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Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (9) Will we get to half term, for never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and who is Banquo

999 replies

Stickerrocks · 22/05/2018 21:53

Thread 8

OP posts:
BlueBelle123 · 23/05/2018 18:41

Nettleskeins after my predictions on what I thought would come up on Macbeth, I said Lady Macbeth I have put my crystal ball away until after the exams.......

EllenJanethickerknickers · 23/05/2018 18:43

There is a foundation triple paper. In some schools science is one of the options taking combined up to triple. Schools 'encourage' all students to opt for one EBACC subject to fill the EBACC basket for attainment and progress 8. (3 EBACC subjects needed) Some lower ability students prefer science to MFL, computing or history/geography, so they opt for triple science.

goodbyestranger · 23/05/2018 18:44

Yes thanks for that too Oratory. We're just about to take the dogs for a walk along the beach before fish and chips so I think by then physics will be well and truly forgotten. Very useful comments though, thanks. Maths and a third RE paper tomorrow and yes, those poems on Friday. Grrrr about the disruption stickerrocks - phones are annoying enough.

mmzz · 23/05/2018 18:44

Has anyone read "The Farmer's Bride"? I was trying to explain it to DS. Has the girl been raped previously? Has the farmer already raped her, and contemplating doing it again at the end? Is she a lesbian or just had a traumatic early experience with a man, possibly not the farmer at all? Maybe she submitted to sex, didn't like it and doesn't want to do it again, but the farmer wants to have regular sex and expects children.

That was a fun evening trying to help 15 year old DS understand that poem!

BlueBelle123 · 23/05/2018 18:45

On the other thread I like how he starts, he had to turn to MN as basically no men around that he could ask, is he saying we are second best Grin

Oratory1 · 23/05/2018 18:45

AQA combined trilogy they have separate biology, chemistry and physics but just get two gcse's. Combined Synergy (still two gcse's)is all taught as science and the paper tests knowledge of all three together. I think the idea is you don't have to have three separate science teachers. At DS school they also had the option of two single (ie drop one of the sciences completely)

Cherryburn · 23/05/2018 18:47

Kingscote I was just thinking today that an analysis of topics in the paper 1s for Edexcel igcse sciences would be handy! TSR is usually a good source for that sort of thing but there don't seem to be that many DC doing those exams this year. I'll keep an eye out and post a link if I see anything.

Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 18:47

They don't take any retakes in 6th form at DVDs school hence the worry about making the grade in English language (5/6). If you don't get it you won't be accepted in 6th form even if all your other grades are 8 and 9s! And they won't take retakes as I previously said.

BlueBelle123 · 23/05/2018 18:48

I haven't actually read any of the poems but I'm pretty sure DS said his favourite was farmer's bride.......feel a bit concerned now Confused

Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 18:48

Triple is 3 separate sciences each worth a full GCSE.

Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 18:50

I'm praying 'tissue' doesn't come up, but knowing AQA........

sandybayley · 23/05/2018 18:56

OK - the secret stash of compasses has been found in DD's room. I have spares if anyone needs one 

@Cherryburn - you asked about GCSE/iGCSE - DS1 school is iGCSE Edexcel.

Just checked the list of exams - only 9 to go (actually 8 if you could the two CIE English Lit Exams to be sat back to back on Friday).

DS1 is doing a maths past paper and DD and DS2 are out - bliss!

TheSecondOfHerName · 23/05/2018 18:56

I tried to ask DS2 which poems he likes and if there are any of the 15 he hopes won't come up. I was attempting to engage him in a discussion about his personal response to some (any?) of the poems.

He says he doesn't have a preference and doesn't have strong opinions about any of them.

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 23/05/2018 18:57

I'm sure you can take triple foundation science, because I think each subject is a separate exam entry. Therefore you could do Biology higher, Chemistry Higher and Physics Foundation, giving you the scope to get grades to do A levels in the higher papers and still get a competent grade 5 in physics with less pressure to perform.

OP posts:
Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 19:00

rosie I was talking about triple science. Individual ones yes there is foundation level but in the triple ( mainly top group take this )they are higher papers and each is worth a full GCSE ( higher). Also in dgds school only top 60 of cohort put in for it as it is ' fast tracked which means 3 GCSEs taught in the teaching time of 2 GCSEs. A lot of independent learning needed and commitment. A letter was sent out to say triple sciences advised to cut down on extra curricular activities because of the amount of homework for triple science they would get.

RosieLig · 23/05/2018 19:02

Sounded a bit elitist that’s all. Some very bright kids take the combined as they are also linguists etc...

Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 19:02

Think you could mix and match higher and foundation but not sure you can now stickerrocks. I know they stopped that in mfl this year.

Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 19:05

rosie I am no way elitist! Everyone knows me on here. I'm sorry if you felt it was, I was just explaining what triple was that's all. Was confused as to whether there was a foundation triple . am a bit Sad that anyone would think I was elitist.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 23/05/2018 19:06

If you are taking the three separate sciences you can mix higher and foundation, but only across different sciences. So all physics papers can be foundation, all biology higher etc. In the combined sciences you can't mix them. So all papers must be either higher or foundation.

Sostenueto · 23/05/2018 19:07

Well now I know thank you janet but not in dgd school.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 23/05/2018 19:09

Some schools only let top sets do triple science, some may take triple science in the same number of lessons as combined so the students need to be high ability to cope. A lot of schools have triple science as an option, so combined lesson time plus one option time so any ability student can take them, hence foundation and higher papers.

slinkyme · 23/05/2018 19:10

So is that the normal pattern for topics ie if they didn't come up in paper 1 they will almost definitely come up for paper 2s? Have no view of what has happened in previous years. I have to say paper 2s are a distant thought right now. Will ensure DD gets a proper break after Maths tomorrow before relooking at post half term exams. After tomorrow it will be 9 more to go.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 23/05/2018 19:10

Janet? Grin Is that me?

RosieLig · 23/05/2018 19:10

It just sounded like you were saying the intelligent ones took triple so why would there be a foundation option? Just pointing out that that’s not always the case. Also makes us Trilogy lot feel a bit Sad

Anyway that’s us both Sad so let’s have a glass of Wine and forget about it Flowers

BlueBelle123 · 23/05/2018 19:10

I imagine the reason for the higher and foundation in the triple is because under the old system if you were doing triple and struggling you could switch to double but I don't think you can switch now, so at least there is the option to move from higher to foundation.........just my take could be completely wrong!!

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