Gcse 2018 (10) The one with half term

[Stickerrocks]

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.

[JufusMum]

Gosh how unsettling to have the wrong paper, that would freak out DD!

[Aragog]

Yes, the potential for a child to get really stressed must be huge. I suppose at least with modern technology the delay could be minimised. The exam board have apologised and appear to have accepted responsibility, but its really not great.

[Teenmum60]

Jufus - well done to your DD...

Sost - Hope the pup is OK - have you been to the vets?

Kingscote - How did your DS get on yesterday?

[PeggySchuylar]

Teen I think it was you thinking about asking if your DC could drop a subject?

2 of mine have done this. One was a MFL and school could see it just wasn’t going to happen. I can’t remember where DC hung out instead of being in German.

Other DC dropped RE at start of y10 just to reduce stress and manage workload. Her form tutor was a computing teacher so she went to her form room and did coursework, blooming Welsh Bacc report or just wasted time at the back on a computer.

Just remembered another DC dropped French and has library lessons to do homework and music lessons in the empty spaces so it doesn’t impact on other lesson time.

I didn’t realise how much dropping out we have done

Wonderwine the contrast between driving - you can learn when you like, at any age, and GCSEs - 10 subjects at 15 or 16, is massive.

[KingscoteStaff]

Teen They lost, though he played reasonably well, and he is unhurt! Hoorah.

That's awful about the paper Aragog - what a nightmare. Thinking about that, what's happened about those poor DC who has revised the wrong play - can't remember which posters were telling us.

[BlueBelle123]

A bit late to report but DS's Edexcel history Medicine in Britain went really well and he very kindly told me what he wrote for each question in great detail without me having to even ask

Well done Jufus DD on the dancing trophies!

Secretly dreading tomorrow English Language.......my fault I shouldn't have offered to type up his questions for his teacher to mark, I would of remained in blissful ignorance of his ability otherwise!! He's also got geography in the afternoon which should be fine.......I've been nowhere near his geography!!

[Sostenueto]

Omg! Wrong papers don't they think the DC have enough stress!
Dgd also worrying about geography as regards timing. She says not enough time to write complete full details for high mark questions in order to get all marks for them.
Update on pup.....she has a phantom pregnancy and us even lactating! Apparently more common than you think and happens directly after heat is over. Overload if hormones that can take 70 days to get better! One injection and a lot lighter in pocket and managed to get a little food down but had to give pink pig which she has adopted as her pup a bit, then her a bit and so on. It is comical to watch her because usually stuffed toys last about 3 minutes and I wondered why latest toys still intact! Depression, going off food, not wanting a walk and lactating all signs of phantom pregnancy.

[HesMyLobster]

Oh Sost poor Pup! Hope she back to her self soon.

Aragog those poor DC with the wrong history paper, it's every exam related nightmare come true.
It made me wonder what happened to the schools who studied the wrong English Lit text too.

Kingscote glad your DS is still in one piece after cricket (and that he had a good match)

[Oratory1]

DS gave up a subject after mocks and just had more free periods to work on other subjects but you've just reminded me he also gave up an MFL in year 8 (they did 2 then). For one of these lessons he had extra learning support and for the other he sat in his Tutors room and did homework (which was really handy as he took twice as long as everyone else to do his homework anyway) and he loved it as his Tutor was the art teacher so he sat in a big airy art room with music playing and listened to the chat and supposedly did some work.

I suppose it works when those dropping subjects are studious and want to use that time to work on the other subjects but a night mare if not

[Teenmum60]

Oh no...hope pup recovers quickly- Sost.

Hi Peggy - Yes DD tried to drop French back in December. The school felt that DD was capable but lacked confidence...DD lacked confidence because she had issues with FT (The whole class had issues with FT). I was determined not to let the FT get the better of DD so we got an amazing tutor who turned things around and I'm hoping that DD will pass hopefully with a B. Its lovely to hear DD muttering away in French around the house on occasions so I'm glad that DD persisted with French..although given a choice I would still only chose for DD to sit 8 GCSE's....she has absolutely no interest in some of the subjects she studies - it is just a case of regurgitating information to get a piece of paper saying she passed.

She plays the Piano/Ukulele and now has a Guitar (all out of school), she's done a couple of years of Karate and will go back after exams...shes got a part time job and volunteers as a Young Leader...I think thats well balanced.

[Sostenueto]

Thankshesmylobster I thought she was really ill and was worried I might lose her. But she's fine apart from losing a little weight and being depressed! She was supposed to have been spayed end of February but she started heat 2 days before her operation and again she was booked in for first week July but can't be done rill phantom pregnancy finished ( sigh) my first female dog and my last. Females if any species more trouble than the boys!

[HesMyLobster]

Haha have to agree with you there Sost!

[Sostenueto]

Sorry about typos useless keyboard on phone+shaking hand = if instead of of!

[androbbob]

Posted earlier but its not appeared, so try again!

Kingscote - did DS enjoy his County sport? Cricket was it? I am all for continuing as normal with sports sessions (within reason) as it is good to exercise and get the bodies moving.

Teenmum - any luck with shoes?

Interesting about colleges and Sixth Form - DD has a place at school, and had applied to a local college and got a place (all conditional on getting level 6 in subjects plus maths and English). She also applied to a more selective high standard place called Bluecoat and was offered a place. She has no intention of going anywhere else apart from her school - I reckon she had better tell the other two she isn't coming, once she has her results! I bet she hasn't even thought of that.... Been no mention of a taster day at sixth form, but I guess as she is from the school anyway, there would be no point. Furthest distance to travel would be 30 to 40 mins by school bus, but as she is staying local, it is a 20 min walk!

