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Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 2:55 pm
by Bob1892
I must say with just over 4 weeks to go it seems somewhat quiet in the brum forum compared to previous years. There seem to be plenty of views on the threads but very few posts/contributors. So come on guys lets get posting about last minute nerves, exam day tips, books being used, meltdowns, your aunt Sally- in fact anything to release a bit of stress. Maybe posters from Warks may want to chip like they used in previous years?
So let's have some brummies and others coming out of the woodwork.

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 3:57 pm
by Midlandsmom
I genuinely don't have much to say, we've done nothing really over the summer so far, apart from my son continuing to read for pleasure. Every now and then I think we should use some of the practice stuff, but it's difficult to find time, we had 2 weeks holiday, then kids away with grandparents for a week, followed by this week staying with another set of grandparents and family wedding this weekend. I don't think we can slot in any prep until next week really, but to be honest, I'm not stressing out about it! Feeling quite calm, what will be, will be! At least he's had a good rest/break over the summer so far! Hopefully if we do a bit of practice over the remaining few weeks he won't return to school (or go to the exam) having forgotten everything!

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 4:04 pm
by Midlandsmom
The only thing that is making me nervous is that me and hub are away the weekend of the exam! Booked ages ago for his 40th, and of course the dates clashed! So I'm reliant upon the resident-for-the-weekend grandparents who don't know Brum at all, to get him to the right venue, on time with all necessary things. I keep telling myself they are sensible adults who can cope, but I will be very worried on the day, miles away in another country hoping they've got him there without a hitch! On the plus side, he'll be spared any last minute nerves from me at the gates and probably feel quite relaxed being chauffeured there by his grandparents :)

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 4:37 pm
by quasimodo
It is very quiet in Walsall the only excitement being provided by the EDL march in the town centre by about 300 and a counter demonstration on the Saturday.Town centre off limits on the Saturday and everyone sensible will be avoiding it.

My brother in laws son after taking the Walsall exam in July from what I've observed has done very little work with a 2 week family holiday and a summer camp for a week.It is hard to get remotivated which we found last year with my dd.

You have to keep persevering even on warm sunny days like this.

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:08 pm
by Bob1892
Thankfully Liverpool won on the weekend to keep my ds spirits up during this hard slog.
Bournemouth next game so hopefully another 3 points. Man Utd on Super Saturday next month- hopefully he won't have his mind on the game too much that day :roll:

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:12 pm
by thirdtimemum
I was ok until I read the posts from last year and saw the Walsall exam results were 2 weeks early and birmingham results were 5 days late. I can cope with the exam but not the results!

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:22 pm
by quasimodo
Bob1892 wrote:Thankfully Liverpool won on the weekend to keep my ds spirits up during this hard slog.
Bournemouth next game so hopefully another 3 points. Man Utd on Super Saturday next month- hopefully he won't have his mind on the game too much that day :roll:
We were very fortunate with a lovely Coutinho strike after quite a boring game.Lets hope super Saturday is super for your family with more than football.

I don't know if you will get many other contributors despite the industrial fortnight which in the West Midlands being in the first two weeks of the summer holidays is now over.There are still many on holiday.

Most parents are nervous for their children and postings allow you to let off steam.

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 9:55 pm
by nervousmom
Liverpool fans here too! The other day DD had a Liverpool t-shirt on, and youngest DS 5 and DD 1 were wearing their Liverpool kits (eldest DS who is a big supporter, refused to wear his at the same time!)

I believe super Saturday is a 5.30 pm kick off.

DD will be taking her test in a Warwickshire school. We will find out our test venue in the next couple of weeks.

As posted on another thread, our DD has had a dip in confidence and we are trying to get this back. Also she has the added pressure of trying to join her elder brother at KEFW.

First week of summer hols we were away in Torquay, and she didn't do any work, but since back she has been doing a little each day.

To get her confidence back this week, she has been doing some Bond 10 minute tests. I know its different from CEM, but I feel it will help keep her brain ticking over. They are not overly difficult, even though they are 10-11+, but hard enough to get her thinking. She did well on these yesterday and has started feeling a bit happier.

Today she has been doing some verbal work, looking at antonyms and synonyms.

She is also currently reading 6 books! Although to be honest I feel these are probably not testing enough, she is enjoying reading them though and it's a good way for her to relax.

We are away again next week, but only in Wales, so she will be doing a little work each day, but the rest of the time she will be relaxing and having fun.

The week we come back she will be doing a 4 day revision course with the Shirley based company, so we are hoping this will really help boost her confidence!

Having been through this 3 years ago with DD, I remember only too clearly the nervous few weeks we had, I am not looking forward to going through it again!

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:04 pm
by Bob1892
We're all in the same boat so stick around and hopefully we can all have a few laughs along the way to get us through the next few weeks.
Been scouring some of the previous brum and warks posts and spotted some of your nervous posts nervousmom alongside the likes of ginx, diymum, moseleymum, UmSusu, um and the legendary Okanagan- some funny posts out there.

Re: Very quiet in Brum.......4 weeks to go

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:14 pm
by nervousmom
I too was looking through old posts the other day. Always wondered what happened to Okanagen.

Where has the last 3 years gone? After DD I'll be doing it another twice, don't know how my nerves will be then!

I think last time I made everyone else a bag of nerves too!

Good to have a place like this to come to give and receive advice.

As you say, let's see if we can lighten the mood and have a few laughs along the way! :lol:

As I mentioned on another thread. DD was highly amused the other day when I received a McCarthy and Stone leaflet. She's still giggling about it 2 days later! :?

Firsttimemum, when my DS did 11+ 3 years ago, he sat Birmingham and Warwickshire tests, so we had 2 sets of results to wait for. I recall the Birmingham ones did go out later than planned. I remember the Warwickshire arrived on the Saturday and the Birmingham the following Tuesday.

I remember on the Saturday I was pacing up and down the path for the postman as we seem to be one of the last on his round. When he finally came I was shaking like a leaf opening the Warwickshire letter. I saw DD score and rank and knew he'd be guaranteed KES, went running upstairs to him where he was watching tele, shouting you've done it, you've only gone and done it. There was hardly the blink of an eyelid from him, it was like any other day!

For the Brum one I was at work and kept looking at the clock. I couldn't wait any longer and left work to go home, the results were there. Once again I was shaking like a leaf, on my home in the house, opening the letter. Sigh of relief he got 237!

Just hoping DD can do the same!