Starting Y11 support thread

[AtiaoftheJulii]

(Yeah, I'm procrastinating ....)

For all those with one or two (or more?) offspring going into year 11: controlled assessments, coursework, practicals, performances, GCSE revision (or not ...), being guinea pigs for the Maths and English 1to9 exams, choosing what to do next - schools/sixth form colleges/college/apprenticeships/BTECs/A levels and more - and generally being 15!

It's a tough year academically - in some ways harder than sixth form I think because there are just so many subjects and exams - and a tough year emotionally - not always mature enough to organise themselves, too old to have organisation imposed upon them!

Ds still has an MFL CA, a couple of science practical CAs, and two assessed drama performances, plus coursework to do for History I think. I can't see there's going to be much let up and he's definitely feeling the pressure I think he'll probably end up staying at his school for 6th form (he's very mathsy and his school is a good fit) but we may well look at a couple of sixth form colleges as he's already talking about whether he can go somewhere that won't feel quite so pushy.

I agree ceci - fiends DS had no backup plan this year and it was all very stressfuL, and this year things are even more uncertain.

DS will probably have the option of a footy academy too, so there's a lot to think about.

we're not looking at any other 6th forms, dd wants to stay where she is & the only other one vaguely possible is harder to get into.

dd has a chemistry ISA today, then the rest of the day off for a sponsored walk. Hope she doesn't mess it up, she was up until god knows what time last night/this morning. She wasn't on the list of people who had to 'improve' their Geography coursework which gives her some breathing space. No idea what mark she got though. Homework is getting done & she's been working for a history test next week so I've got nothing to complain about!

I signed her up for a revision course (maths & chemistry) for next Easter ... she didn't even moan about it.

We had a succes day yesterday also, DS went to French revision group on his own accord, came home after football training did his maths homework, put a wash on and cleaned his room. Without me asking! I did wonder what was wrong with him but didn't tell him that.

thanks for all this advice.
Her predicted grades on the subjects that she wants to do at A-level are A/A* so almost guarantee a place in 6th form, so we'll probably give it a miss on visiting other schools open evenings unless she wants to do it.
All this is so new to me, as I had my school education in another country, very different from the set up in the UK.

ceci I am in the same situation, luckily DH is British and he understands a bit more but a lot of things changed apparently since he went to school also. DS doesn't know what A levels he wants to do but he has some good predictions and hopefully after his interviews before Christmas he may get a better idea of what to chose.

I think it is quite "unfair" in want of a better word to as kids as young as 16 (15 in my DS's case) to decide what they want to do in life. I know some are very clues about what they want to do and decided so since primary school but from my experience and on talking to other parents a lot of them don't have any idea yet what they wish to become in life.

Fleurdelise I agree with you about deciding so early what they would like to do. That is not my DD1 problem, she has known since she is 7 what she would like to do when she grows up, but I think she is an exception more than the norm. For the DC that don't know what they want to study in University (if they want to go to UNI) is difficult to narrow down to just 3/4 subjects and keep options opened. One of DD1 best friends has no idea what she wants to do, moves from midwife to lawyer to journalist or sports related jobs. I don't want to be in their parents shoes if they have to help her to choose A-levels options!!
We might be in that position when DD2 starts Y11 (she just started Y7, so a few years yet to wait and see). DD2 has no idea of what she would like to do.... and she is already worrying about it

tiggytape that is good to know not just for my DD1 best friend but for my DD2, about degrees and A-level subjects.
About changing careers later on in life, I do agree. I keep telling my DD2 that I change my mind at around 25 and now I am an accountant when if you have told me at 16 I would work in any thing number related I would have told you your were mad!!.
It just a learning process for them and for us!!!

DD is in the midst of contolled assessments for history, music and French, and her science ISA's are still to come...
She still has lots of music coursework to complete, is working towards her grade 5 theory and thinks she wants to be in the school production!
I've lost count of anything else she's told me, except she got home half an hour ago, moaned for fifteen minutes about all the work she has to do, and is now lying on the sofa on her phone

Hi everyone, I haven't posted for a while, but we had some good news this week, DD has been allowed to drop a GCSE which gives her time in the week to do some homework catch up.
We had a Y11 engagement evening last week, and the Head of Pastoral Care told us that she has a steady stream of students coming to her in Y11,both girls and boys. The main issue is usually around feeling overwhelmed, and she tries to help the student break down what they need to do into manageable chunks. The homework advice was 45 mins per subject, so for DD that equates to 450 minutes - 7.5 hours pw. So with the 2.5 hours back from dropping a subject, that leaves 5 hours homework, plus probably 3 -4 hours revision for the mocks in November.
Does that sound reasonable?

DD1 is working on History CA an Geography coursework - school computer managed to lose a chunk of her work but the IT retrieved about half of it and she still had it in her head so was able to make it up quickly.

She's planning on staying on at school's 6th form - they have multiple streams for people who don't quite get the grades but she is hoping to get into the 'Red' stream subjects that demand a minimum of a B. She knows her 3 main subjects (History, English Lit, Biology) but is still dithering over the fourth - school doesn't offer Philosophy or RE in the Red stream, and that is what she would really like. I hope she can stay, our local 6th form is excellent.

