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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Secondary education

Year 10 Revision- how would your do feel about this?

45 replies

BertrandRussell · 10/06/2016 16:27

Ds has a statistics GCSE on June the somethingth- 26th I think.

Today was a revision day- so they did nothing but stats all day- 5 solid lessons one after the other. How would yours cope with that? Does it sound like a sensible approach to you?

Mine's just grabbed the dog and gone for a run to let off steam........

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BertrandRussell · 11/06/2016 11:30

There are very few A*s in ds's school. The top sets take statistics in year 10 so they have one less GCSE to do in year 11, and for public exam practice.

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GetAHaircutCarl · 11/06/2016 11:33

I suppose the question is, would the pupils achieve a higher grade if they took the exam in Y11?

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BertrandRussell · 11/06/2016 12:01

I think the idea is that a bit of practice at public exams with statistics might help them do better with Maths in year 11.

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GetAHaircutCarl · 11/06/2016 12:06

And that might be the correct approach bert.

My only concern would be that some if those kids could get a better grade if they waited a year. I'm usually only persuaded by early entry if the candidate is completely ready to ace the exam.

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BertrandRussell · 11/06/2016 12:20

I suppose it depends on the cohort. For many of ours a B is "acing" And they are more likely, in the school's opinion ( no idea, I'm not a teacher!) to get a C or a B in both exams if they do statistics one year and Maths the next.

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GetAHaircutCarl · 11/06/2016 12:28

Well then it sounds like the best sort of pragmatism.

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pieceofpurplesky · 11/06/2016 12:44

Many schools do this. They want the best for pupils so keep them for a day of revision.
We even had kids in at half term for two days revising.
Honestly schools can't win!

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BertrandRussell · 11/06/2016 13:05

I have absolutely no problem with revision days. I think the are a brilliant- particularly in a school like ours. And I am incredibly grateful to teachers giving up their time for holiday revision sessions.

All I was questioning was the 5 solid sit down lessons in one subject.

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 11/06/2016 13:24

Doesn't seem like a great idea. It doesn't really fit with the revision strategies that are thought to work best. And I'm guessing the children aren't all the sort of children that would be enthused by a day of maths so probably switched off after the first hour. If he's in year 10 did he have to miss other lessons in order to attend this?

I have no idea why on earth the school are getting children who are looking at a B at best sit statistcs as well as maths. Boro might have it spot on with gaming the system rather than doing what's best for the pupils. I'm assuming the school doesn't have a 6th form so it doesn't need to worry about maths A level uptake.

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BertrandRussell · 11/06/2016 13:58

I think the reasoning isthat it gives them two goes at getting a decent maths qualification- and also keeps them focused for the whole two years. No idea if it'll work. The school does have a 6th form but it's very small.

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goodbyestranger · 11/06/2016 14:05

It really does sound like a terrible idea to do five stats lessons in one day. Are you sure it wasn't an attempt to quickly finish an unfinished syllabus?

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HSMMaCM · 11/06/2016 14:29

When DD had a day of maths, there was a lot of moving around the school involved. They popped into other classes where the teacher had been provided with a mathematical problem related to their subject and they had to answer it before moving on ... A bit like a treasure hunt.

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 11/06/2016 15:04

I'm not sure GCSE stats does count as a decent maths GCSE though. Employers won't count it as a maths GCSE, nor will universities. It only counts in the open slot on the new attainment/progress measures too. Mind you I think the FSMQ does too.

It seems odd to take up teaching time on it with a group of pupils that haven't mastered the content of the maths GCSE which will be what counts.

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AnecdotalEvidence · 11/06/2016 15:32

Stats will broaden their Maths knowledge and understanding and it will increase their confidence.
If you can pass Stats, you clearly have the mathematical ability to pass Maths. I found it to be a very useful subject to study that has been more relevant to me than Maths.
It wouldn't count the same as Maths but I can't believe that anyone with the ability to pass Stats, wouldn't be able to pass Maths as well.

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lljkk · 11/06/2016 15:46

That sounds like saying it's a waste of time to teach stats to any kid who is not going to Uni -- they only need a C in math for most jobs, after all. It would be so much better if DS got, say, a B in basket-weaving instead.

fwiw, DD (yr9) will not be offered stats b/c A) school has terrible shortage of math teachers and B) they are worried about putting all teaching time to getting best possible marks on the new harder math GCSE. I see that situation as bad thing, DD struggle to choose options & would have liked additional math.

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lljkk · 11/06/2016 15:47

Sorry, xpost, my reply was to Rafals.

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Bolograph · 11/06/2016 17:22

I think the reasoning isthat it gives them two goes at getting a decent maths qualification-

It isn't. An a* in statistics will not substitute for a c in maths. In fact we require a bare minimum of a b in maths (easier than trying to explicitly exclude foundation tier, but the same intent and effect) and would reject c in maths irrespective of any statistics grade.

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 11/06/2016 17:28

Sorry if it came across like that, it wasn't what I meant. But if Bertrand has been told by the school that doing stats gives them two goes to get a decent maths qualification, then I think she's been misled. Passing stats but not maths would mean that he left school without the maths GCSE that is often required to get a job or for further study. Although I assume now he'd have to continue with maths in 6th form.

I agree that stats is important, and it teaches lots of important skills but it would be better to offer it as an additional option rather than cutting down the teaching time for maths in a cohort where children aren't all going to get top grades. It's possible that some children who might have been able to go on to study A level maths if they had wanted to might have had that door closed to them.

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 11/06/2016 17:28

x posts with bolograph

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HocusLotus · 11/06/2016 20:23

I am not sure Bertrand is saying a GCSE in statistics is a replacement for a maths GCSE - just that in their (i.e. the school's) experience their pupils do better in the maths in yr 11 if they have had a shot at statistics in yr 10. (i.e. not putting forward statistics as an alternative to maths) . Assuming they are not doing a weirdly low no of GCSEs (and DS has done very many fewer than some people think the right number) and OP trusts the school , I would say that's OK. The 5 lessons back to back - personally , and I reckon my DS would agree, would find that pretty hard & I don't think ideal - but if the pragmatic choice was that or nothing - then I think they have erred on the right side. If they chose it over a realistic option of more sessions spread over the next few school days - don't know (but I am not a teacher) .

Was this John's 2nd worst day at school