Thread 3: Continuing to GCSEs Summer 2020 - Happy New Exam Year!

[OrangeCinnamon]

Continuation of previous thread
Thread 2

Thread 1 Year 10

At the end of last thread there was a bit of talk on prom dresses ( recommend Fonthill Rd in London if you can get there) by @proggymat and @crazycrofter

@TigerMum had a query regarding moving to foundation level at this stage.

Sorry peeps thread progressed without me noticing so none can reply to your queries!

There are revision classes scheduled at DSs school. He’s intending to go to some. He also has second mocks after half term - as he’s going away with his dad to Spain at half term (maybe he’ll practise some Spanish) I’m not too sure when he’s intending to revise...

Sometimes feels like squeezing blood of out a stone to get him to do steady work

Great news namechangenumber2

That's fantastic namechange - is it dependent on certain grades?

DD has submitted her A level choices. Chemistry, Biology and English! Sounds a bit odd, but I guess doctors need to be able to write grammatical reports! Geography as a reserve/possible 4th.

At her school, only 30% of the current Yr 12 are doing 4 A levels, and half of them have Further Maths as the 4th. I think DD will probably do 3 + an EPQ + a MOOC of some sort to demonstrate a range of super-curricular stuff. She also needs to make time for 2 long term volunteering placements and at least a couple of work experience placements, not to mention preparing for the Med school pre-tests, so I am pushing her towards 3.

Yeah it's dependant on his results @KingscoteStaff , I'm not too worried about two of his choices as he's already hitting the minimum grade. More worried about Maths as it's a popular, usually very over subscribed course and I've heard they then pick based on grade?! So he really needs to push to get the best he can. He needs a 7 and is predicted a 7 but his teacher thinks he should be aiming for an 8, so I'm hoping he'll really push himself

That's great news @namechangenumber2.

We seem to have the do 4, drop 1 approach at school. Since DD is really clear on what she wants to do I'm not sure of the benefit of the 4th. It will be the same teachers for 6th Form so they know her, and all believe she'll cope with her chosen A levels so not sure why we want to spend the time and energy on a subject she doesn't want to do.

DSs school is of the do 3 approach. Unless you’re doing Further Maths where 4 is allowed.

If DD stays where she is, it's 3. If she goes where she hopes to, grades permitting, it's 4 with a drop one if you need to.

I have to say DS started with 4, and should have dropped the 4th much sooner than he did (end of L6), when he was forced to due to appalling end of year exams. the others really suffered in the process.

It's interesting the different approaches school seem to take with number of A levels. DDs very average achieving non selective school has said people can take 4 if they wish, yet the selective Grammar schools have said take 3 plus EPQ as 4 not needed. Although they have lumped Further Maths in with Maths so it counts as 1, so basically those taking FM are taking 4, but they don't recommend 4 for other subjects.
DD seems to have decided to stay at her current school for 6th form, which is fine, she has been there since she was 3. She was tempted by the Grammar schools but I think it's easy to stay where she is (she can walk v 1 hr commute (walking & train).
She has finished her Mocks and is getting results back in, doing a lot better than I expected tbh as she didn't start revising until the last minute but did work hard once she had started. So far has 8 8 8 7 and 5 (still waiting maths, Eng lit, Spanish and Chemistry).
She is moaning that as she is a prefect she has to do a project and then present it to 30 people from the GDST in London in late February. She really doesn't want to do it but it will be good for her. I predict a very bad tempered 16yr old until it's finished...
Prom dress shopping to look forward to.

DS's school is also the do 4 drop one approach.

DS is now wavering about his exam choices. He loves History but has looked at the syllabus for A level and thinks it looks boring. He's now considering a switch to Biology which he has performed equally well on in his mocks.

Anyone have any views on which of these is harder at A level?? I was worried about his A level choices as they are heavily essay based so don't think it's a bad idea to do something different.

@justherewithmypopcorn I think they're both considered hard aren't they? But I'm not sure what the 'easy' subjects are now, if there are any.

Dd's current school (selective independent) do 4, with the option of dropping one at the end of L6 (or earlier if need be). They also do the EPQ and some students do 5 A Levels, mainly those doing FM!

The grammar school she's hoping to go to say 3 as standard and allow 4 for students who've scored at least 8 x 8 at GCSE! The EPQ is optional there. Dd is hoping to start with 4 just so she can suss out the subjects and teachers and then drop down to 3 fairly quickly. But it's dependant on her getting those grades! I'm not keen on her doing an EPQ (and she agrees) as she's already chosen essay-based subjects and two of them (Geography and History) have coursework. She's not been keen on coursework, from her limited experience with IGCSE English.

