Year 10 parents evening - such pressure to get As and A*s, when a C is a pass

[BigSandyBalls2015]

Sorry if that sounds defeatist and lacking in ambition for DD. She's doing well, she's taking 11 GCSEs and she's on target to pass all of them at C or above, but last night the pressure was seriously on for her to achieve the As and A*s that are her predicted grades at the end of year 11.

This is more for the school isn't it? Their figures/data. DD doesn't want to go to uni, she's not sure what she wants to do really at this stage. She hates studying, we have to nag and bribe and confiscate to get her to do anything, and she's a fairly anxious teen, so I've been backing off a bit.

These As and A*s that are 'predicted' are solely from the results of her Year 6 SATS, it all seems madness to me.

Considering she is doing well, I feel that last night was depressing and disappointing from the teachers point of view, as she isn't doing as well as school believe she can.

I'm late 40s now and there was never any pressure like this when I was at school. And I'm sure there was far less anxiety, depression, self harm etc amongst teens.

Am I wrong to back off and let her find her own way.

Aw, this thread is really interesting, so many people seemed to have been raised to believe that top uni's are what everyone should aim for and that GCSE's and A levels are the only way to access H. E and then they need to be A or B grades.
Wow!
We were just told to try our best, no wonder so many dc are screwed up.

OP, she needs to be allowed to find her own way, pressure won't help her at all.
You are right to back off. Just be there to support if she needs you and give her the right environment for when she does want to study.

I know so many people who have gone to uni, have degrees, post grad quals etc without a GCSE or O level to their name.
I know people working in all sorts of jobs, and with all sorts of careers who are like this.
Even qualified teachers, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Aw, this thread is really interesting, so many people seemed to have been raised to believe that top uni's are what everyone should aim for and that GCSE's and A levels are the only way to access H. E and then they need to be A or B grades.

depends what your capabilities are and what you want, obviously. But if this is what you want, then these are the qualifications you need.

Has anyone asked staff at schools that insist on 10 or 11 subjects why it is that this is not done in the independent sector, independent schools are businesses, they tend to do fewer GCSEs overall, and more of them iGCSEs, because it is cheaper.

karenlong seriously? You really think that is the answer? Cheaper? And why are IGCSE's relevant to expense? Given that independent schools tend to have smaller groups /classes and therefore more teachers I very much doubt that, but I'm prepared to take on your evidence for that.

I suspect the reason why fewer GCSE's are taken is that it is not academically necessary and by doing so more time can be taken to get the best grades possible without diluting the timetable with unnecessary subjects. Again I'd be fascinated to hear a justification as to why 11 GCSE's is inherently better and/or gives a student an advantage over someone with "only" 8 or 9

I know its the answer homebythesea, I've worked in private schools.

Ok I will take your word for it. However that doesn't answer the second question which is what us the educational benefit of doing more subjects? Given that privately educated kids are proportionately over represented in good universities I think the answer to that one is ....errr.....none

"I know so many people who have gone to uni, have degrees, post grad quals etc without a GCSE or O level to their name."

You keep saying this. But you never say exactly how.

A lot of state schools seem to push RS as a GCSE because they have teach it anyway. That's one extra.

'We were just told to try our best'

Who's saying any different? If a child has worked hard to get a C or a D or an E then what more can you ask of them? If they haven't bothered to put any effort in and ended up with a C when they were perfectly capable of getting A*s then that's really not their best.

BertrandRussell
"I know so many people who have gone to uni, have degrees, post grad quals etc without a GCSE or O level to their name."

You keep saying this. But you never say exactly how.

one possible route
BTEC dirst diploma
BTEC National Diploma
BTEC HND
Degree etc.

Another route
Apprenticeship
G/NVQ levels 1-4
Degree etc.

These routes are very dated now but it was possible to do it that way.

I don't understand why people are asking the OP why her dc is doing 11 GCSE's. Many schools expect them to do just that, and it is how the timetable and curriculum is set up. You can't just say to the school 'Oh can't my dc just do nine or ten - eleven is too many'. They won't let you drop any subjects.

There are routes Boney, and it is possible. But it is undoubtedly easier when you get the grades first time.

If you don't know what you want to do, then putting the effort in and achieving the highest grades you can leaves the most doors open with the least amount of backtracking and hoop jumping.

Obviously destroying your mental health in the process is a bad idea but there is a balance. Sitting back and doing the bare minimum to get a C because it's a pass is not the answer. Especially of some of those C grades turn out to be D on results day.

I believe you should be encouraging her to try her best, without putting so much pressure on her it has detrimental effect.

Firstly because she's at an age where thinking it's ok not to bother or try can have long term effects bigger than gcse results.

Secondly having a/a* makes life easier. She might not be planning uni or a-level now, but who knows what the future may bring?

