Latest news with #AnInspectorCalls
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Seven in 10 parents have taken time off work to revise for their kids' GCSEs
A study of 500 parents with children taking exams this year found they actively started getting their own heads GCSE-ready three months ago. An astonishing seven out of 10 parents have taken time away from work to hit the books alongside their children preparing for GCSEs, reveals a study of 500 parents with kids facing exams this year. It turns out they started to revise some of the subjects three months back, in an attempt to get their head around the curriculum. Despite their best efforts to familiarise themselves with the current GCSE syllabus, half of all parents polled have struggled to get their heads round what their children are supposed to be learning. While 69% admitted their kids are stressed about the weeks ahead. In a bid to be supportive, nearly half made up a study schedule, 16% delved into 'An Inspector Calls', and 12% endeavoured to memorise 'Macbeth'. A third have been companions during study sessions, 16% turned to audiobooks, while 12% have pulled all-nighters. This insight comes courtesy of a study conducted by MyEdSpace, an online education portal now offering free 'Exam Cram Courses' complete with live three-hour tutorial sessions, set to prime students ahead of Maths, English and Science exams. Co-founder of MyEdSpace, Sean Hirons, said: "Understandably, parents just want to help their kids when it comes to exam season – especially those intense few days just before a big test. But that doesn't have to mean pulling all-nighters themselves or learning Macbeth off by heart." "Right now, the best thing parents can do for their kids is keep calm, give them some space and make sure they're not forgetting to do the basic things like eating regularly or getting a good night's sleep while they prep." "We don't want any students, or parents, to be feeling overwhelmed or unsupported during this extremely stressful time of year." 'Math-fluencer' Neil Trivedi, who is part of the MyEdSpace team and has streamed revision classes, reaching more than 43,000 students, said: "Bedding in knowledge evenly across the year is obviously the best way to learn. "There are ways to optimise the revision process. One way to try and solidify your knowledge is to try and explain your work to a peer, those who study together, succeed together." Parent's efforts to help manage their kids through this daunting period are welcome for the most part as 65% 'actively' want their mums and dads to help them with revision. Although the research, carried out through OnePoll, found 19% would prefer it if they didn't. Reasons why include wanting to be independent (46%), thinking they can revise better on their own (36%), and 28% wanting to prove themselves (28%). Kharis Yanakidis, co-founder of MyEdSpace which aims to defuse the stress of exam season, understands the pressure, stating: "GCSE season can be overwhelming for students and families, so making revision fun and enjoyable can make all the difference. "That's why our team is made up of expert teachers - many of them previous examiners - who last year helped MyEdSpace students achieve grades 7-9 at more than double the national average." DON'T SPEND HOURS REMEMBERING FORMULAS: I've never used a formula booklet in my life, I was able to learn all the relevant formulas from practicing questions, you too will naturally remember them with practice. Even better, you learn to recognise which problem they should be used for. TEACH TO REMEMBER: Teach a friend, sibling, or even a stuffed animal a concept you're struggling with - it forces you to consolidate your knowledge. EVERSE ENGINEER EXAM PAPERS: Start with the answer, then work backward to understand how to solve the problem. FOCUS ON PAST EXAM PAPER QUESTIONS: Textbooks are fine to practice specific mathematics skills - however, during exam season it is most important to gain exam specific exposure. For written subjects, study mark schemes to see exactly what your exam board is looking for. ADDRESS EVERY MISCONCEPTION: Do not accept incorrect answers without explanation - if you get a question wrong, make sure you fully understand where you made mistakes and what to address. Do the question again to prove to yourself you have understood your mistake.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Downtown Abbey star unrecognisable with hairy new look in huge Netflix thriller
