GCSEs 2018 (16) - The Final Countdown

[mmzz]

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

Dd is refusing to talk about results at all & is going in a huff if anyone mentions them. She did say today (we had friends round who are both secondary teachers) that the other night she dreamt she got all Grade 1’s & woke up in a cold sweat!

hmc we're taking the same approach. DD is a solid tennis club level player, but the college squad is ridiculously highly placed in the national rankings, so I'm not holding out much hope. Let's hope their optimism pays off!

TheThird celebratory D&D planned here. DD looked a bit put out at the suggestion we might go out for dinner in case they have to cut D&D short

HMC you are right. The self esteem is the main issue. DH is saying that everyone did what they could and what will be will be and we can come up with a good plan for any scenario.

All true of course. I still don’t want her to feel a failure. Makes me think of this exchange from Finding Nemo

Nemo’s dad - “I don’t want anything to happen to him.”
Dory - “Hmm, but then nothing will happen to him.”

So to quote Dory again,

”Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming...”

TheThird celebratory D&D planned here.

I love the fact that DS2 isn't the only D&D player on the thread.

DS2 is researching which universities have D&D / tabletop RPG societies.

Looking online, he has found active societies at Warwick, Nottingham and Bath (there may be others).

If he ends up going to a university without one, he might set one up. He did this at school two years ago and it's still going strong.

I like the sound of D&D! Too computer game addicted here though. I thought my DS1 might join some sort of gaming club at uni. Never expected him to join the Marxist Society!

DS and I have had a very lengthy chat about GCSE's the upshot is that I will not be taking him in, he is going to get the bus as he doesn't think that he has done as well as he wants, so he just wants to be on his own...........The question is now do I go to work and if I do will I actually get anything done!!!!! Bring on Friday when it will all be over!

Interesting tweet I found on twitter from Fraser Nelson that I thought I'd copy to this thread. It's related, but not GCSE related.
Many superb Scottish uni courses In clearing system now open to (feepaying) English students but not to Scots.
GLASGOW: 332 courses for English students, 4 for Scots.
ABERDEEN: 373 for English, 0 for Scots.
DUNDEE: 220 for English, 18 for Scots.

Only just caught up and the thread is nearly full!
Thanks for tagging me, but oddly I didn't get an e-mail (think I have an e-mail issue at the moment though, not a MN problem.

Blue I like taking the day off so that I can be around if needed or give lifts etc and meet friends for coffee and just have a bit of time to process/ground myself/plan/pick myself up to start again.
Others might prefer to be in work if DC out with friends but I wouldn't be very productive and would get on colleagues nerves I think!

I wish it was Friday so this waiting was over.

Ds is pretty cool and going in on his own.

He promises to ring me and let me know as soon as he can.

He’s hoping to go to 6th form. No idea what happens if he doesn’t get what he needs.

I have to drive Dd to school. It will take about an hour. She can collect from 10am onwards.

It’s going to be. Very long hour.

Dory makes a good point PeggySchuylar!

I suppose we have to accept that stuff happens....

DS was predicted (by the school in March) to get half 8s /half 9s. There's no way any of the 8s will turn into 9s, so I guess the only direction he can move is down. English Lit is a strong contender for being below expectations, but it probably won't be the only one.
So, unless he does spectacularly well, Thursday will be a funny mix of good and bad, with regrets over each dropped grade but relief that finally he'll have some qualifications to his name.

I'm probably not making sense. Many of you have high ability DC, and presumably they were high ability all the way through primary school. I know I'm not the only parent who struggled to get the primary school teachers to differentiate the work sufficiently. The teachers would push back. Eg DS1s first primary teacher told me that he was behind as he couldn't read, but by that time he had been reading for a while and was into quite advanced books. Her confusion was that he could read to himself, without speaking. That was at the start of the year, and at the end she reported his amazing progress (i.e. He'd learned to read quickly and was now fluent). There were lots of stories like this. The maths teacher is just the latest. So, I just feel like if DS has some qualifications, then the teachers of the subjects he excels in can stop telling me that they don't need to reach him something new as he is still on the mastery stage of xyz when it's patently obvious that DS mastered it quickly.

I’ve name changed now I’ve remembered my password.

I was a folded pizza 🍕🤭🤭

To add to my last post, I know the need to prove the teachers wrong is irrational as DS isn't going to be taught again by any of the teachers who weren't set up to teach a full ability range.

