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

[QueenMabby]

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

History went well, despite time lost due to wrong papers laid out, questions asked and a rude invigilator.

School have to write a statement or something for special consideration?

Hoping for some English lit and media revision this weekend!

Don’t suppose anyone’s DC sat History igcse edexcel yesterday and recalls the 16 marker question about civil rights and women? DD now thinks she’s misunderstood it. The question was ‘why do you agree with’… she didn’t agree so wrote why she didn’t. But now thinks she’s screwed up. The other choice was McCarthy, which all her classmates did. If she’s misread the question it’ll be zero marks won’t it? 😭

Mine didn’t as she had the migration topic. However, when I was looking at exemplars for history answers I’m sure I saw one where a candidate had done just that and got the marks as it was a valid argument and backed up by relevant facts etc. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will know for sure though.

Here is all the information about start times and end times. https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/JCQ-Infographic-Exam-Starting-Times-Final-version.pdf
DD had Aqa history yesterday. Said it went well. Both kids (have alevels too) had the night off. But DS didn’t drink and both are ‘locking back in’ today!

My DC is in school full time until almost the bitter end. Final few days are half-day/exam only. Any feedback on Edexcel History Crime and punishment? DC thought it went okay but interested how others thought it was.

@labradorservant Thank you for the link. Very clear infographic. I was half right but half wrong.

All of DD morning exams start at 8:45 (which actually also explains why I get a lot of information first!

I did an exam season as an exams assistant 2 years ago very informative but very stressful and underpaid

yep anything like lost papers/fire alarm/sounds going off they ask for special consideration which is a certain percentage of the total makes added on.
max is 5% usually 1-2

@NotDonna I think that would be fine - My Dad (as I said ex history teacher and examiner) went through these with DD and normally they are how far do you agree and it should allow for a balanced pro and con argument with all the evidence. If all the evidence she provides links back to don’t agree then that is fine - the only thing I can see is if there were a couple of obvious points for yes she missed she may lose a couple of marks but if her argument and evidence was really strong (and given the topic it is something you could be passionate about arguing) it should be fine. Was the how far do you agree definitely missing as it it was there I don’t agree at all is perfectly fine

Also DD start at 8:45 to give more time to make sure everyone gets there - eng lit started 9:10 as her friend left her glasses at home so they had time for her to get them.

another school start at 9:30 which I think is cutting it very fine. It into with papers getting out. Early start plus an hour minimum the questions could be on TikTok by 9:40!

Joining this thread late. DD had her heaviest day yesterday due to a timetable clash. She was happy with history & Latin & mostly happy with business although she didn’t completely get some of the context for all the questions (electric cars for example).

Was surprised that school didn’t do more to support the timetable clash - they had a 20 min break where they could stay in the room or stand in the corridor. They weren’t allowed any food or drink other than water though. Not sure if this is me being an overly precious mother, but I did think a snack would have been a good idea.

Only one exam a day from now on, so has managed a lie in today.

Clashes are tough I remember having to organise one where they had 4 exams in a day!

they should have a break home supplied though where they can have their bag (no electronics obviously) snacks and revision notes and can talk - at least that is how I organised it. Standing in the corridor means they could see others so seems odd

@CarefulN0where are the exam clash guidelines so they were fixed to that 20 mins under exam conditions. So bringing snacks in wouldn’t be allowed (you are allowed to bring some food in in a clear container, but usually cough sweets etc). https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/blogs/supporting-exams-officers-with-timetable-clashes/

For under 3 hours but I think business and Latin is 3hr 15 mins which means they can have revision notes etc

the school should either have kept them in the exam room (which is harsh for that amount of time) or given them a break room.

the corridor just seems wrong and breaking rules you can’t supervise properly in a corridor

DD got up at 9 am today which was a big mistake. She is exhausted and feels ill with tiredness. In hindsight a lie in until 11 am would have been so much more beneficial.

That does sound wrong then. Could have done one of the papers mid morning and then gone into lockdown in a room.

Yeah it is so hard for them the poor kids I had who started at 8:45 and finally finished I think around 4:30 it was constant - they had English Lit German Media and sociology.

Anything to make their life easier!

could be wrong though on Latin lenght

Thanks those that commented on the timetable clash - fWIW she chose to stay in the room as she couldn’t see the benefit of standing in the corridor, but I fully appreciate the exam conditions requirements. I think it’s my tiger mum coming out - thinking a stretch of legs and a snack would have been beneficial.

The other thing that was less than ideal, was that they put the clashees in the same room as those needing movement breaks, so she did the three exams under quite distracting conditions.

Anyway - the day is done and she survived, so onwards & upwards.

DD says that two of the kids in her school have to have a sleepover with one of the matrons in the medical lodge because they have a clash. She is agog.

I suggested romance might blossom between the two clashees over the extra revision time, but she reckons not! It sounds like a plot for a 90s high school film to me.

DS tired and feeling a bit ropey too. Loads to do, he says he is fine to work. He wants to work alone, not be tested or anything, fair enough.

He is so excited about this prom. Everyday new ideas about what exactly to wear !

Apparently (taken from a great reply from my other thread) ‘it was about the Women’s Movement creating more opposition than success (I don’t have the actual question) I can assume it would have been how far do you agree with this statement, you may use the following in your answer, with 2 stimulus points and she will have needed to include a 3rd of her own. So if she discussed opposition and negative publicity, but weighed this up against work towards abortion rights, contraception (as you said in pp) she will be fine. It’s 16 marks out of a total of 120 over 2 papers, so the Grade 7 is still achievable, onwards and upwards for Paper 2!

I’ve shown her thus and it’s exactly what she did with her own source first, the secondary one given second and the title source last. She panicked this morning that she’s misunderstood the ‘opposition’ part of the question as could believe anyone would think the Women’s Movement wasn’t a success. Seems she’s approached it fine. So all good providing she did evidence both sides. phew!

Good news 👍🏻👍🏻

@NotDonna sounds like she's done it absolutely fine! I wish they wouldn't second guess themselves all the time after exams. But they all do it!

Thanks everyone! She’s moved on and is doing a practice chemistry paper and later a practice one for PE, ready for Monday’s two. It’s her birthday Tuesday and amazingly has no exams that day or the following! Yaay!

Can I ask did anyone's DC say they had to amend one of the questions in business studies exam on Friday? Change the word increase to decrease or something similar?

DD having a crash and a cry today (v unusual). Not sure if she's exhausted or realised mistakes in papers. I've tried reassurance today, I bought her a present yesterday to cheer her up. She doesn't want any hugs so I'm at a loss hope to help today.

DS has 'marked' his Comp Sci P1 and Maths P1 using Tik Tok 🙄. What kids can do these days!