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.

Here (inner London) you have to find out about potential sixth forms yourself and apply to each one separately. DD was pretty proactive about it 2 years ago, so I feel a bit more confident for DS. We have been to his own school one and another (very different feel) and there will be 2 more after half-term to apply for - I think all the forms have to be in before Christmas.

He isn't sure what A'levels/BTECs he might do and we aren't sure what grades he is likely to get as his performance has always been rather variable. He is trying much harder so far this year, but there are other issues going on...

We visited the only sixth form college I can find locally that offers A levels alongside a BTEC. The college was really impressive, but DD has decided she definitely does not want a BTEC.
This was our plan B.
So back to plan A, DD will have to get her panic attacks under control and do well in her GCSEs if she is to carry on to A levels only.
Gulp!

error, DD has a panic disorder. She had loads of support from her old school through GCSES and did well - fingers crossed for the same for your DD. Mine is now approaching A'levels and did have some during the AS levels, but she is gradually getting better at managing them and knowing that it will pass and she can continue.

Sandy nice to have somebody that understands, though I sympathise you'd rather not have to I feel that ultimately I have to keep the faith that he's a nice boy & will come back to what he knows is fair behaviour when he's out of he's giant toddler stage. As you say, not rocking the boat is the lesser of two evils as keeping him positive & getting him through the GCSEs as best we can has to be the priority.
Noodle we have to find out about them ourselves, a big help to get some insight is to talk to any friends with older kids. I know of 2 locally that we're v popular based on open days but their dc were not happy once there, one moved. Both were due to most of the students staying on so only a small intake of new ones who then struggled to make friends.
I'm wondering about limiting ds options from 5 available down to 2. I totally want him to choose but am worried that if he has a wider choice he'll be even less focused on trying for the slightly higher grades he'll need to continue on at his school. The second option is less academic with less structure, which I think won't suit him. The other options will be more difficult transport wise, which will really wind me up if he then chooses not to work!

Interesting to read the varying experiences of schools providing information about sixth form options. Ds has had assemblies talking about things, but I think they are very much holding out for them staying at school for sixth form. I work at a different local school with no sixth form and they have been much more active in providing students with information about open evenings and prospectus (which I might have also taken advantage of!). We're going to visit a college open evening next week, but ds has gone back to thinking he'll stay on at school. Currently pleased with the effort he is putting in with revision for his mocks.

Thanks for the words of reassurance BigTillymint - it's good to hear positive stories, I think the mocks next month will be a real test of how well DD copes.

We're currently at war in this household, I couldn't hold back anymore and had a massive row with DS last night that ended in reverting back to technology coming out of his room at 10 pm for a good night sleep. He argued that we treat him like a little child and we argued that he behaves like one. The incentive to get his technology back unconditionally is to get good mock results. Asked him to give himself targets for the mocks, we were happy with the targets he set for himself so the deal is if he wants his stuff back without a time limit he has to achieve those targets.

Not sure if it will work but I couldn't just sit back and watch him waste his life in front of a console or phone past 10 pm at night, being tired and not putting any effort in.

I relate Fleur :(

we've just put a timer o the wifi so it goes off for dd at 11pm ... but considering I caught her awake & playing skyrim at 12:30 last night I think I'm going to have to take the power cable off the computer as well.

Why is it so hard all the time? All I want is an easy life, with happy children and lots of time to drink wine. Instead my lovely DS is upstairs on his playstation having 'studied' all evening. Does he think I cant hear him laughing and joking with his mates online. Still he tells me he aced his religious studies exam today so maybe him and his friends were just celebrating their brilliance.

fleur have been through all this last year & the fallout was so bad we eventually had to remove restrictions. He's def using less now & seems to self regulate a bit.
Had a bit of success, A* for a history essay, yay!
Then his tracking report - a mix of As to Ds plus pretty poor effort & behaviour now woken up to 3 behaviour points for being disruptive in biology.
Still, he's def better than he was & certainly happier.

After 6th form evening on Tuesday at which we were told no rush, and came away no less confused, dd has brought home a provisional options form! Think the weekend will be spent checking out entry requirements for future courses.

Well we've seen a small change in the fact that now he seems to think it is ok to do his school work after 10pm. He came to bring his phone downstairs and went back up to do his French work. At least he stays up late doing some school stuff rather than playing games.

Sixth form open evening on Monday, I was looking at his school stats for last year and apparently 97% of pupils stay on for sixth form, hopefully DS will be part of the 97% rather than the 3%.

In the meantime I also have DD preparing for 11+ next September, she's also driving me bonkers with the lack of concentration, she is a dreamer.

I have some selfish reasons for DS to stay put for sixth form, DD would qualify for sibling rule entry at his school even if it is a selective school. Luckily he wants to stay on but I am worried he will mess up his results and not be able to qualify for sixth form entry.

