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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?

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Original poster
circular · 30/12/2013 17:49

Yes, does have mymaths, will tell her to get back on there tomorrow.
Just marked her C1, not impressed, 23/72 and that's with marks for working. Fractions, reciprocals, signs and powers don't seem to be embedded in enough, should be second nature by now.

They are also doing Solomon Papers or something - they are the ones she has 'forgotten' which have been set for holiday homework.

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noblegiraffe · 30/12/2013 17:13

Does she have a school login for mymaths? The interactive worksheets on that would be good for revision of the bits she has forgotten - it's got all of the A-level stuff on there.

noblegiraffe · 30/12/2013 17:12

I can't imagine that they'd possibly have time to do both M1 and D1 in Y13, so they must have a choice. That's pretty good of the school to offer both, my school wouldn't have the funding. I expect the physics/engineering types would be encouraged to take M1, students wanting to go into computing or business would be better off with D1.

Original poster
circular · 30/12/2013 15:48

Mumslife - It seems like Essay based subjects have more work set and books to read/analyse, so the workload is a bit more clear cut. For maths/sciences, its more about understanding rules and applying them, then lots of practice to get used to the types of questions.
DD doesn't have any friends doing 4 essay based subjects, one doing Eng Lit, French, Chemistry and (I think) Biology seems to have a huge workload. As does another doing English, Drama, Media and Performing Arts, but that's the practical stuff on top of the reading.

Nobelgiraffe -DDs maths spec says D1 and M1 in yr13, so could mean both and taking best results or a choice. Only the FM students do M1 in yr12

Thought I would encourage her to do a C1 past paper today. lots of groans of forgotten this or that. Hope that will give her some pointers of what to revise, as she still doesn't have the C2/S2 homework.

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hellsbells99 · 30/12/2013 14:39

Mumslife - DD doing maths and sciences and has a huge work load too - just different from essays. Lots of calculations, write-ups, learning & remembering processes/formulas, self study and investigating. Some of her friends are doing literature - one has declared Kite Runner as the best book she has ever read!
Can you email her teacher if you have concerns? Do they do 'clubs' where she can go for extra help?

noblegiraffe · 30/12/2013 11:22

circular I know some engineering and physics courses at university prefer students who have done the mechanics modules, because they are relevant to the course. I don't think it makes any difference if you want to study maths. Most schools don't give a choice as to which modules are to be studied so if universities were to look down on certain choices that would be like saying not all A-level maths qualifications are equal, which Ofqual would presumably be on the case about.

That said, I think students find mechanics challenging because they have to figure out what is going on in the diagrams for themselves where decision says 'apply x algorithm to this problem', and stats also tells you what technique to use. We do M1 in Y13 not Y12 for that reason.

mumslife · 30/12/2013 09:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 18:53

No 11+ here either which I am very grateful for.
DD2 is not stressful - very laid back! She already has an A* in maths and took English Language in November - I am just hoping she got an A (her target grade), otherwise school have said she will have to retake.
Good luck with your DD2 - I assume it will be very similar to the old 'o' levels but unfortunately I think Gove will continue to 'tinker' with the exams so who knows :(

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 17:53

That makes more sense then. So you have double exam stress this year.
My DD2 is only yr6, no 11+ here so not hooefully too much to worry about for a few years yet. But who knows what GCSEs or whatever they are will be like 2019.

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hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 17:47

Sorry I mean DD2 who is currently doing her gcses!

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 17:19

Just checked out DDs maths syllabus, and both M1 and D1 listed for next year. FM students do M1 and D1 for AS, so next year would be M2 and M3.
Not sure how it would work to start FM in yr13. Not sure that the FM pure would help much with physics. But complex numbers are fun, remember doing them though can't remember if A level or beyond.

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hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 17:07

Think they may take both and use the best mark. If given the choice DD1 will choose M1. I know the further maths students have already covered M1 over the past term and it has helped them lots with physics.
I may encourage DD2 to take further maths as a 5th subject just for the 1st term next year (and then drop it) to help her with physics!

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 17:02

webwiz'-Meant to say, she has some French mag subscription, but never reads it. Mentioned some French soap she was going to watch, but thats as far as it got. Completely lost interest in the subject. Lots of books suggested for physics, but she won't read any, again no real interest. Always 'forgets' what maths has been set, then finds out and rushes through it n the 11th hour. Claims to be enjoying maths though. Chose these subjects for an easy life to avoid anything essay writing. Obviously does loads of music in and out of school, including Saturday music school and voluntary work.

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Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 16:49

webwiz - sounds like your som is doing extremely well, with a huge workload. Who says the girls are mean to be more mature at that age lol.

hellsbells99 - Thought it was either/or with D1 and M1? Or would they take both and use the best mark?

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webwiz · 29/12/2013 16:37

Hellsbells99 DS is quite old headed so that helps him a lot unlike DD1 who seemed unable to see beyond the next moment at the same age (and is only just about able to now at 22 Hmm)

hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 16:17

Circular - agree with you about the facilitating subject thing - but I do think it puts other students off. DD knows she is still keeping her music options open if she needs to but wants to go in a science route. She loves her music though and it helps her relax. DD did maths early too but has done additional algebra during year 11 with has helped massively. She is doing S1 this year and then gets the choice I think next year - although knowing her maths teacher she will probably do M1 and D1 next year if time permits.
Webwiz - DD is also enjoying 6th form far more but is finding the work hard. Sounds like your son is very clever! I've heard further maths is very difficult.

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 16:10

hellsbells99 - with music, some Unis will accept G8 theory instead of A level, if school didn't offer A level. Hoping DD will do G7 or 8 theory too as a bit of extra backup. Not overly bothered about the 'facilitating' subject thing as other 3 are, so will end up with 2, as definitely not dropping music.

