Yr 11 support thread - the scaffolding is holding up well

[pointythings]

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

I am looking at this thread because a good friend of mine has a DD doing GCSEs , thus far the news was she didn't like the Biology exam.

yikes Atia, dd has just solemnly handed me her calculator so she can't accidentally take it in tomorrow.

Why does he need an A*?

Bertrand was that to me? That's the requirement for him to do Pre U Physics.

Good luck to all the dc and students resitting or doing gcse tomorrow.
Ds is on laptop doing some revision with a book and pen he looks shattered especially after school maths intevention hope he gets that grade 5 his target is 7 but got a 4 in mocks he will be happy with a grade 5 now maths is the subject me and my DH are dreading best of luck all....

I meant maths tomorrow

I think it's worth remembering that there is usually more than one route to what you want to do. The son of a friend of mine is about to transfer from a biomedical sciences degree to medicine, having gone the long way round to a science degree via an access course. He certainly doesn't have A*s or even As in anything. Hasn't got a biology or chemistry A level to his name. And he's doing just fine - loving the course, fired up by his ambition. It has taken longer, and some distress along the way, but he dug in, thought creatively and now he's succeeding. I think of this, and of my husband's career, whenever I start getting too hung up on what happens with a particular set of exams.

Well, DS has been very down in the dumps this afternoon, no exams today but I think he is finding the relentless pace a struggle. He has also got a stinking cold somehow! Maths tomorrow which is his weakest subject, I am crossing my fingers for him just to pass, although a 5 would be even better (because in a few years who the heck is going to remember that a 4 was a pass this year only?). He has now gone to bed, hopefully tomorrow is a better day. I think he is also fretting because somehow Friday has snuck up on him and he feels he hasn't done enough revision for Eng Lit. Roll on half-term!

unfortunate a 4 will be a pass every year from now on. They changed it a few weeks ago. A 4 will be a 'standard pass', a 5 will be a 'strong pass' and a 4 will never be required to resit in sixth form.

Dancergirl - re the tricky physics, she said that she felt some of the questions appeared to ask one thing but were actually asking something different. Does that make sense? I think she meant that the answers weren't necessarily the ones that looked obvious. She's in bed so I can't ask her to elaborate. She's usually pretty switched on...

is anyone doing AQA maths tomorrow?

Well that is good news noblegiraffe - although it does seem like they are just making it up as they go along, doesn't it?!

DS has EdExel Maths tomorrow. First thing.

It doesn't just seem like it, unfortunate, they are just making it up as they go along. The amount of fundamental changes they've made as the DC have been doing the course (mainly to do with grading) is ridiculous, but changing the pass grade 5 weeks before the exam takes the biscuit.

"is anyone doing AQA maths tomorrow?"

Yes, ds is.

Yes DS is doing AQA maths too.

My ds done a pass paper on maths non-calculator that they released a few days ago the computer marks the paper and he got 35/80 so it's improved from 21/80 we will see tomorrow now.
He found the science core hard today but we'll see on the day of the results no exams easy, they always hard..

Maths edxcel tomorrow

Noblegiraffe I really hope the maths papers arnt hard for the DC atleast for this year because they didn't have much time to revise the new spec.
Good luck DC

Maths tomorrow (AQA I think). It should be DS's best subject but he is a bit anxious with the new GCSE being a bit of an unknown quantity. He was doing some sample questions this evening & he & DH couldn't do one of the questions between them!

Maths tomorrow (AQA I think). It should be DS's best subject but he is a bit anxious with the new GCSE being a bit of an unknown quantity. He was doing some sample questions this evening & he & DH couldn't do one of the questions between them!

Quadratilla dd1 said that she felt some of the questions on the Physics were ambiguous. She does tend to take after dh and over-analyse things though. She's certainly shown me ones in practice that she says are ambiguous and strictly speaking they are, but you know exactly what they want.

(unlike the year dm was doing a maths aural which had a question along the lines of "A man goes to the shop and buys 4 pairs of socks. He pays £1.28. How much is it per sock?" For GCSE maths you don't have to know socks come in pairs...)

She came out of school and said her calculator was fading and needed to get a spare asap as she's got maths tomorrow. As we headed back to the car she suddenly remembered it's the non-calculator paper

DS not looking forward to today's Maths at all. He's predicted a 7/8 but not feeling confident at all...Non-calc tends to be his better paper too generally.

Good luck to all the DC doing Maths today - glad it's not me. I got a C back in the day but I'm fairly confident I wouldn't get more than a few marks in a Higher paper of today .

Dear school,
Thank you for the text advising students can wear PE kit instead of uniform in class today but not in exams (because obviously wearing PE kit will adversely affect their ability to remember maths formulae ).
As the mum of a 16 year old who's very fair skinned indeed her friends joke they need to put on sunglasses when she is bare legged to avoid the glare I think it's only fair to let you know that DD is now frantically applying a second coat of fake tan to tone down her legs.
Still I'm sure this is a much better use of her time rather than looking over her revision notes.
With best wishes, Error

I've been reading this thread with interest & picked up some great revision tips, LitChart & Mr Bruff. DD is doing AQA Maths today, least favourite & weakest subject. I agree time seems to be dragging & there are still loads of exams for them to do. Physics yesterday was the hardest science paper so far DD said. Tomorrow she has unseen poetry, hoping for a strong mark as it's an A level choice & her strongest subject. This thread has been a great support & given me a few laughs, there is a lot of dry wit on here!

Good luck to all our DCs & the very best wishes for top marks all round.

Maths today for ds, and feeling as nervous as the day I sat mine. I also got a C, but I doubt I'd get that now