Improving GCSE grades

[igiveup21]

So DSD is currently working at 3/4 gcse grades in mocks. She said that her teachers have said by gcse time in 8/9 months time with a bit of extra work she can reach 8s... I have upset DH by saying this is unrealistic. 1) she's off school at every opportunity, 2) is work shy and during the lock down completed the absolute bare minimum of work just. 3) Doesn't like revising 4) has no drive to anything other than sit in her bedroom on social media. Am I being out of order or is that realistically possible to go from low 4 / high 3 to an 8. I will eat humble pie if I am wrong!!
I suggested contacting the school to find out in person because her mum has no clue she didn't know you have to pay for university. She was saying oh yes Mable will go to uni and when asked if she was putting money by for it just in case like us, she laughed and said you don't pay for it, it's not private school 🤦🏻‍♀️.

I have upset DH by saying this is unrealistic

A more appropriate comment would have been "what can we do to help her". Not surprised he is upset by your negativity.

It's unrealistic to go from a 3/4 to an 8 by not putting any work in.

It would be difficult to do with putting work in.

@Blanketpolicy help was offered with the mocks and help will be offered again but we need to be realistic here. If the kid is not likely to get 8s like she is saying then she needs to get the best results that she can. Plus she has a tendency to give lip service to her dad tells him what she thinks he wants to hear rather than the truth. She was offered help to draw up revision timetables, revision guides were bought. Regular phone calls were made to see how she was doing when she was at home. she chose not to take up the offer of help. Said I'm fine I have a plan I know what I'm doing. We both reassured on the days we saw her, that we can all help as mocks might be taken in to account next summer. She was told just shout, if you need that help. so before you jump the gun, things were put in place. What's that they say you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink... mum thinks good exam results are dished on a silver plater without having to put the effort in so she's no help. I haven't been negative at all I'm just trying to be realistic and see if it is really worth pushing and enforcing revision. Anyway school have been contact to get a clear picture. But thank you for your response

@noblegiraffe hmmm that's what I thought in such a short period plus if we take school holidays away roughly 7 weeks give or take is almost two months off that time frame, plus her attendance is sitting just below 75%. I mean blanketpolicy said I was negative I'm trying to be realistic and if it's achievable we will obviously support and push where possible but ultimately she has to put the work in. It is tricky, I guess we will just have to wait and see what school comes back with in terms of achieving and then put a plan of action in place. I mean not be anymore negative she lives about 15 min walk from school and is late pretty much everyday because she lays in, lockdown she was getting up at 1 working from 2pm - 3pm when with mum. So not the attitude of an A student in my eyes. I maybe surprised and I will apologise for doubting if so

Why are you putting money by for university? The student gets a student loan.

A very able but lazy child might go from 4s to 8s if they realise in the end they need to put some work in. It would be unusual though. Honestly I don't think this is your battle to fight. I would be supportive but let her learn this lesson

@daisypond because we don't know if she will be fully funded for the course we are talking another 3 or 4 years away for uni. she might not get a little job to support herself whilst there so rather than have to dig around to find cash to support her we thought it was the sensible thing to do and put money by for this in case she does go. If not what a nice little saving pot she will have.
Bloody hell I only wanted to know if it's a realistic expectation of a kid hitting 3/4s in mocks to gets 8s in real exams.

@rosesandsalvias thank you x

Op I don't think it is realistic in my subject (MFL) to move from 3 in summer year 10 to 8 (which is an A* in old money) by year 11. Is she very bright (but lazy and uninterested)? If so I think an uplift of a couple of grades is possible with hard work and focus.

Her attendance is very poor, is that related to covid? tbh unles there was a massive health-related reason (chronic ongoing illness) I would be addressing that first. But if she doesn't live with you it's not easy.

Please continue to offer support; she has to want this.

Re university, most students receive a tuition fee loan and a further loan for living costs. Parental financial support is needed if parents earn a lot and this the student gets a minimum living costs loan.

@clary no attendance is not illness related she will tell mum I'm not going in today and she allows it, it can be various reasons it generally doesn't warrant time off, in our house its go to school and see how it goes but at home it could be up late and not going in, tummy ache - not going in.

That's good to know but she's just your average kid id say, didn't pass the 11+ by quite a few marks. Just has no interest mum says "well mable doesn't want to so what can I do"when things are mentioned. I don't think she does want it because she would be attending everything the school offers to improve her grades. We spent £40 on revision books because she wanted them and they not even come out the bag. But we will obviously continue with supporting and pushing in the right direction. Mum does homework and coursework if shes late on completing it so that's not teaching her a thing.

She said all of her teachers have said this so not just option ones so I'm expecting 8 grade 8s - Only kidding! if she comes out with 4/5s because she did her absolutely best we will be very happy. I just don't see the point of putting unnecessary pressure on an unrealistic situation if that makes sense.

My SIL teaches GCSE students. She says as a general rule you would expect one or two grades improvement if a student picks up the pace, so mock 3s and 4s would usually mean 5s and 6s. Of course there are exceptions.

For subjects with tiered entry i.e. Maths, Science and MFL unless there is a significant improvement by the next set of mocks exams your dsd is likely to be entered for Foundation tier which will limit her maximum grade for those subjects to a 5.
There is a strong correlation between low attendance and low GCSE grades so her attendance will need to improve too.

Anyone else can’t get past the child name being Mable?

I teach English. 3 to 8 is extremely unlikely even with hard work.

She needs tough love. If she feels sick there are toilets where she can be sick 🤒.

My 15 year old told his Gcse Drama teacher that I would send him in in a coffin. 😂 🤣 😂 😂 🤣 😜 This is true. Education, education, education! ❤️

(If you are a moderately high earning family you should certainly be putting away enough money to provide £5k per year of uni because the child won't be entitled to borrow the full loan.)

I agree that she’ll be set for certain exams already so she won’t be taught the content for the higher tier exams so won’t be entered into them.

DS did something similar in Physics so it is possible (he's now taking A Level after a 2 in his Year 10 exams). Although it depends on why she is underachieving now and what she is prepared to do to improve.
You will, as others have said, need to find out if she's already unable to get top grades due to sets. DS's school didn't teacher differentiated material for foundation/higher prior to Year 11 (except maths).