Y 11 2023-2024 thread 3

[Techno56]

For when the other thread fills up tomorrow as we all discuss English lit 2 😁

This is completely anecdotal but AQA maths and history sounds so much kinder?!

@Panic71 mine is quite down too after History. Especially as he now has to revise for Geography tomorrow! 😭 Big mistake doing History AND Geography 😳

Bless them!!!! Massive respect!

Another history and geography here. He is knackered after aqa history but seems pleased with it (Elizabeth and medicine)
absolutely no work done on geography paper 3 in the run up to these exams but there is time for that I hope. Seems kind of across paper 2 but my god there is so much content.

No Eng Lang revision here either. They’ve basically said if you don’t know it by now, you never will!

Ds's school is putting on a revision session tomorrow for English language. He's going in even though he doesn't have any exams tomorrow

Our year 11 have English revision tomorrow afternoon.
They're all in anyway.

Well done to all those who have crossed off more exams today.

DD and I have had cross words this evening, for the first time in this whole thing. Ugh. She had no exams today, giving her an obvious opportunity to do good work on Geog 2, but spent the entire day doing about two thirds of a practice paper really badly. Writing one short sentence for a 4 or 6 mark question. Missing the point of a 9-marker entirely due to not reading the question properly. Ignoring everything she has been taught in the case studies and instead using random “facts” off the top of her head. Etc.

Ah well. I am hoping she will make a better stab at the real thing tomorrow and we can be friends again!

Bit of a mixed bag with history, the Anglo Saxon paper seemed to go well but the American West has some difficult questions at the end. She was upset but seems a bit better now. Day off tomorrow then English and biology

Mr Bruff has some videos for English Language paper 2. DS was (reluctantly) watching one this morning and it seemed to consist of "Lots of students make the mistake of..." "Note this type of question isn't asking for..." "The mark scheme can only consider...so don't waste your time doing...". So very technique focussed and worth a watch for English Language revision refuseniks like my DS. Plus delivered through the favourite medium of YouTube...

This reminds me of my son when we revise biology (it's hard helping someone revise something they don't like or care about when you have a degree in it). He just starts feeling off words if he isn't right the first time, instead of actually having a think. "Kidney. Liver. Pancreas?" "Protein. Enzyme. Gene. Amino acid? Base?" Auughh 🤣

@Techno56 Auuggh indeed! DD has been so great during this tough process, but getting her to engage on Geography has been a nightmare. She needs a 7 and is more than capable of it, but frankly Y7 DS could probably have made a better stab at what she attempted today. Sigh.

I’m a bit twitchy about DD’s history although she’s happy about it. She answered a question which asked about Israeli relations with Arabs mainly talking about Palestinians , because obvs they are Arabs. The question didn’t say ‘Arab world’ but i would have thought that’s what it meant. She did mention Arab states once in it. It sounds like she made a good discussion so hopefully it’s fine. And what done is done! Obvs I have not mentioned this to dd!! And probably I’m wrong…

DD is just learning case studies for geography, she thinks that’s what she needs as the analysis is in the case studies anyway. I am doing flash cards with her while trying to watch bits of telly. Very boring to me !

She won’t revise for English L. Onto next history tomorrow I think !

Ds had Cymraeg Iaith (Welsh language) today. That was ‘hard but good’. Geography tomorrow and English Language on Thursday.

Then cricket training on Thursday night for a change! Hope it stays dry for that to go ahead.

DS is thoroughly fed up with the whole thing now. Struggling to keep going. It really seems a test of endurance.

Spanish was a bit of disaster here, the school messed up on the administration of the listening part with equipment issues - sounds like they’ll submit for dispensation on behalf of the kids but the guidance online makes it sound like the exam boards just say ‘tough’ in those instances. At least it’s not an a level choice for ds, but still - arrrgghhh! His speaking didn’t go well so he put in a lot of work over half term to compensate.

Mine is too. He started off so positive and laid back but now it's like he's crawling to the finish line. Part of the problem is he goes to bed too late.

Yep same here with the late nights @boredwithfoodprob

Having hit the wall during half term I think DC will be OK for rest - the timetable's much less intensive this week and next than it was before half term, thank God.

DD happy with History, she's another one predicted a 9 and thinking about doing it as an A level. She's done a lot of history revision and wasn't happy to be told an 8 would be fine and probably better to work on making her maths more secure. Spanish was as bad as expected apparently, least favourite papers today though.

Her teachers' pre exam pep talks are getting funny. Head of history said 'don't worry about hating the American West, the entire country hates it' and her Spanish teacher said 'just try and write down a sensible guess'.

Nothing tomorrow then Eng Lang (can't revise for it Mum) and Biology. Biology is an A level choice so another she's wanting a 9 in so guess what she'll be revising tomorrow.

Unfortunately DC is sadly properly unwell. Missed a couple of papers already this week and the rest of the week is looking very unlikely. Can't think beyond that just now. It's just an awful conclusion after months of work. Gutted and very worried about the final outcome. Has done a lot of crying and I'm trying my best not to.

Oh gosh @Cudafrog! You poor things. What doesn't school say? I'm so sorry.

I've got a rough bout of covid at the moment, and I'm so worried DD will catch it from me. So I really sympathise with your situation.

I hope he's feeling much better really quickly.

Have been advised not to try and come in and sit any papers as if they try and come in and struggle through they will only get a 1-2% uplift. They are so unwell that that would be impossible at the moment anyway.
I am told marks will be based on what someone else who got the same score in first paper gets in subsequent papers if that makes sense? Just feeling very worried about the process.
It's not been a nice experience, would not wish this for anyone else. Would rather just have a well but tired and fed up of exams teen. This was never in the plan.

So sorry @Cudafrog. I do hope your DC recovers well soon and that a way is found to reward all that effort fairly.