GCSEs 2018 (14): the aftermath

[mmzz]

Following on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3275972-GCSEs-2018-13-Untwisting-our-knickers-lucky-for-some

Teen what colour is she going for?

It can only add to the drama - good or bad! Hair colours are sooo expensive. Hope she loves it.

Peggy Hartpury has the most amazing sports facilities. We're rugby season ticket holders and so many of our academy players do a stint there. It looks very similar to DD's first choice. Go for it. There will be so many geeks and freaks and sporties and dancers and...

Add Maths was HARD, but everyone thought so. I don't care. She's done it in an hour a week after school and she had a good bash.

@peggy - I'm not sure...I have booked DD in for a consultation tomorrow PM...she wants a Balayage - whatever that is ...I think she maybe going for blonde...but she dyed her hair about 2 months ago and its taken ages for the dye to come out...so she has a warm reddish tone to darkish brown hair (DD's hair always used to be a dark blonde before she started experimenting with colours). One of her friends hair actually went green recently and she ended up having to have a lot cut off.

I think her current hair colour looks better with her Prom dress but I dont think my opinion comes into this .... Talking about Prom's DD got cornered by some of the form tutors today because some of the plans for the Prom have not yet been put in place - including the dance-floor and DJ...(DD on prom committee). Thankfully DD was only in charge of designing and arranging for the tickets to be printed (which everyone loved).

brainmelt or I talk about him too much!
Stickerrocks add maths is notoriously hard - it's a big achievement even to sit it, in my view.

Oh gosh auto correct. Hope my post made sense. What I meant to say was that this whole experience has made me appreciate teachers more and how much they do for our DC.

DD is done!!! Add Maths was bloody hard - harder than any of the past papers but she gave a stab at all the questions. It's ok. It's done. Time to let our hair down.

ds also found add maths hard but at least they are over now!

@Stickerrocks - DS1 confirms that Ad Maths was really hard. The worst of everything so far and the hardest paper he's seen. He thinks he got 50% max. V glad that's he's only doing Maths A Level and not FM.

Bit of a shame to end on a low note but we always knew it would be a tough one.

Peggy - friend's rugby playibg son is going to Hartpury too.

DS has just gone to do text book hand in and then he'll be home to get ready for yr 11 dinner (not a prom as they have a leaver's ball in year 13). They have a sit down dinner with some quizzes and funny awards voted for by the kids.

Add Maths absolutely ghastly. DD seems perfectly cheerful about it though. Everyone said the same at school.

@goodbyestranger - I've just looked at the grade boundaries for our Ad Maths mocks. A = 75% (no chance) B = 62% (unlikely) C = 50% (maybe)

DD1 reports that today was the first time she has failed to complete an Add Maths paper. During revision she's been consistently getting 90% plus. It's somewhat reassuring that other people found it really hard.

We are still going here......

German on Thursday and then we are done!!!!

I’m going to make a banner and a chocolate cake for ds......

Banner will say GCSES ARE DONE ((just because it’s terrible English))

Cake will say WE SURVIVED GCSES or similar 🙄🙄🙄

Saw our Y11s coming out of Add maths. Super selective grammar school. They said it was really, really hard!

Ellen and Juggling thanks for the encouragement

Stickerrocks love your resits comment!

Brainmelt huge congrats to your DS!

Jufus your DD can be proud knowing that what she achieves on results day, it sounds like she did on her own!

Post-exam/pre-moving stress starting to kick in. Very teary at the moment, with DD's prom a few nights away and then a Summer of changes for our family.

Sost love and prayers to you in your time of difficult health and tiresome treatment. Glad your family can now be there for you as you have been for them

Another one here who found Add Maths very difficult! Let's hope the grade boundaries are low as a result!

One of my friend's DS is going to Hartpury to do sports science. Small world!

sandy 70% ain't happening.... but those boundaries are interesting.

AChickenCalledKorma same here. DD got over 90% in the six past papers the maths teacher gave her class (did them this w/e and one yesterday) so went in feeling pretty good. Came out laughing pretty much.

At least it wasn't a proper GCSE :)

Ellen there are over 3000 students there, about half 16-19 and half foundation/degree level.

really looking forward to Thursday and knowing the whole thread can stand down along with year 11s through the land .

Have been been a long time lurker and have finally had the conversation about life after GCSEs. My DS was very clear that he didn't want to discuss where he was going to go next until GCSEs were done and we have applied for 4 very different types of courses at 4 different colleges as he has no idea what he really wants to do. I broached the subject today and he said he would wait and see what his results are to determine what he can do. I told him what he can do and what he wants to do are very different things! We have spent time today looking over the courses he has applied for, looking at the grades he needs and getting his head space right for the 2 taster days he has next week. I am hoping that these will help him make a decision. Then we have to keep fingers crossed for his results, he'll need a 6 in Maths and a 6-6 in Science for the ones he has most interest in and 5s in everything else. He's worked so hard but he's never going to be invited to join Mensa and his school is a poorly performing comp where only 50% of Year 11s get 5 x A-Cs. This summer is going to be a long one...

@Ggirl27 - welcome! We're a mixed bunch here - lots of very different DC but very supportive of everyone.

Life post GCSEs is feeling a bit odd. Granted it's only been two hours though!

Hi ggirl27. I would suggest trying as many different taster days as possible at the colleges. DD is deliberately trying courses she's not keen on at the college she's not keen on, but at least she can then switch at her preferred college if she wants to.

Huge sense of relief that everyone found add maths hard. We just need mmzz to confirm as well and I can sleep easy.

I don't think mmzz's DS does add maths. I think he's finished.

Very wise sticker - I remember being advised once to look round schools your not interested in as it all helps build a picture !

A bit worried about CS at DS school as in what if they don’t have enough uptake (3 or 4 possible takers at the moment) or if the one teacher they’ve relied on leaves. I think I need to have the conversation - if they don’t run CS would you change subject or consider moving schools. I don’t necessarily think it will happen but doesn’t hurt to think about it. Same thing re considering trying starting a 4th subject in case your physics isn’t up to scratch and you need to switch. I think I ll let him finish on Thursday and have a few days sleep before I broach that one though 😀😀😀

Got home from work today to be told that DD’s IT teacher has called and offered DD the opportunity to resit her IT exam next week!!

Is it just coincidental that DD had her 6th form induction today and DD has chosen IT as A level subject? Or has DD fluffed her IT exam...