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Original poster

First term of yr12 over - working at grades / workload /much holiday work?

208 replies

circular · 28/12/2013 19:49

Curious how its been for others with the 'big step up' from GCSE to to AS.

DD1 doesn't seem to have been getting much homework, possibly completing most of it in free periods. When I casually mention 'reading around a subject' she looks at me as though I'm from another planet, and says she is not interested in any of her subjects enough to do extra, apart from Music.

She would typically come home and say she got an D or U in (say) a Physics or French test, but then says half the class got a lower mark than her. This is at a school that gets around 60% A to B at A level., so selective 6th form. DD1 got 2A and 2A at GCSE in her AS subjects.

Had parents evening just after half term, and although then working well below ultimate targets, none of her teachers seemed unduly worried. No end of term report yet, but hearing subsequent test results, not expecting much change in grades.
DD1 Says she understands everything in lessons, teachers seem to agree, and think it is just more question practice that she needs. But unless work is actually set, she has no motivation to go and do any extra. She thinks past papers should be left till nearer exams, says text book is rubbish, and has found a few inaccuracies in study guides so pushed them aside too. Tried to get her to look at Khan academy site but not interested.

Does this seem normal, or should I be worried at this stage?
Anyone else seeing similar or are they all flying?

OP posts:
curlew · 31/12/2013 12:55

Metebilis, at my dd's school, Bs in tests in year 12 would be considered very good because they are marked at A level standard from day 1. I think a lot of schools do this. So I wouldn't worry.

mumslife · 31/12/2013 12:44

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mumslife · 31/12/2013 12:36

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mumslife · 31/12/2013 12:35

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Original poster
circular · 31/12/2013 12:33

RedValerian Thats about what I thought, which is why I try and drum into DD it's 3 hours a day on average. So taking most of the free periods not account, she should be doing at least 2 hours at home 5 or 6 days a week.
After yesterday's shenanigans, she realises how much maths she has already forgotten from the first half term so will be doing at least 3 hours today.

OP posts:
RedValerian · 31/12/2013 11:49

DD also just finished her first term of Year 12. They have been told that they should be spending about as much time on each subject out of lessons as they spend in lessons, ie. 9 hours per fortnight.
For 3 subjects they are set weekly homework such as a couple of exam-style questions, which take a couple of hours per week (humanities subjects), and then she spends another couple of hours on revising, writing notes and wider reading. In the 4th subject, she is set hardly any actual homework, and has found it much harder to be motivated or know what to do.
Unfortunately, friends with children who have finished their A-levels tell me that just completing all homework in free periods will not lead to good grades!

Original poster
circular · 31/12/2013 09:52

Metebelis3 I've PM'd you

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mumslife · 31/12/2013 09:51

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hellsbells99 · 31/12/2013 09:47

Mumslife - is it worth trying out a tutor?

hellsbells99 · 31/12/2013 09:45

Metebelis3 - mainly Bs and a couple of As sounds as though your DD is on track and understanding the content. Serious revision/past papers should get As.
Disappointed to hear there is not that that much overlap with M1 and physics!
Thanks for the info on solomon papers - have passed it on to DD.

mumslife · 31/12/2013 09:43

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Original poster
circular · 31/12/2013 09:11

Metebelis3 Are you saying 5 because of the first study instrument, or just taking the top 5 (excluding Oxbridge) for music?

If its the instrument, I know of 5 obvious choices, by either hearsay or asking, and 2 more where we she has asked (because of location more than course) and got a positive response. Although 1 definitely way out of her league academically.
Yet to do some serious emailing of more admin departments though.

