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Original poster

Y11 - 2026/27 thread

79 replies

Echobelly · 03/09/2026 10:55

I don't see a thread yet so I guess I might as well start it. I'm gonna need a lot of handholding for this one 😭

OP posts:
Original poster
Echobelly · 02/10/2026 19:47

Ugh, just spoken to MIL and she was like 'Oh it would be a shame to shut down DS's options, that's all I'm saying', meaning she doesn't want him to do the BTech. I am going to do an open day for a sixth form as well, just in case something shifts radically in the next 9 months and he's suddenly A-level material but I can't see that happening in that timescale.

I think she's also expecting us to be really interventionalist because she was a 'Drill your kids on their Latin verbs' alpha mum and I'm just not, so I know she's going to blame us on some level if DS gets the results I'm expecting, not what she would like.

He says drama teacher has asked them to write part 1 of their drama coursework this weekend, but seeing as there's at least 3 sections, and the last one is longer I'm going to try to get him to write at least 2 parts. He does have a habit, common I'm sure, of wanting to do the minimum. The problem is then if you find you have difficulty doing the minimum you run out of time to tackle the issue.

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purplejeanie · 02/10/2026 16:38

@LetItGoToRuini think he would have the option (probably after January mocks). The school is very results focussed and so far music is an outlier for him in terms of how he’s doing. But I’m going to push them to help him more (and try and get him to properly engage!) to see if that helps.

brackengirl · 02/10/2026 16:27

@LetItGoToRuin She has a 20 min walk so can manage, but a bassoon and a clarinet don't fit with her trendy bag and non-robust shoes! She came home today saying they have offered her a place in the senior wind ensemble so she'll definitely have to take the bassoon (affectionally named the baboon in our house) 2 days so I imagine she'll end up using one or the other more in music lessons too.
She did suggest hiring another one so she could have a school one and a home one but that is very wishful thinking and won't be happening!

LetItGoToRuin · 02/10/2026 16:16

@purplejeanie he sounds ideally suited - what a shame he's not enjoying it! Are you sure he would even have the option to give up at this stage? It does feel very achievable if he can just find that bit of spark.

@brackengirl it sounds as though your DD is well suited too. It is a pain taking your instrument in - DD has to take hers three days per week (not for GCSE music but for ensembles / music lesson) and she does struggle on the bus. She is lucky as her peers are all traditional/classical players so she fits in. They are all music nerds together.

brackengirl · 02/10/2026 13:33

@purplejeanie DD2 (year 9 but they do 3 year GCSE's) has just started music GCSE. She has one good teacher and one less good and doesn't love it as much as she thought she would. She plays orchestral instruments but apparently tends to sing in performing lessons because "I'm not lugging an instrument to school everyday" I think she'll be ok as she likes performing and theory and she's already grade 5 but she is finding the range of ability a challenge and feels that more people play "fun" instruments and she's a bit more of an odd one out.

ArghY11already · 02/10/2026 12:44

Mine is doing gcse music and I think is due to record the performance part in December.

You all probably know this already but most of exam boards have published the exam dates if you google

purplejeanie · 02/10/2026 12:13

@LetItGoToRuinI’m glad your DD’s new teacher is also good! He is also doing edexel. He is classically trained in that his instrument is piano and he’s done the Abrsm exams but has never been a fan of theory etc. Part of me is minded to let him give up (he’s doing ten GCSEs), but I know with a bit of work and engagement he could do well, so it’s a shame. I’ll try and push his teacher to help him more.

LetItGoToRuin · 02/10/2026 10:37

That sounds really positive, @Echobelly! It sounds like you're doing such a great job to support him. You will deserve the biggest glass of wine of all of us once GCSEs are over!

@purplejeanie DD is doing music. Her lovely teacher left at the end of Y10 so we were a bit concerned, but fortunately her new teacher is also lovely. It's really tough with a subject like this when you don't get on with the teacher.

Which exam board is he doing? DD is doing Edexcel.

I would think it's possible to get a good grade with just a bit of graft on the other two elements if he's acing the performance. The other parts are easier for those with classical/traditional training and who play in an ensemble such as an orchestra. It is a very long time since I did GCSE music though, and I'm sure it has changed a lot!

purplejeanie · 02/10/2026 07:26

@Echobellygreat news! Anyone else’s children doing music? Mine is but is totally disengaged, has an awful teacher. He likes the performance side and scored full marks in the mock for that but hates the rest of it and is determined to drop the gcse. I think it’s a shame as he should be encouraged to work for the hard things, but his love for a subject is completely determined by the teacher.

Lisamummy22girls · 01/10/2026 22:46

We have just booked parents eve slots cor a couple of weeks time and sorted through dance vids for DDs PE NEA!!!

Lisamummy22girls · 01/10/2026 22:45

Thats great news!!

Original poster
Echobelly · 01/10/2026 22:26

Looked over some of DS's English homework tonight, which was a practise paper. Bearing in mind he often writes nothing at all in tests, I initially thought it's great he'd written a few paragraphs, but he hadn't quite answered the question. The he pointed out I was looking at the wrong questions! So he had answered them reasonably well - still a bit of work to do but, little as I know about mark schemes I think what he did might be just about good enough to get a 4, which is all he needs.

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Talkingfrog · 26/09/2026 15:21

cwanne · 25/09/2026 12:15

DT coursework is taking a lot of time for my DS at the moment. I’m just glad he’s not doing art or drama as well.

