Grammar Girl Guide: Year 9

Grammar Girl: Year 9

Hiiii everyone!
So because I'm too late for GWG I've decided to do this blog type thing (because I have oh so much spare time) but yeah.

I'll be telling you the in's and out's of a grammar school girl (don't expect me to be posh and all, plus my grammar is terrible, funnily enough aha)

So I'm taking my GCSE options this year in March and am thinking of doing these options but they aren't set in stone as of yet:

English Lang (AQA)
English Lit (AQA)
Biology (AQA)
Chemistry (AQA)
Physics (AQA)
Maths (Edexcel)
German (Edexcel)
History (AQA)
Drama (AQA)
Design & Technology (Edexcel)
Latin (OCR)

I'm also doing R.S. (Edexcel Units 4 & 11) this May so yeah :colondollar:

I'll be properly updating this blog after Feb half-term because I literally have no time but I'll be talking about the academic side of things and all the stuff I get up to at school and outside as well.

Also, I know A levels are a few more years down the line (and we are doing the reformed ones as well ugh)
But here are my options anyway (which will probably change but ya know 'failing to plan is planning to fail)

Biology
Chemistry
Maths (sigh)
Psychology

And if you can't already tell, I'm hoping to study Medicine at Cambridge and go down a psychiatric/paediatric route (obviously will change as I grow up)

Stay tuned for more info and if there's anything you wanna ask feel free to drop a comment below xx

(edited 7 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

mez_merising

So first off, let's talk about *sigh* maths!

As you can probably tell, I don't particularly like maths and I'm really not that great at it either. We've got the new 9-1 syllabus (yippee)
I probably don't like maths as I've had rubbish teachers from year 7 and didn't know what the heck number bonds were until year 4 sooo yeah ahahaa

My NCL (national curriculum level) for the autumn term of year 9 is:
8c (I know, it's terrible.)

Scores so far:
Unit 1 test: 33/38 so 87% and an 8c
(we did: laws of indices, algebraic formulae and cumulative frequency graphs)

Unit 2 test: 33/42 so 79% and again, an 8c (we did: surface area, volume, quadratic equations, trigonometry and sequences)

Unit 3 test is on the 28th Feb so I've got half term to revise: cubic and reciprocal graphs, probability, tree diagrams, simultaneous equations and geometric sequences (oh what fun)

Reply 2

mez_merising

Now onto....english!
So Year 7 we did no work (like we used 3 pages of our book) because our teacher was absolute bants and we had so much fun, but obviously it's just year 7
Year 8 we had that annoying teacher who tries to make jokes at everything and it's so lame, but we actually learnt some stuff which was good.
Now in Year 9 wellllllll, our teacher is so awkward and he can't get us to be quiet and it's honestly such a mess. But he marks so harshly compared to other teachers, but it's probably because he is new.

My NCL level, autumn term:
7c (like golly gosh, I thought I was good at English)

Soooo I don't have my book on me because our teacher did a 'surprise essay' (more like 'girls, I've written a question on the board. You've got 15 mins, good luck!!11!! :smile:

))' but we think he has lost our books soooo yeah.
Currently doing Romeo and Juliet, watched the film like a bajillion times and idek what we did, apparently there is an essay coming up as well.

Reply 3

e2014

Original post by mez_merising

8c isn't bad at all.

Reply 4

mez_merising

Now.... science!
I mean, it's alright, and I guess I'll have to love it in order to be able to study Medicine soo

Biology/Chemistry/Physics NCL:
7b for all of 'em

Umm biology is my fave out of them all. I find it surprisingly interesting and my teacher is so nice so it's good.
Microbiology test: 38/47 so 81% and a 7b

Second is chemistry, mainly bc i like to blow things up haha (@seamusfinnigan) anywhoo so I don't actually know my score for the test because I lost my book and yeah. We've been doing atomic structures and now are looking at reactivity of metals.

