Year 11 2023-24

DD doesn't want to go to her prom.

It's an added pressure on her. She thinks she needs to justify why she doesn't want to go to an event which she feels is all about showing off, belittling those who don't meet the style standard, insta opportunities and more of the 'in crowd vs nerds' divide.

I'm really sad there's a Y11 prom that makes some kids feel as though they don't meet the cool kid criteria.

Our school don't do a yr11 prom only yr 13. It's times like Prom I'm grateful for having a boy, the amount some spend on their outfits and hair /nails etc. is terrifying! 😮

Just wondering if you've all heard much about prom.
DS is my first and I have no idea what to expect in terms of what they'll wear etc.
He has recently got a girlfriend too.

Looks like DS school have stepped up got daily revision lessons after school everyday. Also had next mock results starting end of Jan.

DS said it was not a free resource and he wants me to subscribe.

@Thesunisshining888 DS said he is using a website called Save My Exams. I have not had a look yet.

@WhathaveIdoneagain
Thank you. It will be extremely helpful!

Mine does economics. I will check tonight with him.

What a brilliant reply. I couldn’t agree more! 👏👏👏👏

Thank you, shes applied for two highly competitive colleges and the third is her school sixth form college which see really doesn't want to go to so is now anxiously awaiting offers. For summer nothing much is planned but she does much better outside of school anyway. I have broken it down and basically taking away all holidays and weekends she has 87 more school days left so not a lot

Lunch groups are geared towards the younger years mostly unfortunately

Physics and maths tutor?

No unfortunately and she doesn't want to start a new activity so close to gcses

@dinomirror that does sound really tough. I would reach out to school and see if there is anything they can do to support - even if it's just a sympathetic member of staff she can reach out to, I imagine social times at school must be difficult.
Please reassure your dd that all is not lost, for various reasons I had a rubbish time in secondary school and really struggled to make and friends, there were a few times when I had no friends at all, however I thrived at 6th form. I went to college, did some really interesting subjects, made friends, some of whom are still my friends a few decades later, went out loads, snogged loads of boys, one of which I'm now married too..Life got much better very quickly.

I get so cross when I hear the whole 'school is the best time of your life' nonsense, it absoluely isn't, lots of children find school hard, social relationships at high school are ridiculously complex and difficult, especially for girls and after school life definitely gets much easier for lots of people.

Have you got plans for the summer? Is she feeling positive about post-16?

@dinomirror

It's so hard when they are struggling with friends. Teens are so reliant on them for their mental state I find.

Are there any lunch groups/clubs she could join?

Is there anyone outside of school that you could facilitate her to catch up with?

My son is going back tomorrow. The second PPE is starting on 29/01 and we have just received the document from school with the topics they will cover for each subject. Struggling to get past papers for economics. Does anyone have a child staying economica gcse?

@dinomirror Is the outside of school activity transferable to any other activities eg gymnastics to trampolining.

Does anyone have any advice on how to help dd get through the rest of the year?

Shes been having friendship issues which has resulted in her being alone with no friends atm with her old group constantly annoying her indirectly. It really gets her down and she has never really fit in her school . She feels sad she has made no real connection during school and has got it in her head that high school was the only time she could. The outside of school activity that was keeping her going she has now aged out of and she feels quite lonely. Theres also a lot of change going on at home ( baby)

I think different kids suit different subjects, dd is doing best in Maths and Spanish and really struggling in RE and English Language, 4 grades between the best 2 and worse two. She took RE hoping it would be an easy option, but has had lots of supply teachers as the school can’t recruit for it. I don’t think she’s putting enormous effort in to it, but she is really trying hard in English.

@LighthouseCat it sounds like it must have been that one with what you and other posters have said.

@Worriedmun I have got DS looking at some of the papers on his iPad and then writing answers onto an A4 notepad, just to save on the amount of printing. All the blank pages in the tests drive me mad with the wastage!

Anyone know if you can get collated versions of past recent GCSE exam papers to buy, I’ve been printing them off at work but takes time and I might be told off.

My DD2 did the AQA 2023 higher non calc for her mock recently and found it v tough. That was my DD1's actual GCSE paper and I remember she said lots of her year hated it. Loads of tricky problem solving which she personally loved as that's her strong suit.

GCSEs that mine seem to have found easy-ish: RE, geography. More challenging/daunting: English language, chemistry

Thanks @Waspie and @postitnot

I love that they are more hands on and practical too

My daughter did the 2023 paper as her mock and said it was really hard. There were lots of tears apparently! They haven't been able to bring it home yet as other schools nearby are using it in January mocks.