely relaxing!!

My DS seems a bit 'lost' without any revising to do!

That's good, horse.

Not much more to go for anyone now - DD is revising astrophysics today (exam thur, the last) and stats S2 tomorrow (exam mon). She too might be at a loss without revising and past papers, but she is intending to learn some more A level stuff which others may have done but she hasn't before starting uni. DH is going to teach her the thermodynamics and maybe a bit of other potentially useful physical chemistry, and she wants to look at the Engineering physics option and maths mechanics 4. Whether she actually manages to do this between planned holidays, a summer camp and having another shot at the driving test remains to be seen!

Ds in weird situation of having finished all but one exam which isn't until Thursday - English literature unseen texts - so not so easy to revise for. Seem to remember dd having similar gap with her last (German) exam 4 years ago. Thinking of helping him tidy his revision space so he doesn't have that hanging over him afterwards. Currently "bomb hit it" status.

Gone off the boil a bit here, final 2 exams bio 3 Monday, Chem 3 Tuesday. Trying some gentle encouragement to keep the motivation going.

Dd also has Bio and Chemistry next week.She took the afternoon off after the Maths in the morning and returned to work in the evening.I think she's worried about this new Bio paper and the essay.In the mock they did shortly before the exams started she was told her essay lacked detail.In the previous practice papers she was told she had incorporated too much detail .
Congratulations to all of you that have finished.Yes, it is strange that their lives ride on these very few exams.Errol I'm seriously impressed at your dd and dhs enthusiasm for their subject.

Paper 3 for bio and Chem seems even more uncertain than the rest.Fingers crossed for them Teta that it ends ok on Tuesday.

Dd is going out at 3. She says she doesn't know what to do until then as she has no revision. I suggested she possibly has time to pick up some clothes from her floor. I got .

My daughter's floor is a highly organised filing system. It looks like an almighty mess to me.

Two more exams on Monday and Thursday.

Feel so sorry for those who arent finished yet, especially those who go to the 29th.

DD was out clubbing till 5 this morning then up at 8.30 for work, now sleeping as she has an 18th tonight from 6 - pub and clubbing. Oh to be young again!

I've been following this thread along with you all going through the same ups and downs with ds2. (He's got chem and bio left and flagging now that friends are starting to celebrate finishing). Unfortunately he's just heard the devastating news that a girl in his maths class was hit by a car as she was walking home from C4 exam and has died. Although she wasn't a close friend he is profoundly shocked, as am I. I don't really know why I'm posting except to say cherish your beautiful young people as they start the next steps into their adult lives. A level grades are not what matters.

Haffdonga, that is so sad and really puts things into perspective.

That poor family and the wider community who knew the girl.

How awful Haffdonga I'm so sorry for the family and all her friends, and for you and your DS, and for everyone who knows her.
Such a tragic loss.

We lost a young person in our wider family a couple of years ago and it does forever mean you have a different perspective on life.