GCSE 2018 no. 6: stress, struggles and success (hopefully) *Title Edited by MNHQ*

[mmzz]

New thread for GCSEs 2018

I'm finding it difficult to focus on work these days. I think parents should be given leave too

Thanks for the reassurance all. Much appreciated. DH away so I have no one to offload to!

Well ds has also reported that the Eng Lang paper was tough. The first question sounds much more complicated than the past papers ds had tackled. Let’s hope for low grade boundaries!
Unfortunately ds has a horrible virus atm and it’s hard enough for him to stay awake, let alone sit exams.

I work in a secondary school so there's no let up even at work!

It's good that there seem to be quite a few on this thread whose DC are taking IGCSEs so you can compare notes.

And I teach Year 6 so am also stressing about 30 children’s SATs next week...

Keep away from the Primary Ed board, then Kingscote!

I hope your ds feels better soon superdoodle - that's one of my pet worries, an ailing child during exams

For those that are worrying that their DC found the exam hard as opposed to others that didn't.......it means nothing, all DC have different expectations of the exam if your aiming high then nothing short of perfection will suffice if your aiming lower the fact you could make a decent attempt could mean your coming out walking on air and saying what a great paper that was.........I know its easier said than done but you really can't second guess these things .........lecture over

It’s a nightmare to be honest. Started with a sore throat yesterday, on the morning of his first exam. It’s so bad today he can’t really swallow, despite having every legal analgesic in max quantities! It’s a virus, so nothing can be done except wait...and of course time is the one thing we don’t have at the moment. DS isn’t well enough to do anything other than sit the exams so is losing precious revision time in the lead up to his horrendous week starting next Monday.

Anyone have any spare gin?!

stickerrocks it's a non-selective state comprehensive (but it gets good results and I think I see how now). I am getting a sense of panic from the maths dept though. The other subjects either seem to be on top of things, or just going through the motions.

Get him to gargle with salt water it will kill the bacteria in his throat my stop it spreading!

It's there a measles outbreak at the moment? What are the first symptoms?

superdoodle that's really unlucky to be coping with a virus on top of everything else. Hope it's short-lived and he feels better soon.

BlueBelle you're right. It's also difficult for them to tell sometimes I think.

Anyway, it's done so no point fretting. Onwards and upwards. (I may have had a glass of now!)

Measles doesn't start with a sore throat (I just looked it up). So, whatever it is, it's not that.

Yes it’s definitely not measles.

Fingers crossed it goes away soon......about to prepare salt mouth wash (thanks Bluebell)

One of my students has gone down with shingles and another with chicken pox.

mmzz Fibber! On a serious note though, how many are in his year group & are they all being told to attend these extra sessions or is it just the top set? DD is at a similar school with great results, but all out of school sessions are entirely voluntary. Some students are being targeted for particular sessions, but they don't have to attend. I would be seriously annoyed if my DD was a middling student but all the resources were being thrown at the highest achievers leaving her to struggle.

superdoodle I swear by Ultra Chloraseptic Anaesthetic Throat Spray. It numbs everything, giving temporary relief and the throat a chance to stop scratching. I use it myself when I go to the dentist as I'm a terrible patient and it means I don't go into panic mode when she starts poking around at the back of my mouth.

The way comparatively similar schools (state comps) prepare for these exams has been a real eye opener!

What are your schools doing to mark them leaving (apart from prom)? Ours has a leaving assembly (1 guest per child) on 22 June. DD has her last exam on 19th, then has 2 days to write the head girl/head boy speech, but her year leader has been nagging her to get on with it now so that he can work out what he needs to say. I think they give out the prom tickets and leaving hoodies that afternoon, as well as doing slide shows of the year group and prizes for things like "person most likely to be prime minister (DD is hoping for that one) or person with the best hair (all done with a HUGE dose of sarcasm, obviously).

superdoodle what exam board was English exam please?

Leaving ceremony 25th may I think for dgd.

Is that when she's allowed to start taking study leave as well?

CIE Eng Lang today (and Fri).

DS’s school goes up to Year 13 so they don’t have any sort of celebration this year.

Yes stickerocks