GCSEs 2018 (5 & a puppy, but no kittens)

[Stickerrocks]

Here we go again.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3177476-GCSEs-2018-4-already

Wow 2nd May start ...I think DD's school had a real mix but tend to just use Edexcel following the change from 1-9 grades but still tend to opt for IGCSE rather than GCSE.

Hope everyone is fearing well. I'm working a lot taking advantage of the studious atmosphere in the house.
kingscote May 2nd here too! So before study leave...
He's just done three days of pure History. Today is haircut, lots of music practice and some French! I'm letting him decide everything and just bringing plates of fresh fruit to his desk, which he loves.

DS1 starts with history on 2 May and then geography on 3 May. Study Leave starts on the 8th but history candidates get leave on 1 May.

Will be a bit of an odd few days with the Bank Holiday on the 7th and then English Language on 9th and 11th.

Oh goodness, I hadn't thought about protectors etc.

I can start breathing again - Mum was in theatre for 3 hours this afternoon, but came through it well.

DD went to work for the day. She cracked on with revision soon as she got in, because she doesn't fancy a career in catering in the long run!

Stickerrocks - that's good news about your mother. It must have been weighing heavily on you.

There's nothing quite like some experience of the mundanity (and pettiness) of working in the real world, to help people find the motivation to apply themselves to studying for exams! It is certainly what did the trick for me all those years ago.

Protectors! Hopefully I can start concentrating on work & my typing again, now the worst is over!

Stickerrocks I’m so pleased for you and your mum - wishing her a speedy recovery post-op!

@stickerrocks - good news about your mum...

@stickerrocks good news on your mum - one less stress removed for now!

Some revision being done in tis house - mainly past papers for science that have been set as holiday homework, and some French revision. With her dd tomorrow here while I go to work, so not sure how that will go as they snap at each other at the best of times! Then similar on Thursday but she has school revision sessions for 4 hours, so can escape the house!

Black pens bought here too and will get more protractors and compass to buy tomorrow (or 3 in case they walk!). Possibly a new ruler and pencils as well - stationery shop here I come!

Pleased to hear your DM is through the worse Stickerrocks

I think when I eventually get round to buying that compass I had better stock up on a few more things going by what all you resourceful lot are buying

Purely out of interest those doing IGCSE's what's the difference between the letter and number graded exams, has the syllabus changed as well, as I know some of you have said you can access past papers?

I've given up keeping up with this thread, you are all so prolific!

Anyway, DS3 is doing his 4 x 1/2 hour revision slots a day quite happily. I've bought him a CGP workbook for maths that's 8-9 questions in the hope that he can raise his predicted grade 8 or at least maintain it.

He's just had an offer from the local good comp sixth form of 33 points from his top 5, so average of 77766, needing a 7 in maths, a 5 in either English and 6s in chemistry and computer science. He should manage this so hopefully sixth form place is sorted. He wants to do FM and his own school sixth form only have a very few DC taking it, which gives small class sizes but very few potential friends in lessons. E.g. Only 3 or 4 doing FM with the same DC in the maths set as well. Not quite the sixth form experience we'd hoped for. It's still his back up plan, though.

Hope all your DC are coping with the slog.

I've already bought a clear pencil case with spare pens, pencils, rulers etc. Good point about a spare calculator, might borrow his brother's.

Grrr... insomnia!

How much work are your DC doing these days? DS is up at 5-6 hours per day for 6 days a week. He's going to have a work-free long weekend before he goes back to school too.

It must only be a few weeks ago that I was having to argue with him to get him to do anything, but it feels like light years ago. Every morning he makes a list, subject by subject of what he wants to cover that day and then just crosses it off as he goes along. I'm really impressed with him, as he considers himself normally lazy.

Hello mmzz from a fellow insomniac.

I don't post much on this thread. I'm more of a lurker. My dd is still at the reluctant stage. She managed around 3 hours on 3 days last week. None so far this week but planning to do three hours a day for the next three days.

It's not enough but she's struggling to get motivated. She got ok mock results (mostly 4-6 but 8s in her two best subjects) on the back of no revision. She's taken this as a sign -excuse- that she's clever enough not to revise. From a former obsessive over-achiever it's painful to watch.

She hates me interfering but I will be removing her phone today if she doesn't do anything.

