Yr 11 support thread - the scaffolding is holding up well

[pointythings]

Because we need a new thread now that things are really hotting up!

Take her to the GP Possom and get a letter form him. Get it to your school exams officer asap.

him or her - ahem! Sorry...

Thanks Draylon that's good to know. He has an option for 2 A levels and half the Computing BTEC at his Sixth form. His alternative is the full BTEC at college. He still needs to decide, but I think is leaning towards college.

Possom, how awful for her. If our DCs can't sit an exam due to illness, we are required to contact a doctor and provide evidence of the conversation and what was said. If this is done before the exam starts and the school have been notified we've spoken to a doctor, apparently it can be put to the exam board in the hope they'll give them marks for whatever they haven't sat but would have been predicted by teachers. Not sure how correct this is though. So from that point of view, I'd phone now, so if you can't speak to anyone in the morning, you've at least had contact with the surgery - perhaps make a note of who you speak to, DD's symptoms.

DD did her RS exam this afternoon. She said it went really well, which is the most positive she's been.

Your poor dd Possom - hope she can get a Dr's note asap. And that she feels better soon, not what you need at all.

One of mine had tonsillitis during her GCSEs - took her to the walk in centre to get ABs as quickly as possible, but then still had to go to our own GP for a letter.

Ds said German wasn't great but RS this afternoon was fine. Past halfway now, and 5 subjects finished.

I can't get her in at the gp before the exam starts at 9.

I'm just hoping she's feeling better tomorrow. Otherwise I will have to ring school/go into school with her at 8am and ask what the hell to'do.

She's eating now which is good because before she was refusing to.

She doesn't have earache. Am tempted to give her some antibiotics.....I have loads in the house!

Possom - you need to have your daughter sit the exam. Advise the EO as soon as you get to school that she is ill.

If they can, they may be able to sit her in a room on her own if they have a spare invigilator. The school can offer her breaks or extra time and apply for Special Consideration on that basis (Special consideration can offer up to 5% additional marks if accepted by the exam board). You do need some medical confirmation though, however the Special Consideration can be applied for after the exam when you have some evidence.

Talk to the GP reception and explain why you need the appointment, they will have encountered this before.

Try and boost her confidence and ask if she is allowed to be made more comfortable at school - maybe not wear uniform/have a blanket with her/take some biscuits for energy (in a clear bag)/lots of water.

Good luck.

Don't keep her off, she can't sit the exam once it is over. There is no alternative to sitting it. Either she does, or there is no other option other than retakes.

Apologies, Tiggytape I didn't know that, I hope I didn't add further worry to Possom.

Sorry to hear about your dd Possum. Hope she feels better in the morning.

Anyone with a dc doing Edexcel Maths tomorrow, this link was sent to us today, may be useful

corbettmaths.com/2017/05/26/edexcel-papers-2-3-predicted-papers-2017/

If more than 50% of the exams for that subject are sat (so two out of three maths papers for example, and coursework counts in other subjects) then they use those grades to form the final exam grade. But a doctor's note is vital.

Noble it may have changed but I thought it was more like 60%/40%. We had this problem one year when a student missed an English lit exam due to appendicitis. She wasn't awarded a grade because the exam was 70% of the qualification. In other words, you can't have more than 40% of your qualification missing...

To clarify by my 'take her to the GP' comment, I actually meant to cover her illness during RS today as much as anything.

It was 50% last year but I just checked and it's only 40% this year! I guess because exams are now linear and coursework is going?

www.jcq.org.uk/Download/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/a-guide-to-the-special-consideration-process-2016-2017 Page 8-9.

By which I mean you only need to have sat 40% of the exams.

right-o. What a surprise things keep changing in education! Shock news!!

ds really liked computing this morning (OCR) although a lot of people hated it. Unfortunately he wasn't so keen on German (OCR) but even the good linguists found it difficult.

Sorry to hear your dd is ill Possum. I think they are all getting run down now. The exams just drag on for such a long time don't they?

Your poor dd, Possum. Is there any way you can get her to a walk in/OOH tonight so you have evidence for the morning? I really hope she feels better soon. It must be rotten for her to have felt like that through the RE exam.

Dd doing last minute maths but I'm telling her to stop and relax now. She's too wound up.

I asked her about her AQA english/AIC link. She says she saw it but didn't use it in the exam as she didn't think it applied. Who knows...

DS sat computing this morning. said it was really good . I'm very sorry to hear about your DD possum, hope she feels better soon.

Get well soon vibes to mini-Possum.

No one else on AQA German and the unicyclist?! DC1 was showing me the Twitter comments.

Sorry to hear about your dd Possum. Could you try ooh or walk-in. She may have an ear infection but the eardrum has perforated which releases the pain and sickness. She needs something in writing to cover her for today even if she feels better tomorrow. She can hardly prepare properly for it now.