GCSEs 2018 (3)

[mmzz]

Following on from:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3113917-GCSEs-2018-2

TheSecond well done to your DS - that's going to be an amazing experience!

Dgd got silver this year missing gold by about 5 points. Hasn't got to Olympiad but has always won something. Fantastic experience for the dc. My only bugbear is that dgds school just drops it on the dc a couple of days before they sit it. Not that you can revise for it anyway.

DS2 got 114 which was the highest in his school. I'm really pleased for him.

Has he got through to the Olympiad before, @TheSecondOfHerName? or was it the Kangaroos previously?
DS1 still hasn't heard how he did in the IMC, but maybe the school will tell them today. I guess if it was good news, they'd have said by now. Until now, he's always got merits on the Kangaroo.

In Y10 he scored enough in the IMC for the kangaroo but not the Olympiad.

In Y8 he got through to the JMC Olympiad, so has done that.

Your DC going to be a great mathematician secondofhername!

Ds1 is doing the Olympiad too! The maths G&T coordinator told him today.

Previously, he got merits on the kangaroo, but this is the first time in an Olympiad.
Its good because if he gets even a basic result I think it will give him confidence that he genuinely is good at maths. (Ds tends to think that every achievement is a fluke)

to mmzz DC too! Congrats!

Well done to your DS1 mmzz
It's good timing for him to have that confidence boost a few weeks before the GCSEs, and also a great motivator.

Thanks.

DS has just had a look at a one of the past papers, and they are not easy. Actually, when I say not easy, I mean really hard!

I glanced at some past questions. I would barely know where to start most of them, and I got A in Maths A-level (albeit some time ago). I think you need to be able to use algebra to express ideas.

I'm not telling DS this but I've just been looking at the questions too and I can't do them! I'm going to have to look up the solutions and then subtly "steer" Ds towards the solutions for the first paper. Hopefully after that he'll be able to do them on his own. (I have a degree in pure maths, mostly forgotten now, but I should be able to manage a 15/16 year olds work!)

@TheSecondOfHerName Is your Ds2 going to do any revision for the Maths GCSE? Mine has none planned. He's got a timetable all worked out and maths isn't on it. It is a tricky one because I know he can do the GCSE easily and any time spent could be spent either relaxing or make a difference to his revision for one of the other subjects, but it feels wrong not to revise at all.

Yes, he does past papers to practise for the GCSE. He had an issue with time management on paper 2 in his mock, which lost him about 20 marks, and is keen not to repeat this mistake.

Well done to your DS mmzz....

Just wondered whether all your DC have study leave from school - looks like DD finishes school on the 4th May . Which effectively means she only has 6.5 weeks left in school when you take into account Easter holidays (although I think she will be in school 1.5 days during Easter - 1 for 121 English session and 1 more DT day.)

DS2 officially finishes lessons on the 11 May, but has two GCSE exams that day.

Teenmum60 - its amazing that their compulsory schooling is nearly over. There's another thread on here about being in love with your 4 month old baby. I expect that a three year old would seem impossibly grown up to the OP, but for me its really has just all passed in a heartbeat.

DS gets some study leave, but not until after the exams have started. It will be strange going to lessons as normal but then leaving half way through because you have an exam to go to. Maybe their will be a feeling of camaraderie about it (looking for the upside, here..!)

Yes...time flies however I have found parenting of a teenager more challenging than any other stage...

DD will only go in for exams unless they run some one off revision sessions during that period. The first week of exams is pretty full on with 6 exams (although two of those are French) fortunately she can tick of two subjects in the first week :-) . Then it looks fairly spread out with 3 exams per week ... I think its good that HT breaks up the exams ...

mmzz well done to your DS with the maths result, as others have said, a great confidence boost for GCSEs. - As you say, babyhood to sitting GCSEs has gone in a flash...

Teenmum - eeek! It that all that is left....

DD got prom letter today but not sure if she wants to go or not. She is communicating even less than usual, not sure if I should be worried?

Teenmum oh yes, teens have definitely been the hardest stage so far

Oddsocks - maybe suggest looking at prom dresses to see if this helps your DD decide whether to go or not and maybe she might open up communication again ?

One of DD's friends is really struggling at the moment and ended up seeing the school nurse today because she will not eat lunch (she is already seeing the school counsellor ). Its so tough for some of these girls ....this girls mum is a GP and yet this hasn't prevented the girl from getting severely depressed.

DD has to keep going to lessons until the GCSE in that subject has finished, but they are expected to be in school doing private study thereafter. I think things relax more after the May half term.

Sost the 2 sciences thing is exactly as it says - double or triple sciences to GCSE. DD wouldn't have had a hope as they are running it to encourage girls who may not have thought they could dream of applying for Cambridge sciences due to their background to have a go, so she didn't meet any of the priority categories.

DD is struggling with friendship issues and supposed friends blanking her birthday this week like 12 year brats. Then she discovered that another girl in her class wasn't allowed to try on DD'S prom dress in our local shop, so she went further afield and bought it in a different colour. The only saving grace was that she paid £350 for it & we definitely didn't. We've got to see the doctor next week to follow up her hospital test results. Then to cap it all, round 2 of mocks start on Monday. She has taken to her bed with a box set of 26 Downton Abbey DD'S! So far It's been horrible being 16.

I had a letter from the school this week about a GCSE choices evening for Ds2. We won't be talking to any teachers or anything, just listening to the presentations. Our attendance will be marked against a register when we arrive though. And Ds2 doesn't know that you don't really learn anything that night.
DS2's in year 9 and he wants to do the same GCSEs as DS1.
WIBU to send an email saying that thanks but I'm not coming because I heard it all 2 years ago, and have lived the reality of it for the last 24 months?

Stickerrocks - Some girls are just mean ! ...My DD was in tears tonight because she feels she's letting her friend down and not being supportive enough but I said you cant do any more than you are doing - DD even asked the friendship group to "forget all the issues and support each other" in the run up to the exams. I shall be glad when exam leave starts ...and cant wait for Easter !

DD is on the Prom committee and this is also causing so many issues with girls not agreeing on things - the girls do organise everything from decorations/music and food etc. DD is designing the invitations - so thankfully out of the firing line - I did try and persuade her not to apply for form head because I knew this would happen !

mmzz - I would send an email if DS2 is not fussed about going but if DS2 wants to go I would go ...just so that he doesnt feel left out.