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Secondary education

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

GCSE Supporting - first week nearly over

997 replies

overthehillswegoo · 18/05/2023 22:42

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Kranken · 22/05/2023 18:25

To answer that question about whether there are Foundation papers for single science - yes. So you can mix-and-match: Higher Physics, Foundation Biology for example. Or at least in theory, sometimes schools find this difficult to accommodate.

Botanicaa · 22/05/2023 18:29

DS has his nemesis Wed. Conflict poetry plus Eng Lit. I feel like we managed to conquer the Macbeth and CC but we just haven't had time to spend alot of time on this.
I saw some predictions on you tube and they think the theme this year could be nature......
He can't seem to remember quotes from IC. We have this eve and tomorrow eve to try and get some quotes in his brain.

jamimmi · 22/05/2023 18:30

Dd said chemistry higher aqa was fine with only 1 complicated equation. In answer to PP is your daughter doing trilogy or triple. Trilogy is the double award with all 3 lumped together and has higher and lower papers and is 2 GCSE'S Triple is 3 separate papers so 3 GCSE'S.
Geography went OK but she lost 4 marks explaining why volcanoes are dangerous when it should have been earthquakes! Think that's her dyslexia kicking in.

BonjourCrisette · 22/05/2023 18:33

DD has two lots of French and the religion bit of RS tomorrow. She can't wait to be done with all three so I hope they go OK. She is currently in bed with a litre of blue juice and her laptop trying to get Islam into her head.

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 18:34

Botanicaa · 22/05/2023 18:29

DS has his nemesis Wed. Conflict poetry plus Eng Lit. I feel like we managed to conquer the Macbeth and CC but we just haven't had time to spend alot of time on this.
I saw some predictions on you tube and they think the theme this year could be nature......
He can't seem to remember quotes from IC. We have this eve and tomorrow eve to try and get some quotes in his brain.

ooh that would be good here - that was the them for DD's mock exam along with Storm on the island.

clary · 22/05/2023 19:05

Botanicaa · 22/05/2023 18:29

DS has his nemesis Wed. Conflict poetry plus Eng Lit. I feel like we managed to conquer the Macbeth and CC but we just haven't had time to spend alot of time on this.
I saw some predictions on you tube and they think the theme this year could be nature......
He can't seem to remember quotes from IC. We have this eve and tomorrow eve to try and get some quotes in his brain.

As much as anything references to the text is what is needed - so you could say (if talking about arrogance from Mr B) that he references the Titanic - which the audience would know had sunk - the actual quote is not always crucial. That's not a very good example but I hope ygwim.

@BonjourCrisette does she need any last-minute french reading and listening tips? My best listening one is not to worry about the question you missed (bc she will miss some) - go on to the next. And always put something down as it may be multiple choice or (for example) - advantages of a holiday resort - if you have no idea you can always say something likely.

My fave french listening story is DD whose exam had someone whose bread was "trop epais" and no one (except the French girl in the class) knew what it meant. So they all put stale, dry, crusty, mouldy!

spiderlight · 22/05/2023 19:18

Any WJEC maths predictions for tomorrow (higher non-calc), please? My poor DS is so stressed about it - he has to pass maths but he's had two exams today, first full day in school since mid-February, and he's exhausted and feels absolutely dreadful. He passed up on a chance to do Intermediate instead of Higher a few months back and is now kicking himself.

DownTheRabbitHoIe · 22/05/2023 19:23

Good luck to all who have exams this week.

DS had chemistry today - his in depth analysis was "Good". That's him finished until after half term. His English Lit was one exam last week and the rest was coursework so he's done with that. He's technically on study leave but has decided that he's going to study in school so is going in every day.

Beccaboo822 · 22/05/2023 19:26

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 18:34

ooh that would be good here - that was the them for DD's mock exam along with Storm on the island.

There hasn't been nature as a theme for the last 5 years I think they said.

TripleDaisySummer · 22/05/2023 19:26

Kranken · 22/05/2023 18:25

To answer that question about whether there are Foundation papers for single science - yes. So you can mix-and-match: Higher Physics, Foundation Biology for example. Or at least in theory, sometimes schools find this difficult to accommodate.

Thanks - that was my question.

I had just asked DD1 - current Y13 and she told me I should know this as her physics class was offered chance to drop to lower level for only triple physics - which she declined and ranted at - it was offered in response to kids concerns about fuck up around missing chucks of course, teacher storages and covid disruption.

In end didn't matter as covid stopped exams again but I'd completely forgotten till she said.

dfkdfc · 22/05/2023 19:27

DownTheRabbitHoIe · 22/05/2023 19:23

Good luck to all who have exams this week.

DS had chemistry today - his in depth analysis was "Good". That's him finished until after half term. His English Lit was one exam last week and the rest was coursework so he's done with that. He's technically on study leave but has decided that he's going to study in school so is going in every day.

We have English lit this week as well. Poetry and J&H

Friday off though which is nice.

EverySporkIsSacred · 22/05/2023 19:32

Hi everyone, hope it's okay to jump in. I've been lurking on the last thread for quite a while but this is my first post.
DD called me in a state after she'd left school. She had the two exams today, thinks Chemistry was "okay", but Geography she thinks she's done really badly. She did as much of the short answers as she could but she has hypermobile wrists and fingers and the typing (she uses a laptop and has extra time due to various disabilities) got too much and was really painful. She couldn't manage to type the long answers and was really upset. Not really anything we can do about it and not sure what to do to prepare her for the other days she has with two exams.

