Y11 2025-26 - Trying not to melt and pushing through the final weeks

Did I spot that there are some MFL teachers on this thread? Can I ask a niche question about the French writing paper (Edexcel, in case it makes a difference) - my son usually writes much more than the required 80-90 words and 130-150 words. Neither of us can figure out if this a good thing or a bad thing, and the mark scheme doesn't really give me much of a clue. On the one hand, there's more opportunity to develop his ideas and use more complex structures, and on the other hand, there's simply more scope for errors. Any thoughts from anyone much appreciated - should I be coaching him to be more concise and try and fit the more complex stuff into less words, which he might find quite a challenge? Timing never appears to be an issue, he always has tonnes of time left over.

@somethingerudite the examiner will mark what is written, whether that is more or less that advised. In fact the MS is very clear that even if for the longer essay, the candidate writes less than 130 words, there will be no penalty for that. The thing is that if they write a lot less, then they are less likely to be able to hit the targets for communication (covering all bullet points, using complex language as you say). If they write more, then yes, and IME very much so, errors start to creep in.

Are his practice essays totally error-free? If not, then a better use of his time would be to correct them rather than writing more. For sure there are no extra marks for writing more; and he absolutely can get all the marks (in terms of scope for developed ideas, use of tenses) by writing the number of words requested. If he has tonnes of time left over btw that's a bit of a concern. The paper is only 80 mins – what do you mean by tonnes? As I say, a good use of time is to check his work – common mistakes include incorrect tense formation, incorrect person (Elle suis allée), use of infinitive instead of conjugated verb, mother-tongue interference and not knowing the right vocab. Gender, accents and adjective agreements are minor errors (tho obvs still best avoided).

Here's a screenshot of the relevant element of the MS:

History and geography has taken up all the revision time this half term. They are so content heavy! He hasn’t looked at physics (Tuesday) or PE (Monday) yet! I think he’s feeling fed up

@Callmejudith thanks for the YouTube suggestion. She’s sitting under a duvet going through Physics past papers and watching vids about the questions she is unsure of.
Poor little beasts. It’s so much.

My DS always sticks to the word count as he is worried about being capped, but not sure if that’s wise or not.

on being ill while it’s different because it was mocks DS did November mocks after having been very ill in half term (not quite going to hospital for Oxygen but not far off) so almost no revision. On subjects he was in top of it made no difference. On subjects where he has to think more maths etc he did better with rest rather than revision.

My DS was ill at the beginning of half term - only a cold but it wiped him out for a day or two and slightly ruined the whole idea of having some much needed downtime before getting back to it. But he's been getting 4 hours done a day since then and I'm trying to find the balance between pushing him to not waste this opportunity (he has 10 exams after half term) and also to try and avoid burnout down the line. Hopefully the dwindling number of papers left becomes a motivating force to carry him through the slog.

Did I spot that there are some MFL teachers on this thread? Can I ask a niche question about the French writing paper (Edexcel, in case it makes a difference) - my son usually writes much more than the required 80-90 words and 130-150 words. Neither of us can figure out if this a good thing or a bad thing, and the mark scheme doesn't really give me much of a clue. On the one hand, there's more opportunity to develop his ideas and use more complex structures, and on the other hand, there's simply more scope for errors. Any thoughts from anyone much appreciated - should I be coaching him to be more concise and try and fit the more complex stuff into less words, which he might find quite a challenge? Timing never appears to be an issue, he always has tonnes of time left over.

Don't panic just concentrate on her resting and recovering. There's still loads of time and worse case scenario she can watch youtube videos on Monday!

Dd is still ill. I am so worried she will not be better for Tuesday (physics) and we are both anxious about the amount of revision time she is losing. She is just not well enough to work. Don’t know what to do!

@Drivingselfmad hope she feels better soon!

@Littletreefrogthat sounds really positive that he’ll get the support he needs.

Revised history with DS in Starbucks yesterday I learnt quite a bit! When he was in the loo a lovely older man came over and told me I was doing a great job which was so sweet. Today DS is off to the cinema so the payoff is a couple of hours of physics. He also wants me to watch a documentary about the collapse of the soviets with him but I might delegate that to DH

Ah here you are. Not much revision done by DS this week although not none so that's a bonus. He has also had his in person autism assessment and his first therapy session so it has been pretty full on.

We have got a meeting booked in with college to discuss his support needs but he has never had any extra support at any point in his education (probably why he is what we believe to be autistic burnout now) so I'm not sure what he needs and I don't think he knows either or if he does if he will be willing to ask for it.