Don't even talk to me about Physics. It's applied maths and I already strongly dislike maths so physics is an ultimate no no. I did absolute rubbish on the test and I don't even have the actual score because my teacher has my book. We've been doing density and heat transfer.

Reply 5

mez_merising

Original post by e2014

8c isn't bad at all.

really?

Reply 6

e2014

Original post by mez_merising

really?

Of course not. What do you consider to be good?

Reply 7

JammieDodger27

Wait... Maths is your highest grade but that's the one you're saying is terrible?

Reply 8

mez_merising

Original post by e2014

Of course not. What do you consider to be good?

like above an 8a, so an EP

Reply 9

mez_merising

Next....German
Guten tag!!!!!!

I actually love German so much because the teachers are so nice and I can actually understand it, unlike french where I can barely form a sentence. Plus I've got german cousins who can help me out as well. So it was a no-brainer when I had to choose between french and german for a MFL (modern foreign language)

German NCL:
7b (meh)

I mean, I think I'm doing pretty well considering my last assessment was an 8c

Reply 10

mez_merising

Then...history!

For a humanity it was between geog and history and oh my, I don't really like either bc they're both a bore, but I honestly find geog so pointless like, just google maps? Yeah it's all well and good knowing Yellowstone may potentially erupt and all....................

I'm not that great at history either (although not tryna brag, but Year 8 end of years I came top and legit my teacher was like 'why couldn't you do this from the beginning')

History NCL:
7b

I don't mind essay writing and yeah, I got a 7a in my essay about WW1 so looks like I'm doing ok

Reply 11

mez_merising

Drama!

I love drama, it's so fun and although I'm a really shy person I enjoy it so much, both technical and practical sides of it. No, I'm not that good at it, but my friends are doing it and I enjoy it anyway and yeah

Drama NCL:
7c (ummmm ok)

Reply 12

mez_merising

d&t

So I was initially gonna do just graphics because my dad wanted me to do something computer-y and I didn't have a clue what was going on in computer science so yeah but since the syllabus has changed we are doing a combined design and technology GCSE, so maybe I can slip into the textiles room a little more often...

Technology NCL:
6a (don't judge me, I was never that artistic anyway)

Reply 13

BobBobson

Don't worry so much about your NC grades. They really don't mean anything at year 9. Don't use it to base your choices for GCSE

Reply 14

poppyb787

Original post by mez_merising

I already strongly dislike maths

Why on earth are you planning to do an A Level in Maths if you don't like it?

Reply 15

mez_merising

Finally...........Latin!!!!!
Salveeeeeee

I loveeeeee Latin (although grammar is a female dog) but Latin is so much fun and I actually understand it and my teacher is my form tutor who is just amazing and just yes.

Latin NCL:
6a (We only started last year, and I was like a 2b so it's improving!)
In recent assessment I got 56/60 so 93% which is pretty good, if I do say so myself

Reply 16

mez_merising

Original post by poppyb787

Why on earth are you planning to do an A Level in Maths if you don't like it?

because I don't want to do Physics :bawling:

Reply 17

mez_merising

Original post by JammieDodger27

Wait... Maths is your highest grade but that's the one you're saying is terrible?

I'm usually much better, but I've found the jump from year 8-9 massive but I'm getting there

Reply 18

mez_merising

Original post by BobBobson

Don't worry so much about your NC grades. They really don't mean anything at year 9. Don't use it to base your choices for GCSE

ikr...espescially with the new 9-1

Reply 19

poppyb787

Original post by mez_merising

because I don't want to do Physics :bawling:

To study medicine you only need Chemistry, and, in most cases, Biology. I understand that somewhere around 97% of successful applicants to Cambridge Medical School offer three science or maths A Levels and that this is probably your motivation, however I think you need to consider that this is due to the traditional scientific nature of the Cambridge medical course and if you dislike Maths and Physics the Cambridge approach is likely to be unsuitable for you.
You have plenty of time to think about which universities and courses, and subsequently which A Levels, are suitable for you so I'd keep an open mind. It is MUCH easier to do A Levels you enjoy!