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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSE 2018 (7) [wine][wine][wine][wine]

999 replies

mmzz · 10/05/2018 17:28

A new thread to take us through the exams
Link to old thread

OP posts:
AlwaysHiding · 15/05/2018 14:17

Hello @Rufus - I sympathise with you as the stressed parent of a GCSE student with health conditions, but also with your daughter as CFS/ME is one of the many health issues I personally live with, as well as supporting my DD with her own long term diagnoses.

We’re hoping for the bare minimum for DD - just the grades she needs to get into her choice of 6th form. Anything more than that will be a bonus. Although predicted a mix of 6-8s, with English and History her strongest subjects, the biggest reward would be seeing one of her more severe conditions into remission. That would beat any GCSE grade, hands down.

I’ve got 30 minutes before I have to head off to collect her from the Biology exam. I’m in a darkened room, with yet another dreadful headache. Going to rest my eyes for a bit to see if it eases off.

Hope you’re all okay.

Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 14:25

Looks like all the Biology exams are this PM...which makes sense..

DD also did the 100 islander question in CS...I will be interested to see the CS grades come August because the general feeling was the paper was easier than expected but if you look through the student comments a lot of the DC's got different answers for the same question (which is possible with a very open business question like 100 Islanders) - but on some of those questions there will be just one answer - so I wonder whether it was so easy?

So looking forward to having my little lady back tomorrow morning..sometimes shared parenting is pants!

EllenJanethickerknickers · 15/05/2018 14:25

When I took my O levels it was set that 10% of those who took O levels would get a grade A. So not including any who took CSEs. 15% got a B and 25% got a C. Roughly 36% took O levels and the rest CSEs.

When everyone moved to GCSE it meant that the two tier system was abolished and even if you took foundation or higher you'd still get a comparable GCSE grade. Much fairer but the definition of grades was no longer tied to percentages. 10% A of 36% taking O level is only 3.6% getting an A. More like 7.5% got A* and another 14% got an A. If universities and employers want to differentiate the very top, they needed a higher measure. The % getting a new grade 9 is much closer to those getting an A in the 1970s and early 80s.

Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 14:26

Alwayshiding sending you and your DD FlowersHalo

AlwaysHiding · 15/05/2018 14:27

DD needs 7 grade 9-5, which should include 4 at grade 6 or above for the subjects/or related to be studied.

We’ve approached senior leadership to clarify the ‘what if’ scenario, given the severe decline in her health in recent months and we’ve medical documentation on file to support us.

Hoping they’ll allow her to continue at 6th form if she doesn’t achieve the required grades because her work ethos and overall results cannot be faulted.

Fingers crossed!

AlwaysHiding · 15/05/2018 14:28

Thanks @Teenmum ☺️

EllenJanethickerknickers · 15/05/2018 14:29

I meant more like 7.5% got an A* at GCSE in 2016.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 15/05/2018 14:30

Always, I'd hope they'd be sympathetic. Flowers

EllenJanethickerknickers · 15/05/2018 14:31

Teen, my boys are with their dad this weekend, Thurs-Sunday. 7 years and I still hate it.

Original poster
mmzz · 15/05/2018 14:40

Sostenueto you can't compare SATS grade 5s performance with 6s because not all primary schools did the 6s.

AlwaysHiding and others with long term sick DC, I hope it doesn't upset you when the conversation wanders off like this. For me, what you are going through is the stuff of nightmares. It puts it all in perspective and I can't express strongly enough my admiration for your and your DC's resilience to keep moving forward as you do. I honestly don't think I'd have the courage and strength that you show every day. Flowers

OP posts:
Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 14:44

Ellen - My DD should have been with her DF from Thurs-Tues but I muscled in because of exams and she was with me most of Thursday and all day Saturday and Sunday (DF thinks good grades grow on trees and would rather her practice Piano - even though no exam coming up). We have shared care for 13yrs and it works OK it allows me to do a job I enjoy (I work away from home a few days a month) and we are reasonably amicable...although it will be nice when DD is at UNi and I can consider moving somewhere I would like to live.

Original poster
mmzz · 15/05/2018 14:52

587 posts in and the thread only started five days ago!

I think its going to be like pregnancy or having a newborn baby. The things to talk about with other women in the same situation seem endless and then suddenly its yeah, yeah,... you come home from hospital, don't get much sleep, learn to change nappies, buy some equipment, take photos and the baby is super-adorable.

OP posts:
Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 14:58

Twitter - GCSE Biology comments - interesting with some DC's stating that AQA Bio was like taking a Maths test?

Original poster
mmzz · 15/05/2018 15:02

because they had to do calculations?

I don't understand that.

DS is still in the exam. Those who have already started posting on twitter and quick off the mark.

OP posts:
Original poster
mmzz · 15/05/2018 15:05

I liked this tweet:
One exam down- one step closer to my kfc career

OP posts:
dogzdinner · 15/05/2018 15:06

How they posting already?

I thought it started at 1.30 and was 1hr45 long?

Original poster
mmzz · 15/05/2018 15:09

I think the exam times are all something like 1:30pm +/- 30 mins, with no one allowed to leave before 2pm. (not the exact times)
That way no one can take a quick look at the paper and then send out the questions to those who are doing it a bit later before those who are doing it later have actually gone into the exam hall.

OP posts:
Original poster
mmzz · 15/05/2018 15:11

Am I reading the tweets right? AQA Combined was unexpectedly heavy on calculator questions about food energy, but Edexcel is ok, as are the triple biology questions for both exam boards?

OP posts:
Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 15:15

I think both triple and combined sit the same paper1 but combined do not do paper2...

AlwaysHiding · 15/05/2018 15:20

@mmzz - absolutely no upset here with the conversation content today. Everyone’s priorities are different and it’s lovely to see how you all deal with your DC.

Health issues have been a part of my life for a very long time, also my DD and we know nothing different. That’s how we get through each day. For those who have been otherwise well before being diagnosed with long term conditions, it’s a massive shock and life changes in a way you can’t predict.

I feel privileged to be here among you all, even if my story and aspirations are slightly different to the ‘norm’.

dogzdinner · 15/05/2018 15:22

when my elder DS did GCSEs a few years ago it was
Science - Paper 1 of each
Double science - Paper 1 and 2 of each
Triple science - Paper 1, 2 and 3 of each

What do they do now?

Cherryburn · 15/05/2018 15:29

In Edexcel igcse for each science it's:

Paper 1-sat by all, worth 66% of triple total (or 100% for those doing double science)
Paper 2-sat only by those doing triple. Worth 33% of triple total.

Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 15:31

dogzdinner My impression for IGCSE (Edexcel) sciences is that there are 2 papers Paper 1 2hrs and Paper 2 1 hr and everyone sits paper 1 and just the triple science DC's sit paper 2.

Teenmum60 · 15/05/2018 15:32

crossed posts...Cherryburn

dogzdinner · 15/05/2018 15:34

Sorry should have said that was AQA!

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