Y11 2023-24 continued

[Techno56]

New thread for when the other one fills up, I need somewhere to panic away from my son 😁

Sorry to hear that @tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz . Bear in mind though that maths is examined in three well spread-out papers, so there is still time before the grade is set in stone. You may find that she makes progress even between the beginning and the end of exams. I do hope her efforts, and yours on her behalf, bear fruit in due course.

@Waspie I agree that good grades set them up well for the next stage and am only just managing to suppress my own perfectionist tendencies. But I think each of us will be approaching the wellbeing element of this according to what our own child needs. There is a current thread about revision refusers, and I can quite see that incentives might make all the difference to break through the torpor, fear or procrastination which may prevent students from reaching their potential.

But I also know a youngster who was financially incentivised to get “all 9s and 8s” this time last year, which was well in line with his abilities. Both his elder brothers had enjoyed financial rewards according to the same criteria. He got something like 9999998887 and feels even now like he “failed”.

Ah, what a business. Let’s keep on keeping on!

DS has his Spanish speaking tomorrow after school, as he is having 4 teeth out on Tuesday, we have been full Espanol all weekend 🇪🇸
He seems to be fairly comfortable for the exams as a whole, but we aren't expecting amazing grades like some of your DC. As long as he gets the grades for school 6th Form and his A level choices, I'll be delighted

Thanks Jessy yes trying to be optimistic and manage it most days. I think it's that feeling of it being round the corner and listening this am as her dad helped her mark a paper. But agree all is not yet lost x

Hope exam goes well (ours is this week also) and the teeth too - that's a helluva week!

I know it's not ideal!
He has an impacted canine that needs to come out ASAP. We decided the sensible thing to do was to get his premolars out to in preparation for his brace fitting.
School has been really good, bringing it forward a couple of days. Should have been Wednesday or Thursday.

Facing 26 exams in total for 10 GCSEs. Even when I did 9 O levels back in the 80s I didn't have that many. It's mad!

It’s crazy isn’t it, the number of exams! DD has had no coursework at all.

Ds’s have been staggered, starting in January of year 10. They only have 12 more to do this summer and will come away with 12 GCSEs and additional maths (all being well). That seems to be common in Welsh state schools.

As in, he took some GCSEs a year early, or the exams are staggered in a module like fashion?

English literature was done completely in year 10 - papers were sat January and June
Maths was done in June of year 10 and finished in November of year 11 (they’ve covered the additional maths curriculum since November and will sit those papers in June).
Science practicals were done in January of year 10 and one of each of the Sciences paper was sat in June of year 10.
They’ve sat one of their Welsh literature papers and completed the oral exam already too.
That’s on top of the PE practicals, music group and individual performances and the composition having all been completed too.

Oh absolutely @JessyCarr . I have read the refusers thread and there are lots of similarities with DS. I need to find a way to encourage him to revise but I've not found the right one yet and I'm quickly running out of time.

DS has his Mandarin speaking on Wednesday morning. Perhaps it will all seem more real to him once he is actually taking an exam and encourage him to pull his proverbial finger out and get down to some work.

The number of exams is huge. I'm glad now that DS dropped further maths (it was the 11th and completely unnecessary as he's not doing Maths A Level).

Good luck to your son @gingercat02 for both the speaking exam and the extractions. I do hope they both go well.

I had a strange feeling of relief this morning, as DD started day 1 of her Art exam. Tomorrow is day 2 of Art, then German speaking on Wednesday. She has worked hard and I'm so proud of her.

I decided to focus more on wellbeing (hers but also mine) for the next weeks: eat and sleep well, be physically active, see friends as much as possible. Keep away from screens as much as possible. No house chores for her, and less moaning from me about her untidy room :)

PS. Oh, and DAYDREAMING about July & Aug holidays :)

I can honestly say, in terms of Top 10 Moments of Huge Relief in my life, knowing DDs Art and Design was done, regardless of outcome, was up towards the top

So much work. Sooooo much!

Mine has just completed two days of 3D design practical assessment and the portfolio went in on Friday morning, thank god!! 🎉🎉🎉

Ahhhh great feeling, another big one down!

Thanks, everyone.
Spanish went well, and we're going out for dinner while he can still eat! He's a typical hollow legged 15yo, so food always makes him happy.
Hope all of your dc are as prepared as they can be, and all goes well.
7 weeks, and it's all over! Until the results

Ahhhh cannot wait until 14th June

Anyway, seeing the amount of work and stress dd has to give through is honestly so heartbreaking at such a young age

Last piece of Art handed in today. Yay!

DD also has her last exam on 14 June. I'm trying to think of a good way to celebrate.

Dtd has completed all of her music coursework and dts has completed drama so we are thankful for the coursework based subjects!
Not sure how we’ll celebrate the end of exams. I will probably make them a cake, or perhaps go out for tea if I have enough cash.

Is this an urban myth or is it true that some restaurants and food places give freebies on results day?

There is a fancy cafe in a department store near us, thinking of booking us regardless of results, for brunch maybe.

Or I guess depending on results that could be a waste of time and money

Goodness, places new DS' school would be insane to give free food - he and his friends can eat their own weight hourly (perhaps I'm exaggerating but not by much )

This is a lovely idea though.

Hope all of those with children doing art and DT and other subjects involving coursework are doing well this week. MFL speaking for DS tomorrow and the written exams start with biology P1 next Friday.

Loads of chain restaurants give freebies.

Have a look here from last year https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/work/campus/a22714421/results-day-free-things/

Dd has just admitted she’s starting to feel nervous. She has done some good revision but says there isn’t anyway she can cover everything so there’s always the worry that something will come up that she doesn’t know.

I have suggested that we go through the practice questions in the revision books but she has refused - I think because she is worried at being exposed.

Would be interesting to hear what others are doing at this quite late stage

@GroceriesHelp We are actively hunting down those weak points and “eliminating” them by drilling into whatever the point is and understanding it together through really focused discussion and practice.

Last day of lessons here tomorrow!