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Original poster

GCSEs 2019 Support thread 3

999 replies

myrtleWilson · 15/05/2019 21:19

Welcome all - just went to post on thread 2 and saw it was at 999 so quickly did this

OP posts:
parentguidetogcse · 17/05/2019 20:20

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Zoflorabore · 17/05/2019 20:29

Thanks for your kind words SilentSister

Ice cream was demolished and ds is at his desk revising for science. Wish he would take a night off, he only has 2 exams next week, maths and physics.

Drama is with AQA and I'm pretty sure it's 40% coursework and 60% exam, either that or 30/70 and for the coursework element it's actually a devising log which was tough and around 30 pages long and his performance in his 2 set pieces. He got a total score of 67/80 which gave him a grade 8 and was the highest in his class.

However, his timing always lets him down and that's what's happened today.
He's been looking at grade boundaries and all is certainly not lost. He would only have to get around 40 marks in today's exam to get a grade 5. He has given up on anything higher now and I'm past caring about numbers, I just want to see him happy.

Love to all Flowers

KnifeAngel · 17/05/2019 21:12

My Dd said French and Drama (both AQA) were great papers today.

They are still having to go to normal lessons if they haven't got exams. They have lunchtime revision sessions three days next week. Over half term they are in two days. After half term they are allowed study leave.

It seems stupid having to go to lessons when that subject is finished. She had French this afternoon after the last French exam this morning.

Iambuffy · 17/05/2019 21:15

Would I be a dreadful mother if I let ds1 have Monday off to watch the GofT finale with me??

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Iambuffy · 17/05/2019 21:15

(Joke btw!!)

Greeborising · 17/05/2019 21:17

No Iambuffy it would make you an awesome mother!

Greeborising · 17/05/2019 21:19

Wtf is going on when schools expect these kids to attend lessons
WHEN THEY’VE ALREADY SAT THE EXAM!!!!!

freddiethegreat · 17/05/2019 21:20

Been a disastrous week here. Exams themselves have been just about ok, but the challenging behest school in the fallout has been something else. School want him out on study leave ASAP ... but he won’t study on study leave, so I want him in. Right now though he’s doing a damn good job of sabotage. I hate GCSEs nearly as much as I hate Ofsted.

TabbyStar · 17/05/2019 21:27

Freddie my DD has study leave, but I was seriously wondering tonight whether to call the school and ask them to take her back!

pointythings · 17/05/2019 21:45

Greebo no sense at all. DD's school lets them revise what they want in lessons for which the exams have all finished.

And DD's drama teacher gave them all personalised cards and had snacks in - and because she's coeliac, she remembered to bring a gluten free one for DD2.

DD2 likes the social aspect of revising together. She helps people with stuff they struggle with, and they help her. But then she's lucky to be in a very, very nice cohort of students. She struggled a bit with them (parallel top sets because too many bright ones, and all the weird ones ended up in one half) but then realised she fit in with the weirdos not the populars and now loves them all to death.

She' just scoffed a bunch of toast - her eating is erratic, but her overall food intake is fine. I have promised her steak at the weekend.

Lifeandbeans · 17/05/2019 21:54

Well no revising for us tomorrow. I stupidly got DD tickets for an event on Saturday for her Christmas present and didn't really think at the time it would be mid GCSEs . Won't be home until midnight at least...
Parenting fail but she has no exams Monday so meh.

readyforsunshine · 17/05/2019 22:36

Tabby Star I just think you can only support & advise. My first was bright but not at all studious & very disorganised. He totally rejected any help & support, it just made him shut down & I was tearing my hair out feeling I was letting him down.
2nd child is totally different btw! Same genetics, same upbringing, just deals with life in a very different way.
I found that it has been most useful to maintain a relationship so that they know they feel happy & safe at home. I tried so hard with dc1 & can honestly say that I don’t think I could have helped him any more than I did but STILL I felt I failed him. Sometimes the best you can do is just be there. Good luck!

flatmouse · 18/05/2019 00:06

Good end to week here after a shaky middle! DD had PE2 (which she has always maintained is much easier than PE1), which she felt very secure about, and Drama (ocr) which is worth 40% and she has done well in devising and performing modules. Exam is 50% questions on Blood Brothers (in her case) and 50% live review. She was pleased with how it went, and those 2 subjects are now done.
Sleepover tonight with no revision,

OhFFSMary · 18/05/2019 04:50

I thought you lot would enjoy this:
Talking to a colleague from another office today:

Me: my daughter is in the middle of her GCSEs
Colleague: oh yes, same in our household, our daughter is doing her Yr6 SATS
Me: ...

This is how much revision my dc did for SATS....

And how much anyone in cared in our house about SATS....

This is having a teenager doing GCSEs in the house...

Etc...

SunshineInMySprocket · 18/05/2019 05:48

DS has drama too yesterday. He said it was OK and that he thinks the grade boundaries will stay the same and not go up as their head of drama predicted.

