Page 34 | Anyone up for a GCSE handholding thread?

BaconAndAvocado · 2023-01-08T14:26:37+00:00

DS2 has his GCSEs in June. He had mocks in November and more (why??) next month. He needs to get 5 6s to stay at his current school (IB, not overly keen) or to transfer to another local 6th form. He said he’s going to start revising this week...... Think his school will be helping him devise a revision timetable this week. I’ve bought him flashcards, he just needs to knuckle down now.......

christmastreefarm · 17/05/2023 16:46

@MargaretThursday

My DD also said they were very easy. She thought that even those who found it hard could probably get a decent mark (unless grade boundaries are very high I guess)

She actually managed to finish both essays with time to spare which usually she doesn't as she writes so much.

Circleoffifths · 17/05/2023 16:50

PamTheExam · 17/05/2023 16:24

I've got an urgent question re. English Literature. My son didn't realise that he only had to write answers for his two texts and so tackled a question about another of the texts so that'll be three answers (the third was obv quite short as he hadn't got a clue). I'm gutted for him as he's so upset about the mistake which he realised after 20 minutes or so - he is only just scraping 4s as it is and I'm thinking he might be penalised for this or they may take the short answer as one of his "two" - or maybe there isn't a limit! He managed to write a good few decent paragraphs for his core texts. He has got ASD and so that's been accomodated with laptop etc but I think this was just blind panic. Anyone know what might happen?

He definitely won’t be the only one to have done this. My DD did something similar in the geography mock. Am not an expert but I think they will discount the shorter one.

sparkiesparkle · 17/05/2023 16:56

My ds also has to go into school with a full timetable. I don't know what he's doing because he's very vague about it all, but I think mainly revision. He seems to have a very casual attitude towards his exams, which is slightly better than my highly stressed out ds1, but he's just SO laid back.

Day off and then maths, and computer science.
Ds1 is sitting his end of year exams at uni also doing maths. I have no wine!

SheilaFentiman · 17/05/2023 17:04

sparkiesparkle · 17/05/2023 16:56

My ds also has to go into school with a full timetable. I don't know what he's doing because he's very vague about it all, but I think mainly revision. He seems to have a very casual attitude towards his exams, which is slightly better than my highly stressed out ds1, but he's just SO laid back.

Day off and then maths, and computer science.
Ds1 is sitting his end of year exams at uni also doing maths. I have no wine!

Same here - day off tomorrow and then maths and comp sci. He’s “relaxing” now!

MrsHamlet · 17/05/2023 17:07

PamTheExam · 17/05/2023 16:24

I've got an urgent question re. English Literature. My son didn't realise that he only had to write answers for his two texts and so tackled a question about another of the texts so that'll be three answers (the third was obv quite short as he hadn't got a clue). I'm gutted for him as he's so upset about the mistake which he realised after 20 minutes or so - he is only just scraping 4s as it is and I'm thinking he might be penalised for this or they may take the short answer as one of his "two" - or maybe there isn't a limit! He managed to write a good few decent paragraphs for his core texts. He has got ASD and so that's been accomodated with laptop etc but I think this was just blind panic. Anyone know what might happen?

We have to mark everything on the paper and then the system awards the best marks in the eligible combination.

MargaretThursday · 17/05/2023 17:10

@christmastreefarm

Phew!
I guess if it's an easy question that will bring up the grade boundaries, but with the amount of love he has for English literature if he managed to write a decent answer that is definitely a good thing.

TeenDivided · 17/05/2023 17:11

@PamTheExam I remember being really thrown at the start of my RS O Level. There were so many different sections. I had never seen a complete paper before. Hopefully the lost 20 mins won't impact too much.

Devongirly · 17/05/2023 17:12

My son says Eng Lit went OK but it was his weakest subject, I've had to really work hard with him in the last week and getting him to learn quotes. He said he doesn't think he wrote enough to pass. I hope he can get a 4. Still has IC and poems next week but he doesn't seem to know enough yet.

Taswama · 17/05/2023 17:16

My son answered 3 questions when he only needed to do two in his Geography mock. Mocks seemed endless but are good for getting those sort of mistakes out of the way, mostly.

History tomorrow for us.

Rowgtfc72 · 17/05/2023 17:17

Dd said the Macbeth quote wasn't one she'd have chosen but managed to answer the question.
She was very pleased to see greed as a theme for Christmas Carol.

Devongirly · 17/05/2023 17:18

History tomorrow, medicine. But they haven't gone over again for ages. They are only just finishing some of the course content on the other subjects. Eek! Last min revision session later!

TripleDaisySummer · 17/05/2023 17:23

DS has history depression, war and recovery but it's so much stuff to go through and yes they've only just finished the last topic unlike some other subjects.

Hellocatshome · 17/05/2023 17:29

So DS has shingles which has obviously contributed to his tiredness. We are now in a 3 hour wait to be seen by out of hours but Ive seen enough shingles to know its shingles.

