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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:
Original poster
mmzz · 16/05/2018 15:58

Teenmum60 Given the journey your DD has been on with French, I can see why it would be important to turn out especially well. She deserves to do well in it just for the way she has worked to get to this point.

OP posts:
Original poster
mmzz · 16/05/2018 16:04

Got the text I asked for from DS. He said RE went "OK". From what he was fearing last night, that's a triumph!

Comparing DS with everyone else, who thought it was good, it looks like it might have been an easy paper, so that those who thought it would be terrible, did ok, and those who are better at it thought it was good.

OP posts:
cubscout · 16/05/2018 16:08

RE themes has gone OK for ds and he's delighted to have one finished!
mmzz I think I care about the majority of ds's exams but he is desperate for 9's in Maths and Further Maths. He would like 8's in Physics and Geography, his other 2 A level choices.

Flowers to all the unwell dc - hope today went ok for all

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:09

I wanted to thank you all for being supportive when I had my wobble on Sunday evening. My anxiety levels are more manageable now that the exams are actually underway and DS2 is demonstrating that he can cope with the whole process.

sandybayley · 16/05/2018 16:14

DS1 says History was 'alright'. Just one essay to do on causes of the economic boom in US.

On 'what matters' I'd say Chemistry and history (favourite subjects and a level choices). Then physics and maths. Would like 8s/9s or A stars in those subjects. Everything else is less important. If it had to be one I'd say Chemistry as he has a real passion for it and may well do at university.

sandybayley · 16/05/2018 16:16

Second - very pleased to hear you're feeling a bit better. Wobble away - we're all here for you.

CatherineCawood · 16/05/2018 16:17

DD said RE was reasonable, answered all the questions. She got a 7 in the mock and thinks it went about the same give or take.

She was talking to several people after. They had 2 papers one with Section A, B and C of which they were to answer 2 sections (they had done the syllabus for B and C) and a paper on Islam. Quite a few people didn't realise (didn't read the front properly) that they were to do 2 sections from A, B & C and the Islam paper and ony did A or B or C. What a nightmare!

One person (not in her room) did nothing, didn't even open the paper or write their name on it. Was asked if they were ok by invigilator said they were fine but did nothing. Apparently it was for a bet. FFS if that was my child I'd be fuming.

As to which 3 I want her to get more than others it's English, Maths and Science. English should be fine unless something goes drastically wrong, maths should be a 6 or 7 on a good day sccience (double, she now wishes she had done triple) should be a 7 or 8 on a good day. She wants to do English Lit, Biology and Physics A' Levels. Although she has/is also considering photography, philosophy and ethics, law or sociology.

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:21

DS2 cares most about:
Maths: he needs 8 and would like 9 if possible
Physics: he needs 8 and would like 9 if possible
Chemistry: he needs 8
Further Maths: he needs A* and would like A^ if possible
Biology: he'd like to get at least 8
French: he'd like to get at least 7
Latin: he'd like to get at least 7

I don't think he's that fussed about the others, but he does need an average point score of 7.5 in his best eight subjects.

Teenmum60 · 16/05/2018 16:24

TheSecondOfHerName - glad the anxiety is being more normal.Flowers.

Glad RE seems to have gone well.

I think I'm actually more nervous about tomorrows exams - although they are not that relevant to DD's future - would be nice to finish this week on a high rather than a low. I know she put a lot of work into paper1 of CS and has been working solidly on CS paper2 today...Hoping some revision work gets done on Chemistry at some stage today?

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:28

Four subjects I hope he does well in:
Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Further Maths
(Because of what he wants to do next)

Four subjects that matter less:
Geography, Computer Science, Latin, French

Sofabitch · 16/05/2018 16:29

Why on earth does anyone need an 8.

No one would ever say need an A* surely

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:33

Sofabitch
Before the introduction of the 9-1 exams, the requirements to do that A-level combination at that school were:
A A A A A A A A in best eight subjects
A* in Maths
A* in Further Maths
A in Chemistry
B in Physics

At least they're not asking for 9s.

TeenTimesTwo · 16/05/2018 16:34

I can imagine high performing selective schools insisting on A*/8 so they can keep up their stellar A level results. (see the chucking people out after y12 issue). It does put a lot of pressure on the 15/16yos though.
The only good reason I can think of for requiring an 8 would be in Maths GCSE as a pre-requisite for doing Further Maths A level.

