Y10 Revision advice from school

[differenttoyou]

Received an email today from school telling parents that a revision assembly had been held this morning for Y10 with advice for how they should study for end of year exams.

Furthermore, in response to questions from parents the following recommendations were issued:

During the half term it is recommended that the DCs should be doing approximately 5 hours of focused revision a day.

Between the holidays and exams the recommendation is for between 2-3 hours revising per evening and 5 hours on a Sunday.

They had stressed the importance of consolidating knowledge as they are now half way through their GCSE courses. The exams in question are internal exams, no external exams are involved.

Would any of your DCs devote this amount of time to study at this point or does this sound like overkill? What has been the advice from your schools?

Why are parents even at the 6th form enrollment?

Post 16 entry round here is always managed by the pupils themselves.

I wondered that too Sparkling

AE if your sixth form enrolments are full of sobbing parents, that suggests some sort of whole-school issue? Poor communication in Y11 at the least.

Wow! I didn't go to enrollment, even as a very involved parent, and I certainly wouldn't have been sobbing. My Dc need to be acting as adults by then (with support) and take responsibility for their actions.

Are they sobbing because their DCs did or didn't get into sixth form? I'm confused.

DDs school needs sixth formers, any sixth formers, to save from going broke, so I don't see it being a crying matter.

noblegiraffe, we have a small year 11 an a large sixth form. Most of our sixth form students come from other schools. I would previously have said, yes, most likely they were misinformed in KS4, but attitudes on here have been a bit of an eye opener.

It would seem in some cases at least, it is not so much that students or parents have been misinformed, but that they haven't taken advice seriously.

Many students do come in alone in the first instance,creamteas, it is when they go home and report back that they have been rejected that the parents come in.

And yes, Sparkling, yes, many sob; taking on board for the first time ever that your DC really and truly have run out of options, and the last chance actually was the last chance, and your dreams for your children have all come to nothing, yes it does reduce parents to sobbing, not uncommonly.

On the other hand, we also have many students arriving proudly carrying the results certificates that get them onto the courses they want. Some of these may not have worked particularly hard, but most have.

Of course we take many students of lower abilities or SEN onto appropriate courses, and the parents of children who know their offspring are going to be capable of less academically, tend to be pleased with the choices we can offer. These parents re not the sobbing ones!

But some posters on here seem to think it will all come out all right, without taking responsibility for encouraging their children into good working habits, commitment or discipline.( keep in mind that the parents attitude influences teenagers FAR more than school does!)

For some students it will come out all right, for many many many it won't and hence the need for a big box of tissues on my desk at this time of year, when parents realise what is done can't be undone.

Nocomet, we will take most students for at least a one year trial, it is the courses offered that hurt. If you had hopes of A levels and a high flying career and find your children are only offered BTEc level 2, and no option of A levels even after that, there is sobbing!

Btc level 2 is a perfectly sound course for students of low academic ability, disrupted education, or laziness! But it isn't exactly anyone's ambition for their bright child.

How bizarre.

Has it not occurred to you AElf that many people posting on this thread are either teachers themselves, or parents of (well rounded) dc who have already gone past the GCSE stage and their dc have done fine and no sobbing occurred?

I don't know about anyone else, but my dc knew what they needed to get their 6th form place so presumably if they hadn't got those results then they would know that before 6th form enrolment - that seems to be a different question from the one the OP asked and the rest of us are discussing though.

That's the trouble, backforgood. The Op asked if her children should really be doing 5 hours a day revision, and everyone has rushed around supporting her with, no of course not, mine didn't and they are fine, etc, etc, etc.

I'm making the point that many many many teenagers end up far from fine, if they don't revise a respectable amount. I know, I meet them, and their sobbing parents!

This is a warning, it is up to individuals whether they act on it or not, but I hope there will be at least one or two fewer sobbers in coming years as a result of my posts.

But the far from fine isn't not doing 5 hours revision in the holidays. It's doing bugger all most of the time.

