Year 11 - teachers seem to think their subject is the only one that is being studied?

[BigSandyBalls2015]

Maybe I should have put this in the year 11 thread that is going on.

Two DDs in year 11 - I'm receiving emails complaining that one or the other hasn't turned up for an after school revision session. Most of them clash with another subject or a match (they play a lot of school sport).

Just received yet another email - "DD was specifically told to attend my revision lesson after school on Tuesday (history)". She was at a science revision session.

Tonight there is another history session - she has a football match (school related).

Any other schools like this or just theirs? Seems very early into year 11 for all these revision sessions anyway, I feel.

Given the scrutiny GCSE results come under, and the fact that teachers pay progression may be linked to results, I'm not hugely surprised.

But I would have thought that there is a form tutor to whom you can refer these clashes to.

I would contact the Head of Year and ask them to look into the clashes. My Y11 ds has three after school sessions & one lunchtime...

Often schools give priority to English & Maths and the other subject teachers get fed up!

I have had a similar problem with DS this year. He is taking Economics as one of his subjects and has been given heaps of homework (takes him around 40/50mins) after every lesson. To me it seems a little unfair as he is taking other subjects who only give out a short 20/30min homework once a week. In other subjects he is in the middle of controlled assessments and e is under a lot of stress trying to complete these.

I know some of the other mums of the other students that I know of are going to write the school, as will I when I get around to it. Perhaps you could do something similar for your DD.

I agree with you but the teachers don't usually approve of parents contacting them over this, they prefer the student to let them know.

My sons' school issue them with a pocket diary so they can keep track of any extra lessons/clubs etc. They can then let the teachers know if there is a clash or they can't attend. (Usually via Email or at the end of a lesson.)

It's the not turning up with no explanation that gets their back up I think.

Maybe you could get your dds a diary so they can organise all their own commitments and deadlines and keep track of everything?
Year 11 is pretty full on and there is huge pressure put on the students to acheive or better their predicted grades. There seem to be after school revision sessions in most subjects already .

I don't particularly agree with all the hot housing. The students need down time and other interests but most teachers don't agree unfortunately.

Wait till A level

As a teacher we are asked to declare what nights we are running sessions on, and students then have to discuss any clashes with relevant teachers. We try to avoid clashes by running different subjects on different nights, but it is not always possible.
Priority is always given to English/Maths and any subject still completing controlled assessments

Revision sessions in September?

Get your DDs to bring these clashes up on School Council. If you want to intervene personally, contact the form tutor.

Teachers are human and fallible.

Seems awfully early to be revising! No wonder children are getting stressed if exam pressure is building from now.

It would also (though this isn't helpful to you) have me questioning the effectiveness of the school if their regular classroom teaching is so weak they have to supplement this early in the year. But perhaps it is normal for now.

I can understand extra sessions for children who are struggling now but they wouldn't be revision but consolidation.

Just received yet another email - "DD was specifically told to attend my revision lesson after school on Tuesday (history)". She was at a science revision session

How is your dd selecting which sessions to attend?

Not all revision sessions are the same, at this stage they are probably going over aspects where students are weak and putting sessions on for that.

I know history is usually one period but for the sake of illustration if dd was great on 'the Tudors' but lagging behind on 'the Stuarts' and the teacher has a session on the Stuarts and dd doesn't turn up I can understand why the teacher wasn't pleased.

dd needs to discuss with her teachers which sessions she needs to go to, which she should go to if she can and which she can skip.

Revision sessions in September?????

Our school has first round of yr 11 mocks in a fortnight, so yes revision. And controlled assessment catch up. The pressure is phenomenal.

I've started revision sessions. It's less revision, more helping students with making good revision resources as they go, and getting them into good habits early.

So glad they don't start until after Christmas at ds's school. His mocks are December, but they'll revise for those on their own, like they did year 10 mocks.

We're fighting and fighting against the pressure and stress at home as it is, so he doesn't have a breakdown.

They do deliver 5 hours extra teaching during the normal week at ds's school, anyway, so I'm sure that helps.

It would also (though this isn't helpful to you) have me questioning the effectiveness of the school if their regular classroom teaching is so weak they have to supplement this early in the year. But perhaps it is normal for now.

It is standard practice and departments that don't offer extra sessions are seen as odd. This is one of the reasons that results get better.

DS finished year 11 last year. His school started after school revision classes after the October half term and also through the holidays from February.
He was predicted for mostly D's and so had a lot of revision classes, some of which clashed. He kept a timetable and managed to negotiate with his teachers to fit it all in, i.e. some sessions he went alternate weeks.
It was a really tough year and a lot of hard work but he managed to get B's and C's in all his subjects so it all paid off in the end.
Good luck, it will be a hectic year but the hard work is worth it