Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread

I have just counted DD's. 27 exams, 11th May to 16th June.

Ds breaks up on 27 March too. Four weeks back then exams start. He has the full timetable.

First exam on 11 May but study leave doesn't start until 25 May, then he has a further 3 weeks of exams, last one on 19 June.

A total of 29 exams, over 5 weeks, so quite a lot.

T&T, yes we all break up on Fri 27th March, back 13th April like Errol and SugarPlum!

SugarPlum, that's great news about the tutor. Fingers crossed! DD said she went through her maths mock paper with hers last night, and she had dropped marks on really silly mistakes. So now she knows she can do the maths, she has to work on not panicking and taking time and care!

DD says she is getting dates for Easter revision, but no timetable as such yet. And no idea about study leave.

All the secondaries in our LA are academies. Some converters (like the DC's), many under the big carpet umbrella!

And Yes to planning in treats! Any good ideas, apart from food?!

Sugar - so glad you've found a good tutor. But it's such a shame that education in your area seems to be such a mess. A lot of kids won't have the level of parental support yours obviously have.

DD finishes 27' Mar, back 13 April. Think we may have had a break through. New tutor came last night, she is fabulous. Totally got DD and her learning methods and we got her last emergency slot so really lucky.

At this late stage it is playing the game. So she wants to see what happens if she does the higher Maths paper as she said some fare better with that. She also does English which is good as DD'S English teacher says she is struggling with poetry, as are a fair few in the class.

She tutors loads of children locally so a mine of info re the schools. Feels DD has fallen through the cracks in the system which I think is spot on. DD is going to have to work her butt off but both tutor and I emphasised once done it's done and she can chill and I think she is up for it, though looking knackered. Have to her we will schedule some treats in a long the line.

Still no exam timetable, Easter revision class info, details about when study leave starts. So different to when she started the school. The letter came yesterday about them considering becoming an Academy so RIP our LEA, I think that is them all converting. The Tutor said there is no way she is going back to teaching and described Education here as broken. I don't disagree and think I am going to see a lot of tutor the next few years as clearly will need to plug the gaps. I have never wanted to use the private sector before but now I totally get why people make huge sacrifices. Unfortunately our local one is 24k a year for Upper School. People use private for you ger yrars ti get them into tye Grammar so few independent schoold for 13 plus .So it's tutoring for us for the next 7 years until DS leaves. DD will be having sessions from the start of A level (if she gets on it, she still doesn't want to do BTEC). Lesson firmly learned.

Mine breaks for easter from Mar 28, back 13 Apr so she's got 4 weeks before the first exam.

Tilly
DD has 3 teaching weeks, start exams week 4.
(breaks up Maundy Thursday so I guess you may break up a week earlier?)

Lynnette - that may not be too far off the mark with DT if it's anything like my DD's Electronics - they did cover most of the syllabus last year but from what I gather it wasn't that huge an amount to learn. I can sympathise about the lamp - my DD's tamper-detecting moneybox has similarly taken many girl-hours, not just the design and construction but also the write-up. I'm really quite impressed by what they have to do - market considerations, costings, risk assessments etc.

Don't know whether they have finished the syllabus in any subject, never mind all!
DD is currently learning her French for a written CA, having done one of the speaking ones last week, hurrah! After that she has another French speaking one and a Spanish speaking one, which she is hoping to get done before Easter

There are 4 weeks back at school after Easter before they start, aren't there?!

DS1 tells me they have finished the syllabus in every subject except DT, which they haven't started yet. Well, they did a bit in Y10 but it's only a two hour exam, and half of that is designing something, and the other half is written, so there's not much to learn. There's only so much you need to know for a one hour exam. Apparently. Give. me. strength.

On the plus side, his lamp for DT is nearly finished. Only two more after school sessions to go, and by Thursday it should be complete. This lamp must be bloody amazing, because it's taken 1000 man hours (boy hours!) to create, and has cost me a small fortune in petrol driving to collect DS after school when he's stayed late to finish it.

A bit more of syllabus in English and a bit in Ethics plus Japanese speaking. Last year Year 11 ' s had loads of Easter revision so expecting the same. Currently two or three sessions a week after school. Plus two more lots of 4 hours of Maths and is doing Maths instead of PE.

No sign of a timetable yet so just text a friend to see if her DD has produced one. Also a letter about the school become part of an Academy trust with a high performing one further along the county. Hopefully this plus a new Head will be positive.

I think she may be in a better place in her head about it all, fingers crossed.

I think mine still has a topic or so left for geography, and there's a few others not quite done yet. She's got her last drama CA tomorrow and one more German speaking.

