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

[Stickerrocks]

Here we go again.

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

Isn't a prompter just one of the invigilators tapping the student's desk whenever they seem to be daydreaming?
I can't understand why a prompter would be useful for English but not for anything else, or at least any of the other subjects that require lengthy, thoughtful answers.

Brainmelt he wholly deserves his full marks and his lie-in!
Final marking is being done this week at school for music. DS1 knows he’s done well in composition but doesn’t know the exact mark. He’s being careful now as his performance pieces are among those going to external moderation - but he says that’s better than having compositions moderated! They are revising for the exam in lessons but I know he has to work on putting more detail in his answers.
Odd where I work you’d get the same or similar assistance for all exams if needs have been identified, not just English, so I am a bit puzzled by that.

In my experience (admittedly only SATS tests at primary) a prompter sits with the student either 1:1 or 1:2, and encourages focus and time keeping - ie not spending more than the recommended time on each question etc.
So can be quite helpful, but I can't see why it would be just for English and not all subjects?

HesMyLobster I didn't know that about technology schools. I can imagine that anything that detracts this month from getting ready for these written exams would be very unwelcome.

Lobster DS has reported exactly the same feedback on drama and RM from his friends. I’ve passed that on to DS2 in Y8 who wouldn’t do drama but wants to do music and RM so that he really thinks about the implications for choosing courses next year!

Today's revision will be taking place on a train in a minute as we have got last minute tickets for the Queens 92 Birthday Party. DD is excited about seeing Shawn Mendes whilst I'm excited about seeing Sting, Kylie & Tom Jones.

I think the Edexcel GCSE 1-9 past papers have been published.
here's a link to what i think is the maths ones:
qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/past-papers.html?Qualification-Family=GCSE&Qualification-Subject=Mathematics%20(9-1)%20from%202015&Status=Pearson-UK:Status%2FLive&Specification-Code=Pearson-UK:Specification-Code%2Fgcse15-maths&Exam-Series=June-2017

stickerrocks enjoy!

DD took Graphic Products within the DT section and has really enjoyed it (taking at A Level). I think it helped that the girls went to school for one full day at Feb HT, rolled one PE lesson a week into DT and also DD did two full days in school over Easter holidays...so it was all finished prior to going back to school after Easter break (they made perfume bottles and packaging)....sounds much easier than the resistant materials!

Morning all. I'm still lurking here but feeling a bit more relaxed now that dd is finally doing a bit of revision. Not loads but a couple of hours a day most days.

We've just had her final progress report land on the doormat. It's quite encouraging compared to last time. She's currently working at mostly 5s with a couple of 7s and 8s in her A level subjects.

Predicted grades are a little bit better - mostly 6s. She's hoping for 9s in maths and computer science but they haven't predicted that. Apparently she tells me they don't predict 9s.

It's the three sciences that are letting her down. She's on 5s but really is capable of 7+ in all three. She's had a shocking run of bad teaching. Particularly in physics where she didn't have a teacher for half of yr10. They still have two topics to cover. She's written science off a bit and is concentrating on her 3 a level subjects and English language. I'm a bit worried that poor science grades will drag her down overall and affect university applications. Not that I've got much say in it anyway

I think having seen the posts by jufusmum and others on this thread the difference in quality of education between schools is really quite shocking. Not just availability of teachers but general attitude. Dd's school think she's marvellous because her attendance is over 90%. The fact she should be getting 1 or 2 levels higher in most subjects (based on the predictions they get from y6 sats) doesn't seem to concern them at all.

Well DS1 has just headed out to play cricket. It's the perfect day for it - just hope he doesn't get sunburnt!

He got up early to do a physics paper, had a shower and made himself sandwiches. I am so proud of him - this is the boy who a teacher once described as the 'most disorganised boy I've ever taught'. Well something has clearly changed - just in time as well.

So pleased he can go out and do something he lives today. Back to it tomorrow though....

KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse - I think there is a massive difference in the quality of teaching within schools...and sometimes it's just finding a teacher whose style of teaching suits your DC...which is virtually impossible with 10 subjects!

