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Original poster

Exam overload - what exactly is the point??

37 replies

Notcontent · 25/05/2021 22:43

My year 10 dd had some end of year exams in years 7 and 8, but they were only in core subjects and other exams were spaced out. No formal exams in year 9 because of covid.

She now has 10 exams in one week. On one of the days she has 3 exams, all covering different, quite demanding subjects.

It’s only Tuesday and she is already exhausted. I understand that they need to practice for GCSEs but this seems a bit much?! They would get much better results if the exams were spaced out a bit more, so is this to scare them?

OP posts:
ItsReallyOnlyMe · 26/05/2021 06:58

I think it's preparation for life.

We have to be challenged as adolescents as adulthood is going to come as a shock.

It's all about learning to be organised, so being fully prepared for the hard slog in the exam room. They won't all get this message at Year 10, but they have to start somewhere.

We would be doing our children's long term mental health no good at all if everything was easy.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 26/05/2021 06:54

@WelcometoJam

My year 11 was informed by the education secretary that GCSE’s were cancelled. She has had 17 ‘assessments’ since Easter. You’d think they would prioritise actual teaching having been locked down with crap online provision for months on end. To say I am fuming would be putting it politely to say the leastAngry
If you don't think your DD should do assessments, what would you like her teachers to base her TAG on?

GCSEs have not been cancelled, the public exams that usually provide the grades for GCSES have been. Every single Yr 11 and U6 student should still receive a grade for every subject. This has placed an enormous amount of pressure on teachers to generate these grades for each and every Yr 11 and U6 student they teach.

Rather than just 'fuming', would you like to propose an alternative solution?

Fortyfifty · 26/05/2021 06:47

My year 10 is doing tests all this week. They are told what areas they will be tested on. It's hard going for her, she's found them difficult to revise for since year 7, but she's definitely coping better with the demands as each year passes. Mocks in Year 11, I remember being more brutal than the real thing for DD1.

Lonecatwithkitten · 26/05/2021 06:13

I think it is representative of what university can be like for certain courses. Exam week of every term at vet school was 6 hours of exams every day (9-12), (2-5). You get your head round it a are unable to perform - just part of life.

TheTeenageYears · 26/05/2021 01:23

In Y7-10 DC's had end of year exams in a week, getting more intense and GCSE like each year. Y11 mocks were the same only worse. They didn't get study leave and all crammed into a shorter period than the real thing. As long as the content of the exams is representative of the learning to date then I don't see an issue, the exam practice is invaluable so they don't get completely overwhelmed in Y11.

clary · 25/05/2021 23:49

To be fair op, my ds2 who was the last year to do GCSEs had 7 exams in a week twice; a friend of his had 10 in the first week. And that was actual GCSEexams that really counted (tho if course these mocks may count!).

So maybe it is a good idea for her to get used to the load. It will be intense.

noblegiraffe · 25/05/2021 23:35

GCSEs are also tough, intense and dragged out over a longer time period. If she struggles with Y10 exams then it is probably better that she finds out now and comes up with ways to cope, rather than find out in the middle of the real thing.

Original poster
Notcontent · 25/05/2021 23:31

I know it’s probably “normal”, but I just don’t think it’s good for their mental health or a good way to get students to perform their best!

OP posts:
aiwblam · 25/05/2021 23:27

My Y10 is about to do this as well

noblegiraffe · 25/05/2021 23:11

Sounds normal for Y10, they cram them into a week as they can’t drag on, other year groups have exams, the hall is needed for lessons etc.

Y11 mocks will probably be even more intense.

Original poster
Notcontent · 25/05/2021 23:05

That sounds really tough!

OP posts:
WelcometoJam · 25/05/2021 22:46

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