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 16/05/2018 16:35

So dd had pe and it went ok she thinks

We have been looking at her timetable for after half term and she is probably not going to bother to go to many lessons as she feels she will be better at home

She shoukd be getting 6s for pretty much everything with maybe the odd 7 and 8

At this stage i want her to just pass English and maths, and i want her to do well at PE and drama as she loves those...wants to use them in her career and will be taking them at A level

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:36

Yes, the 8 in Maths GCSE is part of the requirement to do Further Maths A-level.

Sofabitch · 16/05/2018 16:36

Sounds like a terrible college that doesn't want to teach young people but only cherry pick the best.

Teenmum60 · 16/05/2018 16:36

@Sofabitch - Yes when you need a point score to stay on a SS school then you need the highest grades you can get- otherwise you cant stay on.

CatherineCawood · 16/05/2018 16:37

Good question sofa I believe that DD needs to get English and Maths at 4+ and any subjects she wants to take at A' Level at 6+. Think she needs minimum of 5 passes at 4+ to enter the sixth form.

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:47

It's the sixth form that has the best SEN provision, particularly for those on the autistic spectrum.

It's also the sixth form for the school where he has thrived for the last five years, both academically and socially.

The requirements for three A-levels (e.g. Maths, Physics, Chemistry) are lower, but he would really like to do Further Maths too if he can.

TheSecondOfHerName · 16/05/2018 16:49

There are other local sixth forms (he has offers from these as back-up) but they have nowhere near the same level of specialist SEN staffing.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 16/05/2018 16:52

The super selective near me has high entry/retention criteria, 57 points from top 8, so not quite as high as Second's DS's chosen sixth form. It has similar requirements for FM. They will keep most of the 120 from Y11 and gain an extra 80 from other schools. They are a super selective grammar school, it's their philosophy to teach the highest achievers.

Personally, I dislike grammar schools and feel they are elitist and damage educational opportunities for the majority, especially in a fully grammar school / secondary modern area. At least our local super selective only takes a very small proportion of DC and from a massive catchment so it doesn't adversely affect the local comprehensives.

I see it as a 'special school' for the exceptionally academic. Grin

EllenJanethickerknickers · 16/05/2018 16:54

Probably brilliant for your twice exceptional DS, second. I only wish my DS2 was twice exceptional! Smile

Oratory1 · 16/05/2018 16:57

Agree TheSecond some people thrive in that environment particularly when its combined with good support - and some don't - its all about finding the best fit. And the good thing about the movement at sixth form is we have an opportunity to retain that or change it when we know our DC and their capabilities and learning styles/needs a bit better.

TawnyPippit · 16/05/2018 16:59

I really want DS to do well in Maths. He will give it up and never do it again, so part of me is ...pfffft. He is at a strongly academic school but his maths has always been a bit iffy. He is in the bottom Maths set (its relative - the top set have already done the GCSE, all of them got an A* and they are doing Further Maths this time around).

The school quite rightly recognises that keeping their stats looking good means focussing on the bottom set to keep their marks high and I have not one word of criticism for the way DS has been treated by the Maths department. DS has had an absolutely brilliant teacher - kind, firm, funny who has jollied and eked the best performance possible out of them. And he has buckled down, sucked up being in the bottom set when his 2 best mates are in the top set, and worked like an absolute trooper for her. He has been offered out a couple of times, but the next set up is bigger, with less personal attention and a shouty teacher and he made the decision to stay put.

I would love him to get a grade that he and his teacher feel good about. If he does, I think it will have taught him about a lot more than Maths as well Smile

EllenJanethickerknickers · 16/05/2018 17:07

I would love DS3 to get a 9 in maths. He's always been in his DB's shadow wrt maths and yet he's possibly just as good at it.
6 or 7 in either English would be nice.
7 or 8 in chem and computing would be great as he's taking these for A level along with maths and FM.
Chinese? An A would be amazing but we'd both be happy with a C.
History and music, maybe a 5?
Physics and Biology, 6 or 7?

He needs 77766 to get into sixth form with 7 in maths, 6 in computing and chemistry and a 5 in either English.