Need a breakthrough for GCSE English

I keep seeing ads on FB for something g called the Classic High School teacher fast draft essay kit. Am at the point of ordering it for my dd. She's v similar to your ds I think. Can read perfectly well, actually does write creatively too but ask her to explore how the author uses language to show x and she tanks. Tears within minutes. In theory she could get an 8/9 in terms of her literacy but the just cant jump the hoops in the way they want. Frustrating.

Teacher here. One thing worth knowing while you're weighing up Functional Skills, because it catches a lot of families out.

The post-16 rules depend on the grade he finishes Year 11 with. If he gets a 3 in English and goes on to full-time college or sixth form, he'll have to carry on with GCSE English there; Functional Skills isn't an option at a 3. It's only an alternative for students on a 2 or below. So Functional Skills Level 2 can be a useful safety net, but it won't replace the GCSE if he lands on a 3.

(A 4 in English Literature also meets the funding rule, although some sixth forms still insist on a 4 in Language, so check with the places he's applying to.)

On the freezing, since his new teacher is also the SENCO, it's worth asking whether he'd qualify for access arrangements such as rest breaks or a separate room, and making sure he sits his mocks with the same arrangements so they feel familiar by the summer.

Really glad the teacher change has gone well.

Mr Everything English on YouTube breaks the English Language papers down in a really accessible way.

For English with an inattentive profile, the biggest unlock is treating quote-unpacking and essay-writing as two separate skills. For quotes, try short timed drills: give him a quote and five minutes to answer 'what does the writer want me to feel here, and which three words do the work?'

A small flashcard deck of the 20 most quotable lines from each set text (quote on front, technique plus theme on back) is low friction and easy to repeat. For essays, the mark scheme is honestly the best teacher: sit with one of his old essays next to a past paper mark scheme and show him exactly where the marks were lost, not just the grade.

Most kids write without knowing the examiner awards marks for zooming in on language, linking every paragraph to the question, and comparing viewpoints. And before a full essay, have him write just the plan, in 10 minutes, three times a week: point, three quotes, technique, why it matters. If the plan holds up, the essay usually does too.