GCSE '18s (20) - half term beckons!

[mmmz]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3355907-gcse-18s-19-new-beginnings

Alexander, DS is currently in Berlin on school trip, travelling to Krakow + Auschwitz at the weekend. It looks like an amazing trip.

Popping back in - been a bit preoccupied with work and prepping house to go on the market. They're coming to do the photos today and it's been last minute decluttering and painting. I like looking at houses but am exhausted by sorting out my own. Just need to find somewhere to hide DDog!

It's been a good half term for DS1. He's keeping on top of his work and seems quite happy. We should get half term grades today, he's already seen them and was pleased.

He's off to Japan tomorrow for 10 days on a STEM trip. It looks really interesting - think bullet train, huge storm cellars under Tokyo etc. The only thing he's not looking forward to is a sushi making class - he hates fish! When he gets back he's doing the KCL Chemistry taster day - I think someone else's DC is also doing it?

DD1 is thriving in her first year of GCSE. After reading some of the comments about Music GCSE here I am as a bit worried but it's a small class (6) and they seem to have a lovely social time together!

Good luck with the move Sandy! I'm sure GCSE music will go well, especially with a small class. DS is loving the music A level partly because it's a small group and they get on really well, too!
I think we're all more than ready for half term but DS seems quite happy about having essays to do.

Sandy - i'm sure your DS will have a great time in Japan and they will be sure to accommodate him if he explains he doesn't like fish.

My DD had a very similar small class for GCSE Music and it worked really well for them. Apparently the A Level class has only 2 students (DD has moved schools).

Sounds like some of your DC are off on amazing trips! DD is hoping to get on the history trip to Germany next summer. There will probably be more students who want to go than places available, so she took her form back asap as it is first come first served.

She has test week this week, results after half term. I'm hoping this will persuade her to drop an a level...i really think she would be better to focus on 3 not 4.

Wrote a long post yesterday but didn't seem to send it!

Was delurking to say that DD is loving college but finding it hard work. Home work every lesson and test assesments every 4 - 6 weeks to make sure all students stay on track; we did know this before she started and it was all her decision to go there instead of stay on at school but there's a huge difference in the workload the group that chose to go to college have and those that stayed at school. She's already making revision resources, as they've been drilled not to leave it to the end, in fact with the continuous assesments she's already revising. She uses her free periods and tries to get the majority of work done in the week so that weekends are free to socialise, I think she's got the balance about right.

Good to see that, in general, it seems to be going well for everyone; I think that everyone has earned the break at half term.

Wow that's some trip Sandy - your lucky ds!

ohn I too am a bit slow with acronyms, anagrams and other word trickery so please pm me and tell me who you are

Nothing exciting planned for dd's half term - and no trips announced for her subjects as yet. I think she will spend it mostly sleeping! Tomorrow the dc and I (dh is in Vietnam) plan a Netflix binge of 'The Haunting of Hill House', with pizza and pick n mix (that constitutes a highlight of our half term!)

Limit enjoy The Haunting of Hill House I have just started watching it, even though I don't like horror, DH thinks I'm slightly mad as although I'm enjoying it I'm also constantly checking the time to see how much longer before it ends and I can relax again

It is interesting hearing about all your DC's experiences at their various instituitons, it has become apparent to me the reason DS's school doesn't get great results average is a C, as unlike many on here he doesn't have a heavy workload even though he's doing 4 A levels, all homework can be done at school and he hasn't found the work to suddenly be a lot more challenging, I think this is because they just aren't challenged in the same way as others and the pace is a lot gentler probably due to the wide ability range in the class which can be anything from a grade 6 to 9. Fortunately he has taken it upon himself to go through the text books and make his own notes.

Just like we had for GCSE's its incredible how different schools approach things in different ways. In some cases (as in Blue Belle's it is forced by matching approach to student population) but in others I guess its just SMT choices or how things evolved over time - or that some schools are developing new approaches and others continue in same way as before. Clearly different approaches suit different students and there is probably no one best way of doing things but sadly a lot of DC don't get to choose.

We are planning a lazy half term too Limits. DS won't want to do anything and he has such a busy time at school I am happy to let him chill (with hopefully some work and learning lines for the play !!)

