Tell me tales of poor Prelim results that have turned into Nat 5 passes....

[WankersHacksandThieves]

...please!!

Ds2 hasn't done very well in his prelims, he is a bright lad and should have done better but tbf did minimal study. Maths is a particular worry - 26% that needs to be turned into a decent pass.

So, did it all work out in the end for your DC and if so, what was the key? Tutor? Hard studying? practice questions?

Thanks wiggly, that's good to know. I'm presuming you mean Carol Vorderman's book? Yes we did have that but I think I remember it being for more primary age? It was a very good well laid out book, I've recommended it a lot and I think I've given ours away. Maybe there is a more senior version, I'll have a google.

We have (sort of) employed our own fifth year DS1 as a tutor for DS2 - he is doing an hour a week with him going over past paper type questions, we aren't paying him now but we've said he can get a bonus if DS2 passes and it increases depending on the grade :)

We have a reward scheme in place for his own exams (well, for both the boys) and we said that that is like his wages for working hard on his own stuff. We said that sometimes at work when you do extra work or help out on stuff that isn't really your job, you may get a bonus so that's what we've put in place. We've also said it would be good practise for offering his services (on a paid basis) to other people when he can hopefully over his success with DS2 as an example. Everyone is a winner! (hopefully)

My cousin had poor results for Nat 5 prelim maths, I went over some past papers with him and he hadn't been writing down the working out, he'd just been putting down the answers, so had only been getting eg 1 mark for a 4 mark question! Once he'd fixed that and been forced gently encouraged to do some more revision he passed his finals.

Thank you sing Ds2 has been guilty of that in the past so may be a factor. DS1 is going over past papers with him and showing him how to lay out the answers.

Just going back to your OP: ds got 51% for his English Nat 5 Prelim and got an A for his Nat 5.

There's a lot of time still for studying and identifying where extra work is needed. I'm sure your ds1 will be effective in his support of ds2 - that was a good idea of yours. Iirc, they get on well as much as teenage brothers do

Is the school doing any supported study sessions? Ds' schools supported study sessions are already in full swing (Tuesdays and Thursdays - unfortunately both days that ds has rugby training)

Thanks pb yes they get on very well for two polar opposites. There is supported study for Maths but as we don't like locally, it can be a bit of a pain (lack of transport) however the teacher has said he needn't commit an hour, 10 minutes to go over a technique where he struggles every week and she'll give him a page of questions on that topic that DS1 can go over with him at home. He didn't look convinced but we have a week off now for it to sink in!

All teachers have said he needs to type in class and for his assignments and for his exams so i'm waiting on a call back so we can get this put in motion. He is only typing 3 exams at the moment - that will need to go up to 5 (maths and chemistry wouldn't really work).

Funnily his chemistry teacher asked him about what Highers he wanted to do and when DS2 told him, he said "ah, nothing in this corridor then" as his choices are all in the other wing of school. (English, History, Modern Studies, Business Management and Music (hopefully)). Ds1 is the complete opposite with all his Highers being in the Maths/Science/Tech wing.

I sometimes wonder how they are both my children :o

Well Ds just sat another maths prelim - i have no idea why he has had to do it twice - and failed again. Dropped from 51% to 38%. He is still allowed to sit the Nat 5 but not sure there is any point. He says he knows how to do the stuff, he just can't remember it!!! Erm right

demented that's such a shame :( DS2 seems to be saying similar in that he can do the techniques as they study them but when they move on to the next one he forgets the previous stuff and also seems to struggle to identify what technique the questions is asking him to use when the test is mixed stuff.

He said last night that he had to sit more maths tests in class and that he needed to pass to be able to sit the Nat 5. He says he passed 3 of the 4, can't remember what his score in the 4th one was or what happens now! . However he has gone from 26% to passing 3 parts so I am hoping that means he'll be able to sit it.

I'd say to your DS that it's really just about practice now. Paper after paper after paper. A friendly Maths teacher has said to do Credit level Standard grade and Int2 papers as well as the available Nat5 stuff. It's all the same level and will be useful.

Loads available on the internet. I am sure your DS could get a pass with a little bit of work.

Thanks wankers am just going to have to sit with him and keep him at it for the next few -long- weeks!

Well, he didn't go to school again today. School have said his attendance has passed into critical and he may well not be allowed to sit any Nat 5s!!! WTF am I going to do?

Oh No! :(

So what does he think? If I remember correctly he was planning on leaving at Christmas. Does he understand that leaving with nothing may mean that he closes every door? I think (on another thread) that we were all saying that leaving and doing an apprenticeship may not be the end of the world, but would he still have that option with nothing behind him?

tbh, I think he sounds stressed, frustrated and unhappy. I think you all have a lot going on and it would be good to just stop the clock for a bit in order to regroup and think straight. If he isn't loving school then I guess the chances of him just repeating the year and trying again next year aren't an option? If he is young in his year he'd be just like a deferred pupil. It might take the pressure off and allow him to mature but I guess he'd say "no" to that.

Is there anyone that he looks up to that he would talk to that might be able to encourage and motivate or talk sense to him?

Thanks wankers I just don't know what to do. If he has to repeat next year it will be awful. All of his friends ( hard won) will be in S5 and he will be the token loser in year 4. It will set him back beyond recovery and he just won't go to school. I'm hoping the message today will frightened him as to the severity of the situation,and that it's not just mum and dad nagging him. He is supposed to be playing at a concert tomorrow night and has had the talk about letting other people down. I wish I had deferred him when he was wee. Another year's maturity would have made all the difference I think. I'm torn between being so angry with him and being so sad for him. He doesn't seem hugely unhappy, he just doesn't care. He's always been a loner and a big "different" and yet he is very bright. I think that's what frustrating me. If he had worked hard and done his best but had to repeat,that would be one thing. Failing because of lack of effort is a different kettle of fish and I don't know how to handle it. Third child in and still learning how to parent.....

Don't beat yourself up, they are all so different and can't be parented the same. You know him best and maybe it's time for the school to impose on him what the realities of his situation might be?

The "If he doesn't want to be the loser bumped down to S4 again then he'd better pull his finger out" sort of talk.

Has he had a look at what his options are with no qualifications? Would that give him a fright? I have to say that since we have imposed a routine on DS2 he has thrived with it. Not perfect, but he has appreciated that the study time has been useful and is making him less stressed.

Hopefully your son will realise the impact of leaving with nothing to his name soon. He reminds me of my DH, December birthday switched off in S1 which caused despair to the in laws. DH does regret it now but he needed to work it out for himself.

I know policy will vary school to school but I haven't heard of a pupil not being allowed to sit Nat 5 due to attendance levels. In fact we run ourselves ragged to try to get Folios and Assignments and (the bloody pointless) Internal Units from kids with low attendance. School avoiders, young people with chronic conditions are vulnerable and vitally need any qualifications they have a chance of.

Stay in touch with the school and let them know your onside, offer to help him complete anything outstanding.

Check with local authority what the policy is and quote it if need be.

Thanks all. He went in today after being threatened with death, doom,plague of locusts and the waking up to the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse standing round his bed. He says he has had a good day because he didn't have to go to any classes as he was told to be in rehearsals all day for the school concert tonight!!! WTF? Way to reinforce that message, school!

He did say that there is a study club on during the school holidays and he thinks he should maybe go to it. No shit, Sherlock!