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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Great timing DS!

14 replies

OrmIrian · 17/05/2012 10:12

DS1 is not that academic. At school he's always muddled along somewhere round the middle. He shows the odd burst of enthusiasm but it never seems to last long I have been trying to push him to work more, revise, or even just TALK to me about how he was getting on. His marks are as they always have been ...OKish but not good. But he assured me he's doing fine, he's not worried.

First science modules I helped him to revise as he was a bit worried and he got Cs for all three subjects - about par for the course unfortunately.

But last night I finally managed to have a coherent chat with him. He's really worried about his marks. He is only doing foundation stage maths and both modules are after half-term. Even that is a disappointment as in primary the head described him as a 'natural mathematician'. Currently he isn't sure he's even going to pass that I will do anything I can to help but FFS why couldn't he tell me earlier that there were problems? Tutor hasn't really helped - just tells us there's nothnig to really worry about.

I've ordered a maths GCSE revision book from Amazon and I guess that's what we'll be doing over the half term. Joy!

Any more ideas? Please? I am feeling utterly despondent.

OP posts:

happygardening · 17/05/2012 10:47

My DS1 (yr 10) is erratic at maths sometimes brilliant often pretty rubbish other times ok, He's on track for a C he could get a B if he was more consistent but he hates the subject! I take the view a C is a pass and good enough for me I would rather he channeled more energy into subjects he's good at; English and history. I keep telling him that he has to have a pass at maths and that he will sit it till he passes it even if he has to sit it 20 times so he might as well get on with it work hard and pass it the first time and then never have to grace a maths classroom again. He has a tutor that definitely helps and we've been advised to do 15 mins a day of maths from the school website; in my dreams, so we've decided three times a week is a fair compromise!

Snowfire · 17/05/2012 10:48

Does the school have any extracurricular maths clubs? Our school has one for children who struggle to help them to get a C grade. Otherwise, do you know of any maths tutors? Might be worth paying for a bit of extra tuition to help sort out any issues and that might improve his confidence again

Original poster

OrmIrian · 17/05/2012 11:58

Thanks for your replies.

i think a tutor is a bit late! He's got about 3 weeks to turn it around.

He reckons there are only a few areas he struggling in but I don't know.... Re extra maths help... this is what confuses me. They are desperate to get their results up like most schools so if I child was looking likely to miss the target they'd normally be pushing like crazy. Maybe they think he'll squeak through

There are other areas too .... history is bad which is strange as it's a subject he likes. English is OK. Music is good as that is his passion. But I suppose maths and science are the key areas now.

It makes me want to weep. He's a clever boy and quite capable....but so unbeleivably lazy. I also cant beleive how stupid I have been. I thought he was doing OK. Should have tried harder to find out...

OP posts:

lancelottie · 17/05/2012 12:03

Don'r dismiss what you can get through in three weeks of slog! DS1 was predicted C grade in maths before last Easter. Three weeks of hell actual effort later, he managed an A* on the next modules and is tentatively predicted an A overall though I do need to check if he still knows any of it.

How's your own maths? And do you have time to sit and slog through revisions guides and past papers with him?

Original poster

OrmIrian · 17/05/2012 12:16

"How's your own maths? "

Ahhh..well.. I didn't even get maths O'level I managed a CSE grade 2. So to answer your question, not good. I discovered that actually I do understand numbers - I know work in IT and have spent years programming, so I have an innate understanding I guess. But having helped with KS3 maths homework over the last few years I realise how little I understand about 'school maths'.

DH is better.

OP posts:

Original poster

OrmIrian · 17/05/2012 12:17

But I agree about the 3 weeks of hard slog! I think that is the best option - with DH's help.

OP posts:

lancelottie · 17/05/2012 13:31

Ah, that makes it harder. In which case I guess you might need to shell out for something with the answers in, like this

My quadratic equations are in fine shape after the last lot of maths revision, i can tell you.

hellsbells99 · 17/05/2012 14:07

Find out which exam board he is doing and then download the past papers (and answers :) ). Practising past papers are the best way to improve - using revisions books when necessary to look at the methods. DD is doing edexcel in maths and doing past papers in maths and sciences most evenings. Good luck!

eatyourveg · 17/05/2012 14:25

we used past papers as well as the bitesize and s-cool websites to make it a bit less dull. I also bought this book and the higher version of this one which was specific to his board and the questions were set out in the same format. Having the workbook (with answers) was really useful as each page corresponded to something in the first half of the book which he could refer to if needed help

Doilooklikeatourist · 17/05/2012 14:33

Very similar to my son last year except he never admitted he was worried
He seemed to suddenly realise that he actually needed to work at revising , and was downloading past papers and using the revision guides as if his life depended upon it !

He took foundation Maths , he was apparently good at maths at primary , but started struggling when he went up to secondary . The Maths teacher gave revision lessons after school and at lunch time , and told them to call in any time . I would imagine all schools do something similar as they all want good results .

DS had all Bs and Cs which is what he was hoping for .

DD has chemistry revision at lunch time and after school English revision today ( she's year 10 and taking English Lit , Science and Dance this year )

Original poster

OrmIrian · 17/05/2012 15:13

Thanks everyone.

I have bought the Letts Maths GCSE in one week book to supplement the revision book. Will also look for past papers.

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 18/05/2012 07:45

What year is he in? When you say both modules are after half term, which modules do you mean as maths has three modules?

He should have done a mock exam at school - what did he get? It would be worth looking through those papers and seeing what questions he got wrong and focus revision on those areas rather than trying to revise everything.

I would also look at past papers - exam boards usually have these on their website along with solutions, or possibly www.thestudentroom.co.uk/
If he is is generally good at the easy stuff, I would start at the back of each paper where the most challenging questions are.

To get a C on foundation you need to be comfortably getting 75%

On the new syllabus, questions that are marked with an asterisk (*) next to the question number are assessed on the quality of written communication as well as the maths. For these questions he needs to make sure that his working out is laid out neatly and logically with notes to say what he is working out at each stage so the examiner can follow his thinking.

I wouldn't dismiss the idea of a tutor, but if he has areas that he knows he is struggling with then he should take questions that he can't do to his maths teacher who should be able to work through them with him.

Original poster

OrmIrian · 18/05/2012 11:13

Yr 10 giraffe.

As far as I know it only had 2 modules - with and without calculator? I am quite prepared to beleive I am wrong though.

i downloaded a foundation stage paper yesterday and found that I could do all of it without much trouble (amazingly). I showed DS and he said 'yeah. I've done lots of those' and it seems he did ok. But there are some things he doesn't understand. We have decided the best plan of attack is to look at past papers and when there are things he doesn't get, to use the revision books and Bitesize etc to help.

i think he was panicking. So I was too....

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 18/05/2012 12:38

If he's doing modular then there would be three sets of exams over the course, each covering part of the syllabus. If the exams he is sitting after June are the only exams then he is sitting linear which covers the whole syllabus.

If the school has a mymaths account then that is another good resource as it marks any questions he does for instant feedback. The Ds to Cs booster packs would be a good way to revise the harder material (although he still needs practice at written questions for the quality of written communication element).

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