GCSEs 2018 (11) Big week coming up

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Alexander definitely dd and DH need you there. Hope both are ok - and you, it must have been a shock.
DS seems happy with maths. Just English language tomorrow. His exams finish next Friday with physics.

Alexander - what a shock - sending you best wishes for a speedy recovery for your DH.

Good decision, Alexander. My DF had a TIA at 70 and recovered fairly quickly with no noticeable side effects after a few days, except fatigue for a while.

DS3 did Edexcel regular GCSE paper 2 and found it similar to paper 1 in difficulty. He was happy with his answers.

On to 'hand drop off' tomorrow, English and history.

Wonderwine - there were no wordy questions at all. Too many graphs, wonky hexagons, triange/circles, algrebraic fractions etc

Same here loose and won't I be pleased when exams are over!

It may just be me but I don't know how some people think that any higher level paper is easy! They are meant to be challenging especially the higher marked questions. My dgd predicted 8/9 in maths and she found aqa paper 2 hard in places and though she's not the top of the top set she's still in the top set. The last couple of questions were tricky but they are meant to be. My dgd also is top of year for geography (level 9 since year 8) and she never came out of the two papers so far for geography saying they were easy! I believe in valuing each exam as a worthy test of knowledge and ability. Otherwise you are in danger of deriding every dc s efforts.

That wasnt aimed at you loose! My last paragraph.

I predict that boundaries for a 9 for AQA (higher) maths will probably be a score of 200-207/240 combined marks for the 3 papers. Dgd thinks she will get an 8 judging on what she perceives as her performance in two papers so far but not a 9 which won't bother her.

So...DD has emerged from nap and is nowhere near as negative. Apparently questions 1-15 were "really easy" but the paper went straight to "really hard questions". So nothing in the middle. She managed to show some workings for the hard questions which is pretty good.

The hard questions all being at the end meant that they left the exam with a "that was dreadful" impression rather than remembering the 15 she nailed.

Or am I deluding myself!!!!!

Cblue not deluding yourself - I bet that's exactly what happens.
Sostenueto - I agree, I don't think any of the higher papers would be easy!
Most of my students are quite cheerful after the first English language paper apart from the one with no confidence! She better turn up for paper 2 tomorrow...

Cblue I think it's human nature to disproportionately remember the questions you find tricky.

On a motorway, you don't notice when your lane is moving freely but when your lane is congested, you become very aware that the others are moving more quickly.

So finally caught up with DS, the paper was hard but he managed to do all but the last question so is fine with it. Run out of steam I think for History tomorrow which is a shame but I'm not going to push it and hopefully he can wind himself up again for the sciences next week.

Hope all ok with DD and DH tonight Alexander. we are all sending best wishes your way. What have you done with DS.

The grade 9s that are being predicted seem really surprising. I thought only a tiny proportion were awarded nationally? DD goes to a selective inde with a fair number of super bright scholarship students and as far as I know no one has been given a 9 prediction
I am extremely glad that DD hasn't been predicated any 9s - she's totally stressed trying to live up to the 7/8/A/A*s she thinks people are expecting her to get. I wish she didn't have any predictions at all. I am the only one to think this?

Sounds like he's done really well Oratory. Well done him!

I wish she didn't have any predictions at all. I am the only one to think this?

No, you aren't the only one. DD1's school also refuses to predict grade 9s. But she is predicted grade 8 in every subject and several teachers have hinted that they won't be surprised if she gets a 9.

She is an extremely intelligent and hard working girl, but nevertheless it's a huge level of amount of pressure. There is a very real possibility she'll be disappointed on 23 August, even though her results will be great and even though we've all tried to keep a sense of proportion.

Cblue DS's school doesn't give predictions and DD's school didn't either. Aside from DC who are moving for sixth form and need predictions for their applications, I can't really see the point.

Cblue that was pretty much my dd's description of the maths paper 2

Agree korma when predictions came out I just went drop a grade or two for each and you won't be disappointed, in fact you would have done fantastic! ( all except english language that needs to go up 2 grades)

Same difference Korma except that DD is predicted 9s in all subjects. I've simply said to DD that the school is being uber liberal in its predictions. I think it nevertheless is putting pressure on which I hadn't anticipated, but I'm not sure that the pressure is different from any aspirational prediction whatever the grade.

Was that aqa or edexcel HMC?

Good point stranger

Edexcel - a fair number of straightforward questions for the bulk of the paper but some toughies at the end to sort out the 8's and 9's from the also rans (dd happy to be an also ran!)

But what's the point of predictions (whatever they are) apart from for those DC who are moving on?

To be realistic all dgd needs to get is English language at right level for her preffered 6th form, then the appropriate grades for A level subject study required and enough points to do 4 A levels on combined score of best 8 results of GCSE and bobs your uncle she's got enough for next stage of education. I this k peer pressure and the ruficulus 9 le el makes the DC feel they have not done well if they don't get a bunch if 9s! (And I wouldn't mind betting some parents will feel the same))

Another DS here who found Edexcel IGCSE tough.

Apparently he was skimming along happily until number 17 thinking ‘this is very lovely - I must have done more revision than I thought’ and then it all went yuk!

My own opinion is that high predictions just set kids up for failure...in fact I think the schools have been extremely irresponsible ....its much better to predict 7/8's and let the DC;s think they have over achieved rather than underachieved....especially given a whole new set of exams... DD at a school who also dont predict but state levels that DC's are working at within class/exams.

Cblue ..DD would concur with daughter ...

Glad your DS did well Oratory and hope everyone's else DC's have had a good day - including your DS Cherryburn.