Bluebelle your DC will go far - achieving success independently and staying motivated will stand him in good stead for the next stage

Oratory I really hope your right but I have known previous DC at the school who got all A*/A's only not to achieve as you would expect at A level and I think I can now see why. DD was never in this category and so the school worked well for her, fingers crossed DS's independant learning is enough

Hope so too BlueBelle, I think you also mentioned (but may be confused with others), you were booking tasters and 'super curricular' stuff which should help keep him motivated.

DS3's new sixth form is a bit of a mixture. Admission criteria wasn't that demanding, especially for their internal students so the classes aren't that high achieving. E.g. Only needed a 6 for chemistry and computing and 7 for maths and FM.

But they all do 4 subjects and an EPQ and they don't have free lessons, just supervised study periods. They are all doing 4 AS levels in the summer before they can drop a subject.

However DS doesn't seem particularly overloaded with homework. Most of it is being done during the study periods at school.

Grade cards are due later today. Early days, though and to be taken with a pinch of salt.

DS3 is volunteering at a maths masterclass season at our local uni which is run by university lecturers and civil servants from our town's very techie government dept. It's aimed at Y9 and they usually get around 3 pupils from each local school, invitation only, about 18 in total. 8 Saturday mornings of around 3 hours each. DS3 did the course himself 3 years ago and is now being a helper. Good PS material for a wannabe maths teacher.

Does anyone feel like they will only just have got used to having their DC in the sixth form when they'll be in the last couple of months before A levels and then it will all be over?

I just can't believe how fast this half-term has gone.

Well DS1's grades have come through and they're really good - most pleasing is all ones for effort. He deserves his trip away and am going to make a post school fuss of him at Starbucks after the orthodontist.

DDog is not liking house move. He's barked at the Estate Agent this morning and was so overcome with rage at the photographer that he released his glands. Ugh! But after two days of extreme cleaning my house has never looked so clean and tidy.

EllenJanesthickerknickers
That's lovely that he is giving back in the same outreach programme.

Ellen that's brilliant - well done to him!

Good luck with the house sale, Sandy. Have you found somewhere you'd like to move to yet?

@whistl - no where in particular yet but some lovely possibilities. Can't get too excited until we sell ours and know exactly what the budget is. I think there are bargains to be had at the moment. We live in a really nice area but are thinking of moving to a slightly less nice area for a bigger house and garden us parking (unusual in London)!

'Released his glands' ewww - do you mean his anal glands? Bet the photographer and Estate Agent were alarmed

Bluebelle - ha ha, I shall be similar - no doubt watching it from behind a cushion

Excellent move from your ds EllenJane

Half term is here yay !!!! And it feels exactly like that Whistl.

Good grade card scores from DS too, although some spiky test and homework marks. He assures me he understands the topics and the huge range is usual for him so I won't worry yet. As least there are some high ones in among them !!

Hope your DC enjoy the break, be it active or restful,

Ds doesn’t break up until next week but Dd is Home tomorrow.

Just phoned her to try & get passport sorted (her old one wasn’t where it should be) trying to explain the process over the phone was like pulling teeth.

Turns out this is a very select trip funded by some charity & only two students are chosen each year. One has had to drop out as it clashes with a Btec assessment.

So, got target grades and current progress for DS3, no predicted grades. Too early to be giving those! Interestingly enough the target grades are all quite low. Based on his GCSE results I guess as he's new to the school so they don't have much info on him. In fact they will just know his grade not his actual marks so quite a coarse set of data.

He is exceeding his targets already for maths and FM but they are very low targets considering he got a grade 9. Targets are B and C but I would have hoped A*/A and A/B.

His target for chem is B which seems fair considering he got a 7 for GCSE and his target is C for computing, again fair. He's meeting targets for both of these but hasn't actually done a test for either yet so it's just based on homework and class work. Finger in the air!

On this basis it's still too early to be looking at universities for him IMO.

Half term started for me yesterday but DS3 has broken up now. He's at his not so DF's this weekend. DS2 no longer seeing his F regularly so is with me. Long story, but in short ExH is a selfish twat.

@LimitIsUp - yep his anal glands. Luckily the photographer had headed upstairs and I could deal with the issue.

So looking forward to half term! I think we've all earned it.