Year 12 #1 - GCSEs are sooo last year!

[bpisok]

New thread to see us through to Christmas?

Either Tassomai or Senecalearn?

@JugglingMummyof2 its a thrill, isn't it? Is it 2019 or 2020 that your Dc will be doing the GCSEs?

I'm not sure how worthwhile Tassomai would be in year 10. Tassomai are rolling out AS levels now and they gave DS a free subscription. He's doing A level Physics, but there's a lot of overlap. It was a big success for Ds1 at GCSE so I thought it would be the same for the A level, but he found that he hadn't done enough of the course to make it worthwhile. He was being asked questions on topics that were still to be taught. Also the way they slice and dice the curriculum does not follow the exam board's chapter headings.

That was in September or October and he gave up on it. It may be worth him trying again now though as he must be about 1/2 of the way through the AS material.

It would be the same for the GCSE courses though. If you start now, and it is only the first term of year 10, then a lot of it will be untaught now and it is off-putting to be asked lots of questions that you couldn't know and so keep getting them wrong.

Yes Tassomai!! Thank you very much. Though I have just checked out Seneca and DD1 has registered and started her A level Chemistry on there - a great free resource.
Good point on how much(little!!) of the course they have covered thus far - we are a 2020 year so I will have GCSE and A Levels at the same time but DD1 is completely independent now learning wise and loving her choices so I feel zero pressure from that area of the family. DD2 is so bright and could do just as well as DD1 if she applies herself. To be fair to her she is starting to focus a bit more now in year 10 than in previous years but likes to plough her own furrow so I thought Tassomai might be good so I could keep an eye without seeming to do so.
Gosh I really love Mumsnet - support, information and a chance to have a good old rant or moan when we need one.

JugglingMummyof2, I completely agree!

Did you know there is a GCSE 2020 support thread? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/a3372754-Year-10-GCSE-Support-Thread A few of us are on it. The current conversation is "How much is your DC doing?" and I'm thinking "What? Already???!"

TBH, I find it more comfortable here - I feel like I know everyone here but I don't over there. Still, if it keeps going, it will hopefully evolve into something like we had for year 11.

I like it here so I'll lurk for a bit and see how it pans out....
This is the contrast between my two - I showed them both the Seneca website and created an account for DD2 - she looked at a topic, answered a few question, said 'great' and went back to reading her book.
DD1 said - I'll try that, created her account and has finished the first two topics within the hour.
Yes she is 2.5 years older but ..... it is DD2 that has exams in 12 days that split them between triple and combined science and still....

My recent namechange was triggered by being recognised on that thread. My situation regarding that year group is a bit identifiable so it could easily happen again (unless I create a different username for each child).

I've seen the 2020 thread but don't yet feel I want to engage on the issue that DD has GCSES coming up. I think it's because a) DS1 has been through it so I know what's coming and b) she's a very organised character who has everything under control.

If anything I suspect she'll be need to encouraged to chill a bit and not work too hard. Which was NOT an issue with her DB!

sandybayley I fully empathise with the emotions about having already done it/ got the knowledge etc and also feeling repelled by the thought of doing it again so soon!
The reasons I am on the thread is because there were several regular posters on the 2018 threads who had DC doing A levels and I feel they must have been getting something out of it (probably the mutual support) and also to try to help those who haven't been there/ done that.

As an example: A couple of posters are worried that their DC aren't getting the top grades on their first end of topic tests when they haven't had a chance to practice the exam techniques!

I'm hoping that if I put in the ground work now, there will be a community there by 2020 which will provide the handholding that I found invaluable six months ago.

TheFirstOHN how about a couple of white lies and one more name change (change your DS's gender, specifically name a county that you do not live in) and change your name so that it has nothing to do with GoT?? It should be enough to throw people off the scent.

@whistl - you are a good person! I will try and be a bit more community minded and chip in. I'm just a bit preoccupied with house sale/purchase at the moment (or lack of).

