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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask year ten daughter to revise during half term.

178 replies

examstresshelp · 27/05/2021 18:27

And if it's reasonable, how much per day/altogether?

I don't want to be too pushy, but their school is low key where other local schools help with timetables and advice and I think she should be doing at least some during the holiday so she doesn't panic afterwards.

I certainly did in year ten.

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 28/05/2021 13:17

@Dishwashersaurous

Yes, I do believe that we didn't do revision for gcse. It just wasn't a thing. We did lessons, homework and then sat the exams afterwards. We didn't do revision.
Presumably Dish your GCSEs weren't all terminal exams, but were the coursework / controlled assessment with a few exams, or the 'modular' exams that you could sit whenever and retake.

GCSEs are very different now from even 6 years ago when my DD1 took hers. You absolutely do need to revise for them.

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 28/05/2021 13:25

Out of interest, do they still do the same number of GCSEs?

I did mine 17 years ago and did...

English
English Lit
History
Drama
Sociology
German
D&T (think I did graphic design)
Double Science
Maths

I think that's all of them..

Dixiechickonhols · 28/05/2021 13:28

My yr 10 is revising next week. Full formal exam week straight afterwards. With Covid they need to ensure they do their best in case exams disrupted and this forms part of teacher assessment grades. I’d booked a day off work and she’s been reluctant to have a day out. Shame as it’s first hols they can actually do anything.

TeenMinusTests · 28/05/2021 13:40

At our school (full comp) the standard is 9-10.5. Some kids can drop to 8 (or fewer) if struggling badly for any reason.

AlmostSummer21 · 28/05/2021 13:49

@TippityTapTap

I think I best email the school to see if they are doing mocks/end of year tests, so they don't come as a shock if they're announced
Have you checked the school calendar?
Nightbear · 28/05/2021 13:57

Revision for GCSEs has always been a thing. A particular school or set of pupils might not have pushed hard on it but it was very much a thing in the dim and distant 90s.

TippityTapTap · 28/05/2021 13:57

@AlmostSummer21

There is nothing on there either.

This is kind of outing but I emailed his tutor this morning and a bit later on we received a year 10 parents email saying that there will be exams but a date has not been finalised yet. So I may have just been a bit premature querying it.

TippityTapTap · 28/05/2021 13:58

I revised for GCSEs in the 90s as did most of my friends although there were a large number that would deny revising at the time

Swimmum1206 · 28/05/2021 14:10

Y10 DS has exams in the middle of June. He's planning to spend the majority of half term revising. I asked him if he was going to try meeting up with his friends during the week, but apparently none of them are going out as they are all stressed with revision!

TheTeenageYears · 28/05/2021 14:42

If you think about three hours a day in terms of a school day it's a good proportion of a school day. She would need a decent break at least every hour and unless getting up at the crack of dawn (just like on a school day) much of the day will be gone. I think you need to take a step back. She will either do it on her own or she won't, the earlier kids realise for themselves that they are responsible for putting in the work the better.

nokidshere · 28/05/2021 14:55

The problem is that you can't make her learn. If she doesn't want to do it having her books in front of her for 3hrs a day won't make her learn anything. If she says 'I'm going to my room to revise' you still won't know if she is doing it unless you stand over her.

Talk to her about her aspirations and reiterate the importance of education in achieving her goals. That's far more likely to get results than demanding.

StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind · 28/05/2021 15:18

@nokidshere

The problem is that you can't make her learn. If she doesn't want to do it having her books in front of her for 3hrs a day won't make her learn anything. If she says 'I'm going to my room to revise' you still won't know if she is doing it unless you stand over her.

Talk to her about her aspirations and reiterate the importance of education in achieving her goals. That's far more likely to get results than demanding.

I agree with this actually.

Probably controversial but my approach when doing mine was to work reasonably hard in the subjects I enjoyed- so English, English lit and History. I coasted it in subjects like drama/sociology, doing enough to pass and then made no effort at all in maths and science. That's my one regret- not working a bit harder in maths as I could easily have passed but didn't. I got A*s in English and History and an E in Maths because I did nothing and hated it. With a lot of B's in between 😂

It's not a bad approach though in some ways.... pass the important ones like English and Maths and make an effort for the ones you like.