Very small amounts of revision done around beach days! I had in my head Physics was Mon but its Tues. They have a day of Maths in school on Mon. Shame as would have been good for them to do Physics too!

@FlyingPandas yayyy to your DS taking Greek though! I did Greek to A level and I can honestly say I did more work for that than my other two put together - even tho the other two were my degree subjects (MFL). It’s so hard so I hope he has done well.

All the best to any Pearson Germanists for the writing exam on Monday, all the Spanishers and just everyone for a good start back next week.

Get well soon to @Drivingselfmad DD - and hope the rest of the family are ok

DS2 on his second subject today - physics so hopefully he won’t give up

bit concerned that so little work has been done this week but not a lot I can do about it

I’ve offered Indian takeaway over the weekend as a treat so hoping that might motivate

Sorry to hear your DD is poorly @Drivingselfmad wishing her better very soon!

I am so glad it has cooled down a little. DS currently focusing mainly on his final Greek exam which is on Monday - he's probably revised Greek more than any other subject, it has been interesting to see the diligence in his approach to this one compared to the others he is taking. It is one he finds much harder so the additional revision does make sense. But equally, he's not taking classics for A level! I will be glad once that final exam is out of the way and he can then focus on maths/physics/chemistry (which is what he does actually want to take).

Hope everyone manages to get a reasonable balance between revising and relaxing over the weekend. By the end of next week, hopefully we will all feel as if our DC are heading towards the home strait.

Oh goodness what a nightmare, your poor DD! In this weather as well. I hope she feels better soon xxx

Me too @Caddycat - wondered where everyone had gone!
Dd has been struck down with a tummy bug - bad timing, but could be worse, it could be next week… She’s anxious about not revising, but there’s no way she could do any work.

I thought you'd all gone very quiet - I didn't realise the 2nd thread was full!

Glad it's less hot today. Dd took a few hours out yesterday, we looked at prom accessories and make up and went for a nice dinner. Back to it today. I feel a little stress as I let her manage the revisions- MIL visiting at a pretty tricky time - and she's asked me to sit with her for the next 3 days, so she's clearly feeling the stress mounting. Still, 12 days of driving her to school left 😢

DS begging to go out with mates tomorrow which is brilliant as he’s promised some revision with me in the morning

i used ai make a revision schedule using the exam timetable - it did need amending but it was a good base

Exactly. I’ve just drawn her up a schedule (empty boxes for her to fill in) to try and organise the rest of her exam and revision time. Fingers crossed it works.

@FlyingPandas

I think to be honest that it’s just harder to watch your child go through any major life stress (whether that be exams, job applications, relationships, whatever) than to go through it yourself!

This is so true!!

Lucky those who are over the halfway hump. Dd is only 10/22 down. 4 exams this week, 5 the following week and 3 the week after that.

DS has three next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then a nice four day break. He is definitely benefiting from having ‘broken the back’ of exams and done a lot of them prior to half term - his timetable is much lighter next week and the week after. Final exam is further maths on 15th June.

@UncomfortableSilence humidity is vile where we are too, can’t wait for it to cool down.

@Fizbosshoes agree re the pressure and guilt - I think to be honest that it’s just harder to watch your child go through any major life stress (whether that be exams, job applications, relationships, whatever) than to go through it yourself!

DD has RE first Monday, then 2 double days, then 1 each Thurs/Fri.

Shes spent most of today doing Cold War revision, she doesn’t seem to have any more plans this week but I am glad she’s at least been out a bit with friends.

The humidity this afternoon is vile, she’s in her room with the fan on and I’m relieved to see next week is looking decidedly cooler.

I dont remember gcses being stressful when they were my own (the wheels totally came off at A level) but ive felt the pressure (and guilt) while DC have done them!!

I am working in London most of the time, (4 days/week) so its mainly down to DS to get on with it. I said I would try to arrange some days at home but he has said he wasnt bothered.

The school have run revision sessions on Saturday mornings for several months and DS has been to most. Im really impressed with school.- and with DS for going. And they have opened school this week so DS has got up and gone in for 9am. He knows he'll be distracted at home so has gone in for 3-4 hours revision each day.

I think hes half way, 11 more to go. We had a stressful weekend with suspected food poisoning the weekend before ht and I was googling what happened if you couldnt do an exam (school info was pretty vague) but in the end he managed to go in and do them.
Good luck to everyone - parents and students, at least its due to cool down slightly next week when they actually do the exams

I’ve always told my two that if you put in the work then regardless what happens you have nothing to blame yourself for and it’s always easier to move on from that than with regrets . It seems to work on them on the whole .. one more than the other - less so with A levels than GcSe and 11+ .