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webwiz · 29/12/2013 15:51

DS is enjoying A levels far more than GCSEs he needed quite a bit of nagging last year but doesn't need any now. He seems to have really taken off and I'm still quite Shock about it.

He's doing 5 subjects so gets quite a lot of homework. His school make them work incredibly hard for the first half term and then ease of a bit after that, I suppose that helps them make step up quickly.

I'm not sure what DS has to do over Christmas, he was printing a C1 past paper yesterday and he has some English coursework but other than that he was planning on reading, xbox and catching up on sleep. He has a week of mocks after the february half term and I think some subjects are hoping that they have finished most of the syllabus by then. He's been predicted 5 A's so he knows he'll have to start revising very early on if he wants to actually get them. He was getting full marks in practice papers for maths and further maths before christmas and getting A's in his essays for arts subjects so I have left him too it.

DD1 and DD2 had january modules so they had to revise over Christmas and the shock in march of not quite getting what you expected used to be a real kick start for revision for the summer exams. OP have school suggested what your DD should be doing as extra work? DD1 did french and used to watch french tv on one of the satellite channels (TV5Monde) which was very entertaining as we could never understand the plot in the drama programmes. One of the newsreaders was very nice though Smile

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 15:49

hellsbells99 - Meant to say that's great going for your DD with her maths. DD got an A in maths too (her A* were Music and Physics) taken early so a bit rusty at the start. Not overly worried in maths, although most test marks have been around C, as she never revised and makes lots of careless mistakes. Maths was the one she said she would drop at the outset, but is really enjoying it. is your DD doing S1 or M1 this year?
At DDs school, they all do S1, and then either M1 or D1 for A2. Hopefully after the mechanics in physics, will have a good idea whether to do M1 or not, presuming they get the choice and don'tt just go along with group majority.

Nobelgiraffe DD was saying (think she got this from some of her further maths friends) that Decision maths is looked down upon as the easy way out by universities if chosen over Mechanics. Is this true? Or just applicable if looking to take Maths/Physics at Uni?

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hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 15:44

excellent Circular! Good luck - I'm sure she will be fine.
None of the local state schools are running music this year. Her school did try and join up with another. We didn't push it (or look at private) as she is not wanting to do it as a career and she wanted to stay where she was. Part of the problem is that unless you want to do it as a career, then students don't select it - it is very hard to get a high grade in and not considered 'facilitating' (I hate that word) for other degrees. It is a very musical school so she is still participating in music orchestras/ensembles and doing grades etc.

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 15:31

hellsbells99 - She wants to do music at Uni. Also done an October open day for the best possible course for her. Not sure if its motivated her or not as their typical offer is AAA/AAB, so aspirational to say the least.

Shame your DD couldn't have done music, and so many schools axing it. DD changed schools for 6th forms for that reason. Her music group only has 2 internal students, rest external. IIRC from other school visits, AQA is the most mathematical?

Just got DD onto Khan Academy site under a bit of protest. started looking at Circuits, said they were drawn wrong and it would be an exam fail if she drew a resistor like that lol. Then went quiet for a while, took headphones out and said - 'Ive learnt something I didn't know'. Promptly finished it and now saying she wants to go through all the Circuit videos. Then gave me a hug and said thank you and sorry. Don't you just love it when they turn back into toddlers.

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MrsDavidBowie · 29/12/2013 14:59

Dd made a huge revision timetable and bless her, has stuck to it.
She gave herself Christmas Day and yesterday off, but has done a couple of hours every day.

But she has to work hard to get decent results ....she has exams first day back.

hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 14:56

Sorry circular. Forgot to say that DD arranged some 'shadowing' in the summer holidays that helped her decide on her career. This could all change by next year though! I know school arrange to take them to a ucas day and then after that she can arrange her own open day visits etc.

hellsbells99 · 29/12/2013 14:43

Hi Circular. I took DD1 to a uni open day in October and that helped her to decide that she really wanted to go to uni and what she wanted to study. She knows she is not a 'natural' and will only get there with a lot of study. DD2 is another matter - she is a 'natural' but is lazy!
Although I have just been downstairs and they are both doing their nails with a gel kit that DD! got for xmas!
Physics is AQA B - physics in context and she is struggling finding decent revision material. She originally selected music (not physics) but school haven't run the course as only 2 students selected it.
She is finding Khan useful in some topics. School also run afterschool clubs in all her subjects so she can get help with homework etc. It is a normal 6th form (5 gcses needed for entry but Bs were needed in her subjects). Maths she is really pleased about as she got an A at GCSE but is managing to keep up and enjoying it - I know some threads on here suggest an A* is needed to carry on to A level!
Does your DD know what she wants to do? Can you help her research what grades she would need and do a uni visit? See if that would motivate her.

Original poster
circular · 29/12/2013 14:07

Noblegiraffe - that's dactyl how I feel, but getting through to an immature 16 year old is another matter. We agreed in advance that she wouldn't do any school work till 27/12 as she had a busy last week (performances) and did an Xmas temp job for a few days. But so far its been barely an hour each day, and then moaning what a waste of time it is and she is learning nothing from it.

Hellsbells99 -Hats off to you DD, sounds like she has got off to a great start. What board is her Physics? OCR A here. Is she finding the Khan Academy site helpful?
I will try (again) to persuade DD to look at it. Trouble with her is the independent learning aspect. When the format isn't exactly matching what she is learning in class it seems to throw her. Especially when trying to pull out the right topics to learn, very difficult to work out what is just different and what hasn't been taught yet in a subject like physics.

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