DD1 has DCs in her art and Drama groups who really can't be bothered to do anything. DCs who don't turn up for rehearsals, DCs who still have a blank sheet of paper 1/2 way through a 10 hour exam.

Her maths teacher is tearing her hair out chasing boys who don't do their HW (and she is a dragon, that no wise person crosses) they just don't care. This isn't LA DCs this is set 2 doing higher tier papers. DD got an A in her mock, and I'm sure others did too, they have been taught the stuff if they cared to engage.

Well so far I have/had two Dc at the GCSE stage. One is very hard working - but being told to revise for 5 hours a day over half-term (when she is actually exhausted) would do one of two things a) panic her and increase stress so any work she did is less efficient, and she would be concentrating more on the "need to revise" than revising; OR b) she felt so annoyed that she would rebel.
My older child was bone idle as regards revision, but still came out with mainly As and A*; A'levels did come as a shock. He wouldn't have read any such letter, but given it to me, and increase my stress levels.
AND let me tell you that at 14, 15, 16 he was bigger than me, and if he really didn't want to do anything, there was no way I could make him; and I was already doing my best. (So I didn't need the pressure either.)

Still don't get the sobbing parents thing. They need to (hate this expression) get a grip. They really do.

I think I will just go with a common sense approach WRT revising and GCSEs in general. DS1 doesn't even know what he wants to do for A level and have no idea if he will even want to go to University-not everyone does.

I will not be a sobber at all.

I'm starting to feel like a bad parent, I have no idea what revision DD does except she says she does it and I haven't helped her with it at all except buying her whatever revision guides she has asked for and giving her the space to do it. AIBU?! She's getting good results though so I guess it's working. I have offered help, she just doesn't need/want it.

AElf. The parents you see may well have expectations of their DCs. they may want them to go to uni. they may be devestated and sobbing. they may have hopes of a flying career for their DCs.

But...it's not about the parents.

Not every child is destined for straight As, fantastic A levels, first class degree, high flying career. I know on MN everyone's child is gifted, amazing, advanced and heading straight for Oxford.

But, it's actually ok for your child to not go down that path. It isn't a failure, it doesn't reflect on your parenting skills, it isn't all about you
It's about your 15/16 year old child who will for the most part find the path that suits them.

Not everyone will excell academically. I don't quite understand why this is considered such a failure.

Some DCs will sail through GCSEs and get all A*s without much work at all.
Some will put in a LOT of work, a lot of revision and achieve As
Some will not get an A even if they did 10 hours of revision a day.
I have 3 DCs and funnily enough have 1 in each of those categories.

None of them are "better" than the other.
They are all different and all have different characteristics that make them uniquely wonderful

The only thing I want for their future is that they try their best, and live a happy life. That they find what suits them and enjoy it.

Well said Tantrums. Sometimes I think that the only thing that matters to some are A* grades and RG Universities.

Spottie a lot of threads in Education topic can instantly make you feel like a bad parent.

Some DCs will sail through GCSEs and get all As without much work at all.
Some will put in a LOT of work, a lot of revision and achieve As
Some will not get an A even if they did 10 hours of revision a day.*

DS is the first, DD is the second and I was the third! So glad they didn't take after me.

GCSEs are not the last chance at education. If they are ballsed up, it isn't the end of the world. I hate this idea hate your life is ruined at 16. There are other chances at education - ask any mature student! Yes it might be harder if you're older with commitments etc etc but furthering your education when you're older - and perhaps a little wiser - is actually an option.

I think Aeif is talking about the able but lazy kids who really don't get it that they have to work.

Some do not take the very last chance of getting acceptable results, however hard the teachers try. Some of those children think up to the last minute that teachers are the enemy and just don't wake up.

"Some do not take the very last chance of getting acceptable results,"

But is it the last chance? There are other routes. We put far too much pressure on 15/16 and 17/18 year olds. Other than committing murder or other serious crime, or getting yourself killed - there is little that you do at this age that is irredeemable.