History and psychology today - both went well and she got the gunpowder plot which she had just revised last night! She did wonder how the less able students would have managed with one question as she had to think what they were after, but then said it was only a 4 marker! English Language tomorrow, an easier one for her. Both shorter than usual exams, which was a relief to all!

The holiday plans sound lovely! Something to look forward to for you all.

Discussions about involvement, I tried to get involved with planning revision sessions for her, with a colour coded timetable from The Student Room, but found that after two weeks, she preferred to do her own thing. So I backed off and bought flash cards, coloured pens and A3 paper for mind maps as A4 was too small! She will talk through some work she is doing, if you ask, but didn't generally give much away. So I went for a more 'what revision are you planning this week' and as she works better early afternoon into the evening, I left her to do her own thing, but then asked which topics she was doing. She explained some chemistry to me and I helped with a little maths, but she has mostly done this o her own. My role has been as support and provider! Information gleaned from these threads has opened up conversations, so I thank you all

mmzz - completely agree re maths tutoring - I have degree in maths and struggle to explain things to her, as its too easy to me and too difficult for her, so she has used the internet and you tube for this!

The rest of this week seems ok for her - English tomorrow, Wednesday off and then one thurs and one fri. Roll on the weekend, again!




Interesting discussion about doing 10 linear exams or whether to drop a couple. This was not an option for DD - she had to do a language and either double science or trilogy science, as well as a humanity. She hates physics and French, (like goodbyestranger dd and cant wait to drop them. DS on the other hand is starting high school in September, and is equally as bright has his sister, but also plays high level sport. Making a large assumption that he will continue with this (decided yearly by the club but equally can be dropped at any time - he is currently performing well), I struggle to see how he could do 10 GCSEs along with 3 training sessions a week and matches on a sunday - the evenings take up 4.5 hours due to travelling, straight from school, and early start sunday and back for around 2pm, so effectively wipes out that day. Looking at the current U16's, they had day release once a week and had sports coaching, sport analysis, along with education on maths, English and science, but as all 15 coming from different schools and areas, and potentially a few different exam boards, it sounds like a recipe for disaster. Combine that with the high potential of not getting a scholarship, you then have to fall back to normal education, with possibly poorer grades and less GCSE's (so less choice potentially) - talk about putting yourself at a disadvantage. However, on the other hand he could be one of the 0.001% who actually make it in the professional world and earn mega bucks!!!

RosieLig - Edexcel history here too and DD was ok with it - stock answer was and is 'fine'. She did seem to be slightly worried yesterday about the volume of stuff, but only did 3 hours revision in the afternoon, so clearly not that worried. The topic she didn't want on crime and punishment didn't come up, so that pleased her.


English Lang tomorrow - I have just had the lowdown on what this will entail question by question and no evidence of any revision for this - unless watching Love Island counts.....

Well done mini jufus on the trophies! Great for confidence.

Aragog - wow the wrong paper would and could throw some students. What a mess for them, and could have impacted on any exams in the afternoon. Hope it all works out ok for them.

Sost how is the pup?

Well, better get on and prepare for Love Island - not my choice of tv but DD likes it!

[Nettleskeins]

We've been doing English Language revision x 2. all these technical terms I had no idea existed, like exposition and in media res (don't ask -the opening bit of a piece of prose apparently) It all makes sense though now that it has been explained to me!!!

we've had a big supper, everyone seems quite chilled really. Ds1 (A levels) who should be scared, is singing songs from Guys and Dolls...Luck be a Lady Tonight and Hunchback of Notre Dame "Out There"

[cubscout]

Lots to catch up on again!

Re involvement- ds has been very clear about what he will and won't tolerate in terms of involvement. Like androbob my involvement has mostly been in helping with organisation and planning, then helping him track what he is doing. Anything else is seen as interference.

At ds school there is no scope to drop subjects: so all top set science are doing 12, all Combined science students doing 11 and bottom sets doing 10. However workload has been very high and they are reviewing options.

Ds I bit nervous about English Lang tomorrow. It's not his natural strength, he is diligent and can analyse given the tools but he's worried he will get an extract he can't say much about. Rest of the week ok.

[JufusMum]

Sost your poor pup :(

Ref involvement : mainly I get yelled at but just crammed some Geography tonight, got so bored of Push/Pull factors I've left DH with the books to test DD and retired to the bath. She had maths tutor tonight, said it went well, I think she's cramming so she can watch Love Island tonight...the female version of Fortnite?
Good luck all DC for tomorrow. Can't fit the freaking trophies in the cabinet! Not a brag, just sick of bits of plastic coming home and no space!!!

[EllenJanethickerknickers]

DS3 seems quite happy about English tomorrow, amazingly! I think he's finding actually having done some revision makes the exams much less daunting. Who knew?

[Teenmum60]

Love Island here too.....sorry but I love crappy TV, First Dates....and i so love to Escape to the Chateau... (I know its sad)

[EllenJanethickerknickers]

As far as involvement, I helped DS3 create his revision timetable, but just to the extent that it says 'History' or 'Chemistry.' Dividing up the syllabus has been entirely up to him and I haven't looked at a spec (except for physics!) He's my 3rd to do GCSEs and apart from 'reminding' them to do some revision daily, that's been my total involvement.

As a divorced parent of 3, working full time, I don't have the time to go into any more detail. Perhaps less time on MN might have helped!

[mmzz]

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