GCSEs 2018 (8) Dozens of DCs, 1 DH and Flashcards in the fridge

[mmzz]

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He started revising in Y10, and was very conscientious about doing some every day (even through the summer holidays before Y11), but then announced about ten days ago that he had 'finished' his revision, and seems to have done very little since.

That is very single minded, TheSecond. Is he usually so good at making a plan and sticking to it like that?

I can see the logic but it takes a lot if self confidence to declare yourself finished and ready to go

His ASD gives him a tendency to stick to his plans and routines.

In the spring of Y10, he made a revision plan for the next 400 days which would require at least an hour of extra study a day, more as it got closer to the exams. He has stuck to this (without taking a day off). He has written revision notes on every topic, has done relevant practice questions and has memorised the necessary quotes and formulae.

What concerns me is that he might now forget some of it before the exams. Surely there should be a continuous process of reviewing information and making sure it's still available for recall?

Loving the Latin quotes with bin accuracy! DD has done nothing but Geography all day. She adores her Geography teacher, who is also her form tutor. She wants to do well to thank him. He's been her rock at a terrible school. No Physics or Maths so far but she's itching for that 7 in Geography (just got there in the mock). She's been very good and hasn't moaned or had a meltdown or yelled at me once today so I'm taking her to the cinema now to see Sherlock Gnomes (she has a massive crush on Johnny Depp and he does the voice)

Just interrogated checked with DS2 and it turns out that he has looked at English Lit, Latin & Geography today. I should know by now that he has it under control and just let him get on with it. It's hard to do this, as DS1 was so very different.

Saturday seems to be breakdown day for dd. Last week we had tears and yesterday she was v v tired and found it hard to get motivated. So not much revision was done.
But today she's back on it. I think by the end of the week she's so exhausted by it all.

DS attempted to write an essay for Eng LIt, it clearly didn't go well as he is in a foul mood, he's definately really nervous about this exam - fortunately, he's just gone out on his road bike, hopefully he will return in a better mood!

The fact you have a white board at home mmzz did put a smile on my face

snozzlemaid she probably needs some time to recover and decompress after the week's exams. At least you'll know to expect it next Saturday, and then she can have a week's break.

Geography reduced DD to years yesterday. She is fixated on "extreme weather" and tying herself in knots about when she should talk about deserts/Antarctica etc and when she should talk about specific weather events like floods/hurricanes etc. Having tried to read the spec, I can understand why she's confused.

Going out to collect a Chinese takeaway seemed to help a little bit.

@TheSecondOfHerName - Very impressed with your DS.

Jusfusmum - Enjoy the film.

I'm really chilled and oddly enough not worried that DD may or may not be revising at her DF's. Late spring cleaning is very therapeutic and I am feeling quite philosophical about GCSE's - I've even started a diet - normality will return tomorrow when DD arrives back home when the diet may end.

Envying your chilled mood Teenmum - I am stressed and thoroughly tired.

Sympathies to your dd KickBrennan - perhaps an early night will aid her recovery.

And the SecondOfHerName, I am literally in awe of your ds. I think you can be pretty confident that he will have good recall of his revision material if he has been doing it since Y10

Anyone got any suggestions of how to relieve lower back pain (due I think to hunching over her desk / sitting too much / tension in her back muscles). DD is complaining. So far have given her paracetamol and am off to find a heat pad

1. Painkillers
2. Warmth to ease muscle spasm
3. Keep moving around and try to avoid sitting for too long

Does she have exams tomorrow?

Yep, Second - your advice is spot on! I'm still a bit twinge after Friday but making sure I don't sit hunched over a desk.
Slightly exhausted after tutoring and repeating 'yes, you have to learn both characters and themes for every text - we don't know what questions AQA has set!' You can't assume anything. Mind you this student has form for pretending not to know anything and then producing a decent response to a question!

DS has had sore back too - I think it may be hunched over laptop not he's typing and doing practise essays. We're going to get something to raise up his laptop on his desk - any recommendations ?

I find ibuprofen better for backs

Yep she has one exam every day this week - might make her come on this evenings dog walk to loosen things up

I hadn't seen this grid before, but I found the stats really eye-opening...

Maybe whiteboard is the wrong word!

Its just one of those cheap boards that you get for about £2 and are an alternative to cork pin boards. I've had it since the boys were little and they liked to scribble on things. It was bought to save my walls!

Teen that chart is about as clear cut as you get! I wonder what the correlation is with 5 on SATS and 8/9s on GCSE is? it must be extremely high. Ditto the sat 4 distribution around the GCSE 4

What struck me and forgive me if I am wrong but the chart states that most DC;s with a level 4 SATS in reading will only get a Grade 3 in the new 9-1...surely that cannot be correct?

Is the chart based on last years results or just a projection? Actually versus forecast?

DD worked on English lit yesterday (predominantly poetry anthology) but today has all been about Latin. She thinks she is fairly confident on source paper for tomorrow so hasn't done much on that. 2nd hard week about to start. Once we reach Thursday there will be a 11 day break before next set of exams. And the bulk will be out of the way.

Of those who get a 4 at SATS;
10% get a 1 or 2 GCSE
26% get a 3 GCSE
24% get a 4 GCSE
22% get a 5 GCSE
15% get 6+ GCSE

So, of the SATS 4s, 1/3rd "fail" (approximately). I know 1,2 and 3 are technically passes.

Half get either a standard pass or a strong pass.

One sixth get A or A*

3% disappear.

Teen, the mode was a 3 but the mean would be higher. I have never trusted KS2 SATS since working in Y6 in two different schools.

Cross post mmzz