GCSE supporting - to half term, and beyond!

[SheilaFentiman]

Making a new thread to support half term revision and the set of GCSEs afterwards!

Ds is Year 10 but still has 5 more exams over the next 3 weeks! It’s painful.

I hope the nice weather stays after the exams. It feels like we are in limbo, can't fully relax until they're over now. Although hayfever not good.....

Some are doing maths and further maths all at once?

Yep. Wall to wall maths for the next 2 weeks. DD quite relaxed about it though. She's not taking it at A level so actually only needs a 6 in maths. She's done a few past papers but her school has done loads of past papers with them already so there's not much left to go at.
Feeling quite buoyed by finishing RS and English literature before half term and halfway through the science and history papers. Feels like there's a lot less to remember now.

Dd went on an explorer camp for 3 nights at the start of half term which did her the world of good, however came back with a stinking child (yes, we checked, it wasn't!) Which weirdly we were quite pleased with, she has form for picking up rotten colds during exam season, at least it was done with over half term!! She's also struggled to motivate herself but she has been to revision sessions school has been running which has helped. Also feel like we are in limbo and the entire household is being held hostage by GCSEs! Will be v glad when it's over.... (2 weeks and 3 days to go!)

DS with 30 others sat Maths GCSE in Nov - then they have had 6 months for additional maths.

They are also sitting numeracy GCSE - so DS has last of those this week.

Listening to some other students at different schools they did maths Y10 then had whole of y11 for additional maths.

They all did English Lit in Y10 - and then Y11 was all English Language - he not really done much revision with English Language so fingers crossed it's still fine.

@TripleDaisySummer ds has done all of his English lit as well as his science practicals. He’s got an exam in each of the sciences and a Welsh one too this summer. All of this while he’s still only 14!

All of this while he’s still only 14!

It does feel stupid TBH - mine are all summer/ very late spring birthdays - so doing so much early does feel as if it puts them even more of a disadvantage.

But DS having done GCSE exams in Y10 does mean less exams now in Y11 - which frankly I'm not sure how DS would have coped with even more now.

Does seem to be considerable variation between schools in wales when they do things though - DS science practicals were Y11 though first papers were the same end of Y10.

@DDontForgetToBreathe - God yes!! I feel like I'm in some sort of weird limbo. Just desperate for it to be over now.

DD has been revising a fair bit but also been going out with friends. She's as prepared for Eng lang as you could be I suppose but worried about History although seems to know something about it as I got her to explain her topics to me by pretending I knew nothing about Henry VIII or the cold war - I had to keep stopping myself from piping up with info and let DD dredge it up - I sort of nudged her in certain directions - by getting her to further explain till she gave the answer I wanted to hear It's not polished but the Knowledge is sort of there.

Good luck to everyone with English Lang today, especially any 3/4 borderlines.

Yes agree, very best of luck to all with this one. Ds1 struggled with it so much.

A big one today. Good Luck everyone!!

Good luck!!!

Good luck all. Here we go again!

Good luck to everyone today.

Absolutely. My son struggles to finish it in time. I've said to get checking clock and ite about a minute a mark you should be spending on each question.

Yes, good luck to all. English Language is my DS's worst subject by far. Has ranged from a 3-5 in mocks so hoping it'll be kind to him!

I think it's been a mixed bag with half term, nice to take the pressure off and recharge but also has just prolonged the agony of exams DS definitely hasn't done much revision over the break, just hoping the knock on effect isn't too detrimental. Good luck everyone.

Good luck to all of us as well as the children I hope it's not too hot this week for exams.

It's a shame it's full school uniform for exams. It would be nice if they could wear a tshirt and shorts. Ds insisting he's not wearing his blazer today.

For my daughter I'm glad she just has to bung on a school shirt and not worry about her outfit on top of 2 exams today. It is getting a bit weird seeing her uniform still though, now she is so close to finishing with it forever.

Good luck to all. DD is looking forward to getting French done and dusted today.

TO ALL THE ENGLISH LANG STRUGGLERS - solidarity.

I've been dreading this one. I slept badly and feel sick. DS seemed OK- he's had a bad cold but said he felt better today.

He has form for sitting there and writing nothing but I really hope his private tutor from the past 2 months has pushed him through the pain barrier. He has a room on his own and the invigilator is supposed to prompt him if necessary. I've told him to use all his extra time and his rest breaks if necessary to clear his head.

Oh my god this. My DS been doing papers but doesn't look up the ones he can't answer??!! Why??!

Half term has really been a disaster here. Just more time to get stressed out. No exams for us today at least.

I said this to ds but he thinks he actually works better in uniform as it gets him in the right frame of mind.