Year 11 - 2024/2025: Heading down the home straight towards that finish line!

[QueenMabby]

Next thread. 10 days of exams to go. Looks like we’re all heading into a busy week this week - good luck!

Last exam! We had a bit of a grumble when I asked whether me going swimming at lunch time would work with whatever he wants to do after the exam (hang out with mates, go to the gym....), but obviously there are no actual plans.

I can't spend my day shuttling between home (where I work) and town so no swim for me. I am resuming my evening strength class today though, which I've put on hold for weeks.

Ha! All about me!

Their teacher is collecting scientific calculators from those who won't need them anymore to give to children who need them.

Anyone else got an able musician who refused to study for the exam today and focussed on physics? Just here? Dc seems to think that revising for music was beneath them 🙄. Last day!!!

Good luck to all doing Physics and Music. This is first time DD has had 2 in one day so she’s a bit miffed about having to stay at school for lunch. Listened to Toto in the car on the way to school and the Bach. Not sure how much Physics was looked at yesterday, she said she watched a video. Roll on tomorrow afternoon when it’s over!

It’s a shame some kids still have exams considering my DDs school did ‘leavers’ on Friday.

Mine was all done then and has already been wondering what to do for the long summer.

Well! After having taken DS to numerous exams, never uneventful, he set his stall out whilst still sat in the driveway “ I’ve got my AirPods in”……, so I said not one word the whole trip, didn’t have Radio One in ( fallen down for that in the past), or mutter an expletive at a slow tractor or clueless tourist, just said “ so, shall I wait for a heads up when you’re done?”.. he nods….. As he gets out, I risk going “ Good Luck! Love you”……… ( thinking, sod it, I may as well have taken my own set of exams this past month, I’m emotionally strung out, can’t not say it)…. and he quietly replies “ love you” as he drags his backpack out of the footwell……. Best exam drop off so far! 🤷‍♀️😈😹🙄!!

….so, I’m now clock watching! So much rides on the timing of the phone call/text! He is in a small room so can literally call as he steps outside. Will he have used his stop clock or extra time?! Will he be happy/relieved/pissed off?! Who knows! I’ve forgotten to even assess how I am feeling, as it’s SO extraneous to the whole Shit Show GCSE Hell!!!!

…….now….. once last exam almost out the way, DS18 now has his drama take over… his car broke down last night….. his test is next week…….🙄😳🙄….. teenagers!

Good Luck waiting!! 😻

I completely agree with you on this. This time last year both kids , ND, out of school with EBSA. You feel like such a failure as a parent.

Both have somehow managed to pull it back and sitting GCSEs. Last one today.

I actually feel so happy for them, and I couldn't give a damn about the results. It's a horrible hurdle cleared and time to move on.

DD2 gone in today but she has exams on Tuesday and Wednesday - DS A-level last one is Wednesday.

It the week after the school's doing all the leavers stuff - so assume this week is last exams at the school.

They both seem calm - though downgrading their expectations. We'll all be glad when it's over though.

Our Leavers' Day was 23 May! 😮

Sorry, @QueenMabby , no Spanish today! I did think it was a bit weird that there were no children in the whole country doing Music and Spanish as options. Having 3 exams in one day seemed equally unlikely! I think I'll ring the opticians, obviously need a new prescription! 😁

Oh, that sucks as to the swim!! But, yay as to resuming your Strength class! It truly is like the GCSE’s completely invaded our lives! How the hell this didn’t happen three years ago when DS18 apparently did his?! 🤷‍♀️😈😹🙄!!

I hope he has a fab time, whatever he decides to do! ( and I hope you fit in a swim, soon!) 🤞 🏊‍♀️ 😻

Yup!! I’m with you @Whoooo!!! We almost made it!! Prob “ pens down and papers over” or whatever, right now- ish!!

High Five, matey! 😻

I'm the most anxious today out of all the exam days. Physics because he is meant to be good at it and was making lots of mistakes yesterday in the practise papers and Music because he's done very little revision for it beyond Saturday where he did complete 2 past papers and did some unfamiliar piece homework bits. He marked everything himself and assured me he's doing fine, so I'm just burying my head in the sand about that. He said he'll do some more revision after Physics today.
I don't know which set work he would prefer for section B, but I think he's a bit more competent on the Bach, Beethoven and Purcell as he's familiar with those genres through doing piano exams. He quite likes the Afro Celt sound system too. He's not keen on the others.
Hope the Physics, Music and Spanish goes well!

And there it is. DS on his way home.
School is finally finished.
Good luck to all with more exams this week.
Maybe see some of you on results day?

@Sisublondie
Back atcha!

Expecting dd home shortly.
Wonder how she'll be....🤔

Great post from @ditismooi (you are an MFL specialist also I think?) wrt Spanish foundation. Yes the photo question, no need to say anything clever. Literally use hay – hay un hombre that’s one answer. Esta feliz – second answer (assuming he is not crying). As long as it’s possible – he is a father, he is a teacher – it’s acceptable (obvs there’s an elephant is not). Easy full marks on that one.

The translation obvs depends on the content, but it doesn’t vary that much if you look at past papers.

And hard agree re the essays. Even the 90 worder is straightforward. Remember opinions and reasons. And cover every bullet – even if you only write one sentence.

Tbf any good MFL teacher will have covered all this, but I know only too well how easy it is for a 15/16yo not to remember everything they are told :)
H paper is a lot more challenging (as it should be ofc).

ETA: best wishes to all Spanishers - hang in there!

There will probably be new GCSE Results Day threads popping up, but it would be nice if we can keep this one on the back burner as we've become our own little support group.

AQA physics separate higher home

No Space Physics! Poor Ratty (not that he needed to revise any of that it was already in his head) - there's always the A'level and beyond (said in Buzz Lightyear voice as the best attempt at a Space Physics gag I could muster up)

Even without Space Physics he thinks 8/9 nothing he couldn't answer hardest question was a 6-marker about comparing waves.

No Space Physics - it's what he lives for!

Perhaps he can write about space in Spanish tomorrow :-)

Physics will be done, but there is no point texting to find out how it went. He said he's not looking at his phone between exams because hopefully his football team will have signed a player today as the transfer window has reopened and he wants the anticipation of finding out after everything is over. So... we will await the lowdown after music this afternoon. He reckoned Beethoven was most likely as an essay question and Killer Queen least likely based on his analysis of past questions.

He declared this morning that he doesn't know what he's going to do with himself after today - he's thought about little else for months and thinks he'll be bored. I suggested getting a job, but that didn't go down well. I was not allowed to take a 'last day' photo either - even just outside out house - too mortifying in case someone (even a total stranger) saw. But, he'll be back in uniform and at the same school in September anyway, so I suppose it isn't really his last day anyway.

Well done finished people! DD2 has called from after Physics (Edexcel Higher combined) where she reckons she didn't know some random basic one markers and reckons she's sure she got 60% and hopes she picked up a bit more.

No idea how good she is at knowing though! Onto music.

@Sisublondie he saves the best till last then woo-hoo!

Ratty's leavers assembly is not until end of the month!

Dd also cross about the lack of space physics! She liked the 6 marker about waves (said that was easy for her) but didn’t like the 4 mark garlic upthrust question - whatever that means!

DS's is this Friday. I'm glad it is when he's actually left because he is down to 2 school shirts and sacrificing one to Sharpies would have been a pain.

Physics verdict: a bit hard but okay.

That’s it now - ALL OVER!!!

dd does this and I have no idea how they manage to predict it! Dd is offen scarily accurate too. She’s predicted herself 84% on this paper. Enough for a 9 apparently! Would that I could have her confidence! 🤣