Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread

It's Christmas Shopping teacher training day I think Tilly, I can never remember exactly what it stands for.

That's great news Sparkling - it must be such a relief knowing that you did the right thing moving him too.

What is a TED day?

I feel so much happier about the whole thing now Tilly. He's still got to revise really hard and put the work in but I think it's given him such a boost to have confirmation and backing from the teachers.
YY Psychology teacher did look the part, she was lovely.

We moved him to the school mid Year 8 and he has absolutely flourished TBF. Back then when he moved I had no idea how it would all go.

DS2 is at a different Secondary and he had yesterday and today as TED days.

Errol (and Back), DD would kill to have today and Monday off - she is exhausted and full of cough/cold!

Sparkling, it sounds like a very successful visit Did the Psychology teacher look the part? The one at our local school did! It seems to be the most popular subject by far amongst all the Y11's I know.

My DD is a weekly boarder. She was all set up to stay in school this weekend to do maximum revision but called tonight to ask to be picked up as usual tomorrow afternoon as she feels the need to get out.

My normally very laid back (but excellent work ethic) daughter did seem quite stressy tonight on the phone. .

I am going to feel really guilty this weekend as my youngest wants to go out Sat and Sun to see Santa and his Reindeer and an Xmas light switch on locally and I just know my eldest wont want to come but stay at home and revise instead (not that I am complaining about her work ethic but..... )

Just found this thread - haven't read it all yet but wanted to check in as I've got a yr11DD. She's not even mentioned mocks yet - all the focus at the moment is on controlled assessments and the science 'ISAs' - there seem to be a lot going on simultaneously. She seems to be coping pretty well though - except for her first attempt at the spoken German when she totally clammed up.

For some reason they've got tomorrow and monday off, I think she plans on doing some serious sleeping Which is fine by me!

3/4 of an hour in the hall, and very informative too. All possible A Level choice teachers seen and all have no problem with DS doing the subject.

I excelled myself while talking to the Psychology teacher though. I did actually say 'I may be overthinking this'.

2 1/2 hours in the hall ?? - I'd need a toilet break!

We've been to a few 6th form open evenings and it varied between 20 and 35 mins in the hall.
The 'look round' was all so much quicker than 'moving up to secondary' evenings too, but not nice tempting pieces of chocolate concrete in the canteen, sadly

I am home. I survived.

I have an hour to glam myself up a bit.

Tantrums!

Good Luck Sparkling!

2.5 hours in the hall? I will need a cushion.

I have a small list of sensible questions now. I hope DS1 is going to take it all seriously.

Oh they will tell you all the procedures during "the talk"

Ours lasted 2.5 hours sitting in the hall

And the funny thing is- I went to the same sodding open evening with DD last year. I have no idea why I had to sit through it again.

I have to say though- it's a whole different experience with ds1 to Dd last year.

Dd really enjoyed the talk, asked loads of questions, got loads of info from the stands outside about the courses she wanted to do and ended up with an unconditional offer to her sixth form.

Ds1 stood there like a wet lettuce leaf, shrugging his shoulders and saying "I don't know". A lot.

So we shall see.

Just had an email from the school. 'Year 11 reports coming home with pupils today'. Great timing or what? or terrible timing. depending.

The prospectus has 'Success is the only option' written on the front. I like the sound of that.

And don't underestimate the time the whole thing will take - all the ones so far have been about 2 1/2 hours

Ah, yes The Talk. In the hall at 7.15.

just having a thorough read of the prospectus. Entry requirements are 6 GCSEs Grade C and above including at least one B. Then many subjects have an additional requirement of a GCSE at a certain grade, so sounds pretty straightforward for people with crystal balls.

Sparkling, they may do that in the talk - all the ones I've visited have had the Head of Sixth Form do a talk

Thanks Word I will add it to my list. I think rather than try and get to speak to specific teachers I will find someone to tell me about how it actually all works.

One thing I would ask is what their policy is via a vis AS levels.

Some schools will continue with them, some schools will not.

I know what you mean! I have been around a couple with DD's friends dad who is brilliant at asking the right questions, and then that leads onto me thinking of some too

I think now, what DD needs to tie down is exactly what A'level Eng lit and Art are like because she is going to have to choose between the two!

I am hoping if I do get to speak to the teachers I will come out all positive. I do struggle in situations where there are a lot of people and then when I finally get to say anything I can't think what to say.
Driving home thinking 'What did you say that for?'

I think it is easier for students to get into their own sixth form (most of them seem to be at least 3/4 full of internals), providing they are predicted to/get the necessary grades. I think students get either conditional/unconditional offers from schools - based on what happened in the last couple of years with friends DC - and there is a little wiggle-room for those who don't quite get the predictions but their own school think they will be capable of doing the A'level.

Another daft question. Does the fact he goes to the school now have any bearing on getting into the 6th form there?
There is talk of a lot of his footie mates who go to lots of different schools trying to get in.