After embodying dandy Anthony Armstrong -Jones in The Crown and the polished Henry Talbot in Downton Abbey, Matthew Goode is diving into murkier waters for Netflix. Matthew Goode is swapping palaces for police files in Netflix's gripping new eight-part series adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen's bestselling crime novels. Known for his polished turns in Downton Abbey and The Crown, Matthew Goode delves into darker territory as DCI Carl Morck, complete with a scruffy demeanour and full beard. Carl is complex – a brilliant but broken detective with a chip on each shoulder. 'He's so aggressive and rude,' says Matthew, 47. 'I loved his sense of humour. He's a complex character, and you get to see him warts and all.' We meet Carl at rock bottom: a horrific incident has left his partner on the force paralysed, another policeman dead and Carl drowning in guilt. Stripped of his spark and barely functioning, he's sidelined into investigating cold cases in the newly created Dept. Q. His first case focuses on the disappearance of ambitious prosecutor Merritt Lingard. As the mystery unravels, Carl's own mind starts to fracture. Chloe Pirrie plays Merritt, a woman whose ambition hides deep trauma. The actress is no stranger to intense roles, with credits including The Queen's Gambit, An Inspector Calls and Black Mirror. Here, Chloe reunites with the show's writer and director Scott Frank, who directed her as troubled Alice Harmon in The Queen's Gambit . 'Merritt's main strength is she doesn't feel the need to please people,' Chloe, 37, says. 'She's loyal, someone you'd want on your side, but she's also isolated herself. She uses people and doesn't think that highly of them. She's similar to Carl in that way.' Carl is reluctantly paired with rookie assistant Akram Salim, played by Swedish actor Alexej Manvelov. Where Carl is chaotic, Akram is calm – a war-zone survivor with a quiet intensity and a moral compass that's often tested. 'Akram's a bit of an underdog,' says Alexej, 43. 'He's very mysterious. He's from a war zone, so he's seen evil at work.' On-screen, Carl pushes Akram into grey areas, but behind the scenes, Alexej and Matthew hit it off instantly. 'I was sure I was going to be fired during my first week,' Alexej says. 'Then Matthew walked up to me at the make-up trailer and gave me the biggest hug. From that moment, we were friends.' Although the original novels are set in Denmark, the TV series has been relocated to Edinburgh and the surrounding area. 'Our cast is all Scottish, except for Matthew and Alexej,' Scott reveals. The move made a big impression on Alexej, who had never been to the Scottish capital before. 'Walking around the city feels like a fairy tale,' he says, 'One morning, I was being driven to set and I saw this beautiful castle. I asked my driver what the building was. He said it was a school!' Matthew, Alexej and Chloe are backed by an all-star ensemble that includes Game Of Thrones ' Kate Dickie, Kelly Macdonald, Mark Bonnar, Shirley Henderson and Jamie Sives. But even with support from a heavyweight cast, the role took its toll on Matthew. 'This job really affected me, that's never happened before,' he reveals. 'I used to blanch when I heard actors saying they couldn't shake a role. Then it happened to me.' Chloe echoes the sentiment, particularly after filming Merritt's most harrowing scenes. 'Intellectually, you know it's not real, but your body doesn't,' she explains. 'When you're that tired and the job is long, you have to surrender to it. That's what happened to me. I made sure I gave myself space to recover afterwards.' Strangely, some of Merritt's darkest scenes became a source of comfort. 'The set design was incredible, very immersive,' Chloe says, 'Those scenes were weirdly comforting. There's a freedom that comes from surrendering to the horrific situation Merritt finds herself in.' Visually, the show blends Nordic noir with rain- slicked Gothic grit. But despite the dark tone, the series has plenty of humour thanks to Carl's razor-sharp sarcasm and deadpan one-liners. That's especially the case when he's at home, where he's raising his teen stepson Jasper, who has been left behind by his mother, Carl's Scottish ex-wife. The pair clash, with Carl complaining about Jasper's loud music and threatening to throw away all his belongings. But the scene was amusing for Matthew, who has three children with his wife Sophie Dymoke. 'As a parent, I didn't see the issue,' he jokes. 'That's just good parenting!' Matthew was hooked on the character from the moment his agent sent him the script. 'Scott could have cast anybody,' Matthew says. 'When someone trusts you like that, you take it seriously. There was pressure but, as Billie Jean King said, 'Pressure is a privilege.'' Matthew didn't read the books when he accepted the part. Instead, he threw himself into the role – sometimes literally. One scene required him to drive an old Ford Sierra with dodgy brakes. 'Every time Scott told me to drive fast, I'd be thinking, 'I hope it stops and I don't plough into anyone,'' says Matthew. 'Occasionally, I'd turn the car off and walk away, then I'd hear it start again and have to give it a kick.' It sounds like viewers should prepare to buckle up for a wild ride – especially if Matthew's driving!
