Are we ready for a GCSE’s 2019 thread?

[KittyMcKitty]

If so I’m in.

DS (my pfb) will be going into year 11. Mocks after half term. Crossing my fingers for him - needs average point score of 6.5 (across all 10 subjects) to stay for 6th Form.

Anyone else?

And second maths paper had a higher score, so we now have consistency and the ability to cope with actual GCSE questions - both of these things are new. Things are looking up maths wise. And drama performance mock was 15/20 - not sure what grade that will be, but it will be at the higher end. Performance is something DD2 finds much harder than theory so good progress there too.

Good news pointy!
Got DD end of term report sheet. Find the random forecast grade generator a little aggravating! Drama and PE low forecast grade (surprisingly when compared with results so far), and apparently not on target (which means under, as there is above target option). RE (short course), which the teaching has been sketchy at best, no homework, no tests has gone from a predicted level 3 to level 8. No idea how that happened, but unlikely she'll get higher than a 5 assuming she sits it.

Dd did an online application for a 6th form yesterday and was surprised that she had to add a personal statement with achievements outside of school as well as plans post 18.

We've done this but I don't understand what the point of it is, as nowhere mentions it in their admissions policy, does anyone know?

Hazarding a guess but maybe for the interview, giving the school notice on what to say about their choices and maybe to allow them to reccomend more suitable ones

This is just via the UCAS Progress form, sixth forms that are accepting direct applications just seem to ask for predicted GCSE results. Considering schools can't select based on interviews, knowing that a student worked in a cafe, has grade 2 trombone and a life saving badge seems fairly irrelevant for most things, and has caused quite a lot of stress getting them done at the same time as mocks, I would be surprised if the benefits outweighed the costs or if the schools even had time to read them.

Dd has her English lit mock tomorrow and is trying to speedily learn quotes/ essay plans but is exhausted after a full day of mocks. Would it be wrong of me to insist she comes downstairs and relaxes? Information surely can’t be going in she’s taken 2 paracetamols for a pounding headache and looks so tired

everardDigby you’re completely right- I don’t see the point in asking about these things even on university applications, grade 2 cello doesn’t say much about a person. I was referring to asking about possible future plans

Relaxing sounds much better to me to stand the best chance of feeling better tomorrow except if it might make her more anxious, it's so difficult to know! Has she previously revised for it?

everarddigby no idea to be honest, I’m very hands off with the revision she gets along with it herself and seems to prefer it that way

My DD's school has told them to back off the revision after putting loads of pressure on them at the beginning of term on the basis that they're sitting and crying in student support instead of going to lessons!

I'd tell her to take a break now and have a quick cram with some coffee before going in, just to boost her confidence.

It's really important to pace yourself. I hope my DDS don't get set a tonne of homework over the Christmas break, they are exhausted.

She’s adamant she doesn’t know the right quotes and won’t be able to formulate a good essay tomorrow but I’m sure she could wing it with what she has. I guess I’ll have to leave her to it and hopefully she learns for next time not to burn herself out

Round here (Hants) the personal statements for 6th form colleges seem to be for double checking that the selected A levels have been well thought out and tie in with future plans.

e.g. Someone writes they really want to be an architect but have selected English, History and Chemistry A levels, that sort of thing.

oh, teentimestwo, that is interesting. Makes sense as well.

DS has mocks this week and has hardly done any revision. When I asked abut revision he raised one eyebrow slowly and said: "hmmm, am I causing you anxiety?" then sauntered off to play some guitar...

I hear about kids (esp. girls) revising loads and it makes me worry!!!

Well conditional offer from dreaded sixth form!!! And from second choice, so now we need to make a decision (and soon, they only give a week!).

Is there an emoticon for don't know whether to laugh or worry? I am glad he got it - I was slightly dreading him getting bad news right before his mocks, but of course this is going to really ratchet up the pressure, as he will now need to get a minimum of five eights in August to get into first choice, and we will presumably turn down second as it is very expensive to hold both places. On the other hand, the requirements to get in to second choice are much lower, and they offered a 10% scholarship if he got seven 8s or 9s and 15% if he got nine 8s or 9s. But if he can get that, he can get into first choice, so really what we want second choice for is if he fails to get the grades for first choice, by which time we will have turned it down, meaning third or fourth choices (state) need to be made as back up, even though he doesn't really want them. I wish the stakes weren't so high.

No time to celebrate either, mocks start on Wednesday (with three on Wednesday, two on Thursday (Ds's birthday, just to top it all off) and one on Friday. They are officially on study leave today and tomorrow, but DS decided to go in today, as the teachers were making themselves available at their normal lesson times. He said it was brilliant, he basically got free 1-to-1 tutoring in a couple of subjects, and 1-to-2 in another. He can't understand why more students weren't in (especially as the maths teacher insisted they all come in for third period).

Bimkom is there a significance difference between the two? What does your son think?

Luckily both our sixth forms had their own assessments and gave unconditional offers ...........

Does anyone know of any resources for Edexcel GSCE?

Thanks in advance!

Hello to you all,
Would love to join you all in the roller coaster ride of GCSEs! I've found this thread so interesting and helpful. My DD is predicted high grades in everything but seems to be stuggling to get higher than 5s or 6s in maths and science....

Am wondering whether to invest in those intense 5 week revision courses, although extra tuition is something I've never been keen on.

is there a significance difference between the two? What does your son think?

DS has had his heart set on first choice since year 9, when he became friendly with a couple of boys who go there. It is a very selective independent school (very difficult to get in at 10+, 11+ 13+) none of which we tried for (I didn't even sit him for the 11+). We know loads of boys who tried and didn't get in over the years. A really good friend of his also tried for this school for sixth form, also got an interview, but didn't get in.
Around about year 9 he started feeling that the comprehensive school he is currently in wasn't the right place for him. They are a good school academically, but he has much wider interests and is so jealous of the real theatre and all the acting and musical opportunities in the Independent Schools. Not to menton all the clubs and societies (debating, medical, sport options, you name it) careers advice and help with university applications.
But I was really scared about putting all his eggs into a basket that might fall apart, so we went to look at second choice. Second choice is also an independent school, with all that entails, including terrific drama opportunities. it is just not quite as academic as first choice. It has a really nice feel about it, is quite small, and one of the things he really liked about it was that he would get a lot of one to one coaching if he did want to try for Oxbridge or medicine or something like that. At first choice probably about half the year will be trying for Oxbridge, it is that sort of school. At first choice he may well be very mediocre.
Third and fourth choice would be other state comprehensives (but not the one he is at, which probably at the moment is fifth choice). he is not thrilled about any of them. He would continue to retain any "state school advantage" vis a vis top universities (if this bias really exists), but they just don't have the range of opportunities and facilities of the independent schools, which he really does want. It is a lot of money, but only two years, which we can manage (although DH, who went to Cambridge from state school, is struggling at the sheer idea of paying so much money for schooling. I went to an independent school, albeit on scholarship, so at least the concept is a bit more normal to me).