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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Starting Y11 support thread

999 replies

AtiaoftheJulii · 05/09/2016 13:02

(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 Sad 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.

OP posts:
Laniakea · 05/09/2016 21:41

I think 11 is a lot error. At dd's school they do 9 GCSEs plus an enrichment (either a BTEC, EPQ, or further maths GCSE), they reduced the number from 11 when they got rid of the modular courses. Practical subjects take up so much time too.

urgh to the 11+ Fleur ... it was not fun when dd1 had hers. I'm secretly grateful that my year 5 ds is absolutely, definitely sitting doing it. Though I've got two younger ones who may want to.

Laniakea · 05/09/2016 21:47

bloody hell! I'm actually writing gibberish tonight Grin

I feel very fortunate that dd is robust (more so since I have an ASD hyperanxious one too) ... she drives me insane with frustration sometimes but so far (touch wood) her teen years haven't been traumatic.

LifeIsGoodish · 05/09/2016 21:48

Having watched Y11 support threads, I am finally in the position to join one

Bright but complacent horizontal ds got a shock with his Science GCSE last summer: 'only' an A. Realised that he has to put actual effort into his studying if he wants to achieve A*. At last begins to understand that what he does easily is not what he is capable of.

pointythings · 05/09/2016 21:52

We have some rules - no devices or TVs in bedrooms, but that one applies to all of us, adults included. We are also consistent on bedtimes except in school holidays. It's always been that way though so DDs don't know any different and they do understand the connection between getting enough sleep and coping at school.

I don't need to nag either DD to revise - used to have to with DD2 but she has matured enormously through Yr8. DD1 just gets on with it but can be a bit disorganised - she let her second French speaking CA creep up on her, realised it was 48 hours away and had a panic attack - she has proper full on ones, can be quite scary but I know how to bring her out these days. Once she was out, we sat down and planned a high-intensity revision strategy, she followed it and brought home an A*.

I'm going to get her a revision planning app which she can print out revision schedules with, she wants the comfort of having lists of everything and I'm not about to get in her way.

merlottime · 05/09/2016 22:20

I'm in too. My severely dyslexic DS works so hard but will struggle to get 5Cs to get onto the course he wants to do at college. I feel so sad that as the Guinea pig year for the new style harder English and Maths may make it unachievable for current borderline student. Even with a reader and scribe the real challenge is getting enough content down on a page, so this is a real focus for him this year. He has asked me to buy him 'How to ace your GCSEs' though, and he has given up one of his sports so he can have more time for study, so he is fully engaged at least.

BertrandRussell · 05/09/2016 22:53

I've already done the incredibly stressed and anxious one- this is a bit of a shock to my system!

But yes- I'd much rather have laid back. And he is quite grimly determined- he knows that he has to do very well to get to the 6th form he wants very badly to go to, so I think he will get his head down.

errorofjudgement · 06/09/2016 06:19

Thanks for the supportive messages re DD dropping a GCSE, I need to pull on my big girl pants and go battle for her with the school who I know will be resistant.

errorofjudgement · 06/09/2016 06:24

Pointythings - my DD started having panic attacks in Y10, any advice on how to cope with them?
DD does a lot of dance & theatre. She will happily stand up in front of several humdred people and perform, but tell her there's a school test coming up and she's crying & shaking.

bigTillyMint · 06/09/2016 07:13

error, similar here - started in Y9 (not because of exams, but they became a major trigger), yet she could compete in gym comps in front of hundreds!
I will PM you.

RalphSteadmansEye · 06/09/2016 07:34

Bertrand - that's not a pressure we have around here really. All of the sixth form entry requirements are pretty similar, whether private, grammar, sec mod or comprehensive (we have all): usually 6 Cs including Bs in your chosen A levels unless it's maths then you need an A. Which is pretty much a minimum requirement to succeed at A level full stop.

So it's not sixth form requirements upping the ante on the pressure: just intrinsic, I guess.

Dunlurking · 06/09/2016 07:52

Signing in for dd.

