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Original poster

Year 11 mock exams

47 replies

Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 15:54

Do most state schools do mocks for year 11 in December?
Ours does and I think it's awful. January is much better giving them time to revise over Xmas.
What you most schools do?
Is dec or Jan better for mocks in your view?
What do 6th form colleges do? Dec or Jan? Thanks!

OP posts:
TheBitterBoy · 12/11/2023 15:57

Ours does two sets, one just finished this week, the next set late Jan. I'm not sure if there is an 'ideal' time really.

BoohooWoohoo · 12/11/2023 15:59

Our comp did 2 sets of mocks too so that kids could see how much they'd improved.
Pros and cons for both dates imho. Mocks before Christmas means that you can have a break over the holidays without feeling so guilty.

Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 16:00

Thanks. Why is Jan bad? Because it ruins Xmas? Currently I just think the weather is bad might as well re revising at Xmas. All she will do is watch Netflix for two weeks and go out.

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loulouljh · 12/11/2023 16:00

Doing them now and again February...

Dinosaurdrip · 12/11/2023 16:10

My son starts his on Monday and then next ones in Feb which I think will work well.

Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 16:14

What do teachers think about year 11 mock timings? And what happens at 6th form? Smile

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Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 16:15

Primary was great. You had the school gates to ask all this stuff!

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KittyMcKitty · 12/11/2023 16:16

The school my children went to did year 11 mocks in December and then year 13 in January.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 12/11/2023 16:17

Ours are after February half term which is pretty shit!

Isthisreasonable · 12/11/2023 16:19

Ours are November and February. I assume not least so that exams become routine and the real thing less pressured for the students.

Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 16:20

I think we have December and March.

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MissyB1 · 12/11/2023 16:21

I’m an invigilator, they kick off next week for for schools round here, then February.

JustWhatWeDontNeed · 12/11/2023 16:32

Ours are this week and they have monthly PPEs in maths and English between now and April.

I think there may be additional PPEs before Feb half term, but not certain.

BeyondMyWits · 12/11/2023 16:37

This week, then mid Feb here. Lessons learnt from Covid times mean more evidence is collected from formal mocks that take place under invigilation. Improvements can be shown proving higher marks are appropriate should the exam schedule be scrapped again.

clary · 12/11/2023 16:37

As you can see OP it really varies. The school I taught in did them end Nov-start Dec, and again in Feb. Gave students a real chance to see where they were before Christmas - by this stage of year 11 it's possible to give meaningful feedback IMO.

My DCs' school did them in Jan which was also fine. They then did a re-do of them end Feb-start March which felt a bit late tbh.

noblegiraffe · 12/11/2023 16:53

Having mocks hanging over Y11 over Christmas would be awful. You'd get the stressed ones who'd spend the entire holiday revising when they really need to get something of a break, then you'd get the lazy ones who'd do bog-all and come into the exams totally unprepared.

Our Y11 have got them in a couple of weeks. We're doing plenty of revision and practice in lessons to build up to them that they actually have a chance of remembering.

Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 16:55

They had some mocks in July. Then some more in December. Then I think it's late Feb. Think December is late. November is a bit better

What do teachers think?

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Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 16:56

@noblegiraffe Ok that makes sense.

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Whereisthesun99 · 12/11/2023 16:56

my son has his at the end of the month beginning of December and then some again in March, he has been revising since September, we are looking forward to some down time over the Christmas holidays.

MrsHamlet · 12/11/2023 16:56

Year 12 did theirs in May which was too early.
Year 10 in late June.
Y11 and 13 January.

DanceMumTaxi · 12/11/2023 16:57

My school is just starting them now. We used to do them in Jan but it’s changed because parents complained it ruined Christmas and hardly any of them used the holiday to revise anyway so it was pointless.

Original poster
Flyhigher · 12/11/2023 17:08

Yes. I think they will be harder to police in the holidays. She started doing a little work. Not really revising yet.

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Malbecfan · 12/11/2023 17:35

My school is like @noblegiraffe 's. Y11 have mocks starting a week tomorrow. Results will be collated, typed and put in an envelope to be given out straight after Christmas, just like the real exams. It gives them a break over the festive season, but it's then full on until May. The results of the mocks also helps them to decide about their A level choices.

Y13 have mocks in January. Y12 have exams in June the results of which we use to inform UCAS predictions.

loulouljh · 12/11/2023 19:20

We have to apply for 6th form before Xmas round here...seems very early.

Purplepeoniesdroppingpetals · 12/11/2023 19:23

We have year 11 mocks in November because the post16 applications system needs the info before Christmas, so that staff can schedule and complete interviews next term.