General starting Y10 Sept 21, GCSE's 2023 thread

Quite nice to hear about other 'youngish' year 10s. DD still plays with sylvanian families when stressed - I don't think she even cares that her friends know about it - they're very bonded at present
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Still, she made her way all across London this weekend for a sleepover and then back while I was away elsewhere with her sister so that felt much more grown up. They are a funny mix. The drinking is such a tricky one - the safety aspect is the really scary bit I guess.

Went to an actual Sixth Form open day this week with DD1 (a year early but good to think about things) which seems to have focused DD1's mind on the grades she needs to get for GCSE - no bad thing!

DS is Year 10 so I think I'm in the right place.

Just found this thread and would love to join ! Been so focused on DD Yr13 getting her Uni application squared away but now it's done I remember I have to again with DS who is wonderful .. but so so forgetful .. just somewhere else .. and so it begins again .. one soon to be away and so need to get back behind the next !

Well done to your DS for doing the DoE Elkiedee

Wrinklyeyes That's tricky with the vodka but I think you did the right thing talking to her and pointing out dangers. My y11 DD is very sociable and goes to parties and is starting to ask questions about drinking for first time so suspect its being offered or talked about at least. Just told her to be careful as you are quite vulnerable then and would prefer she didn't drink it. DS only socialises with his rabbit and his chickens so no vodka issues with him.

Not too much going on here. DS is going to 8 lessons, worth 9 GCSEs but still not in any science lessons and wants to take physics A level. But he is talking there again a lot and going in happily so some progress. Don't think he is doing any homework but no change there but they don't get much and that's largely repeating classwork which he learns fast. Don't think he writes anything either which could be a big issues for gcses but trying to focus on one issue at a time as he does.

Only just recovering from covid here and new boiler and electrics being done this and next week so will be a bit hectic and they will go in every room in house for radiators so have to clean / sort whole lot. DD is looking at 6th forms, all goes so fast.

@SkiRun0077 I think quite a few secretly watch Peppa Pig and they don’t have the excuse of a younger sibling to blame it on! Right now my DD is trying to sort out a costume for a Disney villain themed Halloween costume. They are going to watch Disney films and make cup cakes.

There’s had been a big split in her friendship group in the last year as well. Those that are obsessed by image make up and boys / going out and those who aren’t. My daughter is very sporty so spends many hours training so that’s her focus at the moment but it does mean she’s quite comfortable sitting talking to teenage boys at her club in gym or swim kit which I think it’s quite nice as it’s great social skills to develop but without the dating pressure. I did catch her gently flirting with the 16yr lifeguard though made me take stock that she’s really starting to grow up.

Yes I agree @BlueMarigold I have a younger daughter too so my 14yr is really happy sitting watching peppa pig as much as Married at first sight . But she’d be horrified if her friends found out 🤣about peppa

@SkiRun0077 they are at such funny age. Depending on friendship groups they vary a lot in what they get up to. DD knows children her age that like to play with dolls (do their hair etc) and others that like to dress up older and go out in town in the evenings. Such a big difference!

Sorry I think i could be misconstrued there I didn’t condone under age drinking at all but realise at some point she is going to be out in the position where she’s tempted or peer pressured to take part but what to do in that situation.

wrinklyeyes that’s a tough one to deal with especially getting the bus home whilst under the influence would be more of an issue with me than trying out the vodka. I think it’s something they all do at some point but a serious discussion about personal safety when maybe they have done something is critical. My DD went to a beach birthday in the summer and I preempted it by saying that if any one pulls out a bottle of vodka you have a choice about taking part or even ‘faking’ a swig but if she felt uncomfortable just text or call me and I’d get her no questions asked. All went ok and i don’t think anyone actually did but by pre-empting the situation we had a proper chat before she went. She barely socialises out anyway as she’s so driven by sports training but unfortunately I think it goes on far more in her wider social group than she’s party to.

Wrinklyeyes that's a tough one, I have no advice sorry. Good luck and hopefully she's been put off for a while?!

Welcome along BlueMarigold.

DD has a note to say she didn't do a piece of music homework last week - she got caught out by the printer misbehaving when she was trying to print out art homework the night before it was due (obvs!) so ran out of time and forgot about it. Not the end of the world at this stage, but I don't know how to encourage her to keep on top of things - she won't listen to parents, naturally! I think it's going to be a long two years...

Hi can I join this thread? My DD2 is in Year 10. She had her covid jab the other day.

How is everyone getting on now that term is well underway?

We had a bit of an ‘incident’ this weekend. DD went to a friend’s house yesterday afternoon to ‘hang out’. Turned out it was 6 of them from her year group, no parents at home. And they opened a bottle of vodka.

I could smell it on her when she got home. She gets up early for school anyway. But I have made her get up even earlier this morning to do piano practice.

Am at a bit of a loss as to know what else to do. I was also in Year 10 at school when I started doing things like this occasionally - unbeknown to my parents. I have given her a talk about safety (she came home on the bus on her own, no way would we have let her do that if we had known she had drank any alcohol). She seems quite sheepish about it all.

