How much support are you giving for GCSE?

Loads!! It was horrendous. I had two if them one school year apart. I sat with them for maths and sciences and worked through revision, past papers etc. For english they had a tutor and for some others (business studies, RS I just let them get on with it as I don’t have the skills or time to help and they weren’t critical to progression).

But if I hadn’t they wouldn’t have got the grades to get into the sixth forms they were aiming for. They both hated it but at the same time knew they needed it because they just didn’t have the self discipline to do it alone.

I always said that I would leave them to it for A levels if they got that far. By that age I think if they can’t self motivate they never will. Both of them rose to it and did very well at A levels after an adjustment period. It helps that for A levels they are studying subjects that they enjoy.

Both of them are very grateful that I forced them to study and they say that it taught them what they needed to do for A levels.

They are very specific to your board and whether they are doing foundation or higher and whether combined or triple. But once you have that info you can easily get them on Amazon. Perhaps ask school if you aren’t sure

Oh yes my dh bought the study guides back at the start of year 10. They are definitely useful particularly for science

It sounds like you are providing a lot of support to me. I have done nothing really. I educate myself about when her exams are so I can ask about them afterwards. I show interest by being aware of how hard or easy they are likely to be.. and other than that I provide snacks and drinks! However my dd is fairly self sufficient so I recognise that if she wasn’t, I may be having to be giving more supports and prompts. Oh.. I did buy her a new maths set after she lost her protractor!!

What feedback are you getting from the tutors?

I don’t think mine would have taken kindly to me checking their homework, but I would help to work things out if asked and check that homework had been done. They had a place to study and access to study guides, methods of study etc.