Haven't been on for a while and great to catch up. Great news namechange.
Heartening to hear about MFL and possible less harsh marking. DS struggles with listening and mark is always much lower. His school is doing extra listening class after school once a week which he now goes to. Day is normally 8-4 so this makes it a very long day esp as has to do homework when gets home.
Chemistry has been a shocker, 4 teachers in two years, way behind on syllabus, now running extra classses each week.

Got the print out this week to check the name spelling and exam entries..... gosh that made it feel real.
DS has been working quite hard. He needs to as not a 'natural academic' and finds the essay subjects difficult to do in the way needed to get the marks. I can't believe how formulaic it all is compared to my O level days. History was a subject he used to love but gcse has killed it for him. Mocks were in nov and mainly 5/6's and one 7 so hoping to get up a grade to 6/7's and hopefully an 8 to stay on for A levels.
School seems to be the take 4 and drop one. There are a number of subjects he will be glad to see the back of incl French and history! Similar to the burning of the Latin book at end of year 8!
I think our school runs revision classes during the Easter holidays and in the period leading up to the exams. they are on exam leave from beginning of Easter hols but can go in for the revision sessions.

3 A levels recommended here and I’m relieved tbh...4 would be too much for DS I think, even with a ‘drop one if you need to’ approach.

Parents evening last night and all really positive, basically a ‘keep on doing what you’re doing as it’s clearly working’ message for DS which was nice to hear. He got a 9, two 8s, four 7s and two 6s in his mocks. Realistically I think 6s/7s will be absolute maximum he’ll get for English and especially the dreaded Spanish but all other subject teachers seem confident he could get 8s and even possibly 9s in a couple of subjects. He doesn’t take after me that’s for sure as his weakest subjects were my strongest and vice versa! DS is a maths and science (and history) boy through and through, sadly I fear much of the credit for that has to be given to his father

@lovethecrown - Sounds like you're DS is doing well, what a nightmare over Chemistry. Print out already? DD's school is not known for their admin ability...anyone else getting printouts now?

I like the idea of extra French Listening classes, I will ask DS's French teacher about that. Last year we were told for him to just use Caboodle but DS says the listeing on there is easy compared to GCSE practice paper we did.

Similar to the burning of the Latin book at end of year 8!
My DD would think that was sacrilege lovethecrown
French listening is also her Achilles heel,
A levels in our neck of the woods vary widely. Some schools are strictly 3 plus EPQ or 4 if FM is taken. Some are start with 4 but drop one-the logic being if you really dislike one you avoid a time table clash with your other preffered option. One school is start with 4 or 5(!) and do 1 or 2 at AS level.

DD1 at a top RG uni and had interview for Oxford, only did 3. They don’t encourage 4 at her school.

Better to do 3 and get best grades possible. She actually started the epq but dropped it.When she went to Oxford Keble for interview she asked and was told they’re not interested in it! Just as well then!

The which is harder : biology or history is not easy to answer as they are so different! One is rote learning and application of that to scientific knowledge . the other is an analytical subject with essays. History has coursework in all specs, I believe. I would say if an immediate reaction is that the history topics look boring, don't do it!

Success in biology is underpinned by ability in other subjects , such as chemistry and maths but little 'cultural capital'. Success in history is underpinned by an ability in English and a curiosity about the world and secure general knowledge, I'd say.

With the Maths are the school giving guidance on it all?

If DS gets a 7 in Maths GCSE and a reasonable score in their "readiness for Maths A-level" test in September, then they will be happy for him to take single Maths A-level.

However, I know a young person who got a mid-A grade in the old maths GCSE but found Maths A-level so hard that they had to drop it after a few weeks.

Thanks Piggy, see I’ve always felt that Biology is the only science that doesn’t need a mathsy talent. DS does well in Biology, OK in maths and baaaaadly in Chemistry. He’s doing very well in History but that’s because he has found it really engaging. I think maybe we’ll have a chat with his biology teacher and see what she thinks about him taking it. I don’t know 🤷‍♀️

What are the history topics @justherewithmypopcorn ? I’m a history graduate so I’ve been looking at all the syllabi (?!) on offer at different sixth forms with interest.

At my school they have suddenly decided they need a 6 in maths to do biology A Level. I agree it isn't as mathsy. It is more chemistry related at A Level.

When you say looked at the syllabus does he know which topics the school does? There are literally dozens of different routes through in history!

At my DD’s school you need a 6 in Maths and Biology to do A level Biology. The teacher actually said that those who got a 6 at GCSE Biology, struggled with the A level.

DD2 did History A level last year. The syllabus covered Russian history and early Tudors from memory. She loved it and got an A.