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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:
OlderThanAverageforMN · 30/01/2019 10:46

Honestly, I think DD looks really cute in her glasses, and she is happy day to day, but she wants contacts for the prom. She has also been told she needs to take her glasses off for her drama performances as they hide her face, so contacts needed for those too, as she can't see at all without them.

Fortunately DD not interested in having hair or makeup etc done, so there's a saving, and she won't have a tan done, as she is naturally whiter than white, so will be going for the English rose look, or in her own words, the slightly dead look !!

Destiel · 30/01/2019 11:23

Well, I won't use ds1s exact words but I get the impression that the people going to prom are his favourite fellow students:)

flatmouse · 30/01/2019 12:43

Bizarre re Drama and glasses!

OlderThanAverageforMN · 30/01/2019 14:26

flatmouse I know...... I thought so too. Apparently it is something to do with the lighting reflecting off them?? Anyway, always aim to please, so we will get some daily disposables and hope she can get on with them.

Good luck to all of DC's doing Drama scripted soon.

Soursprout · 30/01/2019 16:06

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Destiel · 30/01/2019 16:15

Results in!

Generally good and I think ds is pleased.

8s for history and geography
6s for eng, eng lit, pe, biology, physics

5 for maths
4 for chemistry

He knows he needs work on the last 2 and he's delighted with the 6 for pe as he did little revision for that one.

myrtleWilson · 30/01/2019 18:47

Well done Destiel DS - is that everyone through round one of mocks now? I know some schools run a set pre Xmas and one after Xmas (not us!)

I was adding dates in my diary today and the last day at school for Yr 11 is 10th May which seems very very close now - eek!)

Soursprout · 30/01/2019 20:17

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Destiel · 30/01/2019 20:19

Thank you :)

Bimkom · 30/01/2019 22:15

Just got email from the school - first day of study leave is 30 April!
That does seem very soon.

flatmouse · 31/01/2019 09:56

Not sure they get study leave at DD school, which is a shame for her as she is an independent learner. For my DS year he did get study leave although parents could choose if child in school or not - but they changed it the following year.

OlderThanAverageforMN · 31/01/2019 14:18

Yep - 1st May study leave for us. Email arrived yesterday too. They do have access to teachers until 10th though, and can request meetings, which is cool. What's really annoying is that exams finish during w/e 21st, which is then prom, but then we had a note saying we need to be around for Wed 26th in case of exam disruption, this being a set aside day by the exam boards, so we can't go away early :-( and then additionally we need to be back for July 3rd which is speech day, doubly annoying.

steppemum · 31/01/2019 14:28

Can I join in?

Ds ia doing his. Mocks just finished, results mixed. He had flu through the mocks though, so that is his excuse!

We haven't had any details about exams yet.
Prom is in June. At least boys are easier to buy for!

Destiel · 31/01/2019 14:28

Yep.
Contingency day on 26th here too.
No info on exam leave yet.

Bimkom · 31/01/2019 14:46

Our letter regarding study leave says:

"Once study leave starts, students may still come into school if they would like any additional help as teachers will be available during their normal lesson times."

That sounds like it is up until they no longer need (ie exam is over).

The 26th contingency day is a new thing agreed across all boards (maybe not IGCSE). We didn't know about it when my husband's nephew was trying to set his wedding date, and asked us to make sure it didn't hit DSs GCSE exams. Wedding was already booked for the 23rd in Manchester by the time we found out, so I do hope he is not still studying then (we would go anyway, we will be back for DDs school on the Monday, but still).

Destiel · 31/01/2019 17:16

Ds is happy as he has had his maths papers back and he was only 10 marks off a 6 over the 3 papers so hes chuffed :)

flatmouse · 01/02/2019 09:11

DD scripted drama mock last night. First piece went well. Second piece a disaster. One of the group had not learned lines yet - started with random other lines and the other two couldn't bring him back onto script. He gave up, asked to start again, got told no, carried on messing it up. Eventually got script out and even reading from script got his lines wrong. DD not happy and had words after. Really unfair that one can fell the group.
She was in same group as this one for devised drama, and had issues then also - although after much stress it came out well in the end.

Destiel · 01/02/2019 10:21

That's incredibly disappointing for your dd.

pointythings · 01/02/2019 10:30

We don't get study leave at all. Compulsory revision sessions all the way through the exam period. DD1 enjoyed them when she did her GCSEs and felt well supported so not complaining.

Big sympathy on the drama performance. DD2 has hers next week and one boy in her group hasn't learned his lines either. He is being leaned on to get it done, we just hope it works.

marmiteloversunite · 01/02/2019 13:12

Drama GCSE is really hard when you are with other students who don't care or try. I never understand why they can't put the students together that want to work hard and succeed and a group of students who are just doing it because they thought it was an easy option. So frustrating.

OlderThanAverageforMN · 01/02/2019 14:25

marmite I think our school does the exact opposite. They put one strong student in with other less able/less hard working. I suppose they are trying to pull the others up. DD being in the same position, I have tried to bolster her confidence by saying how much better she will seem against the other non-triers, but of course, it is very difficult to put in a great performance when you have no-one to connect with.

marmiteloversunite · 01/02/2019 18:41

I think I worded it badly. My DD gets the same in drama. There are always a couple of students that don't bother to learn their words or mess around at rehearsals. She gets really upset because she wants to do her best.

Soursprout · 01/02/2019 18:56

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pointythings · 01/02/2019 19:13

They definitely don't put all the keen hard-working students in groups together. For DD2' devised performance it was 2/2 - the two lads who weren't trying ended up being given very minimal stuff to do, DD2 and the other two carried the performance between them. This time they're in a group of 4 - one of them is exclusively doing costume and stage design so the one who hasn't learned his lines does have a significant acting part. DD and the other acting group member are keeping it going. They do get marked as individuals.

flatmouse · 02/02/2019 09:14

They do get marked as individuals yes, but very hard to keep it going and do a good performance if your lines are making no sense as other person is spouting random stuff! Also performance as a whole will impact on individual score.
Oh well. It is a life lesson, however tough. You have to learn to work with/deal with people like this.