Year 10 GCSE Support Thread

[OrangeCinnamon]

Hi all,
Can we have a thread for Year 10 support please? Even though Dd started in Y9 I have already noticed a massive ramping up in pressure and her anxiety I imagine it is a fine balance of being supportive but not a helicopter parent. How do you motivate but not nag? How do you encourage good study/revision skills without being overbearing? How can I help my Dd to be resilient....so many questions hoping for some hints, tips and support along the way.

Dd is Summer born so struggles sometimes. Her main loves are Music and the Humanities subjects. She bobs along with Maths and Science and despises French. Wants to be an international popstar, historian, writer, journo or judge! She sufffers terribly with low self esteem but hopefully this term will be able to get her on a course of cbt.

[TheThirdOfHerName]

I have two children in Y10, at different schools. Also have two older ones who have already done GCSEs (one did the old A-G, the other did the new 9-1).

DS3 is fairly able and does put effort in, but can be inconsistent. He has grand ideas about revision and starts well, but rarely sees his plans through. Today he designed and printed flashcards for the first Biology topic. Going by past form, he might do another topic or two before giving up on that particular project.

DD is not a quick learner but is conscientious and works hard. She is a perfectionist and spends far too long on her homework. She spent 5 hours today on her graphics homework and completed a quarter of it.

[AnneOfCleavage]

Yes please, I'd love to join. I also have a summer born DD in year 10 who has her fave subjects and not so fave ones. She is a bit of a day dreamer and would much rather dance/ sing than do academia. She is currently upstairs working on a science leaflet and is on her 4th hour and not done yet. This is the story of her life as she gets very distracted despite being sat in my study at a desk - I can hear her humming songs.

We decided to engage a tutor for English last year as she really wanted one as wanted to get to top set which she managed to do so we are continuing. It's done online so she can do it anytime during the week as long as it's in by Sunday.

She isn't keen on French despite choosing it for GCSE as she'd studied it since year 7 so made sense but is now trying to decide whether to go to France on the exchange trip next term. We are encouraging it but she's a real home bird and young mind set so is getting cold feet - any tips?

[ILovePandas]

Yes please too. DD Y10 also summer born and a definite daydreamer. Loves music, drama and textiles and not so much the academic subjects. Doesn’t really enjoy French but had to do a language. Anne DD went on the exchange in Y8 and didn’t have the best experience as her partner was really anti social and just left her on her own quite a bit. Others had a great time so I think it just depends on who they are partnered with.

[AnneOfCleavage]

ILovePandas eek that is what is bothering her and the fact she isn't that confident with the language despite being top set French. They pen friend first and DD has to write what her interests are so they can link her with someone similar. So unlucky your DD got an antisocial girl ☹️ Seems our DDs would get on as DD loves drama and singing so it's a shame our schools aren't exchanging 😆 Love your name; DD also adores pandas and we actually travelled to Edinburgh just to see them only got to see a foot but DD was made up and watched them on panda cam for months

[Floottoot]

Another slightly fraught mum of a year 10 DD here.
Mine has ADHD/working memory/ executive function issues, so we (and her teachers) have no option but to helicopter her. She's at a good school but last year seemed to be the year that time forgot - I think the school was focusing so hard on the new specs for the then year 10 and 11, that DD's year was largely left to its own devices...which meant very little homework or scrutiny from teachers. I have already noticed the difference this year, which is encouraging but stressful too - there really doesn't feel like there's time to waste.
I'm trying to get her to make revision cards as she goes, but it isn't happening. She enjoys drama, geography and history, is ok at English, Latin and chemistry, but struggles with maths and physics. Fortunately, she was allowed to drop French because of her SpLD, so that's a huge relief.

Any suggestions as to what makes effective revision cards? I'm not sure how succinct (or not) they should be?

[Witchend]

I've a year 10 too. Her school they do one GCSE in year 9, so she's done one last year.

[OrangeCinnamon]

Hi all not alone with my worries I see

thethird dd is always starting study projects or blogs or files of mindmaps ...then she loses them or interest so I sympaphise. I'm hoping one day she will stick to being organised and it will be second nature and it is all a learning process. How did you find difference between new vs old gcses btw?

