DD did the O level GCSE written paper yesterday but the teachers have complained to the exam board as they felt the questions were at A Level. Did anyone else's DC think the same about this year's written paper? We're pleased the school are being so pro-active but concerned as well.
Hi my dd did her written paper yesterday and was fairly happy with it, in fact the 10 point question was exactly the same as a revision question she had done the night before. But saying that there are different boards and maybe your daughter did another one. I will ask and see what hers was.
I think it was AQA as that is the text book they have. DD is only in Y10 and doing the course as an extra after school. She said it was okay - first experience for her really and hopefully it will make her realise she has to do revision next year when she does the rest of her exams ...
I think it was just that the questions were harder than expected by the teachers. If your DD is considering it, then speak to your school and ask to see previous papers. If they know she's dyslexic then they would understand you asking? The current course was 60% performance and 40% written if that's any help.
The past papers are available and don't look untypical. Don't forget this constant quest to add academic rigour to all qualifications, even if the subject really is practical. Theatre studies, dance, media studies, sports studies and music at GCSE all seem to now have too much written work for a subject that is about physical and even emotional content. I think we have to live with this because people outside of what we do continually bang on about how exams are easier, the kids cannot spell or manage grammar, and on and on. The result is that we have the shift to be able to write about dance, or acting, and worse still, perhaps be less good at the doing and better at talking about it. I could get a dance qualification, and I really cannot dance - however, I know a great deal about the history, so my 40% would be a good mark, and my terrible dancing would get me a low mark in that element - but I bet I'd scrape a pass! On top of this we had the teachers 'cheating' last year, so things have tightened up. Some questions come up time and again, and perhaps this year some new chief examiner thought up new ones the teachers didn't expect!
Teachers cheating that awful, my dd is in year 7 and her dance school offer goes dance, would you guys recommend it,we are very busy and just not sure she would have time for the course work if there was a lot of it.
Just wonder whether Y7 is a little too early but then it depends on your DD and how mature she is? You could always talk to her Dance teacher for advice?