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

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Tbh sat results are a bit silly as children develop at different times. Dgd only 5 s in SATs but in same sets and achieving just as well as those that got 6s.

nothing here today - English lit tomorrow, then Business and Physics on Wednesday.

He did a couple of hours physics and English revision yesterday, then played cricket the rest of the day/evening.

He seems not to be coping ok at the moment - we will see!

Half-term is a funny one. When I first saw the exam timetable, I thought it would interrupt the flow, but now DS is relying on it to prepare for AQA History, most of Edexcel Geography and all the science paper 2s (which are the harder ones).
IF he sticks to his plan, he's going to be really busy.

Tomorrow is a big day though- the first English paper.

Oddsocks just read back. Don't worry she will appreciate your efforts once the stress is out the way.

Today for DS is CIE History 2 and OCR Latin Verse. And that kills these subjects for good.

DS is revising the Poetry Anthology for Eduqas English Lit. Something like 14 poems they need to know very well (no books in exam).

This is so shitty for DS (dyslexia with poor memory/retention)
That EXACTLY is being tested here?? We have never lived in a time when memorising stuff was LESS important.
Sorry, but it makes me sooo mad. He is a bright child, but exams will not demonstrate this .

Sostenueto noooo! She'll be fine. One day at a time! Tomorrow's exam is just 2 texts, with extracts to help calm the nerves. If she knows the events, the main characters and the themes she'll do it!
Maybe she can watch the relevant Mr Bruff videos to calm the feelings of dread?

Wonderwine agree with you completely!

First day of study leave for DD2 today. No exams so she has a full day of quality revision planned.
She did some over the weekend, but broken up with dance, her teaching job, the gym and lunch with friends so a bit less intense and a bit of a break (which she definitely needed).
She was set up in the garden by 8am this morning though with Mr Bruff on the laptop and her English notes.

Good luck to all with exams today. DD1 has just come back from her final Latin GCSE exam (she's in yr13 but taking Latin as an "extra" self taught) she says it wasn't too bad. Now she can concentrate on her actual A Levels!
(I wouldn't recommend this btw, it seemed like a great idea at the time, but the A2 workload is crazy enough, without throwing extras in there!)

I absolutely agree Wonderwine its extraordinarily unfair - and todays exams are unfit for purpose as there is simply no need to test memory

True Wonderwine, being tested on memory is a totally pointless exercise and demonstrates nothing. I have the same with my children - all 4 of them bright but only the 2 without dyslexia look like it on paper.

DD has Sociology today......

DS2 says Latin literature (Eduqas) was bene but not optime. He is back home already and having a break before reviewing physical geography.

Geography and English Literature are probably his weakest subjects, so he'll be glad to get tomorrow out of the way.

@brainmelt - snap for today! I think they'll have finished Latin by now? As there's a clash with history I think they're in isolation though. DD1 has gone on armed with marmite sandwiches and a large bar of galaxy.

Wonderwine you are absolutely right. When I compare this year's exams to those DD1 took just 2 years ago, I can't believe the difference - they are completely ridiculous in the sheer amount of information the dc need to memorise, which I agree, is less relevant as a necessary skill than its ever been.

Yes – my DS one did GCSEs two years ago and it was totally different – 25% coursework/ open book etc. The other part I take issue with in the new exams is the way they have to remember when to include things for context (A03) marks and when not... not for Shakespeare apparently but yes for poetry . No wonder our poor 15 and 16-year-olds are so stressed these days!

Yes sandy but DS won't be in isolation in between because he's doing one straight after the other without changing rooms, having to switch mentally from one subject to the other in five minutes. Luckily he knows his Latin very well. Enjoy your marmite sandwich, minisandy.

Dd back from History CIE sources paper - apparently it was straight forward.

Text from DS to say the CIE sources paper was 'good'. He's on his way home now to prepare for Eng Lit & Geography tomorrow...

hmc and cherry DS agrees that History was a kind paper!

He is now in the bath, apparently, before hitting the English and Geography for tomorrow.

Excellent - they all had a good paper

I've been lurking for a while, and have found great solace in the experience of other parents! DD agreed History today was good, but that will mean they've all done well so grade boundaries will be higher - hope she's done enough as she has a conditional 6th Form offer based on getting at least an A.
She is a little like Second's DS - easing off the revising (but without his impressive revision timetable since Y10) but hopefully she's done enough and she keeps calm. So far, only Spanish speaking drove her to tears, but she is much stronger on the written papers, so fingers crossed she can still get her predicted grade. Final Science exams on Wednesday at last - she will be almost as happy to see the back of those as Maths! She is a very atypical ASD child, without any STEM talents whatsoever...
Hang in their parents and DCs - only a few more weeks to go...

Hi farangatang - glad you have found these threads useful. Its good to have somewhere safe to offload about GCSEs and share advice and support.

I did vaguely think that a kinder paper would push grade boundaries higher, but overall I am relieved - for morale reasons - that dd has had a strong start to what will no doubt be a challenging week

Yes - it's a big one this week. Thanks for a lovely welcome to the thread