GCSEs 2018 (16) - The Final Countdown

[mmzz]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3304925-gcses-2018-15-the-reckoning?

WhatHaveIFound no, its very wrong for a parent /grandparent to have favourites and even worse to not even try to hide the fact. In DH's eyes though, MIL can do no wrong (so I just sit there and quietly seethe!).

When we see her next, and she starts listing DN's latest long list of triumphs, I might just scratch the itch for a moment by noting, with wide-eyed innocence, that its amazing he was able to fit so much in and still excel in his exams.

Oops oneteen, old template gone wrong!

mmmz I think I'd feel exactly the same as you, that must be really hard for you, and your DSs.
We're lucky in a way - there's nearly 10years between DDs and their next cousins on both sides, so there's no direct competition there.
Although the only male grandchild is definitely favoured above all of the girls on DH's side, which would be a lot more irritating if there wasn't such a big age gap I suppose.

'was x happy with his results’ or ‘what is x doing next’

I also try to stick to these sorts of questions. 'what did x get' can potentially be a minefield unless you know the child very well.

mmmz not awful, just human
loose happy holidays wherever you are!

We have a funny situation re results day... they are posted online at 11am, exact same time DS is going on stage that day. So, should he walk onto stage 5 min later to check before? Does he wait and check during the break? After whole performance? He now says he'd rather get on with the performance without knowing. But what about me? Will I be able to resist and wait? And is it unfair if I look before he does? Ironically, I will be sitting in the audience...with mobile off ringer, of course.

The Add Maths results are out on Thursday and we had the option of collecting them in person, phoning or getting them posted out in the ordinary mail. DD chose post, so they'll be sitting in the sorting office until we get home.

My ds has 8 cousins (on dh side) who all had stellar GCSEs and A levels. 4 went to Oxbridge, one to Medicine and the others all to RG unis.

He is predicted great results but inevitably will not be the 11 A* that the others get, so I'm a bit nervous about family reactions on results day. Ds also compares himself to them and is pretty hard on himself.

Feeling a bit sick....

hmm comparisons are difficult. We have the added complication that DSs older sisters got almost full sets of A stars so people that don't know him and how hard he has worked would probably think he is disappointed if he gets a middling set - but he may well be thrilled. I think I will have to say something like he did better than he expected or than his predictions or better than his mocks so they can be pleased for him (if that is in fact the case). A mix of 4s to 6 s and may be a 7 and an 8 will be so much more of an achievement for him than his sisters 8 A *s (which were in fact below predictions). It just goes to show how meaningless the results are in isolation. I know now too, third time round, how little the results count for among so many other more important things. Doesn't mean I won't be waiting nervously with you all on the 23rd though !!

I'm Realising now that I want the results more for an indication of how he might find A level study than for the results themselves. I know its different for those waiting on a school place.

Brainmelt I'd be struggling not to give in to temptation and check! That's doubly stressful - performing and waiting for results!
Interesting comments about favoured relatives. DS's cousin is also waiting for results but apparently went off the rails workwise and has been told not to go back for sixth form. What worries me is if he did no work at all and still gets better results than DS!
My little nieces are very bright but much younger so no direct comparisons can be made.
We're in South Devon. It's gorgeous!

Brainmelt Whilst I would struggle not to check ...I would just go along with what your DS wants ...one of Dd's friends is in Sri Lanka (visiting family) so she will find it strange waiting for an email at 10am when I assume most of the other girls will have their results (can collect from school at 9am).

DD has been lovely today, possibly because she needed some new clothes. Unfortunately her idea of smart trousers (holes with denim attached) and mine quickly became apparent. We had to restore our equilibrium in an ice cream parlour.

We had a quick chat about results. She says she's going to grab them without looking, pop out to open them in the car with me, then go back in to see her teachers. I've reminded her that even though some of her friends are getting cash on the day (£100 per grade 8/9 anyone?) she was rewarded for effort during her exams and as soon as they were all over with concert tickets etc.

@brainmelt
Won't the school agree to issue the results earlier given it's an exceptional scenario- they should have them available before 9am

Mind you, it might be better to wait just in case they aren't quite as expected?

Thinking back to the educating TV series I think it def puts it all into perspective. We mainly have DC who tried their best, do care and parents who have been there for them every step of the way. There's a high number of DC who don't manage to get 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 and above..... from memory I don't think any of us are too worried about our DC achieving this so whatever happens they have done well

CBlue there are a couple of DCs on this thread in that situation, plus there'll be others reading who haven't posted.