Fleur what is the requirement for 6th form? DD had a bit of a panic when she looked at the 6th for prospectus ... she should be okay but I think it was the first time it had occurred to her that getting in wasn't just a formality.

Maths continues to cause me sleepless nights (not exaggerating!) but she's had two tests recently and got a just level 7 then a comfortable level 7 (as far as the teachers have any idea what the boundaries will be). I will be so happy when she can drop it.

Can't believe it is almost half term. Mocks rapidly approaching. DD is going in twice during the break for writing workshops for this creative writing thing & she's going to stay with her cousins for a few days - not sure how much work will happen between that.

Kitten continues to be highly distracting

Laniakea 54 Aps if you want to do 4 A levels and 48 Aps if you want to do 3 A levels. Priority will be given to current year 11 over outside applications. It doesn't look hard but he will narrow his options as then each A level subject seems to have its own requirements, for what he may like to do it seems to be As and Bs.

Well done to your DD for the 7s in maths. DS is predicted a 7-8 (again just as a guess I assume as it is all finger in the air at the moment) but got a 6 in last year's mocks. I'd be happy with a 7 in the real thing.

I have been tempted to shut down wifi, but both dh and I often sit till late catching up with work. And don't want to take away his laptop because some of the work is computer based.
Well, he is off on a week's trip over mid term (school trip)

DS is off on a school trip next week. Then half term and then two weeks till mocks.

DD is doing well ATM, but all of her good marks are just for homeworks and tests which don't count to her grade
She has a Biology ISA starting after half term, as well as a French speaking, and her music controlled assessments seem never ending!
In terms of sixth form, she always thought she would progress to her school's sixth form, but after an open night at another local sixth form, she has decided to apply for both. I guess we'll have to see how her school presents the sixth form on open night!
I hope all of your DCs are doing well and that the pressure isn't too much (yet!)

Can I join rather late to this? DS1 is bright and well motivated, doing well in everything except Maths. His predicted grade was a B in year 10 but he got a U in the end of year exams. We got him a tutor, who is excellent but in his first assessment this year he got an F. I'm not sure whether he's panicking - his tutor and his maths teacher say the grades bear no resemblance to his class work. They're keeping him in the top set because his attitude is so great - he revises, uses Hegarty maths etc - and I am at a loss as to what's going wrong. He's getting high Bs - A*s for everything else in class - CAs etc - though he always drops in exams which is worrying me.

We are very 'hands off' with him as he is very well motivated but I'm wondering if he needs more input. We both work hard in stressful jobs and DS2 has severe autism, which means that family life is fairly hectic.

Any advice or experience regarding maths would be appreciated!

sprog that sounds worrying for your ds, like exam anxiety, poor thing. He is obviously capable & it's not an issue for other subjects, I would imagine you're doing the right thing with the tutor & I would put as little pressure & emphasis on the maths as I could manage. If he's well motivated he'll be putting enough pressure on himself already. However, everybody else's dcs seem to be achieving far more than my ds so I am probably the last to offer advice! Sending you & ds support though.

We had sixth form open evening last night and we are more puzzled than ever. DS has no clue what he wants to do and his general attitude is I don't know and I don't care, I'll think about it later. He's probably thinking of biology, geography and one other subject such as English or business studies. Not sure what career path you can get from those but he was told to do subjects that he enjoys and he's good at. He needs to submit an interest application by end of November and then the actual application by April.

Morning. Do the kids have to do 4 A'levels or can they do 3. Also now that AS levels are being scrapped, will they still get half a qualification if they drop a subject at the end of year 12.

Doesn't seem clear at all. Dd eventually put down 3 A and 2 AS but someone's friends put 4 if not 5 A down. School are also promising short stand alone courses in L6 but current year 12 seems to be the guinea pigs.

minesawine I don't know either - latest from dd is that they put down 4 subjects plus a reserve ... but neither she nor I can figure out if that's 3 plus a standalone AS or 4 full A levels. I really don't want her doing 4. Open evening isn't until the end of Novemeber but all their PDP time has been taken up with sixth form options stuff ... still confusion all around.

It's my grandmother's funeral today :( dd is off school for it, she & my sister are doing a reading. It's a long week with lots of extras & late nights. Can't wait for half term.

mines, it seems to vary from school to school here. One has only allowed DC to take 3 for at least the last 2 years, others still on the start with 4 and drop one model.

Having seen the amount of work DD did should have been doing last year, I wouldn't want DS to start with 4. It's a lot unless they are very bright and motivated which of course, all MN offspring are

DS's school told us there are no AS levels anymore therefore only a few pupils will be allowed 4 A levels, the ones performing at a very high level, the majority will do 3 A levels. DS will do 3, no point in pushing for 4 and getting lower results, better concentrate on 3.