Year 11 2023-24

You’re welcome @Waspie - N.B. MathsBuster (unlike their other publications) isn’t in book form but is entirely digital.

Meanwhile I am taking notes from @NellyNutmeg and looking at the Flipscocards which are a great tip - thanks.

I'll take a look at CGP books, thanks @Marisquita

Anyone else randomly spamming their teen with Revision Tiktoks? I have been ordered "not to buy all the CGP books just because the internet mums tell you to"....I just want her to get the bloody work done.

@Tebheag We tried Seneca for Spanish last year. Took a while to get used to it but think it helped in the end. For English Lit we used the flip cards from Flipscocards - these were brilliant and not too overwhelming - he was getting 4s all year in lit and ended up with a 6.

@Tebheag Seneca Learning is a wonderful free resource:

https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/

When you know which texts (books) your DS is doing for Eng Lit, have a look at BBC Bitesize for revision resources. There’s also a lot on YouTube - just search for “GCSE Macbeth” or whatever.

Those are all free. There’s stuff you can buy, too (e.g. CGP do a revision book on Macbeth) but maybe look at what you can get for free first!

@Marisquita not heard of seneca will look it up. When you say texts is that the books they are reading?

@Tebheag have you tried Seneca for Spanish? Which board/texts is he doing for Eng Lit?

@Tebheag I do hope it helps. We found the Levelled Practice really good - they start at Level 1 and it builds their confidence by getting them practising techniques on easy questions, then with each level it builds the difficulty while reinforcing the techniques. DD also likes the fact that each question is marked right or wrong instantly, so that any errors can be corrected by practice as you go.

Anyone got tips for Spanish ? he failed that on yr10. Or English? Scrapped a pass on lit though managed a 5 in lang his best grade so far for English.

@Marisquita might have to try that for my son he used to be good at maths but seems to have lost confidence and says he can't do it or over thinks it.

For @Waspie and anyone else dealing with maths woes: at risk of sounding like CGP’s marketing manager (I’m not!) I would reiterate that their MathsBuster digital revision package is really worth a look. DD got a 5 - just about - for maths in her end of Y10 exams and we invested all of £12.99 for a 3-year MathsBuster licence early in the summer holidays. She didn’t stick to her original plan of 20 mins a day but did enough to achieve a real boost in competence and confidence, and school have now predicted her an 8 at GCSE. It comes in both Higher and Foundation versions:

https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/secondary-books/gcse/maths/gcse-mathsbuster

@Marisquita - fab, thanks for confirming. Well done to your DD! I hope that helps her confidence - anything which boosts confidence now is so positive

@Tebheag - I know! I wasn't impressed at DP at all, and he's now very aware of that. That said, if DS wanted him to help he would do so in an instant. They are very close. I think it's just that age where boys start to butt heads with their dads.

Definitely apply for both - keep all options open.

@AmyandPhilipfan I'm sure your son's school will ramp up the homework as this term progresses. If not could you email them and ask them to set more revision homework?

We got an email yesterday that all year 11's would be staying late every other Tuesday to do maths revision with their teachers, and work through past exam questions. I think other subjects are going to do something similar too.

@Waspie
Your poor DS nothing worse than someone saying its easy or unable to understand why you can't work out a maths question. Hoping DS is going to do an apprenticeship. Though after going to sixth form taster evening now interested in A levels. Have suggested he apply for both.

My son seems to have no homework except online maths once a week. He knows he has to do that by the end of the weekend but this week claimed he couldn't get logged in. I threatened to print off some maths work for him and miraculously he managed to log in!

I wish he did have more homework to be honest. He spends all his free time playing Roblox. I know it's good to relax but he could be doing a bit more work. I did set him some revision the last week of the holidays but he really needed to be spoon fed with it (as he can't or won't just work through a revision book) so it was quite labour intensive for me so I'd prefer school to set him some work.

@Waspie he can accept as many offers as he likes and then make a final decision with results in hand. As I understand it (this is our first time through 16+), this is normal and expected.

We have had a boost here today with better than expected GCSE predictions. Am hoping that the school’s confidence in DD will translate to her having more confidence in herself.