I'm also a bit worried that that thread will get a bit angsty about achievement levels. Was it that one that wanted to create two separate threads?

I think it was this one! One for Oxbridge and one for the rest.

I could be wrong there. I was swamped with work at the time and was only skim reading at best.

Yes it was this one that said we should split but I prefer to stay on the main as having had a CCD and a BBC child go through it is the firsr time I have an actual boff to see through A levels etc! Also he is a bit of a party boy so I can't relate to a pure Oxbridge thread only as he is not yiur typical Oxbridge applicant in that regard.

I'd prefer to stick to one A level thread too.

TBH, for choice, I'd like to be able to speak about DS2 to all of you as i trust your advice. However, I know that's not fair so I won't.

Let's not split! DS1 will do an Oxbridge application but when time comes I will pop over to the 2020 Oxbridge thread for the detailed stuff. I think there are a few of us who'll be in the same situation?

It's early days with predictions. One thing DS has found is that he's been given tests before they go through the exam technique so the first few marks are a bit skewed - he does essay subjects so definitely an art to them. I think this is why his results for music have been higher - I suspect that will change by the Summer. Also, music is a small group and the teacher brings him cups of tea!
Two tests this week and one is in the hall so very like a 'real' exam.
DS2 isn't bothered about GCSEs yet - he chooses his options in January but doesn't seem that interested!

DS2 has now been given target grades. He will get predicted grades after the exams at the end of Y12, and these will be the ones submitted to UCAS.

Fire away about DS2 whistl we re here to listen about anything. I think DS and I are both more relaxed about test results now after gcse as he feels he knows what he needs to do to get average mid year results up to good with exam technique and practise. I hope that’s not misguided and he doesn’t find that impossible due to the work stepping up a level - but I think as long as he understands the material he should be ok. He s also being helped that with 6 lessons per subject pw they’re racing through the content leaving practise time. In fact in maths where the further maths group are doing a level maths in the first year they’re over half way through the full syllabus. It’s win win as even if he doesn’t persevere with the further maths exam it means he’s effectively using his frees now for extra maths lessons when I know he wouldn’t be revising his other subjects in that time if he was just doing the three. I think it’s just pure luck that at a non academic school they’re following a system that suits his laid back nature (and he doesn’t mind 12 maths lessons a week).

Definately fire away about ds2.

I too have two totalyl different children. Dd was 110% motivated,m organised and prepared to put in the work. Ds is clever but cannot cope with stress, is predicted Grade 8 in some subjects, Grade 2/3 in others and the rest 4-6 and just does not put in any work!

I don't was t 2 separate threads. I don't come on much to comment but follow as much as I can. My dgd has dropped to 3 A levels. She is quite capable of doing 4 but she wants top grades and a life too! Academia a d mental health has to be considered equally. I hope the fact that she is doing 3 rather than 4 A levels does not mean she is seen as less of an achiever.

Sostenuto, some schoos don't even offer 4 so I really should not worry.

Sost if she wants to go to a top uni then definitely three is better because she’ll need those a s and a stars.

Whereas for ds if he wants to do an apprenticeship he ll need to achieve b s in his final results which would be more achievable but will need to impress at an assessment day and interview - so for a coding type apprenticeship saying he s doing FM may be beneficial. So for uni 3 top grades would be better but for him 4 b s may be as useful. I think anyway ?

What happened? did we get a troll or a journalist?!

Have I missed something?

DD is taking three and that's more than enough. She might or might not apply to Oxbridge, but she almost certainly will go elsewhere. Let someone else set up a high flyer's thread if they want to, but I'm at home here and I want to find out what happens next with all of our families. I do mean families as well, because we've had some many snippets about siblings, spouses and parents that I do feel involved in the whole caboodle.

Hmm was wondering that - its not our friend form earlier in the year is it ? I'm curious now but then I'm naturally nosy :) Did anyone see it before it disappeared ?

sandybay I will follow you on that. As indeed I have followed you for the last 5 years since our Dc were taking entrance exams!