She has a hard act as ds has been the pet of the school staff room, although not in the top achievers, and has nailed his A2s and is off to uni shortly. She has always compared herself unfavourably to him and feels disappointed she won't get his grades already. She works very hard for her As and Bs unlike ds who didn't deserve most of his As and A*s at GCSE

BertrandRussell · 06/09/2016 08:02

Ralph - here that's technically true- but the grammar 6ths are all oversubscribed so you definitely need As. And ds wants to go to a school that is notoriously sniffy about people from secondary moderns, so will have to do better than that.......

homebythesea · 06/09/2016 08:14

Hello- just joining in. Sending my eldest off to Uni while facing the start of Y11 for my DD. Doesn't quite seem possible! She's not the brightest spark, has very little self belief so I'm pleased in a way we can give her 100% attention in the absence of her brother this year. The most immediate hurdle is interviews and entrance exams for 6th form coming up (starting today- Eek!) hopefully we will know next steps by Christmas and have something to aim for!

Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 06/09/2016 08:14

If it's a state school they can only base it on your grades surely, not where you got them???

OP posts:
Toffeewhirl · 06/09/2016 08:17

We've had a rough ride even getting DS1 to this stage (ASD, OCD, severe anxiety, off school for several years), but - miraculously - he is now at school and taking seven GCSEs. He will also have to retake AQA Science A because he only got a D and wants to take Physics at A level.

He is determined to get all As. I think the D has been a good wake-up call for him because he didn't believe me when I told him to start revising early.

BertrandRussell · 06/09/2016 08:26

"If it's a state school they can only base it on your grades surely, not where you got them???"

The problem is that this particular school has a ton of applicants with excellent grades- much better than their basic requirements.

Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 06/09/2016 10:05

Yeah, two of mine are/were at grammars with strict numbers for 6th form. They have very clear published requirements and oversubscription policies. (Both need 54 points for your best 8 predicted grades, then there are a list of criteria in order, such as FSM, actual predicted score, within designated area. In case of a tie, one does random allocation, one goes on distance.) If I seriously thought that a dc's current school would have a bearing on his chances of getting into a state school sixth form, I think I'd be doing FOI requests and so on!

OP posts:
LittleHoHum · 06/09/2016 10:33

No pressure for entry to sixthform in my town as his comp only requires 5 GCSE's of grade C.

It must be stressful having to apply to oversubscribed places.

BertrandRussell · 06/09/2016 10:45

He doesn't actually have to. His school has a 6th form. But he really wants to go there.

Laniakea · 06/09/2016 11:04

I'd like dd to consider moving for 6th form - it's our local school so would save us thousands in travel & it is one of the best schools in the country. I think it is unlikely that she will but she's agreed to the open evening in November.

She wants to stay at her at her current school & there aren't really any good arguments why she shouldn't. She'll need 7 GCSEs (A* - C), with B grades or better in chosen subjects & as she wants to do sciences will need a high level 7 minimum in maths.

She made it in one time - train wasn't delayed, didn't miss her bus, looked reasonably smart (that will NOT last!). She's got a buzz-word bingo sheet for tutor time & assembly & is going to count how many times they are told they have to set a good example for the lower school. Only three lessons today so a soft start!

BertrandRussell · 06/09/2016 11:06

Oh well, it's started well. I misread the website and DS arrived at school 2 hours early.

He spent the time sending me links to stuff on Amazon he wants as compensation.

bigTillyMint · 06/09/2016 11:07

DD's sixth form and the sixth form of her old school are inner London comps. They require minimum 5 B's at GCSE. DD's sixth form also specified A's in all the subjects she wanted to study.

Original poster
AtiaoftheJulii · 06/09/2016 11:12

Oh well, it's started well. I misread the website and DS arrived at school 2 hours early.

DD (y9) only just managed to save a friend of hers from doing that this morning!

DS not in until tomorrow. I've just woken him up as I want him to help me take some stuff to the tip.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/09/2016 11:14

iamnotinterested Do you mean that your DD took maths GCSE in Y10 and won't be taking the new 9-1 GCSE this year? Is she starting AS level maths?

Fleurdelise · 06/09/2016 11:52

Oh well, it's started well. I misread the website and DS arrived at school 2 hours early.

He spent the time sending me links to stuff on Amazon he wants as compensation

That's exactly what DS would do should that happen. And it would be my fault of course because I am the parent.

Found out DS has sixth form interviews in January and needs to apply by February. Requirements are quite high, As for maths and sciences, Bs for the rest. No pressure then...