Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSE Supporting - first week nearly over

997 replies

overthehillswegoo · 18/05/2023 22:42

New thread

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
Violasrule · 22/05/2023 13:36

@BaconAndAvocado

DS stuck in school but found out from eldest (in sixth form at same school who spoke to him at lunch) that AQA chemistry this morning was fine and wasn’t too hard.

Just Physics paper 1 to go then we can start on the paper 2s after half term!

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 13:46

Those saying next exam on Thursday are they not doing English Lit paper 2 on wednesday?

TripleDaisySummer · 22/05/2023 13:57

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 13:46

Those saying next exam on Thursday are they not doing English Lit paper 2 on wednesday?

DS sat English Lit last year we're in Wales and that's a common thing here - done in one school year, very rushed and most of that without an actual teacher but done and dusted.

So next is Thursday Physics for DS.

OhhLaaLaa · 22/05/2023 14:03

DontForgetToBreathe · 22/05/2023 12:26

So the days without exams, are you letting your child stay home to study/rest? Or does the school have study sessions for the exams? Ds is saying he’d prefer to study at home. A bit conflicted.

Mine is going in all day for the days with exams, and for those days without she is studying at home, with a trip to the gym, walk round the park etc scheduled in as well. Completely her choice and I think it is working well - we had to fill in a form to say which days she would be in school so they know to expect her for school dinner - I do think having that kind of a plan has helped her, ie. knowing in advance what days she is in or not instead of deciding on the day!

iwantavuvezela · 22/05/2023 14:04

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 13:46

Those saying next exam on Thursday are they not doing English Lit paper 2 on wednesday?

yes my DD is doing English Lit and 19 century poetry - but it seems different exam boards have had differing exams and content

Muchtoomuchtodo · 22/05/2023 14:12

Our year 10, 14 year old ds has his second English lit paper on Wednesday. The first one was done in January. Also in Wales.

BaconAndAvocado · 22/05/2023 14:19

Violasrule
Thanks for that info 🙂

Madcats · 22/05/2023 14:34

DD did Edexel Chemistry this morning, which was far easier than she thought it would be (which probably doesn't bode well for grade boundaries - she normally fails to get the obvious marks too).

She is only supposed to be in school for exams, but hangs about chatting for 30-60 minutes post exams. As far as I know, there is no real provision for kids to sit in school to revise unless they are between exams that day.

She is currently tackling a physics paper sat under a sunshade in the garden. (Physics and 2nd paper of Computing are on Thursday).

My sympathies go to those sitting chemistry and geography on the same day (today). DD seems to have been reasonably lucky with timetabling.

GladysHeeler · 22/05/2023 14:49

BaconAndAvocado · 22/05/2023 12:59

Sorry if it’s already been mentioned but does anyone have any feedback on AQA Chemistry?

I’ll be working when he gets in, so won’t be able to speak to him straight away and would love to know that it wasn’t horrendous!

My dd has just come home and said 'it wasn't that bad'. It's her least favourite subject so that's high praise indeed.

She said something about a 'double page spread on electrolysis' 🧐 but she's gone outside with an ice cream now rather than fling herself on the floor in a heap so that's a good sign.

julesover40 · 22/05/2023 14:49

DD still has lessons around exams for this week before leavers assembly on Fri. Only in for exams after half term.

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 14:58

DD reports AQA Geograpght 'could have been worse'. Then ranted a bit about all the case studies they had to memorise and then only 1 came up. SHe worked a few others into other answers as evidence etc.

Fifiellz · 22/05/2023 15:01

AQA Geography went well apparently apart from stuff about coordinates which she always finds tricky.

But felt it was a good one

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 15:03

Fifiellz · 22/05/2023 15:01

AQA Geography went well apparently apart from stuff about coordinates which she always finds tricky.

But felt it was a good one

At least it was only only a one marker according to DD - she doesn't like them either !

spiderlight · 22/05/2023 15:05

WJEC Geography 'not bad', so that's a relief!

TripleDaisySummer · 22/05/2023 15:29

Chemistry this morning was fine though apparently he was taken aback how nervous he was about geography but it is I think his first afternoon exam - so he had all morning to get worked up. Say it was okay though - both WJEC.

Infracat · 22/05/2023 15:32

My son is so upset. He really struggled with Chemistry and then has messed up his Geography. He got urban and rural confused and totally messed up a whole section because of it. Hes so disappointed in himself and down. I feel awful for him. 😔

OhhLaaLaa · 22/05/2023 15:41

Infracat · 22/05/2023 15:32

My son is so upset. He really struggled with Chemistry and then has messed up his Geography. He got urban and rural confused and totally messed up a whole section because of it. Hes so disappointed in himself and down. I feel awful for him. 😔

Oh bless him @Infracat it's awful when they struggle Sad

spiderlight · 22/05/2023 15:43

Oh @Infracat - your poor lad. You must be gutted for him! All you can do is let him get it out of his system a bit and then try to get him to focus on the upcoming ones. There's another geography paper (at least, my DS has one) so he can hopefully redeem himself in that one. It's horrible to see them go through it, though :(

yikes88 · 22/05/2023 15:52

DH thinks it's all about the school attendance...

I completely agree, the attendance rates is what it's about - it's nothing to do with the well being of the teen or whether they're more of an introverted type who works better by themselves.

Additionally those students on a likely grade boundary and who are keen and motivated to try and secure the low end of the higher grade would probably in most circumstances do better at home and I find this in particular upsetting as it's putting the school's obsessional focus on attendance rates above the teen's possible attainment level.

At a state school without a 6th form with lots of liberal parents and in general teens and parents ignoring the rule......

SheilaFentiman · 22/05/2023 15:52

Sorry to hear that @Infracat

DontForgetToBreathe · 22/05/2023 15:55

Infracat · 22/05/2023 15:32

My son is so upset. He really struggled with Chemistry and then has messed up his Geography. He got urban and rural confused and totally messed up a whole section because of it. Hes so disappointed in himself and down. I feel awful for him. 😔

That’s the kind of thing my son does too:( so sorry to hear that. I know how you feel. I’m so used to him doing this all year. He loses focus of what he was answering and has written about a whole different country/ Earthquake entirely. Fingers crossed he’s not done that this time. Still not home yet, so I have no idea how Chemistry and Geography went. But big hugs and you never know they still give marks for answering

MargaretThursday · 22/05/2023 16:10

Ds says "considering Chemistry is the hardest science it was okay."

I'm not sure what to make of that.

christmastreefarm · 22/05/2023 16:10

Heard from my DD. Chemistry was good for a science paper. Geography was apparently a very good paper for her in terms of topics for the higher mark questions. It's probably her weakest subject after science.

After Fridays maths meltdown I'm relieved.

Both AQA, chemistry was higher combined.

Spring45Mermaid · 22/05/2023 16:13

I got a meh shrug for AQA Chemistry it’s her weakest of the three so I think that’s an ok in teen speak

Saisong · 22/05/2023 16:30

DD thought AQA combined higher chemistry was good, but she says all her class mates hated it so now she is worried that she has missed something. She did get an 8 in her mocks for chemistry, which was her highest mark so I suspect its just that she has an affinity for the subject. Hopefully it will pull up her combined score as physics definitely won't go so well.

Geography was a bit more worrying (considering she has picked it for a level), although overall she thinks it was OK she did miss out a couple of questions, including a 4 marker, and was writing right up to the last second. It's true there is so much content to cover. Still 2 more geography papers to go too.