Current Year 11 - 2 more weeks of exams!!

[Rollergirl11]

New shiny thread!!

DD said Maths (AQA higher) was good and she felt better than paper 2 (and definitely better than paper 1!)

Geography tomorrow, Biology on Wednesday and Spanish Writing on Friday.

Then Chemistry, History and Physics next week.

One of mine found AQA maths higher paper 3 easy and the other found it alright thinks 4/5. I was looking at the grade boundaries for 2019 and understand that they will be lower than 2019 but haven’t actually seen that written anywhere. Geography tomorrow morning and then Biology and Spanish.

Mine are becoming so bored with revision and I have to keep reminding them every exam still counts.

Good luck to all the students sitting exams, including the home schoolers.

Hi @Fireflygal Surfacepros were a bit expensive, so this is a Lenovo Ideaflex or ideaflex 14 (DH is the techie one). It seems to work really well according to DD. DS hasn't had a lookin yet.

DD said it was easiest if the 3 papers.

Our Y11 cohort in general said it went fine.
My Invigilators told me many took a nap 😴

Have now remembered DD does Edexcel maths not AQA. It was still fine 😊

FFF2022 I thought grade boundaries were going to be higher than 2019 but lower than 2021? I think it's all a lottery at the moment!

@cheninblanc That's how I understand it too.

My Son missed the last question too. He was annoyed with himself but hopefully overall he's done OK.

Grade boundaries are going to be adjusted this year. This is from the government website www.gov.uk/government/publications/student-guide-to-exams-and-formal-assessments-in-2021-to-2022/student-guide-to-exams-and-formal-assessments-in-2021-to-2022

"Examiners will be more generous when setting grade boundaries than they were in 2019, when summer exams last took place. This will provide a safety net for students who might otherwise have just missed out on a higher grade.
In 2020 and 2021, when GCSE, AS and A level grades were determined by teachers, national outcomes were higher than is normally the case.
This year, for GCSE, AS and A levels, examiners will aim for a national grading standard at a midway point between the results in 2021 and those in 2019."

If I'm being perfectly honest I'm appalled that the government have made them sit exams this year again. They must be some of the worst affected students after covid happened. Not just the disruption of the pandemic itself but the affects of catching the virus (my ds had it twice) and the affects of this on their health (mental and physical) plus extra time off with it. Also the physical affects of the vaccine on myself (with a health condition) when I needed to support my ds, plus the fact that ds also had side affects from the vaccine. My own personal feeling is they should have been cancelled for at least another year to allow people to recover themselves a bit both physically and mentally.. I have a health issue and my DS also has issues with concentration and staying focussed plus catching the virus, plus vaccines and all the physical stress it has caused. My son has worked so hard in spite of it all. Plus parents/ teachers who have tried their best to support them. Ds was so drained this evening that he's has a job to concentrate on anything. If he doesn't get his predicted grades then something needs addressing. (End of rant, sorry)

If I'm being perfectly honest I'm appalled that the government have made them sit exams this year again. They must be some of the worst affected students after covid happened. Not just the disruption of the pandemic itself but the affects of catching the virus (my ds had it twice) and the affects of this on their health (mental and physical) plus extra time off with it. Also the physical affects of the vaccine on myself (with a health condition) when I needed to support my ds, plus the fact that ds also had side affects from the vaccine. My own personal feeling is they should have been cancelled for at least another year to allow people to recover themselves a bit both physically and mentally.. I have a health issue and my DS also has issues with concentration and staying focussed plus catching the virus, plus vaccines and all the physical stress it has caused. My son has worked so hard in spite of it all. Plus parents/ teachers who have tried their best to support them. Ds was so drained this evening that he's has a job to concentrate on anything. If he doesn't get his predicted grades then something needs addressing. (End of rant, sorry)

Whilst I very much sympathise with your circumstances @LizzyButtons (and of course everyone has their own circumstances through Covid), I’m actually glad that exams are back on. My own DD said that she’d feel cheated if, after all that she’s been through and how hard it was to keep going, she didn’t get to prove herself. She’s also very anxious and said that sitting these exams at school with all their advance info and the things like formulae sheets etc has really helped her not be afraid of exams in the future.

