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Original poster

How do you help your teenager with GCSES

31 replies

PeacheyPeach · 10/12/2021 16:57

How do you help your DC when it comes to their GCSEs, did you help them with their revision, or set boundaries when it came to socialising / online gaming etc in the run up to their exams?
Not been in this position before and as I revised the night before my exams and somehow managed to wing my way through them Im not sure what is expected of us as parents. ( Especially when DTeen hates us helping!!)

OP posts:
Bubblecap · 10/12/2021 17:35

Xbox was allowed but strict time controls, DS took the piss so we removed it totally for two weeks and with compliance it was returned. I remember them talking about revision and helping each other over the mic.

We did assist with revision DH and I could cover all subjects between us. DS informed us he hated French and didn’t want to revise and wasn’t doing it for A level so he didn’t revise it at all. He got all A* and A grades apart from in French and he got a B. He still played football with his club twice a week.

Forion · 10/12/2021 17:38

We downloaded lots of past exam papers and he did them and then we marked them according to the marking plans.

We had to get tutors for Maths and English as he needed to pass those.

BeyondMyWits · 10/12/2021 17:45

For gcse, we just made sure they had a calm and comfortable environment for study and set out expectations that a bit of their hitherto free time would be spent revising. They are both academic kids, so was not any difficulty.

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eddiemairswife · 10/12/2021 17:49

Nothing.

StColumbofNavron · 10/12/2021 17:53

I bought all the revision books and resources (record cards, highlighters etc). I’ve practiced Spanish conversation (very basic on my part), read over history/English practice questions and given feedback. For his mocks I have let him find his own way which involves:

  • the revision guides above
  • making revision cards
  • some YouTube (he uses these mostly for technique rather than content)
  • he and his friends have a regular slot over Discord where they help each other (I would have literally pissed about with my mates but it all sounds very serious)

Once we have mock results we will assess how well these have/haven’t worked and he will tweak. He knows he can ask for any help and he does when he needs it.

StColumbofNavron · 10/12/2021 17:54

I should say that the actual help given I.e. helping with languages or reading over stuff is when he has explicitly asked.

QueenofLouisiana · 10/12/2021 17:55

I set time limits on xbox- that was important to prevent DS gaming all the time. I made sure it wasn't accessible until 7.30 pm so there was no point rushing through work in order to get on the console.

I got a tutor for physics, as that really was a challenge (it was worth it, he got a decent grade). Watched the plays he studied with him- one live, the other online due to lockdown etc.

Bought access to a couple of online apps, so he could revise etc while we were on the move. He really liked History Hit and is still using it for A Level work.

Original poster
PeacheyPeach · 10/12/2021 19:16

Thanks all ☺️ guess we have some work to put in ourselves ( and there was me thinking my school days had ended!!)

OP posts:
hivemindneeded · 10/12/2021 19:19

I bought revision books, helped set up revision timetables, nd most important of all, kept asking them to explain to me what they knew. I asked questions and if they couldn't answer them they looked up the answer. Encouraging teens to know their subjects well enough to be able to explain it/teach it to someone else is the best way of helping them revise.

RampantIvy · 10/12/2021 19:21

@Forion

We downloaded lots of past exam papers and he did them and then we marked them according to the marking plans.

We had to get tutors for Maths and English as he needed to pass those.

That's what we did with DD. She took her GCSEs in 2016 so there were plenty of last papers for her to practice on. Practising maths and the sciences was especially helpful because she could hone her technique.
pointythings · 10/12/2021 19:27

I got them revision guides, had them talk me through what they were revising (explaining it to someone else is incredibly useful!) and got a bit more hands on with MFL because I speak fluent French. Apart from that I let them take responsibility for their own studies and didn't prompt them, but that was because they had both been independent and hard working since the start of Yr 10.

HedyPrism · 10/12/2021 19:36

Make sure they have the right stationery*, that they know about and attend revision sessions happening at school. Feed them good food and encourage them to get enough sleep.