To complicate things she's been very tired and not herself since Christmas and has been diagnosed with low b12 and iron. For complicated reasons we've known this for almost 3 weeks but she only starts her loading dose of b12 injections today. She's been really tired and has bald patches from hair loss. She's also quite low and has cut off all her friends. She never goes out or does anything. Just lies on her bed reading fan fiction or watching Netflix.

We're both placing so much hope on these injections. Which I think is why I'm not sleeping.

I'm not asleep because DH was working late on his laptop and came to bed just before 2 (and woke me). 40 mins later he woke me again. I was so irritated the 2nd time that I couldn't get back to sleep!

kickbishop is your DD depressed?

Mmzz possibly. We're waiting to see if the injections help but we will go back to the gp if she's still low afterwards.

The alopecia could be stress related, and prolonged stress can lead to depression. Cutting yourself off from friends is a symptom of depression too.
What a shame. I can understand why you are having trouble sleeping.
Do you think the B12 deficiency is where the problems started?

Will be coming home sometime today folks so will be catching up with you all shortly. See you all soon.

Sticker glad to hear your Mum is doing ok.
After DD's meltdown/yelling/crying in the bed Monday, she did a six hour intensive dance class yesterday then came home, did a good three hours drama revision without a moan and was fast asleep by 9pm. More dance today so hoping for good revision tonight.

DS also starting on 2nd with History. Eek!

He's putting in 6-7 hours per day at the moment. Think the penny has finally dropped where revision is concerned! His dyslexia means that it takes him longer to get through the material, so although it sounds like a lot he's probably covering what another DC could do in 4-5 hours IYSWIM.

to everyone facing additional stress during what is already a stressful time.

Sostenueto so glad to hear they're letting you go home today!
On the B12 injections - they do make a difference. Sometimes the person having them doesn't realise that but people around them can tell! My own experience is that I can definitely tell a couple of weeks before the next appointment that I need it.
Check vitamin D levels as well, though.

Thanks loose thats good to hear. I actually think her mood is a bit better after 2 weeks of sublingual tablets (although that has coincided with no school!) but she is still very tired and no change to the rate of hair loss.

I did ask them to check vit d too but I don't know the result. Mine was low last year so I started giving dd some supplements then.

How quickly do your injections work?

It's tricky to manage because although we know now that there is an identifiable problem it doesn't change the fact that exams are rapidly approaching.

kickbishop - so sad for your DD....there does seem to be a lot of girls with anemia etc, one of DD's friends has quite a few health issues but she wont take the prescribed medicine ...she catches very bug going.

DD back with me today ...she brought her electric guitar yesterday (birthday present from DF) ....I so so so grateful that it will have residence at DF's house.

I feel out of the ring in terms of what revision she is doing (it was DD's long weekend at her DF's). I spoke to her most days and she has said she has done revision. I'm hoping Dd will do a Computer Science past paper this week because I know they were well off course with covering the syllabus due to the NEA and whilst DD did well in mock - she stated the content was too easy.

@Bluebelle123 - The syllabus has changed for IGCSE's Maths that changed to 1-9 - apparently according to one teacher it is considered easier than the new GCSE but I guess that just means the grade boundaries will be allot higher. DD has certainly said she prefers the latest papers she has done at school - they do one practice/specimen paper a week in after school Maths (complete has much as you can in 1hr). The English syllabus has changed too although DD is still doing 'Of mice of men' which was removed from the GCSE syllabus but the grading has changed to 1-9....there are two options one with coursework (40%) and one with 100% exam. To my knowledge the only text/quotes she needs to recall in exam is from 'Of mice and men'.
All other IGCSE's including Sciences are the old syllabus letter A-G -I guess because it was a 3 year course. There are no past papers on the new syllabus just specimen papers.

The injections make you feel more energetic for a day or two and then just normal - although the loading ones will make quite a difference so hopefully a real boost for the beginning of term.
I'm not too impressed with the offer from DS's school - they've confirmed his A level subjects (ha!) but on a pathway with study support rather than an EPQ. This is now making me worry unnecessarily over his GCSEs. It also seems very odd given his mocks results and predictions. Grrr. Will email to query it. I'm not going to tell DS, though.

I've not heard from Dd's school about acceptance assume it is fine because she is staying on (dependent on results achieved).

DD has an interview for back up school next Tuesday ...I'm a little concerned if she gets asked the obvious question - why is DD not doing Maths A Level given that she is looking to do Physics - not sure whether 'I enjoy Physics but do not enjoy Maths will be a good enough reply'