We are definitely planning our holiday in the first two weeks of the summer break, we want to be here on Results day.

Just dropping in for a quick cuppa with you all and a bit of a panic, given what I've been reading here. DS is in Yr 11 at a school where they're doing mostly IGCSEs. Virtually all subjects are end of year exams based and not any kind of CA (except I think a couple of subjects).

They're still in the middle of masses and masses of new work to be covered over the next 2 terms (triple sciences alone have an enormous amount of new work still to cover) and getting around 2 hours homework a night every night.

As a result, DS is struggling to think about revision of work already covered in the last 2 years and most of the subjects will only be completed by Easter. So that leaves him with the Easter hols and part of the next term to revise absolutely everything, which will then be tested in a couple of papers (or more) at the very end - just like the old O-levels.

If other students are already revising and have finished the curriculum or are being tested gradually over time, through CA, how can the end results be compared equally with students who are still working flat out with new topics in every subject and where testing is done in a final exam? Do sixth forms and unis acknowledge the differences or will they only see the final grades and nothing beyond that?

Hi all. The party went well without too much drama, although quite a few beer, cider and vodka bottles were recovered. It was good fun. Roll on the 18th birthday party

DS just announced that every Friday he is going to go over his notes for the week for all subjects and put them onto revision cards, he even has a filing system. I wasn't even sitting on him with his arm twisted behind his back when he said it. Does this mean he has turned the corner and finally gets it. I really really hope so. The battle is too hard.

All year 11's have been offered a connexions appointment and he said he will go to help him decide what he is going to do about A'Level choices. He is going to sign up tomorrow. I hope they help him decide.

One large glass of warm, stale contraband to celebrate.

minesawine I did wonder if you were still alive. Or if your DS was still alive.

DS went to a party last weekend and going to one next weekend. He's also going to Holland on a geography trip in 3 weeks time. Who takes 16 yo to Amsterdam for a geography trip? I am having a meeting about it this week, apparently we will be reassured how they will be supervised at all times while in Amsterdam, they only go there for the day, rest of the trip is outside the city.

On a Friday, minesawine? DS has the perfect excuse as he has footy training on a Friday!
Well done on hosting the party too

Fleur, I bet that will be a very well attended trip

Fleurdelise, we went to Amsterdam a few years ago. Well, a place just outside and ds (who likes geography....) was telling me all about the dykes, and mills lowering the water level, and uh, well, lots of "geography stuff".
We only went for the day, it was quite touristy but was still nice to visit, with lots of windmills in a row. Inside were little shops/museums

DS said they had the "motivational" (NOT!) speech from their HT in assembly yesterday. Sounds like he used the same one he did for DD's year - he obviously thinks it works (as the results are good)

Thank God there are some inspirational teachers and Mentors there!

DS went on a sports trip to Holland, including a day trip to Amsterdam. He came back well briefed on the difference between a cafe and a coffeehouse. He hasn't mentioned any other
"cultural aspects" of the visit.

In other news I am getting stressed by the amount of work DS "thinks" he is doing. He told me that he did "loads of homework" over the weekend. Given that he was out Saturday morning, came home and slept until 4 and was with us from 7pm on Saturday and declared Sunday as a day of rest, I am slightly concerned as to his judgement! He then told me it was about quality over quantity...

Glad to hear your DCs didn't engage in other erm... Recreational activities while in Amsterdam.

Flying DS is also under the impression he is doing a lot of work. To be honest I haven't seen any, I decided I will wait till the mocks, if good results then I have nothing to worry about, if bad then hopefully it will be the needed wake up call. I can't do anything else anyway.

Bit late, but I've just read the whole thread, and... can I join?

I have a lazy one. DS (16 in May) is just not that interested in learning, although is quite capable.

He swears he has 'a plan' (Fleur - I think your ds has one of these too ) which is to start working properly in November. Not quite sure why it is November seeing as this is when his mocks are but he is the type of child who you just cannot help. He doesn't want it. Doesn't ask for it and any attempts to engage with him about school work are met with annoyance. The thought of being able to sit down with him and arrange a revision timetable (let alone him actually doing said revision!!) is just laughable to me. I just have to sit back and watch it all happen - or watch nothing in my case as he seems to do hardly any work at home at all!!

Having said all that (love him )... he did get an A in his Physic CA last term and just this one result has seen a slight change in attitude from him. It's like he thinks well, maybe I can do alright after all so I am hoping this is going to motivate him a bit more than Year 10.

He did no revision at all for his end of Year 10 exams because 'they don't count' and I am worried he will have the same philosophy for his mocks. You just can't tell him that if he works hard for them, it will hold him in good stead for the real things.

So yes, I'm glad I've found this thread, long may it last and see us all through the next, what, 26 weeks

Fleur - I've said this before to you on MN - our DS's sound SO very similar. Playstation all the way (if only they did revision games on the PS4!!)

pasanda

My ds is currently blasting bad guys on his computer.