GCSE Supporting - first week nearly over

[overthehillswegoo]

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Yes DS seems to have lost all the steam he built up last week. Not helped by the big International company he has applied for an apprenticeship with scheduling the final interviews (he has already done many assessments) for next week whilst exams are on. So now he is focusing on prepping for this which whilst good is pointless if he then doesn't get the grades he needs.

I'm still supporting DS revision - partly as he does feel overwhelmed with the amount of subjects and content - though trying to be led by him.

DD1 currently doing A-levels missed most GCSE exams due to covid- but wouldn't have help for last year AS exams - unfortunately weren't as good as hoped/expected but not sure if that could really have been avoided.

I think SmurfHaribos right about the tortoise and hare - though both my older two really struggled in primary - DS was much worse for longer - he also wasn't hitting the teachers radar being much quieter as much though so has heard much less about how good he when he did get there - we've always tried to focus on effort.

Ds doing soem revision mainly SENCA and physics - which is one he needs - but he's generally good with chem and geography just hope it's not misplace confidence. He's not really keen to do much today - it's another hot and sunny day which doesn't seem to help.

DS1 did ok with chemistry yesterday morning but not much yesterday afternoon. He’s realised he didn’t do enough Chem and Geog over Easter. Roll on next thu when he can have a proper break after comp sci practical!

I've just spent a couple hours with my son in the garden helping him to get his head around Eng Lit. My ds really struggles with it. The choice was either, just leave it completely and concentrate on everything else or try his best and pass it which is what we have decided to do Christmas Carol and Macbeth was enough but now IC and all those poems. I've realised that's enough for today and he's going to chill the rest of the day.

Dd was panicking slightly about chemistry this morning. She was in a show yesterday, with another one today. She does have some time for revision this evening, so hopefully won’t get into a total panic about it all.

This is lovely to watch for geography exam.

Mr B is brilliant

A good free website for past papers for chemistry cognitoedu.org
DS seems to be having some success and feeling more confident.

Thanks, I've just sent this on to DD, who is definitely waning today

My DD is trying to revise chemistry too.However, there are constant distractions.😐

Thanks so much for this, My DD has spent so much time on Chemistry that she's panicking she hasn't done enough for Geography - this video has helped her focus.

My daughter does IGCSE english lit and to be fair there are different exam boards so it could be different but she only had 1 exam - but she had had to hand in two essays earlier this year for marking.

DD is doing IGCSE Eng Lit and has three exams, one poetry and prose, one drama and one unseen poetry. So there must be all kinds of different arrangements.

My up until now relatively-calm-about-the-exams teen has had a complete meltdown about tomorrow's chemistry and geography exams. She is panicking that it's going to be a disaster. Trying to get her head calm as nothing will make an exam go worse than being in a blind panic

Oh dear @powerrangers can you take her out complete distraction a walk or a pizza or something. My DD was flagging today so DH just took her and younger DD swimming which seems to have helped. It’s not helped by me hiding from them as I’m laid up with covid.

She's calmed down. It's just such a shit set of exams. So many at such a young age. Everyone I know say the sane. It's the worse set. Worse than a-levels or uni exams as there are just so many and they are so young. A-levels are in the subjects you choose and no where near as many and they are 2 years older. I know people in Australia, NZ, USA ego are all aghast at what we put them through at this age.

I agree. I have never been so traumatised by exams as by the GCSE (or its incarnation 35 years ago and it wasn't so bad then).

It is the first major national exam so you have not got your exam technique quite right yet. The breadth of subjects, both strong and week, is dizzying. It requires great organisational skills - The study timetable itself is spreadsheet territory. Incredible resilience to get through the prep and actual exam spread over 4 -6 weeks. All singing all dancing memory, computational and analytical skills.

However a 16 year old gets through it is unbelievable. I curse Michael Gove. Every exam I took after GCSEs was easier and easier.

I think both are “high volume of facts” subjects and mine is pretty stressed too!

@YellowDots definitely looks like a plan but we have a 5th week for further maths so think week 4 will be _ nearly done
Week 5 _ why am i doing maths!

DD currently watching Queen Charlotte on net flix, haveing been marched.to dance class on Saturday for a break..Dance teacher was horrified at her 22 exams! It is madness in Scotland they do.far less. Geography and Chemistry tomorrow!

Further maths here also. 21 papers in total (cos art was done earlier!)

@SheilaFentiman dd did btec dance or she would have had more! RS compulsory at her non church school plus the 2 FM papers and 3 for geography all add up!

DT, Dance and Food Tech all in Week 5 as well as FM so quite a few will be not quite done when everyone else downs pens on the Friday of Week 4.

@HannahWaddinghamLove dd also going for motor vehicle Maintenance. She has an apprenticeship lined up and just needs 3s.
She's panicking about science today as they've only just finished learning the chemistry element at school.
This is to be followed by 4 revision periods of French! Dd has asked if we can ring in and say she has a dentist appointment after two. We've agreed.

Chemistry and Geography for DS today. DS planning to take Geography at A level so wants a good grade. Chemistry he's least favourite science (much to the disgust of myself and DH who both have chemistry degrees) so hoping for a decent pass. Good luck to everyone's DC.

Good Luck everyone today!!
First day for my son having 2 exams on one day. He's exhausted after one. Lots of snacks going in for the break between!

That's kind of hilarious. I guess it's not generic then! My dd wants to take chemistry for a levels but is very stressed about todays exam. She says there is just so much content. She finds biology easier to understand and physics is mathematical and she is good at maths but says she doesn't really understand physics so well even though she gets high grades in it. She's just horribly stressed about two exams today. Poor poppet.

@SheilaFentiman I think both are “high volume of facts” subjects and mine is pretty stressed too!
Yes. She wants to take chemistry a-level but she says there is just so much content to learn.