@mmmz - interesting post regarding attainment from primary. DD is now considered a high flyer but it hasn't always been like that. Struggled really badly with school in primary until aged 9 and then got to grips with her dyslexia and learnt some good techniques to get around her 'issues'....then suddenly she blew us away by going from bottom to top in the space of 3 years. In her own words she has worked long and hard to prove that she isn't stupid.
So at points I probably come across as my DD is a smart arse, but it hasn't been easy for her and she went through some really tough times.
The problem with all this is that to get 5s or 6s will be a massive knock to her confidence....it's sort of self validation. To me it's all she need to go to the next level (assuming she changes school) but to her it will be like everyone was right and that she isn't very bright. There's no way I can convince her that anything other than a 7 is acceptable.
I was perfectly happy with a good mixture of As Bs and Cs in my day
Need 🍷and 🍰
And need it to be over!!!

Does anyone else's DC have to register for year 12 on Thursday?

Yes, dd does. She is still holding offers from all the 6th forms she applied to. She is so indecisive. I had hoped to have 'released' some of them before the end of term. I've given her until tomorrow to let a couple go so we can e-mail the schools before results day so they know they have that extra place for someone else. The plan here is to pick up results, confirm with her current school she can have a place there and will be able to do the subject combintion she wants, then go for breakfast and a final decision, then let both schools know where she chooses. This of course relies on her getting the grades she needs.........

What is your DD predicted to get cblue? Have you good reason to expect 5s and 6s?

You are describing a DC who is twice exceptional (2E). I think this was mentioned on an earlier thread, but I don't remember if it was in relation to your DD.

For DS, understanding that he was 2E eventually took away a lot of the frustration brought about by his SPLD. He still railed against the "why me?" aspect of it, but it did help him come to terms with the things that his brain can understand but his hands won't do. If you haven't already, maybe getting your DD to read up on dual/ twice exceptionality would help her come to terms with things (and know that her intelligence is not always reflected in her output through no fault of her own).

@mmmz - yep she is 2E. Didn't make it easier for her in her early years though. She goes to a v academic school but when she was little her peers thought she was thick because had to sit 'on the special table' to get help with reading and writing. She could solve puzzles and articulate complex thoughts she just couldn't write the damned things down!!

It's now 2.48 and we are going through A Level subjects, RG/Oxbridge requirements and all permutations of all A Levels (aaarrrggghh). She doesn't even know what she wants to do between humanities and sciences.

Predicted grades are 7/8 in all subjects (they don't predict 9s) She's a pessimist so is preparing for 5 & 6. As her mum I have absolutely no idea what it will be!!! I just know that if she gets 5 and 6s it will be an emotional disaster for her

Apologies to anyone reading this who is hoping for 4, 5 or 6 since they are great results, I just have a totally neurotic 16yo whose persona has been about proving people wrong.

Not long to go and it can't be soon enough

Dgd only really worrying about that damn English language GCSE. When she heard the grade boundaries for it will probably be higher this year she worried even more! it makes me worry just how badly does she think she flunked it? Her worry is because her school 6th form won't take resits ( because they are oversubscribed) and she will end up at second choice which she doesn't want. I shall be so glad when this is all over! She is not worried much at all about other results except wanting that 9 in geography though she said she felt she got an 8. Overall she expects 7/8s in most, knows she will only get 6 in art but couldn't care less about art. Got to say 7/8 s is awesome enough for us or 6/7 ! Not expecting a load of 9 s she is bright but not that bright and it doesn't matter as long as she gets grades to do A levels and that bloody English language!

Sostenueto - I am sure your DGD will achieve what she needs to in Eng Lang....and she'll get really good grades because she worked so hard. I tend to think that the grade 9's will be a lottery - not because the of the DC's abilities but because little is known about the marking schemes on certain subjects - like last weeks History CIE exam. Some subjects where there are just right answers like Maths should be easier to gauge...I know there were a fair few questions on various subject papers where DD stated it was difficult to know what the question was actually asking, so I guess it could be the interpretation of these questions that will probably matter when it comes to those high grades. I'm thankful that overall grades aren't really that much of an issue - it will be nice if she gets the A* in Physics and an A in Biology - but most of all I will be relieved if she has passed History!

One teen - yup very similar :)

A night full of anxiety dreams about missing that 6 in English Language. I guess this is my life until Thursday.