There's a severe shortage of teachers and in some areas it's more desperate than others. It's a miracle that most of the time schools make it work but more and more of them are really going to struggle.
My dcs are lucky that there hasn't been too much staff turnover at their school and they have some excellent teachers, but some very good teachers took redundancy last year and I hear there may be another round.

Loose - We had an email from HT yesterday with staff retirements etc...I think there were about 6 to 8 changes including the DHT leaving (going to HT post)...I think the Chemistry department has lost two teachers. In many respects, I am almost thankful that DD is coming towards the end of her education....

Yes loose and I think some subjects are worse than others too. Dd is lucky that she's had a great CS teacher throughout.

I think it can be a catch 22 though. One a school is in special measures it's even harder to attract teachers and the ones they have start to jump ship.

There are still some great and dedicated teachers at the school.

*once

I think I've said this a few times before but the variation in schooling and teachers dedication will be felt much more in times of change. Also the proliferation of holiday and before/after school revision sessions will increase the divide as some are doing loads and some none at all. And the shortage/turnover of teachers will add yet more. It looks like its not a private/state split though which is good. Sometimes just down to luck of the draw (or lack of it) too.

We ve spent most of the Easter holidays getting ds to the point where he can actually answer an English question. I thought he struggled in mocks and year 10 exams due to speed of reading and typing (ie missed out whole questions) but now discovered from trying past papers in the holidays that he just didn’t know how to tackle it or what to write. Even though he has lovely ideas that we can drag out in discussion he couldn’t get them out of his head and on to paper. His teacher this year whilst not a poor teacher hasn’t helped as she doesn’t seem to get that he s struggling or why. I think we ve cracked it now though even if it’s taken most of the holidays and eaten up time for other subjects - he had worked so hard.

Oratory - well done for cracking English - sometimes all it takes is time and understanding where the issue lies.

I'm having a bite my tongue day .

Oratory Well done for helping your DS crack English. That was us 3 years ago with DD1. It took a tremendous effort but she managed to pass in the end (helped by As for most of her CAs) which was all she needed for her college course.
Getting the needed grade for English (&Maths) is well worth the time imo, even if it means dropping a grade on other subjects.

We had the first major wobble today. DS is worrying that he hasn't enough time to do all the work, that he isn't absorbing enough info, that he will fail or get low grades, that he'll have to resit.
I suppose I knew it would come, but it still caught me by surprise. I'm trying to reassure him that he has already done a lot of work, has time to do more but all DS can see is the things he doesn't know.

oratory your DS is lucky to have you.
mmzz your poor DS. I fear there will be lots of moments like this for our dcs. Unavoidable and totally expected because of the sheer amount of work

Thanks both - yes you're right. Definitely sacrificing sciences like Kick which is a bit of a shame but can't be helped at this stage. And I'm hoping it won't affect Uni applications (or apprenticeship in DS case) as I don't think GCSEs will have much impact - unless they don't get the English/maths passes or they get low grades in A level subjects which won't back up A level predictions. I'm assuming if they can crack A level subjects and English/maths then the others won't have much impact.

mmzz its clear your DS will do well. From what you say your school, you and your DS are doing far more than most and his school sounds far more on the ball than most. With his obvious natural intelligence he will do very well - but I'm not sure how you convince him of that - its so hard when we push a little to make sure they do of their best then have to rein it back when they worry - so hard to do that and not sound contradictory.

Hoping you can convince him he has worked very hard

Mmzz honestly, I promise he'll be fine. It's completely normal to think things aren't going in - there's just so much of it!- but an intelligent boy like your DS who does his homework and attends classes will do OK. With all his revision, he will do very well! But I really do sympathise with him. I remember actually crying the night before my chemistry mock o level because I couldn't remember the periodic table. By the actual exams I'd worked out which bits I needed to pass and decided not to fuss about the rest as I had no intention of doing chemistry A level! So I'm with those who are making a call on where to focus their efforts.

I think he'll be fine, too. It's just DS who doesn't. Really it's just pre-exam nerves (first exam is on Monday).
We've all been there, but that fact doesn't seem to touch DS.