Page 1 of 2

A2 grades advice

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 2:19 pm
by tpatel
my DD is in her final year and has recently got her Jan A2 module results. She is predicted 3As in Maths, Chemistry and Biology (10 A/A* at GCSE) and she got low As for AS but has now dropped to high Bs in Chemistry and Maths. She's at a 'good' sixth form but she doesn't know why she always misses those last few marks to get her a comfortable A. She claims that she understands the work so a tutor would not help, she is comfortable enough with her teachers to ask for help and she has worked hard on her revision. I've suggested an Easter revision course but she thinks that will not help either so I am at a loss as to how to advise her. Has anyone else been in this position and can give some advice as I would be very grateful for any help as she still has her hardest modules to come in June and she desperately needs those As.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:22 pm
by solimum
DD is doing the same subjects (also teetering on the A/B boundary) and we are off to speak to the teachers later so I may come back if we have any new insights! Firstly check the UMS totals so far in each subject to see what she really needs in the June modules - the school may be able to advise if it's worth a resit to boost the total points if the Jan modules should have been "easier", but you may find she is still well on track to overall As. Take into account any practicals (ISAs) in the Chemistry as they can be quite variable and sometimes the school will redo a whole batch to improve the scores. Get her to print out (look on the exam board websites) the entire specification of the exact modules concerned to aid systematic learning and revision - make sure nothing has been overlooked. My DD likes to revise by making large A2 posters of various chemical reactions, biological systems etc and putting them on the wall - with Maths in particular it's a case of practising as many past papers as you can get hold of (there are lots of these online too, though the school may be keeping some back for mock exams). Does she have a viable university offer for AAB or ABB or is it AAA or die? The pressure to perform can cause panic to set in and make things worse - make sure she knows she CAN do it but that if it all goes wrong on the day her life will not be ruined..... (even if it seems like it...).

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:47 pm
by Belinda
.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:01 pm
by Guest55
It might be worth resitting C1 in Maths to up the UMS ...

You can resit AS modules that are a low A.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:13 pm
by tpatel
Thank you all so much for your advice. She does have other offers of AAB but that still means securing at least one more A. We have worked out her UMS marks so far and she is 2 marks short of an A in those 2 subjects so can't afford to get a Bs in those again.

She is doing Edexcel maths and did a few Solomon questions for revision. (She got an A in her mock paper at school and in the ones she used as revision)

She is going to resit her C3 and maybe C2 as she did well in C1 but as she has never done any resits before she is scared that a Chemistry resit will detract from her main revision and has decided against it.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:25 pm
by tpatel
Belinda, my gut feeling is also that there is something missing in her exam technique. She is doing OCR Chemistry and has also mentioned how frustrating it is that her answers have to have 'key' words. She got an A in her Chemistry practical for AS and is on target for an A this year. I just think it will be cruel if she misses her A by 1 or 2 marks and I'm confident that she is capable of it but without knowing exactly what is lacking it is difficult to correct.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:44 pm
by Belinda
.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:35 pm
by Guest55
The Solomon papers are harder but the content for C3 should be the same as the C3 syllabus.

AS papers are before half term and A2 after so resits should not detract

C2 is 24th May and C3 14th June and C4 21st June ... well spread out.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:35 am
by daughter
Hi, I haven't read through all the posts - but i am not sure if anyone has mentioned getting a photocopy of the exam script. "We" have just had some suprisingly (teachers and us) poor results. School recommended we applied for the scripts (about £10/module) ... much cheaper than a tutor. The first paper was received in less than 24 hours ... quite enlightening (a lack of working shown, misread question etc) - hopefully it will really help to hone the exam technique/revision. Hope this helps.

Re: A2 grades advice

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:51 am
by hermanmunster
agreed re getting the script - I there is time to get the script and go through it with the school before asking for a remark