End of year 7 exams

[Lilaclily]

Anyone else got a very moody preteen not coping well with revision exam stress
I'm amazed how seriously it is all taken
They've even got a different timetable for the next 2 weeks

[disappoint15]

2.5 hours a day in Y7? Isn't that what we expect of GCSE students, not 12 year olds?

[Lilaclily]

Agree disappoint
My ds isn't even getting 30 minutes a day done !

[freshprincess]

Mine have just finished. Revision was a couple of hours per subject and sypervised by me.
It's good to get them into a routine of revising ready for GCSEs, I think.

[NewLife4Me]

deep

Thank you so much for posting your experience.
I don't see enough of dd to enable me to do this, but will certainly do it for the next exams. I have to leave it to school and hope she gets the message.
she can't see the point in revision, if she can then she is lazy.
we have tried to get her to see but she doesn't see the amount of work you need to do to get good GCSE's and until then, we're a bit lost.
She is currently being assessed for dyslexia and other learning disabilities along with CAMHS for ADD/ ADHD/ ODD etc.

[Mirandawest]

My ds is in year 7 at a fairly high performing (although not selective) state school. He's been having tests in various subjects at various times but no official exam week.

[MN164]

For what it's worth (for comparison), our DC is year 7 at a very selective private school. They did their end of year exams just before half term. This meant that half term was not spent revising but relaxing. I think that changes in year 8 when it will be after half term. They had 3 full days of exams plus a half day of bits and bobs.

They were given guidance on developing their own revision method but not instructed to do one. They had some materials placed on the school website to help them.

About two weeks before, we listed out all the days in the calendar and set two subjects an evening to revise. Most subjects got covered twice. Sometimes it was 10 mins per subject but mostly 30 mins. The school didn't set much homework, so revision was the evening focus.

Apart from year 6 SATs and the entrance exam, this is the first real exam season for our DC. I think it helped that it was not "enforced" and not too big a deal made of it. That said, the pupils seem to compare each others results pretty seriously, so they take it seriously themselves.

Not sure if that helps at all. Just my account of our year 7 exams.

[gleegeek]

dd is year 8 at state school. There was nothing exam like in year 7 and this year she knows she's having a science and maths test at some point in the next couple of weeks but that's it. Now wondering if we should be worried...

[gleegeek]

I'm certainly a bit concerned that she's not learning how to revise or exam technique etc..

[deepdarkwood]

Just checking in to say we've had a lovely breakthrough with dd's revision after ds' meltdown! I wrote up the expectations clearly broken down on a sheet for him- along with the rewards and cheerful pictures (!), and he spontaneously did some really concentrated revision last night, and set his alarm to get up early and do half an hour this morning before school to get ahead
See how long it lasts, but liking this!

I think it helped that he had a really great day at school yesterday - won the first prize in a history competition in his class, and also did a Spanish assessment which he felt he did well on (wrote more than everyone else which with his usual dyslexic writing speed is a bit of a miracle! I hope it was legible too!!)

[Seeline]

My DD had her exams the week before half term. They were given their first introduction to revision and issued with a timetable to fill in the week they went back after Easter.
She really started revision about 2 weeks before, as homework was still being given - two intensive weekends formed the main part.
She had exams in every subject, and had a 4 1/2 days of exams - usually 3 a day, some times 4 (Ok they were only an hour each but still...)
Selective indy.
DS at a similar school had the same 2 years ago.

[musicathome76]

Last day of exams today for my Y7 DS! He is at a selective school and was explained how to revise and issues with time table, etc. He revised during half-term, but probably not more than 1h a day. I did not supervise, just reminded him that it needs doing.
It was nice whether most of the time and to be honest I prefer that he plays outside with his brothers than revising at 12 years old.
2-3 exams every day, he did not seem too concerned and said the exams were OK. He prefers exam week as there are no lessons

[NewLife4Me]

deep

If you are still around, I'm so happy for your ds. That is a real breakthrough and not easy for a dyslexic to manage time that way.
I'm so chuffed for you, I hope it lasts.

Dd had a timetable to revise over half term but she didn't follow it and didn't do much. I know we should have encouraged her a bit more, but we did try our best.
She did need the break though as her school is a bit of a boot camp with little spare time, so poor child was shattered and needed to rest.
I haven't heard how she has gone on yet, I'm hoping for a call soon.

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

What exams?

[Lilaclily]

I Am so glad it's the weekend !
Only a few more exams next week
Lots of maths revision to do over the weekend

[Balletgirlmum]

The end is in sight.

Amazingly ds has coped really well despite a meltdown in PE the week before & a veiled threat of expulsion he went into school with such a positive attitude I'm so proud.

Being in a different room away from the rest of his class with the other extra timers had helped a lot. He hasn't been so distracted.

He's revised & though he very tired the first day he seems to be ok. (Apart from RE which was rubbish but we knew it would be)

[ErgonomicallyUnsound]

DS has his next week, superselective grammar. They've been doing a lot of revision in class over the last few weeks. Half term we were away for half of it, but the other half he did 30 mins per day.

We sat down together at the end of last term and put his subjects in three groups: more revision needed, medium and easy. Then decided optimum length of time for study: 30 minutes. Then gave more revision subjects 3 slots, medium 2 and easy 1.

He's been pretty sensible about doing what he's set, a few adjustments if he's done lots on that subject during the day at school. I predict a bit more of a problem next week when the football is on.......!

[Balletgirlmum]

And he wrote (typed) 5 pages inEnglish writing - 5 pages!!!!!!! From a boy who in the autumn term sat & write nothing because he didn't know where to start/what to write about.

Ok so dd would have written 10 but I'm chuffed!

[deepdarkwood]

Aww, thanks newlife! It has felt like a real breakthrough in how he feels about revision - and his mental approach to the exams in general too. I know they will be tough for him, but we are both feeling so much better! And well done to your ds too, balletgirlmum - 5 pages is brill!

[sunnydayinmay]

Nearly done here. Four exams per day yesterday and today, and four more on Monday.

After talk about several hours revision each weekend, they ended up doing a revision module in each subject at school for a few weeks, then ds revised last Sunday (away on holiday until Saturday), and an hour or so each night this week.

He is happy with the main subjects so far, although food tech was a joke. In his opinion.

He had a counselling session at school early this week (he sets himself very high targets which causes him unnecessary street - he expects to get 100% in maths and science, for example ). He said it was quite useful.

Roll on Tuesday...

[sunnydayinmay]

Stress, not street, obviously!!

[Balletgirlmum]

Four exams a day is a very heavy workload sunny.

Ds is at a selective Indy. He had 3 exams Monday & Tuesday, 1 on Wednesday plus an afternoon of sport & 2 yesterday & today.