Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSEs 2019 - support thread part 2

999 replies

AtiaoftheJulii · 28/01/2019 20:27

Here we are again Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 05/05/2019 19:21

Oh pointy so sorry to hear about your mum - what a tough year you and your girls have had. Will your dds be able to go over with you for the funeral?

OP posts:
pointythings · 05/05/2019 19:27

Atia it isn't possible - the funeral is on the 13th (they do things fast in the Netherlands if there are no suspicions) and DD2 has her first full day of exams on the 14th. DD1 is neck deep in A level revision. I'm planning to take an insanely early morning flight and come back the same day. House clearing will have to wait until later. At least if I'm not working I'll be able to make the time to do it.

Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 05/05/2019 19:41

Have been reading but not posting much.

Hope that those children who are struggling with their physical or mental health find some stability over the coming weeks. So hard for them, and they're still so young really.

Dd's autoimmune condition has flared up somewhat, meaning some hospital appts, including next week and in half term, and she's not very happy about it.

Her school stopped study leave several years ago, but have reinstated it this year. I was about to email to say dd would only be going in for her exams, but then they made this announcement, so that's been one positive thing for her.

I can't quite believe the exams are so close! Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 05/05/2019 19:42

Really difficult for you all pointy. Do you have siblings?

OP posts:
pointythings · 05/05/2019 19:57

I have one sister who also lives in the UK. I'm doing all of the formal stuff because she suffers from very extreme migraines which interfere with her ability to process complex things - like official documents in Dutch. We'll both be at the funeral and we will be doing the house clearance together but I'll be making the funeral arrangements in collaboration with my cousin.

I suppose the silver lining is that all of this will be less complex than what we were having to do originally, which was having our mum sectioned and admitted to a nursing home against her will.

raspberryrippleicecream · 05/05/2019 20:06

So sorry Pointythings. I hope everything gets sorted out smoothly.

DS2 has to be at school all day every day until half term, and is allowed to leave after exams after half term. I'm assuming that means he doesn't have to go in on the 2 days he doesn't have exams. Unlike his older siblings he has to stay in uniform until the end. School has already issued gneral warning about it, saying the last thing students need is conflict over uniform before exams.

Iambuffy · 05/05/2019 22:06

I've done the one day/2 flights thing for a funeral a couple of times pointy
Its tiring, but when you have a family you have to get back to, it's sometimes necessary.
Hope it all goes as well as it can x

gleegeek · 06/05/2019 00:32

Pointy I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. Awful news and terrible to be pulled in so many different directions. You must be an incredible mum - you sound so level headed and have supported your dc through so many sad and awful things. Fingers crossed for you that things improve for you this year xxx

gleegeek · 06/05/2019 00:36

We're struggling to get dd motivated to revise. If we put pressure on she collapses in a huge panic, if we say nothing she mooches around grumpily achieving nothing. Aaagh, it's so hard!
Today I've sat with her going through french oral questions. She knows the stuff but doubts herself so much that I'm worried she'll dry up in the exam. No other revision happening at all til the oral is over, she just can't cope with more subjects at the moment. We had a lovely walk this afternoon though and baked some cakepops!

Iambuffy · 06/05/2019 08:17

I'm expecting next weekend to be the tough one re: stress with ds1.

I'm hoping the teachers dont pile it on this week!

friendlymum67 · 06/05/2019 10:57

gleegeek My DD is exactly the same, suspect she's in denial about exams but the panic started yesterday! No idea how to help her at such a late stage 😕

Scabetty · 06/05/2019 11:06

Ds has suddenly switched from horizontal, chilled dude to vertical, studious hermit. Has he left it too late? Not saying a word in case he chucks the books back in the drawer but have stocked up on food for his breaks. To be fair compared to dd, who is A level revising, he will never look like he’s working hard; she is never out of the library.

SilentSister · 06/05/2019 12:15

If we put pressure on she collapses in a huge panic, if we say nothing she mooches around grumpily achieving nothing

Same. DD this weekend has not been getting up and at it. We have had several break downs and lack of motivation/confidence. One Biology paper she tried was basically empty. She panicked.

So, yesterday afternoon, and then again this morning, she went through her Biology Revision Guide with me, basically "teaching" me the curriculum. I actually quite enjoyed it, and could kick back with a few queries and questions, which made her think more deeply. It really worked and I learned a few things. She really does know it, it's just that confidence issue again.

My new favourite word "diploid zygote" Grin.

srilankadreaming · 06/05/2019 13:11

I'm with you silent sister! I'm learning ( teaching) medicine through the Ages for History today. we have been at it 3 hours already and there's so much more! shocked at the sheer amount of things they have to know - and be able to apply. But at least we are revising today, unlike the previous 2 days. should be thankful for small mercies. We have had exactly the experience previous posters are going through. Laid back one minute and sheer panic the next. Roll on 14th June !!!

