Year 11 - 2024/2025 - In the thick of it!

[QueenMabby]

New thread. Sorry. Forgot to start it - I hope everyone finds this!

Did anyone else do the OCR Higher paper? I’ve just been told it was interesting but DD no idea how she will have done. I think they switched from AQA this year so glad she didn’t do that one if it was harder than expected. I remember getting D in my maths o level first time I took it (early in y11) and the feeling if not having been taught what was on hand if it. Then went on to get a C in the summer.

Can I ask a question about contingency day please?

By the time all exams are done, if no issues are known by then, are the kids supposed to still be available on 25 June, in case anything transpires later?

In fact, what sort of thing are contingency days actually used for?

They are for national events that impact loads of kids, or papers being leaked so alternate papers having to be sent out etc.
I think that by the time the exams are done you'll be OK.

I do think that most of the papers have been good so far and the maths seemed to be the first challenging one for everyone at all levels which might be a shock for some of them.

a but off topic but just wondering if anyone has spotted a similar thread to this for next years cohort - I also have a current year 10 …tried various searches with no joy - I’m presuming I’m not the only poster with DC close in age 🤞This thread is so useful

Thanks @TeenToTwenties .

Aside from nationwide issues, are they able to be used for specific things like a child being ill for one of their exams, or the roof of a school hall collapsing 1 hour before the start time, that sort of thing?

I don't think so.
A child being ill they would just mark based on the other exams (if there were more than 1 exam, don't know what would happen if only 1 exam).
The school hall roof collapsing they would submit info to the exam board about the disruption, but presumably would go ahead in classrooms or whatever having held the kids in secure surroundings without phones.

My DS has 8 next week 🤦 Just awful.

Yeap I remember this in the dark ages when I did GCSEs. It's hard work but they get through it incredibly well. I'm hoping my daughter wants to sleep for the whole summer!

My daughter just told me that her AQA higher paper was "fine". Though she's been locked in revising for months and months so I'm super pleased for her :)

Dd has 5, but will be concentrating on eng lang and eng lit with a dash of media

Dd prefers the paper 2s for both lang and lit so 🤞

DD did Edexcel Higher Maths and said it went well. She did lots of practice papers as she dropped a grade in her mock.

Pleased for her as she wasn't as happy after Eng Lit or MFL speaking.

She had to ask for tracing paper which I find odd.

DS Edexcel higher says exam was ‘good thanks’. He is hoping for / predicted 7. My friend’s DS on for a 6 also said decent. So maybe as pp said it’s those on for 9s who were worried 🤷🏻‍♀️

@ChannelLightVessel I'm sorry to hear your DD is struggling so badly. I have a lock box here, got from Amazon, has all the medication in and on bad days I add the knives too. Is she under CAMHS? If so, ask for a letter to support special consideration.

We're on minimal GCSEs here already, so DD has to attend at least one paper for each unless she wants to delay college for another year (she doesn't but we hadn't expected to still be on a CAMHS waitlist with no actual therapy at this stage). Two down, History tomorrow (Weimar and InterWar). Then the timetable eases off for her.

And for those on 9s my DS came out of paper 1 thinking he had messed up, went onto tik tok, saw what he had messed up and got even more upset. Reader, he got a 9! And don’t go on tik tok after an exam.

DC said maths was ‘Good. Very easy’.

Dreaded history tomorrow as it’s a subject they haven’t enjoyed.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5145504-year-10-20242025-come-and-join Year 10

@waitingquietly

Thank you so much - I have no idea why I’ve never managed to find that !

Dd says aqa maths F paper was easy and that she finished it in an hour
This is either very good - or very bad 😬

I also have a current year 10 and here's the link to that thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5145504-year-10-20242025-come-and-join?page=8&reply=144285287

My year 10 DD has been grilling DS on the papers when he gets home and writing down whatever he can remember as she thinks her cohort will get the same papers for their mocks in November! She's especially over the moon about potentially knowing the themes for Eng Lit. DS is happy to give her the necessary info which is quite sweet.

Such huge amount of content, too :(

I think I’ve got testing burn out. DS has medicine and Western Front…

My Dad is an ex history teacher and ex examiner of History GCSE so has been working with her this afternoon. Lot to remember

8 😮 your poor son. My daughter will have had 6 this week after tomorrows History paper, and then has 7 next week. It’s much lighter after half term for her thankfully. They really do well to cope with it, it really is a lot.

My son has only had 2 end of year exams at uni and so my daughter is looking on in envy. 😂