Ann how does the tutoring work ? Do you have to do work after an online session and submit by the Sunday or have I interpreted wrong?

Along with Pandas Dd loves performing and music ..is it something to do with the Summer borns? She is often 'doing homework' which involves spurts of playing her guitar, ukulele or keyboard or wandering round the house singing songs from musicals still is nice for them to have a creative outlet I suppose.

floot helicopter away we are here if you need support helicoptering can be exhausting you seem to be very clued up on the school mechanics. Lets hope for a better year this time. Re: revision cards ive no idea how succint but recommend getting nice sets in wilkos to encourage use!

Welcome witch what gcse did you Dd do ?

[Ginorchoc]

I’ve a year 10 dd but the panic doesn’t really set in until year 11 does it?? Or are we too laid back!

[OrangeCinnamon]

I guess it is the school panicking that is worrying me. It sets Dd off in a panic and a quick peep of her little blog I can see they are talking about 'high expectations' a lot. We have had three emails already here ftom different subjects about upcoming assessments and extra stuff she could be doing to augment learning. Thing is I dont know what to expect, what is the norm. I keep saying to Dd to make sure she understands everything taught in class even if it means coming home and looking it up dont leave the learning until assessment time but most of all she should make sure she enjoys year 10 lots of trips, D o E and currently rehearsing for a play so she is busy. I've no idea if im saying right thing or not but seems most practical thing to say !

My anxieties dont stem from how well she will do in her gcses. I know she could do really well if she wanted...more worried about how she will cope with the pressure . One good thing is with her music she has studied independently for her vocal grading..no pushing from us and got a distinction it was a source of great pride to her that her hard work and prior organisation paid off..im hoping she can carry that through and organise herself better for all the assessments over next two years.

Im in Hants so we also have the looking at colleges thing to do ...luckily we have a decent one 15 min walk away whuch will make nice change (she currently at school 11 miles away) the entry standards are achievable and it has a good rep academically locally..we have to visit the religous schools that have 6th forms to compare i guess

[TheThirdOfHerName]

How did you find difference between new vs old gcses btw?

Difficult to compare directly as DS2 (new GCSEs) is more academically able than DS1 (old GCSEs) but DS2 found the lack of resources for the new GCSEs frustrating. When he was in the Autumn Term of Y10, half the subjects did not yet have a textbook published. In some subjects, the only exam practice available was a single set of specimen papers. Instead of being able to spend the weeks before the exams practising, he had to carefully ration the resources that were available.

The new GCSEs seem to involve having to memorise more (formulae, quotes etc).

[Witchend]

Dd2 did Computer Science. Messed up by some teacher releasing online the unseen coursework just as they were about to start it. So all coursework got cancelled.
She never seems to do much work, but got a 7. I'm not sure if this was good, because it shows she did enough, or bad because she'll now think she doesn't have to do any work and will be good enough
And they were doing electronics, started as a 3 year course, not actually a GCSE, but equivalent. But we've just had a letter saying that course has been downgraded to not be equivalent, so they're changing again. Oh well. I don't really mind as long as I doesn't mean too much extra work. They do too many GCSEs at their school anyway. Dd1 had 15 or 16 GCSEs or equivalent.

My oldest is very hard working and will always be found doing work. Dd2 has a more laid back approach. But then dd1 did mostly the old GCSEs so they won't be able to compare.

[AnneOfCleavage]

Orange the tutor emails her a task (language or literature) and outlines what is expected very clearly with examples then DD does the task in Word and then attaches it in an email to tutor who marks it and sends it back with corrections and a new task for the following week. Once a month he phones for a chat and we can always email, text or phone to have a chat whenever we need.

[crazycrofter]

I also have a year 10 dd (not many boys’ mums on this thread!).

She’s definitely stepped up this year in terms of attitude and application. She told me that concentrating in every lesson is exhausting!

She really wants to do well and is able I think - but it’s hard to tell as she’s at a selective school. She seems to be somewhere in the middle/ near the bottom for sciences/languages! She thinks it would be terrible if she got less than a 7 in anything so I’m trying to manage expectations.

She’s definitely starting to feel a bit stressed. It doesn’t help that she often doesn’t get down to homework til 8 or 9 and she’s had some very late nights recently. I’m trying not to nag as that is miserable but I wish she had a bit more self discipline! When we discuss it she says she wants her phone taken off her at a certain time - then when I try that, she pushes back, just a bit longer etc and it’s so wearing!

