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!

Thanks everyone I think the weekend sounds like a good compromise.

Same here. DD said last three questions were tough. We went through them when she got home as she was positive she got zero for them and she was in a right state but one of them she did perfectly, one she definitely got wrong and the other one I think is actually impossible to work out if she is correct about what the question actually said.

Onwards and upwards for maths tomorrow!

My DD (who is definitely not a scientist!) said AQA Physics combined paper was “really good”. That really surprised me and makes me worry a little bit that she may have misunderstood some of the questions (as she does do that at times). However, it seems from here that most thought it was ok, so hopefully she actually did do well!

DS thought AQA physics double award was “good”. However now super stressed about Geography which has far more content than history as far as DS is concerned… it’s only Tuesday and we need this week over already!

DS reports physics was good, he’s also Edexcel iGCSE
and seems quite happy with it.

Hoping all poorly DC feel better soon, it’s rotten timing.

Can’t remember who asked about students going to sleep in exams but to answer the question-it is always (perhaps inevitably) the low ability foundation students who go to sleep and I think it is generally a combination of (a) finding a subject too difficult or boring (b) a protest at what they’d probably describe as the general pointlessness of exams and (c) a defence mechanism to shore up poor academic self esteem - ie they’ll probably fail the subject but then defiantly say well they were never going to pass because they didn’t bother trying.

Thar said I did also have a handful of “higher” combined science students who went to sleep today, but I think they had at least attempted some/most of the paper first….

Sending good luck wishes to all for tomorrow!

@LittletreefrogThats really crap to read. What a let down for him. Your plan to wait to the weekend sounds good. Hope you’re ok too.

Hmm my dd said aqa physics triple was “mid” whatever that’s suppose to mean. She’s an essay girl through and through, hates stem so we’ve had a powwow tonight and agreed to go all guns blazing with the remaining history x 2, English language and Spanish x 3. Remaining maths and science will be what they’ll be.

@FlyingPandas it was my and someone else. I can see some just doing it as they think it’s a hopeless cause but it’s sad that they are in that position. Higher combined tho will surely end up with a U!

Visually impaired son has come home from his physics exam today informing me the school.dis not supply large print calculator and they gave him a standard with a hand held magnifying glass, they expect him to use this tomorrow morning for his maths calculator paper. Fuming is beyond what I feel, I have spent this evening on the phone to his VI teacher who is beyond angry. He has been told to not touch the paper tomorrow as he has not been given equitable access to complete his exam. He wants to do further maths for A level and the stress levels are high

Make sure you contact the school and ask them to apply for special consideration for today.

Will do! I will be reporting this to ofsted also, this is the last straw for this school. The stress of this the night before an exam he is needing to be a top grade for is not on

Sorry to say that ofsted won't do anything - they'll just ask if you've exhausted the school's complaints policy,

OCR triple physics went OK apparently but had some tricky questions (it is one of DDs strongest subjects and planning to take it for A level). There was 1 question she and her friends agreed was impossible to answer. Another question they all got different answers to but DD think her answer might be right as it's more plausible (one of her friends got a negative number for a speed). They are all very high achieving so I think they probably did well anyway.

@Moneyordream - so sorry to read that. It’s shocking 😞

So sorry to read that @Moneyordream. That’s really not ok.

He’s actually loads better today thanks. Did give him Imodium this morning as he was stressing about having to go out of the physics exam for the loo, but all was well in the end and he seems to have got his appetite back this evening and have colour back in his cheeks. Phew. Really sorry to hear your dd is still unwell. Such awful timing. Hope tomorrow is a better day!

And yes it was AQA combined higher here and he said it was a pretty good paper. He’s now had at least one paper of everything except further maths!

I’m trying to work out if we over the 1/2 way point. DD defo now just now in flow of ‘do exam and move on’. Conversation has ended up as ‘do you think you’ll pass’ ‘yeah’ or ‘do you think you’ll get a 6’ (for As) and ‘yeah’

DTs reported OCR combined science physics higher as “good” and “ok”. Glad this went ok as chemistry paper 1 was not so good, biology paper 1 was good. DTs have 6 this week.
physics Tues
maths then geography Weds
history then french reading Thursday
English language Friday.

this means this week will complete history and English language. But still leaves a big week next week.

My 2 are wishing they didn’t have half term break and they could just blast through them in 4/5 weeks back to back. I think the half term break has given them time to rest and go again.

i am intrigued as if there are any stats whether marks on papers are higher or lower after HT? Or if paper 1, 2 or 3 have higher/lower average scores. Anyone know of any stats? Also I guess it does depend if school teach in order of paper 1 then paper 2, as last content can get squeezed. For DTs history they learnt them in reverse order of papers.

Dreaded day of maths & human
geography today - yippee 🥴 we’re heading off in 5 minutes (long drive to exam centre).

Happy days 😭

@Moneyordream that's shocking, your poor boy.

@Callmejudith I googled "sly chopped" and I think your interpretation is correct. I read this FB post this morning, which made me laugh (language warning!): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18zXz6P6bL/

@Ifonlyoneday My daughter also said that she wished there was no half term between exams as it just prolongs them and breaks the rhythm

DS said AQA triple Physics yesterday was "fine" and ~76%. I hope his optimistic calculation is correct!

@Moneyordreamthats absolutely dreadful your poor son. I would be writing to anyone and everyone!

Does your son know how much of the paper the calculations were? Someone in my daughter's class said they were 68% of the paper, but not sure if that's right? According to my daughter, her and those she spoke to found the calculations easy