Year 11 GCSE Exam Support Thread 2

My DD's organisation leaves a lot to be desired as she has Dyspraxia. However she hates input from me and will do the opposite to what I suggest on principal. Therefore I am keeping a low profile and influencing where I can with tutors and emailing teachers in the background.

I think we are in a different situation to most of you though where I'm about damage limitation at this point and just trying to ensure she gets enough to get into 6th form on a L3 course. She won't be revising science as there is no point at this stage in proceedings. The focus is on English, Japanese and Maths now. Hopefully she has passed Photography now. Geography is touch and go, Philosophy her teacher has just gone off sick. I am resigned to Maths resit.

teen I did the same with DD.

We made a timetable at the beginning of Easter break, all fancy and colour coded. That way DD could be sure all bases were covered.

DS wasn't so keen. He likes to be left alone. Which I have done. Only hope he hasn't spent weeks on Latin literature only to shit himself the night before Physics, having not opened a book .

Hi juggling...

I think if your DD has plenty of revision resources and past papers from school, then job done. If not, then some of us can probably send you in the right direction.

My two went to school today (DD huffing and puffing about some mislaid English shizzle).

DH took them so I had three hours to put my head down and do some work. I feel very virtuous .

DS had a small wobble last night with his Dad . He's worried he won't do as well as everyone is expecting him to. DH told him that we don't care a kipper. He's worked hard and that's enough for us. Apparently, DH felt he was very convincing...

Juggling re organising revision.

My DD can't organise her way out of a paper bag, so I am heavily involved in revision. This has included defining the revision slots each day, and the priorities for each subject.
I'm also doing loads of praise as to how well she's getting on to keep her morale up, as she does find schoolwork hard.

If she were more capable, I think I would be discussing with her what her expectations towards revision were, how she was going to organise herself etc, and if it sounded reasonable then leave her to it (albeit with some monitoring, questioning and showing an interest). Also asking what school have said about expected revision.

I do think it is important to be confident they aren't focussing on 1 subject to the detriment of others, and are going to spend appropriate time on subjects that come at the end of a run of others.

The school can only suggest so much. Each subject teacher will be pushing for their own subject. Only you and your child know her own strengths weaknesses and needs.

Thanks for the welcome
One thing that worries me a bit am I supposed to be organising some amazing programme of revision and past papers for dd at home or is it OK to let school take the lead and encourage dd to make - and hopefully stick to! - her own revision time-table. The other night I got her to put up a list of when her exams are in the kitchen. That's about all I've actually done myself! Is that enough?!

I saw some posts about having nice food in and I remember my DMum doing that for me with some nice healthy treats in my lunch-box (all those years ago!) dd has school dinner usually though - although I guess might not always do this when she just has one exam in a day (as will often be the case) So maybe have a think about some nice lunches we can share - breakfasts too might be an idea as dd often skips this ATM?

Like you wordfactory I'm not working as much ATM (just some light home tutoring) so I think this is probably just as well for getting us both/all through the next couple of months of exam season!

Hi Juggling, glad you found us I'm quite glad that they aren't old enough to vote this time around as I think it would be quite a hard one for a first vote. But might be projecting the fact I am stuck as to what to do as DD has said who she would vote for if she could. I'm trying hard not to nail bite at the moment and have taken to reading skin care threads as have decided I should try and emerge from this not looking utterly shattered - fear I'm fighting a losing battle!

Yes very true about passing the stress around and that was a lovely thing of DD's class to do HSM. I've said to DD about it and she's going to mention it to her Friends.

Jokingly said 'no otter teachers look as if they are going to walk out do they ? And she said actually a couple do. Fingers crossed no further repeat of today as she's recently lost one of her Ethics teacher to ill health and they have been getting through supply science teachers at a steady pace. One of them walked out to get headache tablets and didn't come back. Thank goodness I'm hearing good things about the other Upper school as would be very worried about DS's future.

Oh, sooo glad I've re-found you all - I'm so going to need you over the next 2 mths. Yikes!

You came up in active convo's earlier in the day but then I lost you. Tried a search but no luck there. Then you came up in active convo's again when I was looking at the thing on getting your DC interested in politics ...

Anyway ... the important thing is I've found you!

dd (dc1) is doing her GCSE's - Art first on May 1st & 5th - then like some of you RS on May 11th.

Really good report and she says she's not too stressed about the art so all OK for now - except I already have shocking finger and toe nails (sorry if TMI!)

Seems reasonably well organised both at home and at school re. these exams but organisation not always a strong point - in the mocks time management and attempting all questions was an issue in some exams. Hoping all the practice papers from school will be helping?

How's everyone doing?

TWF so true about passing the stress back and forth

HSM, how lively re the card

Mine have both announced they are going in tomorrow as they both have particular lessons they want to attend. At least it will give me a chance to get some work done.

I had deliberately cleared away a lot of work so I would be available (both physically and mentally) during this period, but things are arriving that need my attention. A day without anyone else in the house will be great.

Oh sugar that's not good .

The trouble is that teachers are under enormous stress as are the pupils and everyone can pass it back and forth like a baton.

DD is at her drama performance as I write... Drama has been a bit up and down for her, so I hope it's going OK.

Must ask her what food I need to get in.

Can't believe the maths teacher SugarPlum

I feel so sorry for the teachers. It's a pressurised though time of year without the Head retiring and knowing that there will be a full Ofsted within the next 2 or 3 weeks.

The freezer is stocked with Soleros which are for me.

Hope DD perks up a bit after tea BTM. She must be shattered after all that science.

The primary school near us has a sailing club!

The stress level is sky high in schools at the moment. Poor teacher, poor children SugarPlum.

My lot are getting through lots of ice creams. But I think they need a bit of tlc during exams. Thinking about it I am getting through the ices creams as well.

Oh dear SugarPlum - that is just how DD is feeling today too I am making egg, sausage, beanz and chips for her!

Blimey sugarplum, that's really bad. Maths teachers are about as rare as hens teeth, our academy has been trying to recruit for a year!

Oh dear, one of the Maths teachers burst into tears in tutor this morning, said she couldn't cope with the school anymore and walked out and hasn't been seen since. Hasty substitution for one of DD's Maths lessons. Poor woman must have been in quite a state to so that

Just asked DD what she woukd like as thought I should ask rather than guess. Her list is strawberries, fizzy strawberry laces, iced tea and ramen. Good thing I asked, didn't have that quite right !

A big thing of chewable multivits arrived here yesterday ,I figured the same as you HSM. DD has a thing for vegetable soup at the moment so I'm planning a load of that to keep in the freezer.

BTM if she isn't asking then I think you can assume what you have is right !

I think meals become a great focus during this strange period of boredom/stress.

I'm trying to find the balance for my two between bringing as much comfort into their lives as possible, whilst attempting to provide food as healthy as possible...though not always succeeding (pizza for lunch).

Both my two chew a hell of a lot of gum whilst revising. The noise! The bins! But better then endlessly reaching into the biscuit tin, I guess.

Oh dear, I haven't asked DD about what she wants to eat