Is there such thing as *too* many mock GCSEs?

[Echobelly]

My kid's school, I have discovered, has a serious amount of preparation exams for GCSEs, and I understand preparation is good, but AIBU for finding the following a bit much:

• 1 year to go exams - OK, good to get them used to exam conditions and what to expect
• Mocks in November - used to be in January in my day, I suppose they have changed them so people aren't studying over Xmas, still reasonable
• More mocks in March - seriously? Only found out they had these a few weeks ago

So basically, first world problem I know, I don't think we can have any family holidays January - summer hols because there's exams after both half terms and the real thing is not that long after Easter - certainly for a dilligent and rather anxious child like our teen who gets worried about not being able to revise every day.

But in general, this is an awful lot of work, especially when taking 9 whole subjects - I suppose in the long run they may not have to work as much for the final ones but it does feel a bit too pressured not to at least give them the spring term off exam practice.

This is the norm now, I’d say. We have a similar schedule and so do most other local secondaries.

The mocks are how we desensitise them to the exam room stress. By the time they go into their final exams they feel like they’ve had plenty of practice. The marks they get in the mocks aren’t important, it’s the practice they get and the feedback that makes the difference. I’d go away in October half term anyway and would tell your child not to worry about cramming right before the exams.

I think the days of one set of mocks in November are over. The kids are so anxious now that I think some of them would keel over if the first time they sat some papers was the real thing. March mocks allow them to have a practice of every paper before the ones that count.

Trouble is in some subjects you don't finish teaching stuff for the second paper until March/April. So to experience a full paper you need a mock that last in the year.
In science - which is what I know best - the Y10 and Nov papers will both be Paper1. When does paper 2 get seen if not march?

I'd be interested if anyone whose kids have been through this have any advice for pacing one's revision through all of these - for example is it worth taking foot off the gas a bit for March ones so you can save mental energy for the real thing?

This has been quite a pricey year for hols and husband is working on launching a product so I don't think we're looking at any family breaks before spring.

And thanks for explanations about why the later papers as well, that is helpful to know.

My daughter's school had a similar schedule for mocks exams and I was concerned that it was a lot of pressure/revision etc.
However, when the real GCSE's came around in May she was soo well prepared and went into the exams like it was nothing other than another mock. In fact she was worried she wasn't worried enough

My DS's school did this and it meant that by the time the exams came round he was really relaxed about it and had also mastered reading the question properly, managing time, etc.

In terms of revision he built it up as it got closer, with the serious hours of revision started at Easter. Until then it was more around getting all the homework done and writing revision materials.

Thanks @autumn666 - probably worth telling DC to think make sure they read the questions carefully; it's the sort of thing they might come unstuck on if they're not careful. They should be heading for very good results one way or another, I just don't want them to get too stressed or miss out on living too much of their life this year!

I hope you weren't planning to take kids out of school during GCSEs!

It's pretty normal amount of mocks. In March some subjects will do a part mock instead of a full one, as a final practise. The real thing is more spread out than mocks, but there will be more papers.

My DC’s school had a similar schedule. Mocks at the end of Year 10, the results of these meant some set changes for some kids, for example, moving from triple to combined science. The November mocks were key ones as the school used these to set GCSE predicted grades for 6th form application references. The March ones just before the actual GCSEs, DD was less stressed about these results as she had heard offers back from 6th forms by then. But she completely cocked up one of the Geog papers and answered more questions than she needed to. A few others in the class did the same. So despite all the mocks beforehand they were still making silly mistakes like that and it was a very good to learn that lesson in a mock and not the real GCSE.

The best preparation for exams is practicing doing exams.

My daughter has 3 sets of mocks. Like a pp she said she sat in the real thing thinking 'hope my real exam' is like this - then remembered it was the real one!

It's increasingly common, but I don't think it should be.

I like having mocks at the end of Year 10 as a half way point, a set of Year 11 mocks towards the end of the autumn term and then have the time to teach and revise with my students.

It's also not fair on the students in my opinion. The ones who are hard working are likely to find the endless pressure unhealthy and stressful. It promotes cramming for the next set of mocks instead of long term learning. The students who are lazy and aren't working aren't generally shocked by lots of mocks as they're about as effective as the pointless "year 11 there's not long to go " assemblies.

It is largely irrelevant whether they are called "mocks" or not, as towards the end, students are spending near 100% of their time practicing exam questions, independently.

Most people only have one family holiday anyway. Best thing to do is to help your teen stop worrying so much. School exams really don’t matter.

My kids' school started having more mocks from 2021 onwards so that if there was another lockdown and the real exams were cancelled they would have plenty of data for their students to be awarded accurate GCSE grades based on mocks alone. Don't know if they will cut back a bit in years to come but currently they're still following that timetable of mocks.

@Hercisback - no, would never take kids out in term time. The holiday thing isn't massive just a bit of a shame, especially as it looks like we'll only be able to do a week next summer between the kids' summer camps and picking up GCSE results, which oldest says has to be in person from the school.

They know school exams don't matter in themselves, but they didn't do as well in a couple of their year-to-gos as they expected, even thso it knocked their confidence a bit, so hoping the other ones can reassure them.

It is largely irrelevant whether they are called "mocks" or not, as towards the end, students are spending near 100% of their time practicing exam questions, independently
I think it does make a difference.

Working through a section of a paper (my subject works out roughly 45mins-1hour a section) in class, doing live walk-throughs, lots of verbal feedback and modelling is a much more effective way to teach exam techniques than losing 2-3 weeks of useful teaching time to mock exams several times in Year 11.

It's also better for marking and feedback so the students get better quality feedback from me quicker.

A set of mock exams in the hall has their place, but I think some schools have gone too far the other way and think that you fatten a pig by weighing it more.