Sorry to hear covid rife again in some schools and affecting your children. So far high schools here - semi-rural NW - are not having as many cases as we thought they would get when they went back. Primary schools are another matter so probably won't be long before it does get rife in high schools again sadly. On another matter I am pleased DD gets a school bus as I don't think I'll make it to the end of the week with the fuel I have left in my tank and all filling stations in the nearest town are now empty. Bus companies have their own fuel supply I am told, rightly or wrongly, so DD should carry on getting in to school.

So many kids in ds year now have covid the whole Yr group are back to online learning. So hopefully he won't miss out too much, although not entirely sure he will be up to full school days.

Sorry to hear that some kids aren't well and/or are having to isolate. Ours have been ok so far this term, touch wood, but I'm very aware that this may not last - they were back working from home before the end of the summer term last year.

DS1 went to his rescheduled Duke of Edinburgh award scheme expedition this week, and seems to have had a great time, came home yesterday tired but cheerful. He had 5 bowls of cereal for his late breakfast (usually only 4!). Very glad I pushed him a little into this - he wanted to drop out at one point but then when we went to an online Q&A session for parents on it, one of DS1's best friends was sitting with his mum and asked a question, so I was able to go back and tell him his mate was going. In the end, one of his friends has just moved to another country but literally everyone else he's ever mentioned seemed to have gone, so DS1 got to have a camping trip and spend most of 2 days with all his mates, with support and backup from school. Can't be bad, but I was really happy for him as I know that even with his strong social networks lockdown was a tough time for him and them all. I'm resisting the temptation to say "told you so" to him about persuading him not to drop out.

Sorry to hear that Tiggles We have all got/had it recently except DS, DD was wiped out with it but did manage to keep up with school work. Hope your DS isn't too ill with it and the rest of you manage to escape it. DD knows more kids with it than without it atm though she does know the kids who socialise a lot. Their vaccines have been cancelled as well though DD became ineligible for cancelled date as a 4 week gap needed.

Getting DS a desk and swivel chair today, doubt he will use it to do any work on but at least we have tried. It'll probably become his rabbits seat. He does like to swivel though, doubt its enough to motivate him to work.

Ah dear ds has covid. Hope they sort lessons for him at home. Not that he looks capable of concentrating at the moment but I'm sure he will be able to by the end of his isolation.

Thanks Elkiedee

Ours are officially 2 year GCSEs but in reality some subjects, mainly the core ones, start before, especially for children in the top sets. I think at the moment that is a good thing with all the disruption.

DS is still covid free. DD has now done her 10 day isolation for covid and back in school first day yesterday and also saw a friend (who had covid same time) after school and she is now looking OK. Not completely well but managing school work and a bit of socialising. I think she also did work whilst she was off sick.

DS is speaking in school which is great after being mute there for 6 months and apparently they are getting lots of his views. He is still not going to science lessons, we are not entirely sure why, but in his 8 other GCSEs. Not doing homework but there's a minimal amount of that and largely repeats the lessons and he tends to learn fast. Don't think he is writing which is a worry as there's a lot to remember for exams but he is making progress and going to school happily.

@minisnowballs thank you! Think Eva Green was DS’s first crush!

I hope that DS will eventually find his way. He seems to have a good week and then it goes downhill. Always riding the wave!

Hope he finds his way eventually. Always good to know that there is hope, thanks for sharing your experience.

Welcome everyone - amazed by the astronomy option - that's SO cool... mine would definitely have wanted to pick that. Saisong we are with you on the rubbing shoes. Mine is still walking the mile to school in trainers and changing at the gate.

3 year GCSE? I think it works for some children - and certainly in a pandemic it was reassuring to know they'd started some things a bit earlier. Miss Peregrine (great user name!) I hope the attitude dies down a bit - but I can see that school is not for everyone - i certainly didn't enjoy it until sixth form!

Oh good thread, will be following all your Y10 experiences alongside our own.

DD seems settled so far, she has an amazing group of friends which above all else has made her secondary years successful, at least mentally. On top of the compulsory 5 she has opted for History, Geography, German and Astronomy (mostly because of the star gazing field trips and midnight jaunts ). She could also be invited to take triple science in Y11, but it's unlikely.

Her biggest win so far is getting a much better maths teacher - Y9 was a bit of a disaster in that respect. She says she's learnt/understood more in the last 2 weeks than all Y9!
Biggest fail has been her damn school shoes still rubbing (school is a mile walk away). She has the oddest feet so this time I took her to an independent specialist shoe shop, but it is still a problem. Just hope they wear in soon

I’m been impressed the school have actually been working with my DD over the last week to move her timetabled groups for the key subjects. She had been moved away from all her friends when they mixed up the year group and had gone from positive engaged child to very unhappy disillusioned in a week of lessons with literally no one she knew. Hopefully the new timetable will kick in tomorrow.
I hope others are settling into year 10 ok and the homework doesn’t start to get overwhelming again…

I think I just have one of those dc who won’t ever thoroughly enjoy the school experience tbh.

Since starting secondary it’s been hard.

I’m under no illusion that it’s suddenly all going to click in Y10.

Can I join.

DS seemed to enjoy his first week back, although this week he’s started with an attitude, hopefully it’s just the settling back in attitude as he’s hardly seen anyone during the summer holidays.

He quite likes most of his subjects and loves some of his teachers but one subject he’s not sure about still.

Will hopefully get to through to the end of October without any drama!