Does anyone else have rules around phones/homework or do you just leave them to it?

[OrangeCinnamon]

Phone off by 8.30 during week dd has trouble sleeping so never allowed in her ro..she tends to take herself to bed around 9.30 as she gets grumpy if tired. Homework leave her to it to arrange her own schedules etc.

[RedSkyLastNight]

I have a year 10 boy ! We've definitely seen an increase in homework this year, previously he used to leave most of it to the weekend but he's now realising that needs to change. Actually very impressed by how much he's risen to the challenge of year 10. All his reports last year were that he was coasting and underachieving but he's set himself some very aspirational targets for this year, hope he stays motivated! Slight issue in that his strengths are in maths/science and he's keen to do well in these but not so fussed about other subjects. I have hopefully reinforced that at least a 4 in English is required...

[YeOldeTrout]

I have a yr10 boy. I get stressed thinking about his GCSEs (he has one to complete this year).
I can't imagine he'll ever learn to revise for memorise+regurgitate everything subjects. I struggle to imagine him successfully doing any A-levels.

That said, for first time in years, he's quietly doing homework in a notebook in the other room. Just when you think you finally have them figured out they go & surprise you.

[PostNotInHaste]

I have a year 10 DS. His sister is 5 years older and struggled her way through GCSE (got 4) and failed Maths for the 3rd time this summer (has Dyscalculia). She’s just started University this week though which I never thought was on the cards so even if things do go pear shaped ( and hopefully they won’t ), watching DD and friends things generally come good in the end.

DS very different but has Dyslexia which will need a bit of monitoring and is pissed off as Computer Science not running as an option. I can be much more hands off with him at the moment. However I don’t totally trust the school and we will probably look elsewhere for 6th form and am very aware that this time next year he’ll need to start making some decisions on that front.

[fanomoninon]

Hello: Y10 boy here to even out the girls!

I'm struggling with expectations around revision - it seems so mad to be trying to get revision notes done at this stage in the year! DS had revision notes to do for homework for a couple of subjects this weekend, but I'm not sure how much there's an expectation of this being set as homework vs them doing their own extra revision notes (can't imagine ds doing this without a bit of prompting!)

[MirandaWest]

I also have a year 10 DS. Getting him to do homework sooner than the night before it’s due is the current challenge. Currently can’t imagine him creating his own revision notes tbh.

Had a meeting at school explaining about estimated grades and target grades. And the fact they have work experience in May.

They started GCSEs last year - not sure when everything starts ramping up

[Thevelveteenrabbit]

I have a y10 dd. She had a target setting meeting last week - am not really sure why - are they just for the school?
Her courses all started this year - some of her friends at other schools started in y9 - so she feels a bit behind but I am sure it will even out. She is most pleased that she has no more history or art lessons!!

[Ginorchoc]

My dd doesn’t have much homework yet, only had a few pieces in the last few weeks and most days no homework and she is very particular about homework, the school does gets good results 97% A-C but very very laid back, not sure if I should be worried or not.

[Wheresthebeach]

Joining in! Dyslexic DD in Y10. Tonnes of pressure and homework already. She's hard working so the pressure doesn't help, makes things worse for her.

[crazycrofter]

Lots of homework here too. She’s already resisted handing her phone over even though she asked me to do that yesterday, so I’ve said she can sort out her homework and phone use herself but phone has to be downstairs at 10. She’s a night owl anyway, she’s never needed much sleep so that still gives her about an hour phone-free before sleeping - as long as she’s not still got homework to do then! I guess she has to sort out her own schedule really - and it’s not that she won’t do the homework or do it well. It’s just that sleep comes a very distant third after chatting to friends and homework!

[expat1407]

Hello, year 10 boy's mom here. Happy to find this thread. Our school doesn't allow to take paper in year 10, so they have to do everything in Year 11.

[RedSkyLastNight]

Those who take away phones during homework. I'd love to do this but it seems that DS often takes photos of the whiteboard which he needs to refer to, plus he also uses his phone to listen to music. So presume other DCs don't do this .. or have you found a way to work round these issues?