GCSEs 2018 (12) Are we nearly there yet?!

[mmzz]

DS has only one more week to go. He's sitting across the room from me now, doing some Tassomai. The end is very much in sight for DS1.

I'm going to say something that I wouldn't dare say in real life: I'm listening to DS2, who is in the next room, taking loudly to his friends on the xbox and I'm thinking that soon this will all start for DS2 but I really don't want to do this again! It's been a real slog trying to keep DS working and not despair information and I'm glad it's nearly over.

Sost yes it explicitly said newspaper article. Don't ask her - just know that she'll have done it and let her forget about English for the next 10 weeks.

Very glad I'll soon be able to forget GCSEs with DS3 being my PLB. I can't see me being as involved a grandparent as sost in the far future! TBH, there's always something to worry about with your DC, and I imagine I'll be worrying about DS2 for the rest of my life! That's the job I signed up for when I had DC, I guess.

For sure you are always a mum. I want to be that and I wouldn't give the job to anyone else. I just don't much fancy another 7 month stint doing what I've been doing for the last 7 months!

But mmzz your an expert now it will be a cinch

Whilst I think of it, can anyone recommend good resources for revising computer science? It's the only thing DS2 is doing that DS1 didn't, and I reckon We're all experts now!

mmzz When will your ds2 have to take GCSEs? My dd is year 8 now, we have a way to go and I am hoping the GCSEs can be spaced out a bit more to avoid this intense bunching together.

Ds will not talk to me about the GCSEs today, he was not in a good frame of mind and says they went really badly. I advised him to put the experience behind him. I have just gone into the study....he is watching Science on You Tube. Other papers were OK he said for English and History.

aww. I didn't do anything!
I must say you're all marvellous - the amount of time and effort you've put into helping your dcs tackle English is truly wonderful. they are lucky students!
I hope you're all planning to have a restful weekend!

DS2 is in year 9, so 2020.

How do you mean spaced out? Aren't they always mid-may to mid-June??

The stress on many of our DC has been huge at times. It sounds like this is one of those days for your DS. I hope he has a better time next week.

Mmzz - I couldn’t find any CS resources out yet. Is that one if the few exams that is still A*-G (Business Studies-being the other)

I’m going to look for Ds in September - he’s year 9.

Yeah, mmzz but I just worry, you actually get involved! I guess I have always done so much with DS2 that I leave the others to fend for themselves somewhat. You might find that your DS2 doesn't need as much help. The teachers will be a bit more organasied and experienced with these GCSEs as well.

DS3 used an online revision guide that his teacher gave him access to, called 'Collins OCR GCSE revision computer science all in one' and a YouTube channel called 'Craig and Dave.'

We haven't received an email about the need for a protractor but DS2 did hear about it on Discord.

EllenJane DS1 has just started the application for DSA so that's something to look forward to.

Hope all the DCs are able to get some rest this weekend.

EdwinaLizzard AQA has the biggest market share for English. It's a shame because Edexcel papers are generally better (eg choice of writing tasks).

Yes. Dd said there were two choices. A review or something about pop music (of which she has zero knowledge so she chose the review.

Joining this very very late in the day - but we have 8 left - still 2 weeks to go. DD1 is so disciplined - beginning to dread this time in 2 years with DD2 who is quite the opposite.

Just a thought really about spacing the GCSEs out a bit more...starting a couple of weeks earlier perhaps and taking some in year 10.

DSs school apparently do English Lang in Year 10 which I’m not happy about because at the moment he’s only predicted a Grade 2 (though his target is 6) & I think he will heed til year 11 to get up to scratch.

...and thank you mmzz I hope he willbe OK now until last exam on 21st June.

mrspink welcome. My ds has 8 left. Does your dd finish with German?

The timing of GCSEs hasn't changed for many, many years. Always mid May til late June. I can't see that changing. This government prefers students to take all their papers in one season as discussed earlier on one of the threads. Putting them under pressure is seen as a better test of their ability.

Hi all, I missed the entire day on here yesterday - I've skim read the end of the previous thread and will now try to catch up on this one.
Just wanted to quickly send to Alexander and Sticker. So sorry to hear about your DH and DM, thinking of you both.

When double science was two separate GCSEs DS2 did Core science in Y10. He wasn't ready, not mature enough to take the controlled assessment seriously. He got a B in the exams but only an E (poor internal marking moderated down) in the CA giving him a C overall. He did much better in Additional science in Y11. Taking exams early is a risk, especially in subjects like RE or English lit where maturity can be a factor, IMO.

@BlueBelle123 Yes she will be - and so will I!

Sounds like English & History went well for most DC's ...well done to all ..... We are getting there aren't we!

Mmzz way back in the dim and distant past on one of the very early threads someone recommended www.revisecomputerscience.com

I can't vouch for it because back then dd was still in her "I don't need to revise because I'm clever" phase.

She said last night if she could do one exam again it would be CS. She's learnt so much about revision and exam technique since then I think she'd bring herself up at least a grade or two.

The new CS GCSE is 9-1 this year and quite in depth. Much more so than the old IT.

I can vouch for the depth in CS - most of it DS only realised was there shortly before the exams and had to cram but there is a lot of business type stuff to cover and topics such as environmental impact of new technologies etc etc. As well as protocols for data security and office policies etc etc Some of it I thought was quite advanced and quite difficult to grasp for teens who never been in a business environment. All good stuff and useful knowledge and DS enjoyed it but he had assumed the theory would be easy and as he could ‘do’ coding he wouldn’t need to spend much time on cs - he was wrong. Not helped by three teachers leaving in year 10.

There are good resources coming out now though including the Collins books and cgp guides and revision questions. And several you tube channels. I would advise your DS to start early looking at the theory stuff - also although I couldn’t help with the coding I could help with the business type stuff.