She's also redoing her physics ISA as she thinks she could do better (it was a scraped A*)

DD has finished most of hers, with most lessons being for revision, or finishing off controlled assessments. A couple of teachers are in full on panic mode though particularly the maths teacher, who took over from the teacher who was sacked at the end of last year!

We've just received the Easter timetable for extra lessons at school and DD has 3 full days off and a couple of half days (and the bank holidays).

DS says he's finished most of his courses now and lessons are revision.

DD says she has finished most courses, but her physics teacher is having a cow desperate to round things up .

Have your teens finished their syllabuses (syllabi?) yet?

I think DD has now. Still some CAs to go for MFL and an ICT test, but now mainly onto revision and question practice. It is all seeming to get a bit close....

DS has realised that he is not suited to course work, preferring a final exam, so A'levels will suit him better than a Btec, but he hasn't decided on which school. I think he'll spend two days at an induction at one school in June, and then hopefully possibly change his mind about going there.

I didn't decide until the day before term started when I was 16!

She wants to do Digital Film and Screen Arts at UCA Farnham so is working to a goal which sort of helps. We have a University locally which has a great reputation in that field. DS goes to a Saturday Film School run by one of the Lecturers there. When DD first saw the Creative Media BTEC at our local 6th form college we asked for her opinion. She kindly checked with someone she knew on the course whose parents used the words run for the hills re the college. The Lecturer said re BTEC that they accept students with them onto the course but find that they get the right number of UCAS points fairly easily but find they often lack the critical analysis skills needed for the degree so she gives them a good grilling during interview.

DD knows this and I think that is partly why she is insisting she wants to do A Level . Also she is saying she wants to do a mix of things, not just one subject as the BTEC is. I think there is a huge element of wanting stay on at her school where she is happy and I get that. I am thinking for now I am going to back off about a back up plan as think I was stressing her out talking about it. Will revisit it after next lot of Mock results at end of month. She is doing some revision at the moment which is good.

With DS I would move him to the school with space after Easter. However (this is going to sound silly) he is very allergic to mould, I am too. I walked into the school hall there and I reacted instantly. Some rooms were ok, others not. Someone told me they had had a leaking roof. We had a big problem in our house during renovations where someone spilt water or something under the floorboards in what was his room. It went onto sawdust and went moldy. He was really ill for weeks and had blood tests until we finally found what was going on (thanks to a MN thread who suggested getting the floorboards up !). Unfortunately that rules it out. Plus the fact it takes him out of our catchment pyramid and the new friends he would make would be going to DD'S current school and not sure at the moment I want him there as he is very different and I would want to see how it pans out when they find a new Head. Next week I am going to put him on waiting list for the Middle School we originally applied for, which fingers crossed will have spaces in Sept - though Head leaving. That feeds to our catchment upper which has a new Head and is improving though issues currently or other Upper School which had new Head couple of years ago and now going downhill. I have never seen so many change of Head a going on in such a short period of time. Happening in neighbouring LEA as we where I can instantly think of 3 recent changes in last year or 2.

It is very encouraging to hear that things improved so much for your DD Littleham I read it to DS. He is quite philosophical bless him as has seen DD become so much happier.

We will get there with both of them, we have just been very unlucky with a lot of change going on locally and it seems like very hard work ! A lot of people are complaining about local schools right now, very bad timing. They are both quite chilled today which is great.

Is everyone else sorted for next year now ? And everyone feeling ok or should we hand around being the weekend?!

Oh SugarPlum, that all sounds so worrying. But you are definitely doing all the right things. If the HT of the other school has a place and would accept your DS now, how would he feel about moving after Easter?

Re your DD, I don't know much about anything to do with secondary, but we do get some lovely young students at our place. I was chatting with one who did Health and Social Care at post-16 which I believe is equivalent to 2 A'levels? Anyway, she got her degree in Social Policy (I think that's what she said) and is now at Goldsmiths doing a PGCE. So not doing straight A'levels doesn't mean you can't go on to do get professional qualifications leading to a good job.
Or would she be interested in doing some sort of course that would lead to qualifications/apprenticeship/??? IMHO, it is better for the teen to find something that interests them and is within their grasp that they could then take on further if that was the way they wanted to go, IYSWIM?

