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Secondary education

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Original poster

Gcse 2018 (10) The one with half term

982 replies

Stickerrocks · 26/05/2018 22:34

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3256691-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

Oops. Can't remember how to link nicely, so this will have to do.

OP posts:
thisagain · 27/05/2018 08:56

Does anyone have predictions for the EdExcel GCSE Biology (triple) and not the iGCSE? Thanks for the onmaths one too because I think DD is needing all the help she can get to bring up the first paper!

thisagain · 27/05/2018 09:00

DD only has Dance in the final week and it is only 40% of the overall having already done 60% practical. She is quite relaxed about it but still doing past papers. Think I'd try not to leave all German to the last week but certainly put it a bit to the back. There's nothing like the stress of a forthcoming exam to get them to focus, even if she's a bit tired by then.

KingscoteStaff · 27/05/2018 09:04

Which day is the German exam, Bishop and what percentage?

If you know all the friends might be partying on Fri 15th then it seems reasonable to let your DD go too - but if the German is 9.15am on the Monday she'll need to take it easy...

mmzz · 27/05/2018 09:06

thisagain DS is doing that too. Unfortunately, it could be anything from the second half of the curriculum. If you haven't seen it already, you can good the specification and it tells you which topics go with which paper.

sandybayley · 27/05/2018 09:06

I'm here! Having a mini break up North and have left DS1 home alone with DDog. He's very happy with the arrangement though various friends have suggested we may return to chaos. DGPs are nearby though so will be 'popping' in.

@KingscoteStaff I don't have those links but will happily share with DS1 if others do.

Teenmum60 · 27/05/2018 09:16

DD has an exam on 19th in last week. I took the decision to arrange a theatre trip with her friends on 15th with a stay over in London so they can have a mini celebration (they finish Physics at 10 am on 15th)...then she can revise on Sunday/Monday for DT exam (40%) - its a good subject for DD. All the friendship group is going out for a meal on 19th when DD finishes final exam which I thought was nice.

KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse · 27/05/2018 09:18

German is on Monday at 9.00 and Thursday at 9.00. I think they are worth 75% but I'm not sure how the marks split across the two papers.

Yes I think an hour or two during half term would be a good idea. I'll suggest it. Not sure I'll persuade her though!

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 27/05/2018 09:22

We have the Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran & Taylor Swift lined up over the next 4 weeks. Ed is on 15th, so we are leaving straight after physics, but DD will still have further maths to go on the 19th. I think German is actually on the Wednesday or Thursday. I booked tickets last week, luckily through Twickets not Viagogo, as he has cancelled all of those. I thought DD would be a bit deflated if the majority of her friends had finished and she hadn't.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stickerrocks · 27/05/2018 09:23

Correction: Kick has the right dates. I knew the last one was after further maths. No need to panic!

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 27/05/2018 10:08

Thanks for the thread. Dd has slept loads and has work today. Just a few hours in the local carvery. Then back to it.
Have a good weekend. Xx

thisagain · 27/05/2018 10:19

mmzz I thought that was going to be the answer. DD2 does have it all in hand!

Her prom is on the 15th June on the day of Physics. At that point all she has left to do is Dance on the 19th. She was supposed to do the further maths too but opted out of that. I'm glad she did because she struggled with the first GCSE paper. Today she is revising Physics. She thinks she did well on the first paper and is keen to do well on the second. On maths, she really needs to do well to bring up the first paper!

Oratory1 · 27/05/2018 10:30

Ah that means DS will have some company when he's plugging away at further maths (if he decides to do it). Someone had told him it was just them and the Germans would be in school that week too but he had thought they meant some sort of exchange trip :).

Has done virtually no further maths but I think he intends to do a paper after physics has finished and see how he gets on - its the AQA and not meant to be as different/hard as the Ad maths one so we'll see. Also if he gets a C it wouldn't look out of his place among his other grades, unlike 8/9 students, May depend on how the paper 2 GCSE goes and whether he's got the stamina to keep going after the 19th !! He may do it as his new best mate in house is doing it too so they may stay in school and have a maths binge together. Good to see him enjoying an academic subject - after 11 years of struggle in the classroom and being worse than useless at sport its such a change for him to be doing well at something so I can see why he is enjoying it.

beenrumbled · 27/05/2018 10:51

Ds has been revising the sciences since 9am.