I didn't plan on uni either. However when I ended up a young lone parent, and needed a career that balanced a reasonable wage with 9-5, uni was the route. The grades I hadn't previously cared about, made it possible to start straight on the degree of my choice, at the university of my choice, despite it being oversubscribed at that time. And until I was qualified and found a job locally, those grades got me low paid jobs, but I had far more choices about hours, where I worked, what I did.

And yy re 11 being stupid. It should be quality not quantity, so imo 11 should be for the kids who'll still get top results in that many

dodobookends the issue of number of GCSE's isn't really directed at the OP but part of the conversation about the system and whether it serves our kids well in making sure they get the best grades possible for them with the least amount of pressure and stress which was mentioned by the OP.

The question remains as to WHY schools "expect" them to do more than most independent schools apart from the apparent cost implications which I'm not convinced about Any state school teachers care to comment?

The problem is that there is way too much expectations put on teachers all around for them to be able to identify each pupil's individual needs based on their ability, their ambitions, their reaction to stress etc...

I have faced exactly the opposite. DD didn't do SATS sciences (the one year I think it wasn't required) but the algorithm used to set up targets doesn't allow a blank, so she was given a default position of 4C at end of year 6. This has affected her expected grade all along, which means that although her current results are all A*, she is still on a target of B.

It wouldn't matter except that DD is totally set on going to medical school, and has done so for 4 years now and doing everything else to help her chances of getting in, so it is especially important that does get A* at her GCSEs.

That's what teachers have to face, ambitious pupils who need to be challenged above their -sometimes wrongly set- targets whilst recognising that others don't require this challenge and whose needs are in relation to dealing with anxiety. I would expect that to be able to gain that level of knowledge to ensure they provide the best for each would take a good year, but which time it is too late anyway. The onus should therefore be on the parent to communicate with the teacher about their specific needs. My experience is that most teachers are wonderfully reactive to parents' involvement to that regard as ultimately, they do want to support their pupils individually as much as they can, but that can't take over what they are obliged to provide to the class as a whole.

the issue of number of GCSE's isn't really directed at the OP but part of the conversation about the system

And not in the least bit helpful to OP. But then OP hasn't been back so maybe not that bothered anyway.

I figure that if you have the ability you may as well use it, particularly as you'll have to sit in lessons anyway and you'll have to take those exams.

To underachieve is such a ridiculous waste of time and energy!

llyjk you won't be unfamiliar with the notion of conversations sometimes widening or drifting from the OP 😀

OP, whilst obviously your DS's own approach is a factor it is disappointing that the school have not managed to engage her interest in her subjects. For learning for it's own sake rather than as the stats factory that schools seem forced into.

I agree with posters who suggest taking her to some 6th form colleges or other school 6th forms or other Post GCSE options to show her that there could be a more appealing 'exit strategy'.

Also, does she get chance to go on trips that support her subjects ? Can you take her to museums and theatre productions that are relevant to her curriculum? For the sake of interest, not directly to bump grades.

What does she enjoy doing for hobbies or outside interest?

Her whole dynamic as you describe it is 'anti' (school, study, Uni). What is she pro ?

"To underachieve is such a ridiculous waste of time and energy!"

Absolutely!

I always say to kids complaining about school that they have to be there, so get the most you can out of it.

DD did 11. The last two were non academic subjects that she wanted to do for fun. If she'd done 9, her whole timetable might have been academic and boring. I would have been happy with her not doing the compulsory ict as it was of no interest to her.

Her school were quite keen that the students should pick one or two subjects that they just fancied having a go at, Alongside their other choices.

DS1 did 11, DS2 doing 11 this year. The standard number at the school, albeit a selective state one. Given the starting requirement covers Maths, English Language and Lit, the three sciences, and at least one MFL, and for some inexplicable reason EP that is eight straight off. So the logic as to why academically strong cohorts would not take 10 or 11 escapes me.

The academic end of the Independent Sector is no different despite what some posters would have us all believe. And these are the schools, along with a proportion of grammars, where the over representation at the "top" universities comes from.

11 subjects standard at Westminster, SPGS, Magadelen College School, Eton. Win Coll does let the side down slightly with only 10.

However I'd agree the argument for forcing the majority not at the upper end of academic ability to take 11 is questionable

9-possibly 10 at my dd's grammar school......

9-10 in my local grammar, same in the selective independent I went to school at.

Seems to have been standard for all grammars and independents around here. The only schools that do more seem to be comprehensives, which is where it makes less sense to do that.

RafaIsTheKingOfClay

There are routes Boney, and it is possible. But it is undoubtedly easier when you get the grades first time.

I agree that it is easier when you get the grades first time. But I was just replying to BertrandRussell's request for examples