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Photos and news from schools across Wrexham and Flintshire
If you would like to feature anything from your school, you can share with us direct here or email Ysgol Bryn Alyn, Gwersyllt Ysgol Bryn Alyn athletes Owen Burke, Joe Squires, Ava Stephenson Jones, Mollie Beer and Sophie Davies. The school gave big congratulations to pupils Owen Burke, Joe Squires, Ava Stephenson Jones, Mollie Beer and Sophie Davies who represented Wrexham at the Regional Athletics Championships at Deeside Athletics track last week. Although they didn't qualify for the national stages at Cardiff, they performed really well in their respective events, achieving personal bests in their chosen discipline in the process. Also on Tuesday, the English Faculty was joined by 41 fabulous Year 10 pupils at Venue Cymru to watch a performance of An Inspector Calls. This week, Year 10 will sit their GCSE examination on this text and seeing the play live on stage was great revision for this, as well as being thoroughly enjoyable. The pupils' behaviour was impeccable and the manager of the theatre even complimented the staff on it. Ysgol Ty Ffynnon, Shotton Ysgol Ty Ffynnon pupils at a basketball festival. Selected children from the school took part in a basketball festival held at Deeside Leisure Centre. They worked on developing their basketball skills and then played games against other schools who attended. The children are looking forward to sharing their new skills with their friends. St Mary's Brymbo VA CIW Primary, Wrexham St Mary's Brymbo pupils took part in VE Day celebrations in Wrexham. A selection of pupils were chosen to attend the 80th anniversary VE Day celebrations in Wrexham city centre earlier this month. All pupils had been working hard on Victory in Europe poetry and artwork, to display at the Parish Church, which was admired by members of the public and VE Day celebration VIPs. St Mary's Brymbo pupils took part in VE Day celebrations in Wrexham. St Mary's Brymbo pupils took part in VE Day celebrations in Wrexham. St Mary's Brymbo pupils took part in VE Day celebrations in Wrexham. St Mary's Brymbo pupils took part in VE Day celebrations in Wrexham. Ysgol Gwynedd, Flint Ysgol Gwynedd North Wales NFL Flag team. A team from the school won the North Wales NFL Flag regional tournament at Deeside Leisure Centre last month, winning and opportunity to play in the Welsh Championship in Cardiff on May 6. They joined two other schools from North Wales - Ewloe Green Primary and Prestatyn High School. At the finals, Ysgol Gwynedd, playing as the Chicago Bears, won the overall tournament for the Under 11s and will now play in the National NFL Flag tournament in Leeds on June 18, with an opportunity to win a trip to the USA to play in the World NFL Flag Championship. Ysgol Rhiwabon, Wrexham Earlier this month, staff, students and governors were represented by headteacher, Melanie Ferron-Evans at Buckingham Palace for a Garden Party to celebrate work in education and skills. Ysgol Rhiwabon headteacher Melanie Ferron-Evans at Buckingham Palace with her husband Giles Evans, in the Royal Tea Tent. The King gave permission for a garden party to be hosted at Buckingham Palace, supported by the Department for Education, to recognise and celebrate those working in education across the United Kingdom. For the last 20 years, Ysgol Rhiwabon has been proud to be a member of the Prince's Teaching Institute (PTI) founded by the King when he was then Prince of Wales. The PTI, now known as the Professional Teaching Institute, is a charitable organisation dedicated to excellent teacher and leadership training. The CPD (Continuing Professional Development) events are subject-focused, empowering teachers to provide a rich subject experience for their students. Mrs Ferron Evans said: "It is a privilege to be part of the PTI. The Garden Party and the opportunity to meet the King in the Royal Tea Tent was a great honour. "Staff and students have been involved in the work of the PTI for many years and this event at Buckingham Palace is something we can be very proud of in our school. We are looking forward to being a part of the organisation for many years to come. "Meeting the King gave us the opportunity to thank him for his support and to discuss the work of the important teaching organisation he is responsible for setting up. " Mrs Ferron-Evans was accompanied by her husband, Giles Evans to the event. Wrexham Mayor, Cllr Beryl Blackmore and her consort, Dorothy Lloyd, with students at Ysgol Rhiwabon. • Recently, the school welcomed Wrexham Mayor, Cllr Beryl Blackmore and her consort, Dorothy Lloyd. There were several musical performances by students, the highlight being the school singing A Song for Wrexham. The school choir had won the Song for Wrexham competition organised by Wrexham Music Co-operative in late 2024, with the song now featuring in many promotion films about Wrexham. Students were told about the history of the mayors' and the consorts' chains of office. Cllr Beryl Blackmore said: "We were overwhelmed by the students' respect, their behaviour and their manners, 100% credit to themselves and the school. "The Song for Wrexham was sung with pride by the pupils." She also told the students that the visit was high up on the list of highlights this year.