Crossing my fingers for anyone worried about their DC getting 4 in Maths and/or English.

Cblue I agree.
I can't get my head around 5 passes being the benchmark. It seems like such a low hurdle and yet, as you say, about half don't get there.

I just looked on the www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk website for the exact number. Interestingly, they seem to use a grade 5 as the relevant pass and it has to include maths and English. According to the table only 39.6% of DC got over that threshold last year, meaning that about 360,000 didn't.

Currently on holiday but ds mentioned results for the first time yesterday . I didn’t realise add maths was out this week and we won’t back until after the weekend so I am not going to mention it especially as by all accounts it did not go well . I think the hardest thing is not being able to gauge it , I had no expectations of ds1 other than would have been surprised if he had not passed them all and I seriously undersestimated as he got all
As and A* s . With ds3 he has always been strong academically so I worry I am expecting too much especially as he has set himself high standards and is in a friendship group of high achievers .

@TheThirdOfHerName - hoping all went well for your DS today. Is he back yet? As you know, DS1 did the same course (based on your recommendation!) and really enjoyed it. I hope your DS does.

First sign of nerves from DS1 today. He confessed over lunch (up a mountain in the Pyrenees) that he dreamt he got an E in Ad Maths. He has to at least get a C to allowed to do Maths A Level (plus an 8 or 9). I'm hoping the fact that everyone declared it to be a stinker will drag the grade boundaries down.

Interesting discussion about DGP favourites. I genuinely think none of the 4 of them have favourites. They seem to appreciate each of their DGC as individuals - which is as it should be.

My only worry is that DS1 may feel disappointed with a less than stellar set of results because of his school/cohort where quite a few boys are likely to get amazing results. DS1 always says he understands that the school is a bit unusual in that way but it still winds me up a bit - my fault that DH and I chose it of course

Just had an email from DS’s school to say IGCSEs will be published online tomorrow at 10.

DS and his friends are 8 hours ahead so will be enjoying ‘post-match hospitality’ with their Japanese high school hosts. Possibly with sneaky peaks at their phones...

mzzz that % is for just maths and English at grade 5 or above in England, not 5 passes at grade 5 and above. For English and maths only at grade 4 and above it's 63.9%.

comparable grade boundaries

Confirmation of what we hoped we would happen in this article from the Guardian.

My DS is not at all concerned about the 23rd But he didn't pass a tiny section of his lifeguarding course in July and has to resist it tomorrow morning. He was in pieces over that, calling himself a failure and a disappointment etc. It's the first time he's ever failed anything and DH and I agreed that it's not a bad thing to have happened as it might make his results day easier if he doesn't do as well in something as he hoped to do. Hope that doesn't sound callous? Anyway fingers crossed for tomorrow and hopefully a lifeguarding job a few hours a week while he's in sixth form.

In other news, my good friend has gone off on holiday with her family, and hoping to ask her DH for a divorce. She is incredibly unhappy, because their marriage has basically just drifted away and there's no love any more. She's worried about her kids, one is also waiting for gcse results and the other is a normal 12 yr old girl. And feels like she has to put up with it all for their sake. So I am trying to counsel via FB messenger and worrying about her doing something stupid while they're away. I like her DH a lot and I really don't want to be seen to take sides, there is no blame apportionable. I told her to join MN and find some advice

Good luck with the iGCSEs.

According to the stats only 42.9% achieved grade 9-5 for both maths & English in English state schools last year. In some parts of Hampshire (which excludes Southampton & Portsmouth) it was as low as 29.6%.

Collier said Ofqual used social media to monitor allegations that the tougher exams were causing greater amounts of stress for this year’s pupils, comparing posts this year to last year.

“The pattern of social media activity relating to exams, over the exam period, is extraordinarily similar,” Collier said. “After every single subject, I don’t think we had a single exam where the vast majority or the majority of students came out and said ‘this was impossible’ or ‘this was too hard’. Actually, the comments were very, very, balanced.”

She obviously wasn't looking at twitter then!

Good luck to anyone getting results tomorrow and A levels on Thursday

Thank you sandybayley

He enjoyed it! He made a friend and they had lunch together. He won a box of Celebrations in a quiz, and managed to find his way home OK.

Presume AQA further maths is on the 23 rd with the rest