We have sixth form open days next month. There is no sixth form at DS' current school so no choice but to move. DS wants to go to three of these but I think we should go to as many as possible if only to understand what he isn't looking for.

My understanding is that he can apply to multiple places for multiple different A Level combinations and then see what they offer him. Will he need to only accept one offer or can he accept multiple offers and then wait on GCSE results before confirming his place?

What are other people's GCSE students doing please?

Thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn and @Tebheag - yes, he plays rugby, basketball and tennis, so plenty of exercise.

He was just doing a maths paper for homework (he feels maths is his worst subject) and was getting frustrated. DP (maths and CS graduate) was apparently unable to sympathise. To be honest I'm not surprised DS was hacked off, but it's no excuse for the shouting and swearing that followed. We have resolved it now - DP is going to keep his smart arse remarks to himself and DS is going to treat people with respect.

He just feels a bit volatile at the moment and I don't want to be treading on egg shells for months. I think it's fear of the unknown and once he's done this first set of mocks he'll feel better/calmer. Hope so anyway!

@Waspie we signed our son up to the gym so he can exercise out his stress.

@Waspie does your DS have any outlets such as sports or creative activity that can help him relax? For my DS I find he needs that alternative to help balance out the stress of school work.

DS is getting tons of homework - mainly revision type homework though, no new content. He's been told that the mocks in November will be just one of the papers from each subject from the June 2023 GCSEs.

We've printed off all of the June 2022 papers (and mark schemes) for him.

DS' main issue is not knowledge of the subject content but exam time management, and understanding that if a question is a 4 mark answer he shouldn't spend 20 minutes on it!

He's getting quite jittery and stressed though. He nearly fell out with DP at the weekend over something really trivial. DS just seems to need to "vent". I've told him I have broad shoulders and he can vent at me but that his dad won't tolerate it. I will not have a warring household over stupid bloody mock exams.

Doesn't seem to be much homework here either. Do a lot of people move their DCs at 6th form? I'm assuming DS will just stay where he is.

There's not much homework being set here either at the moment. Dc2 can't decide between 2 colleges at the moment. Also got secondary school open days to do with dc4 so it's busy in our house at the moment.

As a prefect, Dc2 is expected to take parents round on his school's open evening which he's really not looking forward to as he hates talking to people. I've agreed to talk to the school about him taking me and dc4 round the school as long as he agrees to go at dc4's pace and not speed round at his usual 400mph and then sigh dramatically if dc4 wants to stop and look at something.

He's also decided he isn't going to prom which I'm feeling irrationally sad about as I loved seeing dc1 and his mates all dressed up and taking photos etc. Dc2 hates crowds, having his photo taken and being hugged so it's understandable that he doesn't want to go and obviously I'm encouraging him to do what makes him happy and pretending that I don't mind either way. But I am a bit sad about it, which is daft really.

DS finally got the book lord of the flies no idea how he can do a mock in 7 wks on it. Homework has really jumped up too. Not looked into any open evenings yet only 1 out of the 3 schools in our area still does 6th form. It is outstanding and they want high grades it is at DS school so he had a taster day a couple of months ago.

My DD managed to get a part time job in the Summer. It's every other weekend which we've found more manageable. She's very disciplined (perfectionism is more the problem) so some work suits. She then has time to see friends so I'm happier with the balance. It was tough to get something though as so many places asked for 18+. I guess it's easier for insurance and availability.

She's keen to stay for sixth form and is settled teacher/school wise so I think it is probably the best option for her.

We had dreadful problems with 'friends' during the Summer but thankfully she's been brave enough to ditch the mean girls and has kept a couple of good friends. It did cause a few wobbles over the last couple of weeks as it's so hard to take the risk of ending up sitting by yourself but their actions were destroying her. :(

It's so hard to just be supportive and let them navigate things.

This week has gone okay. DD has done some Maths revision but had homework set as well which she needed to get done. Planning on revision over this weekend. She has been invited to attend English Literature revision over lunchtime at school. To go over all the poems. Just hope she goes. Have had words and I have messaged her teacher to let me know if she does not go. Thankful to the school to give this extra help. DD has a course she wants to do next at college Health and Social care now if that is a level 1,2 or 3 really is down to DD and if she puts the work in.