*I'm a teacher. The number of Y11s without a pencil in their mock exam made me want to scream.

RampantIvy · 10/12/2021 20:25

Yes to revision guides. DD had the CGP guides. They covered everything she needed to know. She also found BBC Bitesize very useful for English lit revision.

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 10/12/2021 20:59

My son was not good at keeping on track. So I planned to help him with his input for a time table. He asked to go to the extra lessons outside school.
Then Covid hit and he didn’t do them. But I just asked him what he felt he needed help with.

hivemindneeded · 10/12/2021 22:07

@RampantIvy

Yes to revision guides. DD had the CGP guides. They covered everything she needed to know. She also found BBC Bitesize very useful for English lit revision.
BBC Bitesize is great. I sometimes tutor GCSE English and am amazed how few pupils use it. If they just revised from Bitesize they could do fairly well.
RampantIvy · 10/12/2021 22:35

I'm glad it is still useful @hivemindneeded. It was brilliant when DD had to revise for the poetry part of English literature. She hates poetry as do I, so she basically learned the analyses by heart and regurgitated them in her exam. She achieved an A, so it worked for her.

O2HaveALittleHouse · 10/12/2021 22:38

Nothing!
I’m slightly worried that now reading this Grin

NMC2022 · 10/12/2021 22:41

@O2HaveALittleHouse

Nothing! I’m slightly worried that now reading this Grin
Don't worry. My mum told me off for painting my toenails while using my revision guides to prop my foot up Blush that was the extent of her help I er, didn't revise Blush
HerkyBaby · 10/12/2021 22:45

I’m predicting school assessed grades again this academic year. So every exam matters. Have bought revision guides for all subjects and cards where published. School have produced a revision timetable which he is sticking to. No Xbox during the week. Phone handed over while revising. Taking this very seriously as struggles academically and don’t think anyone is going to be able to pull it out of the bag in an exam as GCSE exams won’t be happening. I’m very stressed trying not to show this to my DS.

SE13Mummy · 10/12/2021 22:48

I sat with DD1 whilst she went through the tedious task of setting up a revision timetable using this planner. My other main role was to sometimes keep her company whilst revising (I sat on her bed and got work done whilst she was at her desk), to provide endless amounts of stationery and to test her on things she wanted to be tested on.

She continued with the babysitting, music groups and other things she was involved in whilst they were on i.e. not last autumn/in the new year because of tier 3 restrictions.

MrsPleasant · 10/12/2021 22:49

DD is losing the plot, so the only help I'm giving is trying to keep her calm, stocking the fridge with things she likes and reassuring her it doesn't matter if it all goes tits up.

Arrowheart · 10/12/2021 22:52

Bought revision guides
Stationery
Kept the fridge stocked
And plenty of cups of tea

Also, no pressure to get top grades, just pressure to try and do their best.

clary · 10/12/2021 22:56

I did the following with DD and DS2:

Provided supportive environment where they were encouraged to revise
Bought copious snacks
Offered to help if needed - as a rule it wasn't but I did support DD with some of her French revision (my subject) - practising speaking with her and supplying any vocab needed
Bought revision guides, English set texts and any other books needed
Bought past papers when offered these by school

That's it I think. Tbh children have to pass their exams themselves is my view. DS1 was a bit different as he has learning issues and needed more support with revision to achieve the grades he got, but for an NT child I think you need to let them get on with it to some extent.

@HerkyBaby I really hope and think you are wrong about CAGs this year.

Velvetbee · 10/12/2021 22:58

Love the book How to Ace your GCSEs by Anshul Raja. It’s got strategies for the unmotivated (sums up the mood in this house). DS is finding it useful.

RampantIvy · 10/12/2021 23:00

Can I add that proper downtime is important. DD went for short walks with a friend and his dog between GCSE revision sessions, and watched episodes of Plebs between A level revision sessions.