Current Year 11 2021/2022 support thread pt III

[StColumbofNavron]

Thread for the parents of DC sitting their GCSEs in about 4 weeks time - eek.

Hello, I hope you guys don't mind, I'm new on here, but I've been reading your chat for a month or so.... I have started a chat if my own, but not had much response so I thought I'd ask on here. My daughter has woken up this morning with a high temperature and a headache. She has GCSEs today we've been told to keep her at home and send in a doctors note but my daughter doesn't want to miss her English exam, she's worked so hard. Does anyone know what actually happens if she doesn't go in? School says they will be in touch later, but it may be too late by then...

Hi @andwhy

Our school says that we have to notify school and a medical certificate from GP or the JCQ Self Certification Form 14 must be produced to the examinations officer within 5 days of the exam.

As I understand it if they miss the exam they'll be given an aggregated grade.

DD is over the moon that she'll never have to do English Lit again after today.

Thank you. I am trying to get through to the doctors now. She's so so gutted. She's worked so hard

Yes, my dd will also be thrilled to say goodbye to English Lit!! She loves reading and is pretty good at writing, including creative writing, but really hates having to memorise quotes and write analysis essays, especially in timed conditions…

DD has mixed feelings about today's exam. She got a low mark in the unseen poetry part of the mock, and says they haven't practised it much in class but got almost full marks in Macbeth essay, so feels more confident for that part.

@andwhy
Oh no what a nightmare for you and DD. What bad timing. I hope she feels better soon and doesn't miss too much.

DS1 said it was (you guessed it) 'fine'. We are OCR and he did R&J today. He said the extract they picked wasn't the greatest one and they could have picked something more substantial, but he said that it was a good question about the relationship between Romeo and Mercutio.

<waiting to hear all about Macbeth>

History (America - New Deal etc, his least fave and he loves history) and physics tomorrow. He hasn't had many two day exams so far.

I was wondering if anyone could help. DD has a panic attack in English Lit 1 and only wrote 3 paragraphs for question 1 but didn't attempt 2 or 3, but the second exam today went well. Given that she can do it when she is able, is there any point contacting the exam officer and asking them to submit a letter or something re exam 1. Have Dr's evidence and school evidence of panic attacks but no ECHP, I didn't submit it earlier as I didn't know how exam 2 would go, which means there would be no evidence that she could pass... Thanks

@Allotment123, maybe ring the school straight away and get some advice.

Ds sooo happy to never have to do English Lit again. The topic was one that came up in a fairly recent past paper and their teacher said wouldn't come up again! Luckily he covered it a bit anyway in revision. The passage was one he had done with his tutor not so long ago! He's had a lucky break with that as Lit is definitely his worst subject. With a fair wind, he's hoping for a 7.

History and Physics tomorrow- another tough day. English Language Friday then it will be intense revision for the last History paper which he didn't do so well on in the mocks.

@Allotment123 its worth a try, you have nothing to lose.

Allotment So sorry about your daughter, hope she feeks OK now. My DD panicked in her speaking test and missed half of it, unfortunately you lose those marks apart from special consideration but it adds very little. My DD can get 4% added to the marks she did get as I have cancer for that paper but think anxiety alone is only 1%. Still worth asking but a low percentage added to a low total is not much help.

If she is still that anxious maybe take advice on best way forward. Hopefully second paper will be enough to get her through. I got a kitten and DD has been so much calmer with him but its not easy to solve.

@Allotment123 Speak to your schools examinations officer ASAP, they will be able to advise on best course of action.

DD said ELit was okay, relatively positive. Had to do some paraphrasing of quotes but that's normal I think.

DD said English Lit was good. She like the R&J question and the unseen poetry was also good.

She's back home for a few hours and then has an after school Physics revision session - her set has had problems with their teacher having been off a lot but I think she's generally OK with it.

Then history and Physics tomorrow and English Language on Friday.

DS has Geography A Level this afternoon and that will be his Geography exams done.

@Allotment123
That must be really tough for your DD. I wish that grades involved some coursework as there must be lots of able students who don't perform well under pressure.

As expected my DD found the unseen poetry tough but Macbeth question was "good".
She is dreading physics. It's her absolute worst subject. I think she's almost written it off and not revised. She says there's no point because she never understood it in thr first place!!

Thank you I'll drop an email. As you say worth a try, we have had loads of help from the school and GP, there are just good days and bad days

DD said English lit was good this morning. Back home for lunch so a calmer day today ahead of her worst day tomorrow. She has History and Physics and then they have to stay after school for English Lang revision session ahead of the exam on Friday.

What does an 'aggregated grade' mean?

I'd also like to know what aggregate grade means, please. School have now informed me that she will be given a grade if the medical information gets approved by the board. But the grade is likely to be lower than she wouId have got. Has anyone had experience of this in past years?

Aggregated just means they'll give the grade based on the paper(s) they did but using an estimate for the missing paper rather than zero. They wouldn't just pro rata the number of marks in case one paper was easier/harder than the others. The aim is to use the papers the DC did sit to guestimate how many marks they would have got in the paper they missed. Obviously if your DC is skewed in their ability in the subject this may work in/against their favour but it is a lot better than being given zero for the missed paper.

DD told me what she wrote for the Macbeth question on fear and having googled it it seems she may have done that wrong

No good comes with finding out what they actually wrote, or checking it. Much better to be in blissful ignorance in my view. And anyway, as long as she argued well and used quotes what she wrote may be perfectly reasonable.

Completely agree. I think people remember what they wrote in exams poorly, you won’t know the basis it’s being marked on and of course in English you can generally argue what you like provided you can back it up. And in any event it’s done now.

I don't know how to reply to individual messages. But thank you for explanation teenpluscat