Hersetta427 · 22/05/2023 19:33

Dd has RS paper 2 tomorrow (Islam) followed by literature (an inspector calls plus war and conflict poetry) then physics triple paper on Thursday.

Blubell46 · 22/05/2023 19:45

@Hersetta427 my dd has the same...dd still has yet to learn a couple of poems but currently working through Islam...luckily RE is the afternoon..so I think aim is to do English since the first paper didn't go great...Jane Eyre..so banking on this paper to pull her through

BaconAndAvocado · 22/05/2023 19:46

DS2 reports that AQA Chemistry was fine.
No exams tomorrow.
English Lit 2 on Wednesday. Poetry 😭😭

TripleDaisySummer · 22/05/2023 19:48

spiderlight · 22/05/2023 19:18

Any WJEC maths predictions for tomorrow (higher non-calc), please? My poor DS is so stressed about it - he has to pass maths but he's had two exams today, first full day in school since mid-February, and he's exhausted and feels absolutely dreadful. He passed up on a chance to do Intermediate instead of Higher a few months back and is now kicking himself.

Cant' help DS did that early in November much to our then concern.

However at this late stage good night's sleep is probably best bet - hard as that is as it is a build on skills and lots of practise subject and not easy to do last minute revision for but a decent night's sleep makes for sharper mind.

Though if there is a topic he really needs to go over -https://www.mathsdiy.com/
you can search particular topics for questions with answers worked through for WJEC past maths papers.

MathsDIY - Epic Maths GCSE & A-Level Revision Resources

Prepare for your Maths GCSE,AS & A-Level exams with our FREE topic booklets and past paper solutions, created by a Maths Teacher with 25 years experience.

https://www.mathsdiy.com

Circleoffifths · 22/05/2023 19:51

DD not happy with Chemistry paper today (Edexcel combined higher) but said Geography (AQA) was ok.

Her brother has a sore throat. I have told him to stay away from her 😬.

spiderlight · 22/05/2023 20:04

Thank you, @TripleDaisySummer - that looks really helpful.

ElfDragon · 22/05/2023 20:18

Dd said chemistry (AQA trilogy) was ok, which is a massive relief. She was in quite a state this morning, as she finds chemistry really hard, bit it sounds as though she did ok (obviously time will tell!)

only 2 more this week, and then she’s halfway through.

powerrangers · 22/05/2023 20:57

Thought edexcel IGCSE Chemistry was meh. Better than the biology but didn't love it. Found geography really easy. Shame as she likes Chemistry and dislikes geography. Was considering chemistry a-level but may not be so

BobBobBobbing · 22/05/2023 21:21

Both chem and geog got an "ok" in this house. RE (not his choice to take- cofe school make it compulsory) and foundation french tomorrow.

Wed is the nemesis of English Lit. Our aim is just to get him to wrote SOMETHING! He freezes in English exams but both tutor and teacher say he can do it. Getting a 4 is a distant dream at this stage.

Thurs is physics and computing, both A level choices. Then a breather with Friday off.

No study leave at his school- they say they get better results with the kids in. Suspect that does actually work for DS as he responds better to someone imposing structure.

BonjourCrisette · 22/05/2023 21:31

Thank you very much, @clary , good tips! And the bread is funny! She's OK with reading but finds listening a bit of a challenge at times. Fingers crossed, and I will pass those tips on.

DanceMumTaxi · 22/05/2023 21:31

I’m a head of Geography and I’m dancing with delight at today’s AQA paper. It could not have been nicer. Nothing odd or ambiguous. No 6 markers on a tiny bit if the spec. Yes, not many questions directly asking for case studies, but plenty of opportunities to get them in to add depth/clarity. None of the maths skills were too difficult. It’s the best paper I’ve seen since the 9-1 system came in. I agree, Geography papers are always tight on time though which I don’t think is fair. Those who found it trickier, could well have done better than they think. We had one answer the wrong section too, happens every year despite our best efforts. They will probably still pick up a couple of marks and the option questions are in section C which has the least marks anyway so it’s not the end of the world.

Beccaboo822 · 22/05/2023 21:35

DanceMumTaxi · 22/05/2023 21:31

I’m a head of Geography and I’m dancing with delight at today’s AQA paper. It could not have been nicer. Nothing odd or ambiguous. No 6 markers on a tiny bit if the spec. Yes, not many questions directly asking for case studies, but plenty of opportunities to get them in to add depth/clarity. None of the maths skills were too difficult. It’s the best paper I’ve seen since the 9-1 system came in. I agree, Geography papers are always tight on time though which I don’t think is fair. Those who found it trickier, could well have done better than they think. We had one answer the wrong section too, happens every year despite our best efforts. They will probably still pick up a couple of marks and the option questions are in section C which has the least marks anyway so it’s not the end of the world.

I think that's what my son did.....he answered a section he didn't need to. 🤔 but he still completed everything he needed to first so I guess he will be ok.

DanceMumTaxi · 22/05/2023 21:46

In section C you answer 2 questions of a choice of 3. Each question is worth 15 marks each. The examiner will mark them all and he’ll be awarded marks for the best 2. The only problem is, time is really tight. But all is not lost at all. He’ll absolutely get some marks.