I guess I’m saying that for some, exams being back on are a positive. I mean that fully respectfully and appreciate it does not apply to all - just a balancing view.

I agree. They were absolutely miserable last year about having TAGs, and felt they had to battle through Covid and then everybody was going to discount their results forever after all that work, and being assessed every single minute to make the justification for TAGs, and three sets of exams before Easter, after Easter and then end of May to justify the TAGs. My DS and his cohort, having done regular GCSEs and then TAGs for A Level would swap with my DD in a heartbeat.
And the A Level cohort (and their parents, many of whom have other siblings who have done A levels) this year keep saying how hard it is to do the A levels having never sat GCSEs. It is a totally new experience. And for all that GCSEs matter (and they do, whatever anybody says), they don't matter as much as the A Levels. It is a really important learning experience that helps set them up for A levels, and however much I hate them, I realise I would not have wanted my DD not to go through this experience. It is extraordinary how they grow during GCSEs, it is nightmarish but they do. My DS did and I can see my DD doing it in front of my eyes (even though I am very worried she hasn't grown quite enough and won't make the grades she needs, and maybe I will feel differently in August if she doesn't - but to have her go on to A levels on a misapprehension that she could handle it because she got TAGs, I think that would be worse).

Thanks for that DaffodilGreen maybe I'll feel differently about it all one day, it's just been incredibly difficult for ds to stay on track due to the issues I've mentioned, but I respect everyone has a different set of circumstances. I'm hoping ds is ok for Geography in the morning. He was exceptionally drained this evening after school. Take care. Sorry my earlier post came up twice as website keeps glitching.

@IThinkIMadeItWorse many thanks for the link about grade boundaries. Despite these exams going on and on I too am pleased they are doing them rather than TAG (i will remind myself of this post on results day 😄). A friend’s daughter is really struggling with A Level final exams because it is her first formal experience of exams.
I just hope the setting of the grade boundaries takes into account the disastrous year 10 that many year 11s experienced. One of my sons missed 6 weeks off school (close contact with covid students) and minimal online learning…

@Naem gosh yes you’re very right about the volume of work the TAGs put the children through. All those endless mocks and class assessments. The way they could never perform at anything less than their best as every single piece of work was TAG evidence. It was horrific and many of our year 11’s that left last summer suffered through it for an end result they didn’t feel was fair anyway. They definitely had it bad.

@LizzyButtons i really do feel for you and what you’ve been through. I’ll keep everything crossed for your DS to get through the rest of his exams and for him to get what he needs. It’s been a bloody hard slog for our teens and they’ve lived through a time in education like no other. If nothing else they can certainly be proud of all they’ve achieved just to keep going despite everything the pandemic threw at them.

I’m another one glad they are sitting exams, and my daughter has had a dreadful GCSE experience.
She started year 10 in quarantine and then a few weeks later I was diagnosed with cancer and a second cancer 10 days later. I’m still not finished with treatment so the whole time she has dealt with me being ill. She also missed weeks in the autumn term being ill with one thing after another and she has reached this point due to her resilience and the support of her friends and teachers.
I couldn’t be any more proud of her.

So sorry for some of these sad and hard times. Just a reminder- write to school exams officer with details of serious illness/family trauma affecting students and they can apply for special consideration.
I look fwd to seeing signs of the growth mentioned. Mine has admitted to picking fights with us because he's so bored!
Still 7 more left here, 4 in the next 3 days. On we go!

@MrsPnut gosh what a tough time for your family! Thoughts are with you.

I am also glad that they managed to sit their exams this year and so is DD. She’s had a hard GCCSE journey too what with developing Anorexia, being hospitalised and having a month off school in Year 10 and now that she is weight restored having to battle with crippling anxiety and body dysmorphia. And on top of all that she’s had major friendship issues. Despite all this she’s put her heart and soul in to her studies. Being able to work for her GCSE’s has given her something to focus on despite all the shit she’s had going on. I am immensely proud of her and her resilience.

Lizzy I am so sorry for what you and your son are going through, sending you love and hugs as I know how tough that is.

