Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread

I bought ds2 this revision planner: it seems well designed and is working well for him. Possibly a useful resource for other people?

He did some revision in the run-up to mocks (Jan), then had had a few weeks' off. But over half term we sat down together and agreed priorities for the next couple of months and he's written a revision timetable focusing on his target/priority subjects up until the end of the Easter hols.

www.amazon.co.uk/REVISE-Revision-Planner-Revise-Companions/dp/1447967828

Ds is looking at a school for 6th form tomorrow...his DT project also has to be finished tomorrow and it isn't. He will miss a DT lesson.....DH will be missing most of a days work to take him.....

DD's biggest stresses are over the french controlled assessments !

Mine had to do an MFL whether she wanted to or not - fortunately she didn't want, so it's just the one.

When DD chose her options in Y8, she/we had no idea that she would need to memorise and regurgitate texts for 60% of the marks

Agree re MFLs. Crazy way to examine knowledge of a language!

(Mind you the method for the CAs is one of the reasons DD is doing 2 MFLs).

Oh, the MFL memorization... - regardless of whether your DC is good at rote learning or not, that's one of the areas where they do seem to have lost the plot in GCSEs versus old O-levels. I don't think I know anyone who thinks that they're a good way of learning a language.

Yes, this memorising MFL is causing stress. Big load to do tonight.

TBF it's the memorising MFLs that are the worst. It's also that she finds juggling doing them and revising difficult. Loads seem to hate them, whether they are good at them or better at exams.

I have mixed feelings about CAs/coursework. Some of them I'm barely aware of, DD seems to just get on with them. Others are a lot of work - but that's in the subjects where I don't see how you could do without them (Drama, Electronics, Computing, and the science ISAs - also for those that do them, Art and Music).

I think she's probably one of the people who would do better with more exam, less CA - but there's a lot of kids who really don't get on well with exams. TBH I think a mix of both is not at a bad thing. DD came up with a nice solution - they should do both, but then the final mark should be some sort of average weighted towards whichever style the candidate was better at.

Oops! That'll be my phone!

CAs are the worst. I wish they would all be dropped by 2017 for DS, but I bet they won't.

Ooh Tilly Terms & Conditions, perhaps that should be my new user name

DD has 4 MFL CAs which are all expected in next 6 weeks, added together with Drama final performance script, that is a lot of 'off rote' learning.

Errol, I bought a load from Amazon last year as my two seemed to be constantly needing them!

T&C that sounds like a good plan. DD hasn't mentioned her CAs for a few days - had better check where she is with them!

Caro, that is very frustrating.

T&T.

Hi Fresh, I was just trawling through these old posts when I spotted yours. I have a similar situation with DS2. Nothing picked up at prep school and passed CE into Senior School. In Year 9 It dawned on me that something may not be quite right. He was still not tying shoes laces properly, did not pick up IT things as quickly as his brother and was still asking me what seems to be slightly naive questions about things. I flagged school who did nothing and finally had him tested at a Dysparaxia centre. Not really dyspraxic and not dyslexic but has slow initial processing so takes longer to pick up new things or spot links. Now approaching GCSE's and the school have been very disappointing in their lack of help apart from giving him an extra 25% time in exams. We now have a new SEN teacher at school who is finally showing some interest and help but I wonder if it is too late. Highly achieving school who have suggested we may wish to look elsewhere for 6th form in case he does not achive minimum 6 B's. We think he will but very upset due to their lack of support which could have made so much difference if put into place 3 years ago when I first raised the issue. Good luck with your son.

Errol Clear zip pencil cases in at least Smiths and Sainsbury's I think.

DD has received new predicted grades following mocks, now looking much more sensible (some were clearly too high before). I've agreed a 'priorities' list with her from now until the end of term. CAs take priority, then question answering technique, with actual revision third.

First mocks tomorrow for mine, geog and biology. Pens etc stowed in placcy bag - I really must find her a clear pencil case before the real exams.

SugarPlum, that sounds heavy going.
DD is moaning because her maths tutor has told her that she needs to do a paper a week (and then he will go through the questions with her)

No class necessary BTM, they could be heard all over the house

I think my friend's DD did something similar on the interview front Auntpetunia. No tips I'm afraid but her interview skills must be superb as she lands keeps landing very impressive placements. Fingers crossed your DS finds it helpful.

DD is facing 4 hours of Maths tomorrow plus an hour after school. Fingers crossed it helps.think I might need to plan a nice tea as she is bound to come home in a very shitty mood.

DS has mock interview tomorrow! he claims to have no more information than wear your own clothes and who he's being interviewed by. Anyone else done this or have any tips. He's being interviewed by the local uni but not for a course as such. I've never heard of this but when you Google it seems quite common. He has picked sensible clothes for the interview but I've had to nag him to have a shave, he says he doesn't need one and beards are cool !

Thanks gin for the link to the student room I've stuck it on his fb page and he's tagged a load of mates so helpfully they'll all stop playing civ and do some revision but I'm not holding my breath.

With the glass against the wall, SugarPlum?

Bizarrely DS is currently revising for his Y9 exams. Most unlike him. They are next week!

DD says they are having one of those Mocks results ceremonies next week. Gulp.

La la la, I can't hear you BTM, there is still ages....

That session went very well (I was listening from other room.) DD was saying that those struggling with Maths are to get an extra 4 lessons per fortnight which I was pleased to hear.

Phew, that makes me feel better Fairenuff and SugarPlum!
Fingers crossed the tutoring goes well.

Only 11 weeks to go

No revision here this week as far as I can tell. Thanks for the link Ginandtonic, have forwarded it.

Take two of maths tutoring with friend's DD going on in the kitchen. It has only been 5 mins but I am vaguely optimistic, fingers crossed.

I did Macbeth, Jane Eyre and Brighton Rock for O Level I think. Also war poetry which I thought was for O level but may well have been A level.