Gcse 2018 (10) The one with half term

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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.

Except when they don’t sandy, speaking as the mum of a non-Maths musician...!

Just spotted I chose a good name for Mr Persistent but couldn't spell it correctly

We are half way through the first sitting of the new GCSEs, and I'm wondering if there is a consensus view about whether they are what everyone was expecting, or there have been a few curve balls?
There was that AQA Biology question on calculating the calorific value of carrots (I think), but was that all?

Peggy - it was just a typo. My posts are full of them!

I think they haven't been as horrendous as I was worried they would be. DS3 seems quite happy with them so far but that's maybe his personality rather than a good measure.

I'm still relieved DS2 didn't have to do them and that a C was a pass as he'd have failed to get a 5 in English but no one need know how closely he scraped that C.

English Lit aside (which went terribly), DS seems fine with the exams in the sense that the papers he has sat so far were what he has been prepared for over the last two years. Which means that the exam board must have stuck to the specification.
Maybe those parents with older DC will see a difference, but DS has never known anything different.

DS2 found the French papers much easier than whatever they'd been given for the mock; everything else so far has been about the level he was expecting.

Hi,
anyone has Paper 2 predictions for Chemistry Edexcel IGCSE? Can't find any.

As DS1 is my PFB I don't have anything to compare with but at the moment I'd say these exams are 'OK'. Suitably challenging but not too hard. I think his school has done a very good job preparing him. No last minute panics.

I think they've been fine so far - I think it just goes on for too long!

Brainmelt nope, haven't come across a list of what was/wasn't on Chemistry Paper 1. Will let you know if anything comes to light.

DS has settled in to a rhythm of doing a maths paper and a science paper a day, plus looking over any gaps that emerge. Next exam not until Thursday so the pace has definitely dropped. I'm bracing myself to suggest that he ups it to 2 science papers a day (plus a maths) from Monday. The science papers are only an hour long (1 hour 15 mins for him) so definitely do-able. Whether he will or not remains to be seen.

Someone asked days ago for any tips for future gcse-takers. The only thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given is that they should make sure they're really familiar with the spec and map where they are on it as the course progresses (if that makes sense). That way they'll know if they've missed anything on a topic and will have a good idea of the shape of the course. It should help with note-making and organisation as they go along.

I am hoping DS will do this at A Level/Pre U and am imagining beautifully organised folders with complete notes and a well-thumbed spec ticked off as each topic is completed. Unfortunately this would probably require a personality transplant...

DS hasn't found the papers as difficult as anticipated but that may be because they were consistently told how hard these exams were going to be. Still got History and paper 2 sciences and maths to go though so still could have a tricky one in there.

Looking back, it is amazing how dry and boring the exam specifications were the first time I looked at them! Right now, they are deeply interesting and highly relevant as I go through them with DS asking "can you do this?", "Do you know this?" and "Do you need to revise this?"!

However, I suspect that they will magically transform back into their original, uninspiring form a weekend on Friday at around 1pm!

When does everyone else's DCs finish?

DS2 finishes on 21 June. Thankfully that last week only has two exams.

I think DD has found some papers easier than others ...she thought the Physics/Biology papers were better than expected and the Chemistry hard (I suppose its all relative to how they feel about the subjects)....I think she found the French paper easier than expected too. Not sure whether the school have posted a mock Chemistry prediction paper..they have for Physics...will find out from DD when she comes back from DF's.

Last exam 19th

Last exam 15th June here. Handily it coincides with the start of the World Cup. I wouldn't have fancied the chances of much revision getting done once that was in full swing!

Think DS has found the exams pretty much as expected apart from Geography (which apparently was a nightmare) and the first English Language paper (ditto)

I think having a moan at DD yesterday may have worked. She cracked on this morning before her first (& last?) match for the adult team ended in defeat. She's sent me a text saying that the entire squad lost, so she didn't lose face either. Tomorrow it's only the two of us, but hopefully she will feel the fear setting in again, as the next few are the ones she wants to do really well in.

I do think that as I was part of the O level generation and DD is my "one & done" I'm not that concerned about the content of the exams so far, as I can only compare them to the things I teach myself which are obviously at a much higher level. DD thinks they've been slightly better than expected so far.

I think ds has found the papers as expected and with the exception of a wobble over Biology has been pretty ok.

TheThird i think we have the same ds and the exact same exam schedule!

DS: Ma, can you time me on this Maths paper?
Me: (helpfully) Certainly darling. Do you have your calculator, your long ruler, your protractor and your compass with its strangely stunted pencil?
DS: Er, no. I’ll get them, shall I?
Me: (from deck chair) You do that my lovely.
Ten minutes pass.
DS: Ready to go now.
Me: Ok, sure you’ve got everything? Right, your time starts.... Now!
Five minutes pass. I look up. Our hero is no longer at his desk.
Me: DS, are you in the loo? How long have you been in there? Are you on your phone?
DS: (faintly) Can you start the clock again in a minute, Ma? Oh, and can you get me a drink and an energy bar for when I start properly?
Me: (beating head against wall) Aaaaaargh...

The only exam that seemed a bit iffy for dgd was the biology paper but that could be her lack of confidence. All others have been OK whatever OK is!
Masses of revision done and still doing. Now practising Spanish on pup who is sitting on bed avidly cocking her head side to side listening to dgd as she attempts to explain the difference between similar Spanish words!

DS3 finishes on Friday 15th after the physics paper. Then his prom is on the following Friday 22nd. 6 papers next week including the dreaded Friday 8th which has English and History papers, then just four in the last week.

I wonder when the exam boards will publish the grade boundaries?
Last August, I think there was an announcement that they wouldn't be published until results day.The implication was that was later than normal. I have to admit that I didn't see the relevance then, but I do now! They are like a taster of what your DC might get!

king omg so familiar 😂😂😂

DS has given revision a fair go today. Some of it has been trying to commit bar numbers to memory for music GCSE. He eventually feigned interest in gardening before his brain exploded and is now back to gaming.

The exam boards stated last year that boundaries will no longer be published a day earlier because it created to much anxiety...I cant see them changing their mind this year when more exams have converted to 9-1 ..I think the exam period is stressful for some DC already without causing undue stress.
It will be interesting to see some of the IGCSE (CIE) boundaries when results are released on the 14th (I think).