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Original poster

GCSEs 2019 - support thread part 2

999 replies

AtiaoftheJulii · 28/01/2019 20:27

Here we are again Grin

OP posts:
thestudybuddy · 29/03/2019 12:29

@Soursprout that assembly sounds awful. I'm not sure where they get their strange notions about motivation from!

Bimkom · 29/03/2019 13:54

@Soursprout" - "I will be very glad when the 10 hour photography exam is over and done with. Dd has been putting in masses of time on her exam question prep and making sure her project book is looking good. Once it’s over, she can concentrate on the other gcses more."

Absolutely and in spades (and hearts and everything I can think of) except about Art. He is now (mostly) writing up the project book, but that meant mammoth sessions on Wednesday and last night with me, despairing over his grammar and lack of imaginative language (he did it on a word processor, so at least the spell checked helped with the spelling), I think he used "piece" about a million times, and "painting" another million. I don't (and couldn't) help with the actual art at all, and if you prod him, he has really good ideas to speak out, but when he writes them half the time they are awful (and he knows it), if he doesn't just go blank. So he wants me to sit there so he can bounce words off me, and have me read it and say - "what are you trying to say here?" And then get a torrent of words, at which point I say - so why don't you write that", or else I probe a bit more, until we end up getting to something. Which is all very well, but desperately last minute, and I am trying to finish up at work and pack for overseas (and DD, Year 8, who can never revise for anything without my sitting on her, has had five tests this week).

67chevvyimpala · 29/03/2019 16:35

Ds1 had biology and maths tests today.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 29/03/2019 16:46

Ds had his Spanish oral on Weds - the real thing! So, so early. He said he thinks it went 'fine' - who knows what that really means? Still, at least it's out of the way.

He has also received another offer for a sixth-form college so feels really pleased and reassured by that Smile

Am a bit worried that his brief foray into regular revision has dropped off somewhat. I need to help him get back into the swing of things!

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 29/03/2019 16:50

ROZ - I think it was my ds you're talking about. He got feedback on his English Language coursework telling him that it was of a grade 9 standard. But he wasn't told an actual mark. I assume they are just going on last years' grade boundaries which should be available online (must admit I've never looked).

pointythings · 29/03/2019 20:02

Maud DD2 is doing her French speaking before the Easter break because she's ready. She did the mock last week and got a 9 despite her teacher and a colleague doing everything they could to knock marks off. She does have a mother who's fluent in French, reads it for fun and listens to French language music, which helps.

I'm not sure I agree that the current History syllabus is all dry - DD2 absolutely loves the topic relating to WW1 and she also enjoyed the Normans and America. But then she wants to take history at A level so she needs the passion for it.

English mocks were an 8 and a 9 again - this year she has had full marks on every single creative writing test she's sat. She writes for fun though.

catontherun · 30/03/2019 08:14

I don't know about any other household but we're going through flashcards like crazy. DC has used up the stock of long since redundant index cards from the back of the stationery cupboard at my work and now having to buy them weekly.

pointythings · 30/03/2019 09:02

If that method works for your DC then that's great. DD2 is a topic-based revision guide user kind of person and that works for her. The only thing she uses cards for is to memorise formulas.

And they're revising, yay!

67chevvyimpala · 30/03/2019 12:01

Ds1 also loves history and is planning to do it at a level.

He has enjoyed all his topics, but especially the weimar republic and rose nazism.

^Which looks weird written down!! :)

More revision today once he is back from the garden centre with his dad.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 30/03/2019 14:36

Ds has now decided that he perhaps wants to do Geography at A-level rather than Eng Lang/Lit.

I've suggested that he doesn't make any firm decisions at this point and just waits to see what he thinks of the taster days at college and - more importantly perhaps - how his results pan out Grin

Roll on September...

67chevvyimpala · 30/03/2019 17:59

The taster days will help maud :)

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 01/04/2019 07:22

Can't believe there's only three weeks left of school before exams start properly ShockShock

67chevvyimpala · 01/04/2019 07:45

We have 4 here...
But yes...its scary!

Soursprout · 01/04/2019 08:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

67chevvyimpala · 01/04/2019 10:07

13th May start here til 14th June (but with whit week in between...)

Ds1 doing lots of past papers at school.

67chevvyimpala · 01/04/2019 10:18

I think some of you gave dc doing igcses??

Could you tell me about them? Do they cover the whole curriculum?

Fazackerley · 01/04/2019 10:21

Dd is doing igcse English. The only difference I can see is that she doesn't do Shakespeare (much to her annoyance). I think theres a courewoek option but dds school doesn't do that.

SilentSister · 01/04/2019 10:30

67chevvy DD mostly doing IGCSE and mostly Edexcel, no coursework. What do you want to know specifically? You can DM me if you like, but basically, I think the two are pretty much the same, the reformed GCSE essentially came into line with the old IGCSE with the course content and final exams and then the IGCSE's have also had an updated content and 9-1 grades, so not sure they are terribly different now.

Not sure what you mean about covering the curriculum. Historically private schools preferred then as they stretched the basic curriculum and covered more than the old GCSE, so were seen to be better suited for preparation for ALevel, but again, I think now, with the reformed GCSE's it is all a much more level playing field.

67chevvyimpala · 01/04/2019 11:18

My sister is considering home schooling my dn for year 11 and was asking me about them

SilentSister · 02/04/2019 15:11

67chevvy Ah, OK. So I think the answer is therefore, yes, they do cover the whole curriculum, but like GCSE's different boards cover slightly different content, but essentially the same amount. That's a very brave thing to do for a Year11.

67chevvyimpala · 02/04/2019 17:31

Yeah.
Sigh.
But she may not have any choice....he's on his last chance :(

67chevvyimpala · 02/04/2019 17:32

Ds1 quite pleased today as he got a 6+ in his maths test last week :)
(He needs a 6 to do biology)

Soursprout · 03/04/2019 08:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fazackerley · 03/04/2019 08:22

Dd is off this week and has stuck to her normal school timetable in terms of revision. She got a 9 in her drama mock so is now considering doing it for A level.

Bimkom · 03/04/2019 09:04

Greetings from the other side of the world! And Art exam is done!!!!!. Only bit of information via WhatsApp and a brief call at 10pm English time, which is 8am here, but he seemed reasonably pleased. Now apparently we need to focus on maths, although the French oral will be next, but not nearly as early as some of you have.