Trivial question about GCSEs...

[ThreeBeeOneGee]

DS1 starts some of his GCSE courses in November (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths) and the rest in May (German, English literature, English language, History, plus two others to be decided).

He has asked for some stationery as an early Christmas present, but I'm not sure what he'll need, and he doesn't seem to know. So far the school have provided exercise books, but for KS3 he hasn't really done much note-taking. Do most schools provide exercise books for GCSE notes? Or do the students use A4 paper and ring binders?

Thanks.

Our lot still use exercise books.

What I have bought is CGP revision books where available, a copy of the Geog text book as it's a wierd board (no revision guide I can find) and a copy of mice and men, so DD could scribble in it.

I'd wait and see what he finds he needs.

If he's doing Art, clearly paint, brushes and pencils to work at home are handy and our lot have to buy their sketch books.

Drama has cost me a black T shirt and jogging bottoms and I'm told a trip to the charity shop for a WW2 outfit may be called for.

Clearly other subjects like DT, textiles and PE will bring their expenses too.

DD2 isn't doing GCSEs, yet, but she's much keener in sport than DD1 and had a hokey stick and bag for christmas last year. She could do with a second set of kit because she gets stuff muddy at the same rate as a boy (well she will play contact rugby).

So I think if you are limited in funds I'd wait a bit, you may need to interpret 'stationary' loosely.

Oh I have thought of two stationary things he might find useful.

A3 pad, pack of bright coloured felt pens and a pack of old fashioned record cards.

DD1does colourful mind maps on big sheets of paper and puts them on her walls and writes key facts to learn on cards.

Thanks, that's a good tip about buying a copy of the set texts so he can annotate them.

He likes the KS3 CGP guides so I'll have a look to see whether any of the GCSE ones fit with the exam boards he'll be doing.

I think he thinks that starting new courses is an excuse to get lots of new files, highlighters etc.

DS uses exercise books from school. We got 2x Rotho 1067 spaceboxes, which gives him easy access to file 10+subject books (some share) and any associated bits. Originally got them from somewhere such as Staples I think but for DD2, who is going to use from Yr 7 I had to recently order from Amazon.de in Germany (they deliver here no probs). We also like the Papermate Flexgrip retractable ball pens (no tops to lose) (available widely I think) so have bought DCs packs of 12.

He has said that mindmaps helped with his KS3 revision, so I'll get him some A3 paper. He also finds flashcards useful for definitions and vocabulary. He says that some of his friends are planning to bring laptops into school and make notes that way, but I'm a bit sceptical.

I like the look of the space boxes, but not sure if his textbooks would fit in the drawers. At the moment he is using a modular book rack with sections that click together.

I will check out the pens.

Dd loves huge pads of paper for revision- The Works does fantastic good quality A3 pads for not much money.

that it should be a Christmas present though- surely it's essentials for the job?

And Sainsbury's back to school stuff is half price at the moment.

Agree with record cards for making condensed notes when revising for exams. You can buy ring bound record cards in WH Smith - I watch out for when they're half price in sales and buy loads in readiness!

Don't worry, I would have provided him with the necessary equipment anyway . I don't know why he asked for stationery as an early Christmas present, but he is quite hard to buy presents for; he often claims he doesn't want or need anything.

I was having visions of a stocking full of school socks and geometry sets!

Mind you, if my dd got a stocking full of stationery, she'd be in heaven.....

Just one more thing, my dd bought the little ring bound revision note cards and hated them- I think it depends on how you like to revise. She now writes up her notes in hard back A4 books, sticking in the hand outs they get so they don't get lost. So I think he needs to experiment a bit until he finds what suits him. Oh, and one more last thing, you can't do too many part papers.......

curlew - probably better to do whole papers!!!

Depends on how they revise and what suits each child I guess. THe basics are all provided by school still here.

Yes to index cards/mind maps but also sometimes post it notes - some people have chemical formulae by the loo or german vocab round the house LOL.

Also highlighter pens and or removable tape things for books. Maybe nice colours too.

Probably best to give it a few months till he gets an idea of the way he works best then have a bit of an outing to partners or WHSmith and choose some together.

that it should be " Xmas pressie" confuses me. We always have stationary in the stockings- otherwise it is hard to fill them as they get beyond toys LOL . However " working tools" are large pads of partners paper etc and "gift" things will be pretty spiral bound notepads/steadtler pens etc