My DD who is y11 has had a very tough 2 years with lockdown, getting very depressed at old school end of y10 so we needed to change her schools end y10 which worked well but catch up involved but gave her a great friend group, supportive teachers and more recently a lovely 6 foot 5 muscly boyfriend with swimming pool. She also had to deal with me going through cancer and chemotherapy at the moment and knowing the doctors took 4.5 months to refer whilst it was growing. I have 2 cancers but both in same breast. But she learnt with some guidance from me to self teach in lockdown and actually got ahead and wanted to take as many GCSEs as possible so she is taking 12 GCSEs and 1 level 3 and expected to get near perfect grades apart from maybe the 2 new ones she added but she knew that and said she still wanted. She has a summer job, friends, lovely supportive pastoral care, went to France on Eurostar by herself at Easter, stayed there for a week with our French friends. She is amazing and very beautiful as well. I am so glad our Maine Coon kitten has kept her calm and she also told me a lot of her friends are moaning about their Mums nagging them and I am the only Mum not nagging. She has amazing 6th form offers.

Then there is my son who has completely fallen apart, bless him, such a lovely, kind sweet boy and its heartbreaking and the lack of any support is awful. He went mute 3rd lockdown and has not spoken since but there is no support, one long cahms waiting list, 1 session, said too severe to help. An EHCP which will finally got after 3 years (delayed a year with lockdown and had to restart as no school then as no EHCP). No friends and no support at school, every school in county I approached refused to help when current school said can't meet needs. There are not enough school places in y10 in the county so no-one wants the SN kids which cost them money as SN funding can be used for any kid and they get the same if they have no SN kids as if they have lots. Its such as unfashionable cause as well, its easy at least to get help for my cancer but nothing for him for SN. He was devastated by my cancer, I have always been the person he is closest to and worships though he has avoided me since cancer and he has no friends here and has only ever spoken to odd teacher at school. I think children who need it should have been allowed to repeat a year. And mental health support is shocking. A kid on the y10 residential school just attempted suicide, there's no help here until an active attempt has been made. A lovely cancer charity has just given us a week away in Cornwall.

10th chemo done but one hell of a day as the LA has just changed the safety plan to DS 4 days ago to call police every time school don't know where he is in school. So day 1 police called and he returns at 3.15pm so police come here to interview mute child, lovely police but interview went well, not. Then needed to keep him home with no education 2 days as school could not cope due to lack of staff. Staff back Mon but not using his TA for him so they call police again whilst I am due to go to chemo. Thought would need to cancel it but thankfully police tracked him to music dept, did one search of our house first, pointless but at least they can now see that. GCSEs fine maths yesterday, stats today.

Dd seems to be slowly going off the rails now, she says she just doesn't care any more about the exams and can't be bothered to do any more work or revision because they don't really matter. She's worked so hard all the way through the pandemic, kept up with all the online work, done every bit of homework and seems like she's run out of steam just at the worst time. At a loss what to do with her.

Yes Atike its hard they are going on so long and its been pressure all year long for them, mocks which could have gone to TAGS then real ones. She sounds depressed so I would try and do something to cheer her up and maybe a countdown.

@Silkierabbit @Rollergirl11 and @MrsPnut , what tough times you are all going through 💐

silkierabbit, I agree I think she's depressed too (as does she) but we've agreed to wait until exams are over before trying to seek treatment because she really doesn't want to confront it at the moment. No idea whether that's the right or wrong call. I think part of it is that she's always been so well-behaved all the way through school, she also wants to rebel

@Silkierabbit i can’t begin to comprehend how you have coped with all that going on. Serious respect to you! And here’s hoping that your health goes from strength to strength!

@Akite thanks for your well wishes. Sorry to hear that your DD is faltering. It’s such a very long time for them to keep the momentum going isn’t it? They are all exhausted and close to burn-out. But we are nearing the end now. Make it to next Thursday and it will all be over. Is it your DD that is going to Glastonbury? So there is light at the end if the tunnel!
It may well be that she’s struggling with depression. But just a word of warning that NHS CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental health) are massively overstretched with huge waiting lists and are also often not fit for purpose even if you are seen. Might be worth considering going private for your DD if you decide to investigate treatment available.

DD has Geography this morning and back home for lunch.

Good luck all DC’s with exams today!