I think teachers who think this is a last chance, and society as a whole (especially Mr Gove) need to get a grip.

Todays 16 year olds are going to be working until their late 60s, that is a long time. They are still very young. My mother used to advise me not to get married at this kind of age because "you are still growing up". Some are "younger" than others, and may have to live in the world a bit before they are ready to take responsibility. No amount of nagging is going to help with this, and may be counterproductive.

My comments apply to those kids equally. Just because a child is clever, it doesn't mean they have the smarts at that stage of their lives to do well via hard work.

In these instances, they've had a sharp lesson but they do have choices in their future. Very successful people learn from failure.

If you look at this thread lives are ruined at 14 in Year 10 Lets if they don't do 5 hours of revision a day. They have ballsed up already.

Yes.
I did smile.
DS2 only started that level of work recently - after Easter.
He's doing A2s and on track for A/A* s

They're all different. He would never have coped with that level of revision in Year 10. He would have opted out if I'd tried to enforce it/bribe him.

OK, I'm not having a go at anyone, accusing anyone in particular of being a bad parent, but I have taught teens for a LONG time, and I am describing my experiences to you.

Are GCSEs at 16 the last chance?

mostly.

It is possible to spend a year retaking GCSEs, we have students doing that. The trouble here is that everyone wants it, but not everyone is suitable. If your education was disrupted through no fault of your own, and you didn't have a fair chance to reach your potential, this is for you. We have a lot of refugees on this course. The trouble is you have no choice of which GCSEs to do. English, maths, a science, a language, a humanity. You may got a choice of science, or you may not, depending on timetabling. There is no choice of language, you do Spanish. There is no choice of humanity, you do geography. If you already have a good GCSE in a modern European language, or in a humanity , you may opt to do two sciences and drop one of the others.
Keep in mind, this is outside of what the school should be offering, it is done as a favour, to help out a certain group of students.

You can do level 2 BTEC, but this does not lead on to A levels. It leads on to level 3 BTEC, and a restricted choice of further study or career.

I see ex students in the community all around me every day. GCSEs are the key to further choices in your life, and the point at which many who end up making nothing of their lives lose their opportunities.

Yes you can study later, study privately, etc, but you are talking THOUSANDS of pounds, if you have it. Which is fair enough,

Education is offered for free once, and at the point in neurological development where it can best be benefited from!

To the PP who says it is not the parents responsibility, yes actually it is. The second biggest single indicator in how well someone achieves at school is the encouragement/support/discipline they get from home. ( the first is natural ability)

Another point that has been raised, no of course not all children are academic, and many will make a valuable contribution to society without being classically "clever".

But please understand, that competition for jobs, careers, training, etc is just as fierce, if not fiercer, at the SEN end of the range, and that hard work and discipline will benefit these children too!

And in response to the PP who mentions a dyslexic daughter, I am severely dyslexic myself, and from my own experience, and those of my pupils, it is no barrier to success, but you DO have to work harder and longer than anyone else!

I'm not looking for an argument, or to make anyone feel got at, just to make one or two families realise that yes, however many posters sneer at this, it is actually possible to have ballsed it up already by 14!

I meant the last chance of getting good results in a fairly easy way (for the able but lazy).
Doing GCSEs/qualifications at school along with peers is a lot easier than getting them later in life.

Those kids do my head in, they have so many opportunities the less able ones can only dream of.

With opportunities I mean getting good results with a little effort. Lots of children have very limited ability to retain any knowledge for a longer period of time, however hard they work.

AE seems to see the world as very black and white - 5 hours a day or none. All A*s or all Us. The vast majority will be somewhere in the middle and for most that is the optimum place to be. A couple of hours a day for a year 10 with one or two gcses and end of year exams to do seems reasonable to me for most kids as long as they have been reasonably attentive during the year.

I certainly don't expect my year 10 dc to do any more, (next year I imagine she'll double that), but she'll be fine on that, and she'll still have had time to do all those lovely extra curriculars that make her who she is.