Dobbyisahouseelf · 28/05/2021 15:32

Totally reasonable. I think 2 hours per day is more than manageable with one full day off. I think if they can get into good habits in year 10 it makes GCSE year much easier, still stressful but not a mad panic ( from a year 13 Mum).

Maireas · 28/05/2021 16:57

@Dixiechickonhols

My yr 10 is revising next week. Full formal exam week straight afterwards. With Covid they need to ensure they do their best in case exams disrupted and this forms part of teacher assessment grades. I’d booked a day off work and she’s been reluctant to have a day out. Shame as it’s first hols they can actually do anything.
Exactly. As pp have said, they could contribute to the final grade. They'll have a nice long break in August.
NeverForgetYourDreams · 28/05/2021 17:59

@StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind

Out of interest, do they still do the same number of GCSEs?

I did mine 17 years ago and did...

English
English Lit
History
Drama
Sociology
German
D&T (think I did graphic design)
Double Science
Maths

I think that's all of them..

DS is doing 11 but at least 2 of them he's useless in (his words not mine) so we are treating as 9.....
NeverForgetYourDreams · 28/05/2021 18:01

Well day 1 of revision as inset day and he did not a lot. Unless of course maths involves a gaming headset.......:-/. Oh well can lead a horse to water and all that..

WelcometoJam · 28/05/2021 18:23

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WelcometoJam · 28/05/2021 18:24

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Original poster
examstresshelp · 29/05/2021 10:58

@WelcometoJam pretty ambitious. She's on course for 7,8,9. Currently wants to do something that will require A and B grade alevels.

In any case, she's now set herself a realistic amount of work for the week, evening out to 2-3 hours a day. It'll get her started, give her confidence and identify areas to address, and the assessments are late compared to other schools.

I know her well enough to know she will ramp up the work, but not if she hasn't started early because she panics then.
Thanks all. Has been very useful to hear a spread of opinions.

OP posts:
altiara · 29/05/2021 11:54

My DD is planning to revise a few hours a day (not every day though) as the school gave her lower predicted grades than she was expecting. She wants to make sure she’s able to go up a couple of grades. She also asked for a tutor in subjects she’s not good at.
I do try and check how under pressure she feels and let her know she doesn’t have to get good grades to please me.
Trying really hard to get the support level right.
Unfortunately she gave me a pile of geography books that she’s going to test me on. I think this is the best way she learns by testing me and then laughing at my answers.

AlmostSummer21 · 30/05/2021 07:16

[quote TippityTapTap]@AlmostSummer21

There is nothing on there either.

This is kind of outing but I emailed his tutor this morning and a bit later on we received a year 10 parents email saying that there will be exams but a date has not been finalised yet. So I may have just been a bit premature querying it. [/quote]
Seriously? Bloody hell, there's only a half term left, I can't believe they don't know when they're doing Y10 exams 🙄🙄

MyOtherProfile · 30/05/2021 07:23

@Dishwashersaurous

Yes, I do believe that we didn't do revision for gcse. It just wasn't a thing. We did lessons, homework and then sat the exams afterwards. We didn't do revision.
What year was this? Revision was definitely the norm for us in our last year.
CokeDrinker · 30/05/2021 11:28

If she's in year 10, she's old enough to know what to do by now, surely? Why do you feel the need to ask her?
She will either revise, or she won't. She knows the exams are coming up.

She knows what she has to do.

ridl14 · 30/05/2021 11:35

Teacher here - our (state) school has given all students fairly hefty revision tasks over half term in all subjects. It's not unreasonable to ask her to do some revision IMO, particularly if you can help her structure it, focus on the topics/subjects she needs to review, and ensure she's also able to rest and socialise.

Who knows what will happen with assessments and school closures next year, there's no guarantee after the last couple of years that her Year 11 exams will go ahead as normal. It's a wise investment to put effort in to the Year 10 exams just in case the school need to use this as evidence for teacher-assessed grades later.

Mrshook · 30/05/2021 12:25

Let your child have a break. Kids are stressed and tired. A break will do her more good. She will then be refreshed to start again after half term.