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!

@Caddycat - yeah hopefully she won’t dwell on it! She has other options if she can’t do it for A level, it’s just that it’s critical to her degree choice. But nothing is set in stone at this stage and there’s still a fair chance she’ll get the 7 she needs (tbh we can probably argue for her to take it if she gets a 6, especially if Maths and the other sciences have gone well.

Text from DD AQA Triple was a great paper, very good. Chemistry is her favourite science. Just Physics left here now.

Hang on in there everyone, thinking of all your DC, either way they’ve all done bloody amazing.

My daughter also loved the AQA Triple Higher Chemistry 👍 she's now scared the grade boundaries will be high 😂

I'm so keen to find out how my DS did in chemistry (AQA combined). Did anyone else's child do this one?

He's absolutely hates science and we did Pomodoro revision for 6 hours yesterday and I really hope it helped.

Are there any question discussions on reddit? I can't find any

@getwiththeprogram Yes, I believe big question on water purification. Nothing on fractional distillation. There was a moles calculation to do

Chemistry AQA higher combined was fine according to my DD. She didn’t get the 5 mark calculation question but was fine with the rest of it. She just went over the 6 marker practical on dissolved solids this morning so was relieved she could answer it as she (or her friends) don’t remember it being taught at school. Science department at her school are not great with high turnover of staff but I suspect this is quite common with a general shortage of Science teachers. One more left!!

Great, thanks.

We revised potable water and water treatment so hopefully he retained some of that 🙏

The problem with science at my sons school is that all three sciences are taught bu the same teacher, in the same room, and he has got hopelessly mixed up about whether he is learning something for biology, chemistry or physics.

We had separate teachers and separate labs for the sciences at school and they were very clearly distinct sciences.

Chemistry (well double science but chemistry paper) only “so so” here (but different exam board). Bit worrying as normally I get “fine” and it is usually his best science. Physics on Monday is his worst science by far so not finishing on a high note but hopefully I can get him to do some revision over the weekend.

Not heard anything from DD triple AQA after reading the mixed reviews sounds like it could have gone either way
Hope all your kids get a good rest before studying for final exams.
How many still have exams after Monday?

DS’s summary of higher triple iGCSE chemistry (AQA) was ‘really excellent’ but he is a chemistry nerd (bless him) whose idea of fun is chemistry extension club so don’t read too much into that comment. It’s one of his A level subjects though so I’m pleased he was happy with it.

I was with combined science higher and foundation students this morning and of those that actually wrote the paper (at least three out of my group wrote literally nothing apart from filling in the front page) they seemed happy enough with the paper afterwards. Hoping grade boundaries are kind to all!

Whoever asked about students going to sleep a few pages ago-from a long time invigilator yes sadly it is always a thing, almost always from lower ability students. I think psychologically they are happier with the idea of just not bothering, than trying and potentially failing. I would estimate up to 20% of the combined science foundation students in our cohort have probably gone to sleep at some point during every science exam….it makes me sad but….you can lead a horse to water and all that…

Wishing everyone as calm a weekend as possible before the final push next week!

It's such a shame kids are feeling like their best option is to not try rather than try and fail. I understand why the current system is the way it is but a more individualised education would benefit so many students.

I can completely get young people going to sleep in an exam they just can’t handle . DS2 told me he just wrote ‘ random shit’ In The questions he couldn’t do . I’m not sure what’s better - that or just accepting you can’t do it and putting your head down till it’s over. Part of adulting is about realising what you are not good at and learning to play to your strengths

I am irritated by the combined sciences - DS2 is half decent at biology , normally passes physics and has yet to pass chemistry ever . There is a real risk he will miss out on 2 GCSEs when he might have been able to pass foundation papers in 2/3 separate sciences . I’m also at this point wondering why no one ever suggested he sit foundation rather than higher papers . Wish I’d asked a few more questions

Dd had this today. It wasn’t great (understatement) - she felt that she’d prepared well but the paper wasn’t kind. Tears in the car on the way home which is a first :(

She’s a bit more philosophical after reading other people felt similar but the Edexcel iGCSE science papers have been unusual this year. She’s very anxious about physics & quite despondent about revising (“what’s the point if nothing comes up”).

Yep, DD said it was the hardest chem paper she’s ever sat. A left field 6 mark written question apparently.

DD has only ever aced chem exams so she is worried. I’ve told her if she found it tough then lots of others will have too so to try not to worry.

She will be beside herself if she doesn’t get a 9.

DD has just said exactly the same re revising for physics.

It seems the edexel iGCSE’s have been changed quite a lot this year.

Yes I agree. I thought combined science DCs were disadvantaged when we attended Sixth Form presentations as Psychology requires a 6 in biology for triple science DCs and 66 for combined science DCs. It seems really unfair.

Basically at our school they put the lower sets in y10 in combined and the higher sets in triple. Then instead of moving children to combined or triple, they just put them in higher or foundation but only decide at the last minute. DD was pulled out of a revision class just before her biology paper 1 by the chemistry teacher who told her she was being put down for the foundation chemistry exams, totally out of the blue. She started to panic and cry when the teacher looked at her blankly and said "Oh, wrong DD's name" and turned around. I never realised they could move them this close to the exam!!!

Not a clue how DD has got on. Her dad was picking her up after the exam and taking her for lunch (ExH) and I don't want to intrude on his time with her by phoning. She'll be back at tea time. The bathroom and kitchen are sparkling clean in an effort to not ring her! One more to go, I can hardly believe we're this close to the finish line.

DS said "slightly cooked" for chemistry. I would have panicked about that a few weeks ago but now even I'm just meh

I never know if 'cooking' or 'cooked' means you did good or bad! If 'I cooked' that is good, right??

Yes my daughter hated Edexcel Maths iGCSE - said paper 2 was completely different to previous years.

I don't know what goes on with Edexcel, but they've been horrible this year in the sciences. Not sure what the point if it is. Why would they want to trip kids up when AQA papers seemed to have been very fair so far?

DD said AQA higher chemistry paper went very well and she had time to back over her answers. So glad the week ended well after the maths paper on Wednesday- she totted up her answers against some online and can see she’s dropped quite a few marks. Oh well, only 1 paper left now!!

On no, that must have been so stressful for your DD! 😥 Honestly, I don't get why some teachers stress kids out before exams, e.g. every time my daughter and her friends ask teachers last minute questions on the morning of the exam, most just say "If you don't know it by now - it's too late" instead if just answering the question. Why?!? It's not too late. I remember reading stuff just before walking into my uni exams and some of that last second revision was very useful. Maybe teachers on this thread can explain the rationale behind being unhelpful to an already stressed student right before their exam 🤷‍♀️

You made me laugh, I had this conversation with my teens a couple of days ago. Cooking is good, being cooked is bad, if they ate, that's brilliant 😂

Is Edexcel iGCSE different to Edexcel GCSE? Dd is doing triple EdExcel so not sure if hers was also the really nasty paper and so I need to be prepared for upset when I pick her up later.