If you have a child doing GCSEs or A levels, in hindsight, what you have done differently from Year 7 onwards?

I wouldn’t change anything but try to get to a place where you are not overly involved and they take responsibility for studying and achieving best results for them.

Minimal school last term tested this, but in general yr10 will do his h/w, study for tests without more than a have you done your hw

If you'd asked me this last year, I would have said the main things were making sure they had space and time to study, the equipment they needed, and that you supported them with skills like organisation and revision (if they needed it).

By and large there is not a lot that you, as a parent can do - the DC really do have to do it for themselves (exception of children with SEN who genuinely need specific extra support).

Following this year, I'd say you need to drum into them that they need to tackle every piece of work as if it was the most important thing they'd ever done. So they literally need to put 100% of effort into everything. The drumming might take a while though :)

Yes to them keeping up sport, I have tied myself in knots organising and taxiing mine all over the place (going into y12 teen plays hockey and football, going into y10 teen is a club swimmer) but it's been worth it. Yes to the start of y7 being incredibly tiring though.

Academically mine have pushed me away and wanted to manage by themselves but I try and make suggestions around systems for revision and stuff and been prepared to help when they do ask.

I also recommend buying the appropriate CGP study guides in subjects they do need help with, our maths ones were invaluable when they needed help and I didn't know how they'd been taught to do things in school, or had forgotten completely. Make sure you always have an ample supply of printer ink, paper, stationery including set squares, protractors, compasses, we've wasted plenty of time searching for these over the years. Be ready for the cries of "the printer won't work".

It's hard to get the balance between nagging them because they don't seem to be working enough and letting them find out the hard way. Not sure I have always got that right (too much nagging). I'd say let them fail a bit but be ready to help them when they fall. I've had DD in tears in the morning because she had forgotten about a piece of homework with half an hour before she needs to leave for school but I've let her crack on with it while I round up her shoes, blazer, hairbrush, hairbands, pe kit for her and I think she has learned from the experience.

I would have spent more time teaching dd how to learn; revision cards, mind maps, organising a timetable, etc.

Also, it took me a long time to realise that sometimes it is not laziness that stops children working, but they worry about failing with school work, so they avoid it. Here talking to them, rather than at them, helps.

Also, I wish I had put more emphasis on how important sport and keeping fit was. Now, at A level, I want her to go into adult life with more involvement in sport than just watching it on TV.

However, if your dc is about to go into year 7 their first term of meeting new people in a new environment will be incredibly tiring, so give them at least a term not to worry about how they are doing and just settle in.