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.

Nah definitely not revising all night! She's writing a radio play apparently - nothing to do with school.

Maths she got 50-something percent for over the three papers - won't know what level that is until Friday but it is lower than her target so they may well ask her to redo it.

She's got another French speaking & writing in the next couple of weeks, end of module tests for science & her biology teacher has gone AWOL so loads of cover work which is keeping her busy.

Hope yesterday went well for your dd Lizs :)

Sounds like both Dds have done really well on what has been reported to be a tough paper, well done them. Quite relieved to hear she's not up all night revising already laniakea radio play sounds interesting!
pointy was it your dd that you were worried about overstressing? She certainly seems very dedicated, does she have a plan for what she wants to do, I'm wondering if this is her motivation?
lizs hope all is progressing well for dd & that you're in a house of calm studying

Yes, that was my DD. She seems a bit better now though. She wants to be an archaeologist.

Extra rest has made her eczema fade right back. I think she is learning the merits of balance.

Bugger, bugger, bugger! Still awaiting my DS's full mock results, but the head of science called today. His results mean he has to transfer out of triple science. Bless him, he revised so hard. Will just do core and additional now. The up side is that he has already covered all the material, so nothing new to learn. He is sad to leave all his mates in triple, but he does know people in his new class.
Takeaway tonight, as comfort food.

That's a shame, hedwig. Is he very disappointed? Ds did double science and it worked out ok.

Biology 1st paper done and sounded ok. Only one mock tomorrow (English Lit) then home to revise again.

Thanks ready in the end she got a lift with one of her friends and I picked her up afterwards. Bloody tubes! At least it was only one day though, unlike Southern Trains

Dd is half way through now. She's pretty chilled really.

hedwig how does your ds feel about it? Hope he's ok.

I don't think doing double science is disasterous. It's better to get higher grades in double rather than lower grades in triple. And you can still do a Science A Level with double.

I think DS is philosophical about it. He will miss his chemistry teacher, but he knows one of the new teachers and the other has a nice reputation. He does have friends in the new class, but also some students he is not so fond of. Not sure if he will get any hassle from them.

hedwig Ds got moved down to double science after end of year exams (which he didn't zero revision for) at a school that only did triple science! It was a new thing they'd brought in & he was reluctant, mainly for the same reasons, I think there was a little embarrassment too. He is now actually enjoying science, particularly biology & found the biology mock really easy. I was concerned that since he found it so easy he shouldn't have been moved down but would also be happier to take off the pressure & hopefully achieve a better result across the board. i think the young female teacher is helping him to enjoy newfound swat status 1 subject only of course

Thanks readyforsunshine, I'm hoping it will take some pressure off.

Hedwig I am sure it will work out to be the best, I can imagine how you and your DS may feel now but I am sure the outcome will be better.

Well so I kept my non nagging attitude for... 3 days? Yesterday DH got really angry, turned the wifi off and declared that DS has to revise 2 hours a day. We argued talked to DS for two hours and agreed an hour a day weekdays and two a day at the weekend. Oh and in case you don't know, nobody, LITERALLY NOBODY, is revising yet. 😤

So today was the first hour and it went great.

Is this thread still going?
How is everyone's dd / ds doing?
I'm gutted. We found out today dd who is amazing at art had been told she's too far behind to pass and is preficted E! So not happy. I feel she has been let down by the teacher dd also thought she was going along ok! She is so great st art it's really upset dd we're gutted for her too.
We're going to speak to the head of art tomorrow and see what our options are! But won't be pushing her though if it's not do able!
Hope all the teens are doing ok!

Sorry I see it is still going. Lol.

To be honest fleur I should think only the most studious are revising yet.
It's a long old slog to be doing so much now for those who have not long since finished mocks. However, not something I'd say within Ds earshot!
My friend has a super bright son at at super selective grammar in the middle of mocks. She was telling me how he is reluctant to leave the house for any social stuff as he wants to keep his head down & revise. Every time Ds logs on to the x box he's been on my friend is lovely & obv totally trusts what he's saying but it's a reminder to me not to get too whipped up about what everybody else's dcs are supposedly doing!
That is really rubbish 875 I hope they can come up with a solution for her.

ready I think that DS could do with some early revision in maths, always his strong subject, predicted a 7 on current efforts but got a 4 in mocks. Saying that he's still not doing maths revision but sciences which he got Bs in.

On a different conversation, DS wants to go to Reading festival, not sure how to feel about it, anybody else allowing their Dcs to go this year?

Thanks ready for sunshine we feel so sorry for her. She is an amazing artist. She did have anxiety / low mood starting Year 10 so she does unfortunately have gaps in her course work studies and learning but she has been doing loads better the last 6 months and just trying her best hopefully will get C's if not B's!!

She did however pass her gcse core science though

Poor dd t875 My dd doesn't do art but heard from her friends the huge amount of work they have to do. Does your dd want to take her art further? Does she need a particular grade?

Thanks Dancegirl. I dont think she realised how much work it was going to be and the most crazy thing is a lot of essays, she loves drawing and is fantastic but i also think she lost her way with a few things the teacher wanted her to do.
She has put in at the local college for Art as they can go in with an E or even an F
I think aiming for a pass but we have the school now tapping on her shoulder discouraging her i believe also so they dont look bad, she is giving us mixed signals, we have said to her to see how she feels at the end of the month and if its putting too much on her catching up. They told us she will need to do it every night after school her lunchtimes but again i think to put her off and to drop it. Ill let you know what the teacher says today when we talk to her. Hopefully we can get this smoothed out feel so sorry for her.

She has also shown interest in child care as she loves children and is great with them, she is looking to be an LSA

t875 we have a similar experience with computer science. DS was predicted an A even at the beginning of year 11 and the bomb fell on us a couple of moths ago when we found out he'll fail it. On top of this it is his whole class failing it. I am so disappointed with the school from this point of view...

t875 My dd is doing Art, and she wants to do at Alevel. She has been working flat out on her course work, and I don't think she is still up to date on it. One of her friends had a "30 hours session" (DD's words not mine) so she could handle in some course work for the teacher to mark.
My DD know that there was a lot of course work, but even her has been surprised of the amount.. and she is doing textiles, another course work heavy GCSE.
We have parents evening in 2 weeks. Hopefully will we then know how well/bad she is doing.
I hope your meeting with the teacher gives you good answers and that not all is lost!

Fleur I think because of what DD went through with the anxiety and leaving classes beg of year for 3/4 months in year10 i think the teacher gave up on her as she probably picked up on DD and her low mood she was also having. But we and dd have been floored by this. We just dont know what to do for the best, get her to drop it so she can move forward the other subjects to get better grades and concentrate on it more or fight it.
we feel like the school is forcing our hand. Still to speak to them today! That sucks about DS and computer studies, have you spoke to the school?
funnily enough dd 's art teacher has left now!!

t875 do what's right for your dd and don't give into the pressure the school is putting you under. Is it better for her to continue and get a low-ish grade rather than not have it at all? Schools always worry about their results and league tables but stand up to them.