Homeworkhell82 · 17/05/2023 17:31

Hellocatshome · 17/05/2023 17:29

So DS has shingles which has obviously contributed to his tiredness. We are now in a 3 hour wait to be seen by out of hours but Ive seen enough shingles to know its shingles.

Oh no....that's such unfortunate timing. Can the school apply for special consideration?

Proudcarerr · 17/05/2023 17:33

Camhs said they think my son should have been entitled to extra time. I guess it's too late now even for the subjects after half term? He is allowed to have a break and it's not taken off his final time.

Hellocatshome · 17/05/2023 17:35

Homeworkhell82 · 17/05/2023 17:31

Oh no....that's such unfortunate timing. Can the school apply for special consideration?

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I'm not sure, I will ask them in the morning luckily he has no exam tomorrow. The receptionist did ask for his school which they have never done before so I dont know if they have to tell them with it being contagious.

Homeworkhell82 · 17/05/2023 17:41

Hellocatshome · 17/05/2023 17:35

I'm not sure, I will ask them in the morning luckily he has no exam tomorrow. The receptionist did ask for his school which they have never done before so I dont know if they have to tell them with it being contagious.

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They may do if he's really ill. A nice rest tomorrow may do the trick. I guess he may have to do it in a separate room?

iwantavuvezela · 17/05/2023 17:49

DD also seemed happy with the AQA English lit questions - also not her strongest subject but she is hoping for a 6/7 in case its ever needed in future for higher education - she is looking pretty exhausted as has had an exam every day this week - and her school is not allowing any study leave so the days are long and the nights even longer ! I've told her that once Maths is finished on Friday to just chill and take the evening off.

PamTheExam · 17/05/2023 17:56

Thanks for reassurance re my son answering one question too many in a panic - hopefully his cock up won't impact his effort/result. The irony is that his school do not one but two lots of mocks and he's seen past papers aplenty so I'm baffled why the presentation of questions was a surprise for him today! Needless to say for tomorrow's History we are going to pull the past papers out again - not to look at the questions, but to really look at the front page where they tell you how many questions to tackle! Annoying when the basic stuff gets messed up. Hope poorly boys and girls get better soon, I'm sure stress brings a lot of these things on...

TeddybearBaby · 17/05/2023 18:13

Hellocatshome · 17/05/2023 17:29

So DS has shingles which has obviously contributed to his tiredness. We are now in a 3 hour wait to be seen by out of hours but Ive seen enough shingles to know its shingles.

My son gets shingles quite often unfortunately and the antibiotics have always worked really quickly so hopefully your DS can get on them straight away and be ok for the next exam. Fyi we have got antibiotics direct from the chemist before (had to pay £30 though) so that might be an option if you need it.

iwantavuvezela · 17/05/2023 18:22

PamTheExam · 17/05/2023 17:56

Thanks for reassurance re my son answering one question too many in a panic - hopefully his cock up won't impact his effort/result. The irony is that his school do not one but two lots of mocks and he's seen past papers aplenty so I'm baffled why the presentation of questions was a surprise for him today! Needless to say for tomorrow's History we are going to pull the past papers out again - not to look at the questions, but to really look at the front page where they tell you how many questions to tackle! Annoying when the basic stuff gets messed up. Hope poorly boys and girls get better soon, I'm sure stress brings a lot of these things on...

My DD also misread her drama question - instead of focussing on two themes assumed it was one - she was really gutted as had really wanted to do well in exam - I told her to see it as a good lesson/warning for the rest of the exams - so many exams & papers - there will be slip ups as tiredness and stress won’t help either

mumonthehill · 17/05/2023 18:26

Ds said PE went well. WJEC history tomorrow, not sure how it will go. Keep going everyone!

Hellocatshome · 17/05/2023 18:38

TeddybearBaby · 17/05/2023 18:13

My son gets shingles quite often unfortunately and the antibiotics have always worked really quickly so hopefully your DS can get on them straight away and be ok for the next exam. Fyi we have got antibiotics direct from the chemist before (had to pay £30 though) so that might be an option if you need it.

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That might be an option thanks for the info as the nurse practitioner at the walk in said they wouldn't give anything apart from painkillers to a 16 year old.

ilovebagpuss · 17/05/2023 18:40

Our school doesn't have any study leave (and as my DD has some MH issues which are happily stable at present) I am allowing her the odd day at home to revise in comfort when she has no exams.
She said there were kids messing about in most of the non exam lessons and so it's not like quiet revision time.
She is also kicking herself for writing Edwardian instead of Victorian in Eng Lit! She was second guessing herself and stressed. The rest of the content was fine just hoping she hasn't lost many marks.
@Hellocatshome hope your DS feels better soon, what a time to get shingles!

topcat2014 · 17/05/2023 18:46

Dd in tears after AQA English. Trying to calm her down so she doesn't lose too much confidence