D0ubleTheJoy · 06/05/2019 16:57

pointy I'm so sorry for your loss. I really hope your girls pull through this extremely difficult time, you and they sound so strong and amazing Flowers

DS1 has French oral tomorrow, followed by DS2's French oral - DS1 seems to be totally lacking in preparation after having worked for his German oral last week Hmm

Kids are in school everyday this week before exams begin the following week. What is study leave? When you don't have to be in school if you don't have exams? I think mine only have to go in for exams, so I guess that makes the odd exam-free morning or afternoon study leave time?

Rugbylife · 06/05/2019 20:09

Ds has his first exam tomorrow, WJEC maths, and so it begins until 7th June. He’s done some revision but it’s very adhoc, tried everything to get him to plan, bought shed load of folders, highlighters, cards and post it notes - nothing used! Just hopes he gets the 5 C’s he needs for 6th for sixth form. He’s taking 12 and predicted B’s and C’s with one A. I just hope he’s done enough, I don’t want him to be disappointed come results day but it’s down to him now.

Bimkom · 06/05/2019 20:10

I have read all of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and a good portion of some analysis book that the teachers insisted they buy. I have read chunks out loud to him (when he insists he doesn't know it and can't think if anything to say on anything). Also been lectured on all of the conflict poems, and had to test him on quotes on everything. I will shortly be learning an inordinate amount about various cities, such as Istanbul and somewhere is South America (except that the Geography exam is a bit later, so I have only done a couple of sessions on that so far, but more is coming once English Lit is out the way). Confidence is a huge part of it. He doesn't believe he can do English Lit, so he panics and can't, but does believe he can do science and maths, so I am just not needed (although at some point I will no doubt have to test him on the physics equations one has to memorise, as I did that for the mocks).

Iambuffy · 06/05/2019 20:10

Ds1 has done a maths paper today.
Not sure what else he has planned

Bimkom · 06/05/2019 20:14

We as mentioned have been on study leave for ages - they didn't go back after the Easter break (which was set slightly later), so technically has been on study leave since 30th April. It is a really long haul to go just studying at home. That is why it was very sensible of him to arrange for half his class to traipse through our home studying science (one at a time, I should add, although at one point there was group at somebody else's home of about five of them - oddly enough, a group of boys who all went to DS's primary school, even though they are split now between two high schools!). He has also been going into school. We agreed that the it was likely to be more motivational to be in school, and see the teachers, and that the forty minute walk to and from school would do him good, and get him out.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 06/05/2019 20:20

pointy, so sorry to hear your news Flowers

DS also appears to be winding down, two days before his first exam I am refusing to get visibly wound up about it though. No point; he'll get the results he needs or he won't, and hopefully after he's taken that first History exam on Weds he'll realise that he still needs to keep working anyway.

His study leave starts properly on Thursday. Tomorrow is a half-day of revision for History and then they've been told they can leave to revise at home; I've told him he needs to stay and work in the library but he probably won't Hmm

He's requested hash browns, bacon and eggs for breakfast on exam days and we've booked him some treats for his 16th birthday, 6 days after his final exam. That brought it home just how young he really is even though he's almost 6ft with a voice like gravel and growing a wispy little beard Grin. It's a lot of pressure for such young kids.

Can't wait until this is all over.

Soursprout · 06/05/2019 21:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pointythings · 06/05/2019 21:59

We're still getting homework - though all of it is revision. This weekend DD has done a Drama paper, a chunk of Chemistry and a creative writing practice. She doesn't need creative writing practice, every assessed piece she's done since the end of Yr 10 has been a 9, but she enjoyed doing it so counting that as a win.

I'm winning on the funeral front too, though I'm flying the night before, not the morning of - the morning flight is apparently substantially late over 50% of the time and we can't risk it. Dsis and I are travelling together, which will be good.

Iambuffy · 07/05/2019 07:48

Dh off to China today for work...he wont be back until after ds1s exams start (wibble)

I think I'm more worried about it than he is! 🙄

Iambuffy · 07/05/2019 10:46

Glad you've sorted travel plans pointy x

Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 07/05/2019 12:31

Have just told dd's school that she's not going to be in this week - hopefully she will make it for Friday, as that's mostly just a celebration morning. But she's not well at all, and of course pretty miserable that things have got worse again and at this point. I'm off today (worked all weekend) so also going to email her nurses to see if we can get a letter about her health - you don't get any special consideration for a long-term condition, but you can if it gets worse at exam time. I feel like I should be doing more to help her, but I just don't know what.

OP posts: