Y11 2025/26… come and join

I think the 'you must get an 8/9' is overwhelmingly a private school and or Mumsnet thing. Of course we all want our children to do well and get what they need to take their next step but quite often that isn't 8/9s and that's ok. 3 years ago DS1 needed 4s in English and Maths to get his apprenticeship which he did and now earns more than both me and his Dad. This year DS2 needs 5 x 5s to get in his T level course with the view to then going to Uni. So good futures are achievable without those 8/9 grades.

It does feel relentless doesn’t it? Though I think the grade 8-9 focus is far from universal. For my own DC, the big worry is getting a pass in Maths, and the rest will be a real ‘salad’ from 5s to potentially 8-9s in a couple. But then she doesn’t want to do competetive STEM subjects at college so I get that other kids face different pressures, and for some (including me when I was at school) the pressure comes from their own inner standards. One of my GCSE students was beating themselves up for ‘only’ getting a 7 in their mock (not a subject they need a 7 in for college), and I just wanted to give them a hug - tho, of course, didn’t 😆 - and say that these grades are important but just a tool to unlock the next stage of the future. Not a reflection of who a person is.

End of term here on Wednesday so dd’s revision timetable is being finalised ready to go gung-ho from Thursday.

Three marks back from last weeks round 2 mocks : 7,8,9 all one grade up from November mocks which is encouraging, hopefully the rest will be similar.

@whereonthestair amazing improvement to go up by 4 grades. Well done to your DS

I really do not remember it being this relentless when I did it. I got a few As and several Bs and that was good. Now it feels like endless ‘you must aim for an 8/9’

@whereonthestair well done to your DS 100% and improving by 4 grades in another subject.

I helped DD with revision timetable up to the end of Easter holiday in the morning (ie did it for her). She was out today and then suggested watching something this evening, I pointed out she wouldn't have time to do her 1 session of revision so she agreed she should do that. I then got "how do I revise for English lit"? I suggested she does practice questions. Semi-successful day?!

My DS is having a quieter few days after 19 mocks! He is slowly getting marks back and so far they are slightly better than they were in November so we are keen he has a bit of downtime before ramping back up for the real thing. It looks like the strategy of working on weaker subjects may pay off as a stronger one he didn’t revise much came back at 100% which I think must be unusual, and Chemistry which he has spent time on has clicked and gone up 4 grades.

DS is definitely flagging and seems to have decided now is the time to try to self teach himself to play the guitar 🙈

Argh. I think some Y11s are really flagging now - a bit like the middle part of a marathon. I know my DD is (and also had a terribly untidy room until this morning when she finally conceded she can’t live with it any longer!). It’s hard to know how to remotivate them or how much to nag/push. It’s all about prepping for the Art exam in our house at the moment - am hoping DD gets back on the horse of other subjects pronto afterwards 😬

Bloody DS. I confiscated his devices and told him he could have them back when all the rubbish in his room was in the outside bin and he'd put away his floordrobe/sorted it for washing. He then took back his Chromebook when I wasn't looking and I just found him in bed playing a game 😡 THEN when I pointed out the disgusting state of his room, he had the actual audacity to ask what he was supposed to do about that! 🤯

This is the same boy who moans that he's "too busy studying" when I extract him from his hovel for family occasions. FML.

Thank you @NotDarkGothicMama and @Tebheag - speaking exam went well thank you and DS seems happy so I'll take that as a win. One ticked off the list anyway!

Well done to those with more sixth form offers and good mock results too.

First result back for round 2 of mocks… RE - one mark off a 9. End of term on Wednesday so hope we get all the other results back before then.

@FlyingPandas hoe your DS exam went well.
DD got told today that a few classes like Geography will not be finished the syllabus till 2nd week after half term. Guessing that's why they have reduced options at the school DD said doing separate science is now classed as an option.
The school has also stopped doing year books this year.

DS got a sixth form offer through today so we're all pleased. Their induction days are when I'm taking him away post-exams, but can't be helped.

School have said they're doing Easter revision sessions by invitation only. That's great but I wish I'd known sooner so I could have booked sessions privately in time to take advantage of early bird offers.

How was your DS's exam @FlyingPandas?

@36and3 yes she is doing ALevel maths year 12 then year 13 further Maths.
Did try to talk her out of it but she wants too and teachers are keen for her to do further maths 🙈

Is she doing maths too? Unusual to do further maths without it!

Best of luck for your DS in the speaking ex@FlyingPandas . You may have the honour of the 1st exam. And so it begins…,

We are getting mock results fed back at one to one meeting beginning of April.

DS has a few revision sessions to go to at school over Easter which I am thankful they are putting on. I think he has two English sessions. 1 physics, 1 biology and something else that I can't remember. He turned down maths much to my disappointment but he said the session wasn't with his teacher and he didn't want to get confused so I kind of see his point.

I think he is starting to flag a bit now as he has been doing at least 1 hour a night since September. So I think I will tell him to take the Easter long weekend off completely. Yo then go into the home straight with renewed vigour.

All good here DD had interview at school 6th form got offered a conditional place. Think she has decided to stay on for convenience. She is down to do further maths physics and psychology. Still waiting on science but head of 6th form stated in interview biology 7 physics 8 and chemistry 9. Which where not November results so might be Feb.

No more mocks for DS but he has his actual MFL speaking exam tomorrow! Which makes it all feel terrifyingly real. His school does iGCSE which is why they are so early I think. DS seems fairly calm about it all.

In other news his DT NEA is still rumbling on, and my mutterings that he is perhaps spending too much time on just one half of one GCSE that he's not planning to take for A level, and it would possibly be a good idea to focus more on the other ten he's taking, are falling on deaf ears. Will be so relieved once the bloody project is finally handed in.

Two surprising but positive news updates from me.

1)prom dress 2 arrived and it fits and is acceptable. Yippee that’s both DTs with a dress and the prom dress saga resolved.

2)completely out of the blue school have an Easter revision session for French to prep/revise for speaking exam. Was most surprised as they’ve never done Easter sessions before. DTs both going to attend. Am super thankful to the teachers for giving up their holiday time.

how is everyone else doing? We are still awaiting mini mock results here

DS had a sixth form interview this morning. This is the place I applied to for him and he was strenuously objecting to it, but he came out saying he really liked it and will think about going if they offer him a place. A win for the mother ship.

I asked him about daydreaming in the mocks. He said he gave himself a rest whenever his hand started hurting, so we'll do some writing stamina work over Easter. He's promised to take the real thing more seriously!

Second round of mocks start tomorrow. Dd finishes for Easter on 25th so it’ll be tight to turn the marking around and get grades back. Anyone else got them this week?