OP posts:
Metebelis3 · 31/12/2013 00:34

DD1 is doing Eng, Hist, Geog and Music. She seems to be on top of the workload etc. but I suspect I don't do nearly enough overseeing. She has got Bs in all her tests so far in everything except one history and one geography (out of 3 in each case) where she's got As. I'm not convinced this is actually good enough but like OPs daughter, she assures me most of the young people are getting lower marks than she is. But since I am certain she pays not one jot of attention to what anyone else gets (the most uncompetitive and lacking in arse person in the world, she is) I do not believe that she speaks with any credibility on this matter. She had a decent end of term report (particularly in view of the fact that she has missed 7 days in the last term due to hospital stuff) but still...I really wish she had opted for maths. It would have made her life a lot easier but she just wouldn't even consider it.

circular where is your DD's preferred course? As far as I can see there are actually only 5 anyway, unless I'm missing one...DD1 has her heart set on one place and I am doing my best to talk up all the other alternatives but with little obvious success so far.

noblegiraffe · 30/12/2013 21:12

circular I think where there's overlap it's pretty similar. But I think that the stuff in M1 that students find the most difficult (objects moving down slopes, friction and pulleys) isn't covered in physics. The physics students didn't seem to be at any advantage there at least!

webwiz · 30/12/2013 21:04

mumslife has your DD got English lit coursework to complete? DS has done first draft of an essay on the Great Gatsby and has some creative writing to make a start on over the christmas holidays (something inspired by dystopian fiction I think)

mumslife · 30/12/2013 20:50

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mumslife · 30/12/2013 20:47

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webwiz · 30/12/2013 20:34

mumslife I don't think any AS's have a light workload but if you have a lot of one type of work essays/science questions/maths it can seem harder work than if you have a mix. DS does maths and further maths and three arts subjects (very long story as to why he has that mix of subjects) so he has lots of maths homework but lots of essays so it seems more balanced than just one type of homework.

DS does English Lit as one of his subjects and is finding it straightforward. He reads a lot and has already read all the set books so has been able to use his time to read extra "related" books. I think he finds History harder as he is a bit more erratic in his history essay technique.

circular DD1 was a pain throughout A levels and needed nagging to work /constant meetings with teachers/cajoling not to spend all her time with boyfriend who had a job and didn't need to studyHmm but she was fine at university and worked really hard. She finally grew up enough to motivate herself.

Original poster
circular · 30/12/2013 19:19

Nobelgiraffe do you happen to know, is M1 much harder than the Mechanics element in AS Physics?

OP posts:
Original poster
circular · 30/12/2013 19:08

Thanks hellsbells99, she has an awful memory, so should be doing more work to make some of the fundamental stuff become second nature.

Beginning to feel in a bit of a minority in the amount of overseeing Im having to do for a 16 year old. I know not doing her any favours for when (if) she gets to Uni, but seeing it as a means to an end at the moment. Thankfully hardly have to intervene with her music work, except reminding her to order music in time for exams etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
circular · 30/12/2013 18:59

hellsbells99 According to DD, Solomon Papers are practise papers that are meant to be more difficult than the real ones. her school login have links to some.

Googling came up with this link and several others. Most seem to be Edexcel (DD doing OCR). Also quite a bit of discussion on them on the Student Room came back.

OP posts:
hellsbells99 · 30/12/2013 18:53

practise makes perfect Circular! Good luck, she will get there.

Original poster
circular · 30/12/2013 18:51

Yes, very aware it's a U, didn't expect it to be quite that bad, as she was hitting Bs in the first few attempts after completing the unit several weeks ago, with no extra revision. 60 to 70% is her usual level when not putting much effort in.
Shows how quickly they lose it when they don't use it.

OP posts:
hellsbells99 · 30/12/2013 18:47

Hi noblegiraffe. I know my DD's school offers a choice of M1 and D1 in year 13. I presume they can split the classes? The current year 12 timetable has all 3 maths classes at the same time so I assume it will be easier to have 1 class say doing D1 and 2 doing M1? Although DD's teacher has muttered about doing both if they have time - but I hope not! I'm pretty sure DD1 will want to do M1 as hopefully doing physics will give her a head start - or is it different material?
I know DD has finished C1 (mock was a few weeks ago) and done most of C2 with the mock in Feb - but has not started S1.
What are 'Solomon papers'?

noblegiraffe · 30/12/2013 18:37

23/72 is a U, so yes, she definitely needs to do some work! Working through the paper again but with access to her notes would be a good start.

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