I have emailed both his class teachers as learned my lesson with DD, he everything in writing. He is struggling to cope with a disruptive class unfortunately. Several children who need a lot of input eg. One girl on school trip on the floor kicking her legs in air whilst a person giving them a talk. I think Mainstream school is probably a struggle for her but with the huge cuts there aren't any special school placed available. I was second person in at hairdressers yesterday to be moaning. The first person's son had had his school bag cut up by another child but the Head was saying the boy comes from. A 'good Christian family ' and not interested. Exactly the same approach as the previous Head who told me that he had spoken to the boy who was blocking DD'S way in the classroom and kicking her chair. Said the bit is a lovely boy, absolutely mortified that she could think that, dreadfully upset and he was expecting his parents to ring and complain actually. Boy concerned finally was on trouble after ramming DD in stomach with a stack of chairs, telling teacher DD had bumped into him, teacher making DD apologise to him until her friends piped up.

We all had such high hopes that new Head would be different but seems not. We applied elsewhere for DS after the nightmare we had with DD (arm in plaster plus files read by children containing medical info. She was then surrounded in the playground with boys taunting her.) But it is our catchment school and only place available. It's a church school snd they always appoint local people who are members of local churches and I think they are too close to community to be totally objective.

The whole incident is why DD is now at a non catchment school and refuses to consider going on the bus to another 6th firm college as will be with some of these Middle school children. DS' s teachers have to be fair both been brilliant and I couldn't ask for more from them. He was a bit happier last night. They had to act though as i said I regret not moving DD earlier and have no intention of making same mistake witb DS - don't think they want one of their potential Level 6's jumping ship at this stage in Year 6.

Funny how people respond to that. Looked at another school this week. Said to Head I was hoping to get him through to end of year but looking to move at start of year 7 when there was some natural movement because of Grammar intake. She agreed that was sensible. I'd said DD has Dyspraxia earlier in conversation so she asked if DS has any SEN. Said his writing was ropey but grades fine and said his grades on report after Christmas and suddenly she was quick to point out how well children do settle well if they come in midway through the year.

DD is adamant that she does not want to do BTEC in a single subject and although she really doesn't want to she will stay and do Level 2 if needs be. I'm leaving that topic for the moment as can see she wasn't in frame of mind to be swayed.

So sorry, another long one from me. I hope all is calm with everyone else. On the us side quiet on my Mum front and Brother will have to deal with her if not as I have my hands full!

Hope you get your DS sorted re bullying SugarPlumTree. Have you spoken to school about it?

That is my feeling as well to be honest. I was very doubtful when she said A levels but she put the point across that lots of coursework in what she is looking at. I've seen some very able children struggle with leap to AS recently.

Having hair done at a friend's who has just given me number for a tutor. Also interesting conversation re bullying at DS's school, he has to come out. We have some serious thinking to do this weekend.

I think that, although min requirement for some 6th form colleges to do A levels is 5Cs, getting 5Cs doesn't really seem to be enough to go forward with A levels. After all if you are just scraping the GCSEs, and A levels are a big step then I don't think it bodes well.

My DD is also on the borderline. She has offers for A level places, as well as a BTEC where she can do Spanish AS too. But having seen how essay questions are going (terrible) it is becoming extremely clear that she should do the BTEC, when given time to ponder she can do well. She might enjoy the A level lessons more, but I think the whole package would be depressing.

Thanks T&T. I came to that conclusion last night too. The other college which does the BTEC and is accessible she refuses to go to as it means going on a long bus journey with girls from her Middle School where she was bullied.

I have however after a sleepless night found one which offers Cambridge Technicals in Media equal to two A levels. Plus they offer GCSE Japanese in Year 12 and says there is the option to do Japanese AS by open learning the next year. If all goes to plan she will get Japanese GCSE this year so I am wondering about her doing the AS alongside the Media in Year 12. So emailed her Japanese tutor this morning who has taught AS to see if she thinks he could cope. If so I'm going to email the Japanese tutor at the College (she helped before with text books ) and serif that might be possible. Then we would have to work out how on earth we would get her there.

DS had a shit day yesterday as picked on for his World Book Day costume and wasn't actually speaking this morning. I've had the rejection letter from LEA for the three Secondaries in neighbouring LEA's I applied to. I am wondering about the possibility of moving somewhere where DD could get the train and DS could start Year 7 in a Secondary next September rather than continuing with Middle School route.

I've also emailed DD's English teacher to see if DD's perception that English going down the pan is what is happening or her perception due to exam nerves. Last Parent's Evening we were told she will pass both of the English exams, B/C in Photography, should pass Ethics and Geography (really not sure about Geography though), and Japanese tutor says she should be at least a B. Maths , hmmm. Really not prepared for her to do Level 2 in Yr 12 when the guy interviewing her for Media BTEC said the film she took with her would be at least a Merit and that was her learning things on her own. Really seeing it written down we do need to look at College with Media and Japanese, I have always worried about her and A levels.