He then plans to go out and work on his batting stance. Grin

Sostenueto · 27/05/2018 10:53

Thanks stickerocks for new threadFlowers
Morning to all I'm feeling much better today and managed to take pup to beach. What a glorious day with a breeze means I can resume work on phase 2 of garden if I can muster some energy!
Dgd has volunteered to go to shops on an errand for her mum and that is a first! The reason? To strut her stuff in her new summer clothes! ( and first heeled sandals). Dd sent photo as I said I wanted complete break this weekend except for tomorrow and it was lovely to see dgd looking grown up and not in school uniform!

Sostenueto · 27/05/2018 10:58

Revision commences this afternoon and apart from Monday when we WILL take her out and she WILL enjoy itGrin she will have her head down 6 hours a day( with breaks obviously and in small sessions) and Monday is the only concession she will give us. I said all work no play is not good. She said 'not enough work and I will never be able to afford to play!'. I can't win ( sigh)

BlueBelle123 · 27/05/2018 11:10

Sostenueto pleased your feeling better but take it easy in the garden - it can wait.
I'm sure your DGD will go far with that attitude.

I must admit DS has completely surprised me with his attitude to how he has approached these exams, if I'm honest he completely coasted up until the start of this year. We had a talk over the summer, me telling him that it was going to be a slog and the best approach is to start early not cram at the end and quite to my surprise that's exactly what he has done with no further input from me except periodically nagging at the lack of English revision - so even if he doesn't get enough 8/7's to have a realistic stab at medicine, I know he has given it his best shot.

mmzz · 27/05/2018 11:23

DS is working today. He made a list of everything is unsure of and is working through it starting with the stuff that he has no idea about at all. Only another 20 days to go (including today)

LooseAtTheSeams · 27/05/2018 11:32

Good to hear you're feeling better and having a rest Sostenuto!Smile
The week after half term doesn't look too bad for DS but the one after is very Science-heavy.
For anyone who remembers the art saga, DS says the teacher went through their work. Two students were very high on marks, then there were DS and a few others followed by a clear drop and very low marks, because they hadn't followed the admittedly complicated assessment criteria (basically school didn't understand it at all in Y10). If I hadn't pushed him to rescue project 2 I don't like to think what might have happened. As it is, I'm cautiously optimistic that he's got a 6. However, that's a guesstimate as there's no way of knowing where the grade boundaries will fall.

cubscout · 27/05/2018 11:36

Hi all,
i'm having a mini break on my own visiting an old friend - left ds and dh at home. Ds has re done his revision plan for the next week to focus on science and Geography with a bit of Maths to keep things ticking over. Music and Food he is pretty confident of.
He is also doing Further Maths, so doesn't finish until 21st. 25 days left for us and 14 exams to go!

mmzz · 27/05/2018 11:37

freesciencelessons youtube

This is a link to series of videos for GCSE chemistry, biology and physics. There is a good range of videos, covering a large range of topics and the explanations are clear and concise, IMO.

Hope its helpful to someone's DC, if they get stuck on a particular concept.

Cblue · 27/05/2018 12:15

Hi all. I am a big time lurker on this thread. I have read pretty much every post on this thread since day dot and have joined MN just so I can say thank you. It’s been great knowing that there are others out there going through the same pain and horrors of GCSEs. Dd is on the home straight with only 4 to go. Can’t wait for it all to be over!!! Like several others on here she is also dyslexic but has been forecast all As and A* so the pressure has been immense (she has to work harder than most to get those grades) - I wish they had forecast Cs and Bs. Have a great half term and good luck to all your DCs

BlueBelle123 · 27/05/2018 12:34

Cblue mightily impressed you've read every post! Good luck to your DD the end is in sight for us all..........I shouldn't be on here as I am suppose to working from home!!!!

brainmelt · 27/05/2018 12:36

teen and cherry thanks for Bio link

sandybayley · 27/05/2018 12:48

@Cblue - welcome! Is your DD not doing any of the new 9-1s? DS1 has some of the letter grades but about half numbers. I thought all maths and English had switched over?

goodbyestranger · 27/05/2018 12:57

Not sure what DD4 is doing - I'm away for half-term too and she's at home with a bigger brother - but I would expect her to revise as well as take breaks and hang out on the beach a bit. She said maths and english lit were 'good' (as in 'How are you?' 'I'm good' which I suppose is the equivalent of 'fine'.

I only glanced at the earlier threads but I do remember you saying that your DS was moving schools for the sixth form mmzz and I was sorry to read your post about your DS on Friday when he came out of the exam. But new school, new start. I'm sure existing sixth formers at the school will be very welcoming and hopefully he can make the most of it socially.