Y11 2025-26 - Trying not to melt and pushing through the final weeks

[Stowickthevast]

I finished the thread so started a new one. Welcome all Y11 parents, support and solidarity for the next big push here!

He was quite upset but is fine now. It will be what it will be.

Joining the thread to say that edexcel higher seemed very hard. There were questions my DC didn’t even attempt (unheard of previously) and is now worried they won’t have the 8 they need to do A level. I hope the grade boundaries are kind to everyone!

After reading here I panicked slightly and called DS. He said it was hard (harder than previous 2 - edexcel higher) but there was only one question he didnt/couldnt attempt to answer. He said they all found it hard. His teacher has been very vocal throughout term that she's hoping/expecting a record numbers of 9s, from their class. I think some students have revised their expectations after this morning.
DS seemed more concerned about this afternoons exam

My son just looked at TikTok mark scheme! He thinks worst case scenario - across the 3 papers - if grade boundaries stay at 2025 levels - he still has secured an 8. So he’s happier and trying to revise ~economics~ geography now

DS is in the living room with 3 friends discussing quite how hard the Edexcel higher paper was. They are all 6 to 8 levelish who definitely found the first 2 much better.
Ah well I suppose there is a comfort for them knowing that it sounds like it was à genuinely difficult paper and that it wasn’t just 1 individual that struggled… sounds like they are not alone either.

Oh no, DS hates maths.

My dc is exhausted- just gone upstairs for a nap. 3 exams to go, roll on monday.

My son did Edexcel and said that there was one question he couldn’t finish but he thinks he will get some marks for it. He’s at a very selective grammar and most of his friends had the same issue with the question he found tough. He needs an 8 to do A Level maths which also impacts on whether he can do physics (which is his favourite subject) so fingers crossed!

Dd did aqa higher and said it was the best of the three papers. Thank god maths is done!! 4 exams left…

Oh dear - I got a "fine" for today

My DS is not a natural mathematician but thinks the paper 3 for edexel was better than paper 2. There was one 2 marker he couldn’t do but not being a natural he was happy and may now be hoping for better than his prediction. I am just glad it is over as maths is the subject we’ve shed the most tears over, largely I think as a result of DS being at the very top of his set, so he hasn’t been taught to the grade he could get so has tried to teach himself

My DD said EdExcel higher maths was very hard and that she couldn’t answer all questions. She’s quite down about it. She’s worked so hard to get to this point and is annoyed because she felt some questions were unfair. I have no idea if this is true. I think many others found it hard too.

Aqa maths higher paper apparently was "really good" but ds is a natural mathematician (lucky) and I think probably having done a tricky further maths paper the other day this would seem more straightforward.
Think hes finding it hard to keep up the energy but its less than a week now to go and only 4 more left

OCR paper 6 was the best of the 3.

Sorry to hear so many struggled, that was rhe same for dd for paper 5.

DD found Edexcel maths really tough today but is taking comfort from the fact that even the super bright maths boys looked a bit surprised by it and the fact that so many on here have struggled. Her school wants an 8 in maths GCSE for A level maths and a 9 for further maths and she said that a few people were stressing after the exam that they might not have hit those grades. This requirement doesn’t seem to be set in stone, though, so I have reassured DD that the schools know what she & her peers are capable of and will hopefully judge them on that rather than it being decided exclusively on the grade.

That’s interesting. DD is resitting (just missed a 6 last year and ideally needs one for her preferred degree course) and was most positive about today’s paper out of all of them.

Dd also found edexcel maths v hard today so I think if everyone did, it all evens out. However she was more concerned about a crazy textiles paper this afternoon also edexcel. She said it was a case of ‘what on earth was that?’ With their teacher saying she wouldn’t have been able to do some of it. Really odd as most past papers have been easy. Grade boundaries are generally low though and coursework counts for a lot so fingers crossed all ok. Gah I hate these exams! Luckily my eldest finished A levels today and youngest only has three more to go…

Dd spent 30 mins drawing a rocket and was done in an hour. Sounds fun

Another one who found the Edexcel Higher a bit WTF. She is a very natural and able mathematician and consistently got 9s but she said the wording of the questions was odd and not something she had come across. She said she worked her way through it all but it was a slog, it’s really thrown her.

She’s just bloody knackered, as all of them are now, she looks pale and I can see she has lost her drive for it all. She’s always been super motivated so it’s unsettling seeing her like this.

Park that paper now and she has a day off tomorrow and then onto Chemistry….roll on 11am Monday.

Anyone DC got Geography tomorrow?

DS had design and technology (WJEC) this afternoon. He did product design, DD (4 years ago) did graphics but they do the same written exam.
Im pretty sure theyve cut the length of the exam. It was 2 hrs today, but ik sure I remember it being longer when DD did it and she said they literally need half the amount of time.
DS was less confident about that than maths today, saying there could be something that would catch you out. So I'll get a debrief on that shortly.
3 more to go..... Although chemistry and physics are pretty heavyweight to do last! (Although tbf i cant think of an "easy" last one!)

DS has. Maths is forgotten and now he’s on water. And it’s raining… fieldwork later

Dd the same exam @Fizbosshoes. she found it hard and hadn’t been taught alot it. I would interested to know that your ds thought.

Yep! Geography, chemistry and physics to go…

Yes geography here tomorrow as well