Can you raise 2 GCSE English grades in 5 moths

[Mellowautumn]

DS14 very bright but more maths/science orientation - has been entered early with all the top set for English language gcse - to 'get it out of the way' by school (no choice as a parent@) he got an e/d in the mock - realistically needs a bit for the unis he's looking at. He mainly has spelling and grammar plus general crap writing skills problems. Can we with some intense tutoring - thinking an hour a night - raise his grades this much in 5 months ? And what methods would you use ? He is totally up for the work as wants to do a particular course at uni

There has been a lot of threads on taking GCSE maths early where the advice is: Do not unless you are sure they will get the top grade. Only the first result counts, not the resit.

SaltyMyDear, how would you have responded had one of the parents insisted on their child doing the GCSE in year 11 and not year 10? I find it difficult to believe the school was concerned about the top set dropping out. It would not be in their interest to take GCSE early.

Maths he could easily take early if they had pushed the curriculum along last year - he was working independently from the text book for most of it anyway as was ahead of most of the class - there is no discussion possible with the school to be honest - and I have now checked with other parents and it looks like itshe the whole year group not just top set - which is frankly ridiculous if I use my son as a marker for bottom.of set 1 the standards in set 2/3 must be way below the standard.

there is no discussion possible with the school to be honest

There is always discussion possible with the school. I bet you're not the only parent worried about this way of doing it not working for their child. You should make an appointment to speak to his teacher.

PurpleDasues -I will try but this is just one of a string of 'things' with the new managment - I have discussed other issues endlessly - ie him using a laptop and some teachers not being told he can/should( and not just one discussion) - that I'found he has an asthma attack they do need to contact me not leave him alone in the medical room unsupervised etc

If a child is entered for an exam, but then is ill on the day of the exam is that still considered their first attempt? Or would such a child who actually took the exam the following year have that exam put as their first attempt? If it is the later, you could take this option.

In maths, it is so much easier to get an able child to high GCSE grades earlier as it is just a logical discipline, whereas English draws on life experience. The extra year of maturity will make a difference.

I would also consider getting a tutor to bring his English up anyway. Even if he goes into science, written communication skills are very important. I too was a late reader, slow writer and bad at spelling, but luckily had one of those life changing teachers for English O level.

Salty, my last post was a genuine question. I was not questioning the teachers as it seems they too are trapped in the system where the school is more interested in what is best for the school, rather than each child as an individual. It just seems wrong to get as many children as possible up to grade C, when many could have got to A or A* instead of say B by waiting a year. (Or whatever the equivalent will be in 9-1).

Salty, sorry, I assumed you were a teacher talking about your school. I have just re-read and realised you have not said you were, so please ignore my question.

My niece got a D in her mocks and a GCSE grade B, so yes it can be done. She wanted to get a grade B as she wanted to do A level English as it was needed in two job areas she was interested in, so she was determined. She didn't have a private tutor, but pushed and pushed the course to help her.

He can get from where he is now to a grade 5 but everyone's working slightly blind on grade bundaries at the moment! I would advise a tutor basically so he can focus on exam technique - if you keep going over what particular questions require and practise writing answers, it really helps. Build up a bank of useful vocabulary for the creative writing and keep revising and practising grammar. He's at a real disadvantage doing the one-year course with the new specification but if they are leaving literature until next year, hopefully the school will put extra effort into preparing students. We teach it in one year in FE but it's tough.
Don't do an hour a night, that's too much! The tutor should be 1-2 hours a week. Ideally, do an hour-long lesson plus homework. However, getting him to read a newspaper (print or online) most days would really help. Magazines on areas that interest him are good, too. One of the writing tasks may well be an article or blog on a particular subject so it will help him get a sense of the style.
I think the school's approach is totally misguided but if they really insist on this, I would get a tutor and focus ruthlessly on the exams!