Letting DS have a lie in this morning after a late night playing Playstation. He hasn’t been on it in weeks but gave himself the night off last night. Back to the books today as 4 exams next week then a long break to accommodate the UK half term.

TabbyStar · 18/05/2019 05:52

Thanks ready sounds like our situation, although DD can be quite organised, she just doesn't do any work. I think I oscillate between thinking "it's up to her" and "I'm letting her down if I don't do anything". Also, "it'll be fine, she'll pass them all" and "but she could do so much better and she will reduce some choices with okay grades instead of what she could get with some revision". Also "I'm not paying a couple of hundred pounds a month for her to travel to sixth form college next year if she can't be arsed to do anything herself" (we have a local sixth form but it doesn't seem as exciting as the sixth form in the city). Sometimes I think I've made everything too easy for her. What did your DC1 do after GCSEs? Did they get any more committed to anything?!

doublechocadooberry · 18/05/2019 08:35

Same here Sunshine DS just wanted to play on his PS last night,. I think he just wanted a bit of normality after week one. He is planning to get back to it today and tomorrow after a lie-in.

Said French went well yesterday, in fact, the subjects that are his strengths haven't gone his way but the ones that he considers his weaker ones have gone better than expected, so how he has done overall is anyone's guess.

Lifeandbeans · 18/05/2019 08:49

Not really GCSE related but our school seems on a mission for force people into correct uniform.

I kind of understand as half the kids blazers don't fit , many are in trainers and school trousers and skirts are very short but no parent I know is going to buy uniform at this stage!

One of the kids in school who I know has a chaotic home life is being pressured to buy shoes and I know it's not going to happen and tbh in less than four weeks the kids aren't going to need school shoes at all.

Most kids here are going to colleges where trainers are allowed full time.

Soursprout · 18/05/2019 09:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Iambuffy · 18/05/2019 09:25

Ds1s school have been the same life

Ond of ds2s logo jumpers is darned.
No way am I buying new uniform now!

Citygirl2019 · 18/05/2019 09:31

Tabystar I'm new to this thread but have DS1 studying A Levels and DD1 studying GCSEs.

DS1 would say he couldn't revise. Thankfully he is naturally able do although probably could of done better, still achieved good grades.

I sat with DS1 and physically revised with him. We made prompt cards together, experimented with mindmaps, looked at the specifications for the subject, used revision guides etc.

It was hard work, exhausting and bloody frustrating, but at least I felt something was being done and it was practical support rather than just nagging.

Fast forward to A Levels he is a different person. He has found revision techniques that suit him, he is focused and on track to do very well.

I do genuinely believe he didn't know how or where to start with revision when studying for GCSEs (also lacked maturity).

I'm also a lone parent and work full time. It's hard not having that back up of another adult in the house which is why I found a positive proactive approach worked better.

My DD is very different, not as naturally able but very independent and has revised and worked hard. She has had a mixed response to the exams this week. I just hope she gets what she needs for her post 16 choices.

readyforsunshine · 18/05/2019 09:36

Tabby he did ok results wise but not as well as he was capable of not surprisingly. I was in a similar situation the travel costs & felt A levels wouldn’t suit him but he & dh wanted him to so that’s what he did. I told him that if he was not where he needed to be after year 12 he would need to fund his own transport for year 13, in an attempt to motivate him. Very quickly it became apparent that he wasn’t going to put in the necessary effort so I pulled him out at Easter. We had an awful few months of me trying to teach some sort of work ethic by getting him a string of casual jobs then he settled on an apprenticeship in which he is doing really well & is ahead of himself with the college work because he finds it so easy. He is young for his year & also immature for his age. He recently told me that if he was starting A levels now he would feel much more ready to work.
The point is if they won’t work you simply can’t make them. It’s really hard as a parent but it’s not the end! He can still take A levels & go to uni if he chooses it is of course easiest & cheapest to do that following straight on from GCSEs. In my opinion there was no point if he was going to be no further on 2 years later, far better for him to be doing something constructive.

OddBoots · 18/05/2019 09:37

In DD's school there is the tradition after the final Drama exam for the students to add their hand prints to the drama studio wall. DD ended up with blue hands and has a habit of running her fingers through her hair a lot. Her blonde hair is now has light blue streaks. She loves it but I do worry that unless it washes out over the weekend she will be in trouble at school on Monday.

readyforsunshine · 18/05/2019 09:38

Steppe I have heard that the school situation has been resolved, only one student involved & all others clear so your ds should be ok x

TabbyStar · 18/05/2019 10:10

Citygirl I've done this with her a bit, especially for sciences, and I think it's been quite successful but she's resistant to doing it too. I think she does know how to revise, as in the few hours she's put in she's done fine, and she has mind maps and cue cards, she just won't start and do something! On the other hand, I have improved my knowledge of electrical circuits and hydrocarbons!

ready glad he's found something he's doing well in. I wish my DD world find an interest in something other than Instagram and how she looks! She does at least have a Saturday job that she likes and is committed to, I just don't want to see her drifting through A levels non-committally too.