GCSEs 2018 (2)

[Stickerrocks]

Pre-empting our 1000th post.

apropos History ds2 has just started the Elizabethans. Oh no, I do hope he does Spanish Armada/trade and not crime and punishment, I think I ripped the pages out of his textbook when we did the E's in Year 8 (was home educating then...so gruesome (the punishments not the home ed)

Dd has gone off to school; she is so grownup and opinionated! She has a school scarf that she has rejected (and I think I recycled it in the end). This morning was freezing, so I mentioned hidden layers under her uniform. Oh, she said with a withering look, I suppose I could wear my Boden scarf on this occasion (she hates Boden as being very mumsy and unfashionable) and came down looking very chic in pale grey edged with pink cashmere scarf that I don't think she has worn once since I gave it to her (twas in Sale two years ago) Then she flounced off, hopefully slightly warmer around the tonsils!

Ds2 is entirely different. He woke up and said immediately, I wonder if I could ask this Mum, but could you lay out my entire uniform on the bed including underwear, it makes me feel better knowing I don't have to worry about where it is (In his drawers as per usual] He is obviously gritting his teeth today over various matters.

My dgd sweet 16 today! Gosh I feel old! Her mum had to have an emergency caesarian and I was the first to hold her. And, as her mum was really I'll and had to stay in hospital I had to bring her home and look after her for 5 days as her mum could not hold her and she wasn't allowed to stay in hospital. ( mum had drips and blood transfusions). Think that's why we have such a bond.

Out with her friends for posh meal on Saturday in the city. A chance to 'doll' up. Her friends put pics up of them altogether on my dgds 12th birthday and my haven't they all changed!

Well done to Alexander dd! And and happy birthday to Sostenuto's dgd!
DS1 informs me he has nearly finished both music compositions for GCSE. I hope this is true. He also has a geography revision morning lined up on Saturday about which he seems remarkably cheerful!

Happy Birthday sostenuto' dgd!

Dd still feeling rotten.

Bluebelle - she's not quite prepared to go anywhere as she's refused to audition for any of the big London colleges (Laine,Urdang, Bird) that several of her friends are going for.

I'm trying to get her to consider the college where Katymac's Dd is currently studying but I think she's happy with what she's got.

Thanks for birthday wishes all!

Bit of strife this morning as DVD wanted to wear her birthday pressie to school (rose gold Pandora bracelet with charms that both her mum and myself saved up to get) no way Hosea was our answer! So photo took to show friends. We both felt proud to give her something expensive and blingy which will last. We can't give her much but is her 16th and something to remember us by. My poor pup not impressed with gigantic balloons and spent most of the time buried in my cardi bless!

Looseattheseams geography my dgd favourite subject 99% in mocks with a cheeky comment from teacher saying where's the 100%! She finds geography easy, yet that damn English hard?

That's the main thing Alexander, if she is happy with what she has got, after all its bad enough all the pressure on our young generation without them being unhappy with where they are studying!

Happy Birthday Sostenuto' dgd!.

Alexander - Is it the Hammond school in Chester ? I have a friend whose son got a scholarship there a few years back - I think he's still only 13.

Quite a few of DD's friends are trying for Drama/Musical Colleges but not sure which one's.

DD is at an Indie and so far all we have been asked was to show some indication of whether she would not/might/definitely would be stopping on into 6th form and choosing subjects from selected boxes which heavily favour the children who wish to pursue a career in medicine . Once mocks have finished she has meeting with Head to discuss A Levels and then we have parents evening on 6th. DD's dad is adamant she will continue at her current school - It is our best option apart from Hills in Cambridge (which we are out of catchment and it is very overly subscribed). I think external candidates had interviews last week. I guess we will have to make a commitment sometime towards Easter but they already hold a deposit.

Three mocks today for DD ....will be glad when they are over and we can get back to normal working routine.

DD is revising like a beast! Mocks were ok a bunch of 6's but a 4 in maths and English. Got her a tutor for English who is fab. Maths teacher says she will easily achieve a 6, but she is leaving at the end of this week along with the science teacher which is a bloody nightmare.
Have visited a few sixth forms and DD has made her firm choice, but it's over subscribed and we are out of catchment. They have 30 external places and they usually have 70 applicants so a bit scary. DD wants to study Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy at A level

Yes teenmum - & she can also commute there at least for the first year.

Parent evening soon here too and dd has managed to get day off and wants to blast the English teacher to find out what dgd has gone down from a high 7 in year 9 to struggling to get a damn 5 now!

Just back from other things! Alexander sorry to hear she's not well, wishing her a speedy recovery and congrats on offer. And Happy Sweet Sixteen to sostenuto dgd.

I know the theatre school starting with A

We are half way through mocks, DS has also been revising like a beast, though I will never know how much time is spent in dreamland. Putting a lot of time into Latin, Virgil's Aeneid is the verse text. Study leave is great, go to school, back at 10,30, lunch at home, revision for the next day.

DS just decided not to audition for a music gig which would've been absolutely incredible because the performances are in Easter and would've taken a week off revision. I think he could've easily done it had he got the part, but I guess his seriousness towards the exams is commendable.

English seems to be so hard to gauge. My dd has a real love of books and has always had a strong vocab but tends to be "lazy" - her lit is stronger than lang. We had the same sort of issues with DT when she started in Yr10 the teacher stated she was capable of doing the A Level in Yr 10 and over the last 18mths she has lost focus a little although still should hopefully should get an A - DD just wants to put in the minimum effort and expect maximum results - although she has revised hard over last 6 weeks.

English is tricky but seems to be one of DS' strength. I think this is due to having had an incredible inspirational teacher. He is such a tough marker but DS says he really has learnt what's expected of him. It's partly because of this teacher that he has chosen English A level. I'm sure it would've been a completely different story with someone else.

We still have third A level option floating in the air! Could end up being anything! Deadline is soon. DH has left the choices booklet in the toilet in case DS is short of reading material

Thanks for birthday wishes all! Its not like my dgd doesn't read widely between revision. She loves Shakespeare. Its a time management issue I'm sure. She finds writing quickly a chore because she's a leftie and if only she could get enough down in time and make her ideas flow more as she tends to put points. Evidence etc down in a way like she's just stating facts in no Pacific order! She likes maths because its quick in her mind, she's really hot on algebra but hates having to write out equations longhand e.g. in words.

P.s she writes almost upside down!

Sostenueto I know exactly what you mean - my left-handed friends all write like that! English language really is quite difficult and definitely needs a good exam technique to do well - and being very careful to answer the question that was actually asked. However there are lots of marks for writing on both papers and that's where children who read a lot do very well. So don't panic!
drummers I'm so pleased your DS wants to take English A level - I'm sure he will love it!
DS1 has a taster lesson and interview at his first-choice sixth form at the end of the month. I bet he sneaks off to visit the music department despite not choosing Music (so far...)

Happy birthday to your DGD , Sostenuto.

I'm sure what you described is just about being left handed with no other underlying cause, but, I was just wondering if you have ever had some suggest discounting dysgraphia?

What's disgraphia mmzz?

I really believe that she cannot write quick enough. She also has a mind that can learn and analyze facts but when having g to put a nuance or feeling on something may be difficult, not sure really. She verbalizes everything great and articulated and intelligently but cannot write in the same way.

Dysgraphia is a learning disability within the dyslexia family. It causes slow, messy handwriting and often the writer has an odd pen grip and suffers pain when writing.

Typing is the main solution to both speed and readability. (Ds has dysgraphia)

Sostenueto My dd writes really slow because she has Hypermobility really bad in her hands and therefore pencil grip is incredibly poor (she gets rest breaks in exams). Some of the lunchtime clinics at school have been really helpful and in preparing DD to write more concisely and just answer the questions asked - so cutting out "faff" particularly in history where she has always struggled to finish papers- not sure whether anyone can help your DD in this way. It certainly helped DD because she finished her history mock with time to spare where has 6 months ago she didnt finish the paper. Also perhaps in English is timing so making sure she allocates time based on the weighting per question... DD has been taught (rightly or wrongly) to use the 15 minutes notional reading time throughout the exam (so not just for reading)- although obviously still to read the questions properly. I think someone else commented above that English is allot to do with technique.

Well I could look into it and see so thanks all for advice.