Feeling out of touch and need to step up. Suggestions?

[FloraFoxley]

Hi all

Would appreciate your thoughts on my ramblings.

I have a soon to be 15 year old daughter about to start year 10. She has been predicted A grades in all her 12 GCSE subjects and because she is so 'sensible' I've mainly let her get on with this. The most I ever do is ask if she had any homework and I attend a parent's evening once a year.

Anyway, she sat her mocks just before the summer break - and I was distinctly unimpressed with the grades coming back. Yes, the odd A and B but mainly Cs and Ds. I then received a letter from the school head of year offering support and extra tuition in 3 subjects that they feel she needs extra support in. I can't yet discuss this with the school of course until next month.

I've realised that DD had been lazy and assumed that she will just pass these exams with no hard work required. She is bright and intelligent but no child prodigy and its dawned on me that we will be in for a shock in 2015 if she doesn't pull her finger out now.

So ... What should I do? Nag more? Pay for external tuition? Insist on seeing her work? I've been rather lazy and just left her to it so its probably time for me to actually 'do' something before its too late.

She has said to me that she doesn't know how to revise. Well, neither do I! Are there revision guides or something?

Any tips appreciated - thank you

She wants to drop French because she dislikes it. A lot. She would also like to drop ICT - another core subject

Her subjects are .. Double English, triple science, maths, French, ICT, French, RE, history, drama and err .. That's it I think! I thought that she had the balance about right in terms of academic subjects when she initially chose them. If she'd had her way she would have chosen all sorts of airy fairy stuff so I told her she cold choose one drama/ art type GCSE but that the rest had to be 'proper' ones ... And that, embarrassingly , was the last time I got involved. Until now.

Drop ICT - don't need it for anything. French is much more important. Personally, I'd look at getting rid of either drama or RS as well, unless she loves them, to get it down to 10 and then aim for some A*. It's just such a grind otherwise and if she likes drama she could be in a play instead - anything to get away from endless past papers!

I agree that 10 is plenty. Far better to have 9 or 10 good grades than 11 lower ones.

Drama can be quite time-intensive, (told this by friends stressing out over their daughters' practicals in drama which seem to dominate the year at the expense of other subjects.) Can she drop it?

She might get into French more if she goes and stays there. Do they do French exchanges at her school?

It is highly likely that she wont be able to drop subjects but dont forget that some of the ones you describe will only be 1/2 GCSEs.

Do be careful of the school's view of effort. IME (admittedly poor school) good effort marks are given for simply not being a trouble-maker.

Do you think she is putting the effort in?

As others have said - the CGP guides are excellent. Another thing you can do is look at past papers and the mark schemes & examiners report. These are available on line. All you need to know is the exam board. Give me a shout if you need help in locating these.

It can be useful to go through past papers for all the key subjects so that your DD can see the standard she will be expected to achieve. It can be very helpful to remind DC that there will be a real person marking their script!

There is no magic bullet. Good revision technique is all about getting ready for whatever may come on the exam paper. It is also about learning good techniques in the exam room as well - time management, question choice etc.

I doubt she'd be able to drop a subject too as she'd have gaps on her timetable. Assume RE is a half GCSE, so actually 11.5 GCSEs in total. ICT isn't exactly taxing either. (My dcs school has the same core - are you in Surrey?!)

Thanks for all your advice! Ill be returning to it all in a week it so time when she returns to school.

Her school is an outstanding one - with the best results in the county- probably why they're so keen to have kids doing so many subjects. They insist on Btecs for the children they don't consider so able - so they can still keep posting fabulous GCSE results. Sneaky?

I'd be surprised if they let her drop a subject , you're right. Far more likely is that they'll offer support