Dc is doing art, drama and product design. Will be a fun year🙂🤦‍♀️

Exquisiteandhappy · 26/09/2026 15:21

Echobelly · 26/09/2026 14:24

In our case, by being realistic I think. My hope at the moment is that he can get 5 subjects at 5+, I'll settle for 5 at 4+. I am also trying to create physical organisation to help him revise - have just ordered some shelves so we can put revision guides and revision folders on them. I've bought him the folders, flashcards etc but he needs room to organise them before he can use them. He'll need a lot of reminding unlike our oldest who doesn't have ADHD and was very self-motivated. Also getting him to practice writing as English is the major worry currently - whether he can even sit an exam without freezing, let alone get a 4+

I asked him how English is going now he changed teachers - he said he still wasn't enjoying it, but he had just realised he is more able to write in lessons, which is encouraging. I don't know what Ms B is like as an English teacher - he said she's quite demanding, but it sounds like that's a good thing for him, I can imagine she is firm but fair as a teacher, which is a good combo for him. The last teacher I think wasn't all that firm, but was also quite unfair and snarky.

Edited

Best of luck

Original poster
Echobelly · 26/09/2026 14:24

In our case, by being realistic I think. My hope at the moment is that he can get 5 subjects at 5+, I'll settle for 5 at 4+. I am also trying to create physical organisation to help him revise - have just ordered some shelves so we can put revision guides and revision folders on them. I've bought him the folders, flashcards etc but he needs room to organise them before he can use them. He'll need a lot of reminding unlike our oldest who doesn't have ADHD and was very self-motivated. Also getting him to practice writing as English is the major worry currently - whether he can even sit an exam without freezing, let alone get a 4+

I asked him how English is going now he changed teachers - he said he still wasn't enjoying it, but he had just realised he is more able to write in lessons, which is encouraging. I don't know what Ms B is like as an English teacher - he said she's quite demanding, but it sounds like that's a good thing for him, I can imagine she is firm but fair as a teacher, which is a good combo for him. The last teacher I think wasn't all that firm, but was also quite unfair and snarky.

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Exquisiteandhappy · 26/09/2026 12:09

How are you all supporting your children to get the results they need? And advising on A level/ Btec choices?

ArghY11already · 26/09/2026 10:56

DC is STEM and struggling to narrow down the A-level choices. I hope the excitement and talk of A-levels and sixth form is motivational and keeps their focus rather than getting to ahead of themselves and taking their eye off the ball.

Original poster
Echobelly · 25/09/2026 20:48

brackengirl · 25/09/2026 20:15

Drama devising is taking up a lot of time here, she's apparently in a good group but is frustrated that not everyone is that focused and the performance is rapidly approaching. She also has a lot of homework, a science paper per week and lots of English.

We went to the 6th form open evening last night and she has decided against Theatre Studies as there is too much group work, but liked English Lang and Lit, French, Classical Civilization or History or possibly RE as an outsider. Also liked the idea of an EPQ. It feels surreal that she will hopefully be there next year!

DS did devised performance last term, the performance went well although he hated the process - other people being uncooperative and unsupportive apparently. He was really motivated and trying to hold it together and his teacher was very impressed. I think the course work is about describing and evaluating the process, so potentially he has a lot he can write about!

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brackengirl · 25/09/2026 20:15

Drama devising is taking up a lot of time here, she's apparently in a good group but is frustrated that not everyone is that focused and the performance is rapidly approaching. She also has a lot of homework, a science paper per week and lots of English.

We went to the 6th form open evening last night and she has decided against Theatre Studies as there is too much group work, but liked English Lang and Lit, French, Classical Civilization or History or possibly RE as an outsider. Also liked the idea of an EPQ. It feels surreal that she will hopefully be there next year!

RunningKatie · 25/09/2026 19:59

Lesson 6's have started at school, but there's no clear timetable so no-one, including the teachers, knows what is going on.
Maths and English are in form time and lunchtime, presumably to ensure everyone is there for them.
Homework has massively ramped up, poor dc1! For years I've said they barely get any so now it's a complete shock to them. We are working on plans and prioritisation, at the moment they are talking a good talk, I am going to check tomorrow if a plan has been written out.

Original poster
Echobelly · 25/09/2026 16:23

OK, to my relief he says he knows what he needs to do and when for Drama. Now it may well be he doesn't know as well as he thinks, but if he was really unsure he wouldn't be able to hide it.

So I will discuss with him further but I'm reassured that he's not feeling totally at sea at least.

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Exquisiteandhappy · 25/09/2026 15:21

Thank you for the thread and good luck to everyone this year. I do think frequently of GCSES and hope DC achieve the results they need for Sixth Form.

WavyDaizy · 25/09/2026 15:18

Just be glad yours didn’t take Art & design! The workload is monstrous and DD’s art teacher is fond of sending back homework to be redone if she thinks the kids didn’t do as well as they could have.

The real disaster is dd uses it as an excuse to avoid revising for her English gcse.

Original poster
Echobelly · 25/09/2026 15:12

Yeah, I think they do most coursework in school, I think partly to avoid cheating and AI (DS hates AI fortunately). I'm waiting with baited breath to ask if he I understands what he needs to do for his coursework, because the answer might well be 'No, I haven't got a clue what to write'

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purplejeanie · 25/09/2026 12:16

Same re DT coursework. But they seem to do quite a bit in class. At least that will be half the GCSE done