Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Year 11 support thread

999 replies

pasanda · 10/02/2017 09:37

I can't find a new thread, moving on from the old full one, so I thought I would create one (please tell me if I'm wrong!)

Last night ds stayed up till 4.30am doing his biology coursework Shock

This time the tsunami affect didn't work and he left it far too late to do a reasonable job. Which is a bloody shame because he wants to do biology A level and he has done so well in his other controlled assessments.

I wait with bated breath to find out his mark

Oh well, thank God for half term!!

OP posts:
Lottie4 · 10/02/2017 09:54

Mine's had months of working long hours trying to get coursework done. She has art coursework, is staying a couple of days after school for invention and art, but seems to have very little other coursework and homework - I wonder if they've piled the pressure on so much to do coursework early in the hope they'll be revising now, but I think she's burnt out as she's not doing anything.

LittleHum · 10/02/2017 10:24

Thanks. Looking forward to half term. Smile

Finished all course work. Now for the long slog until exam time.

minesawine · 10/02/2017 11:08

I had the A'level parents meeting with DS yesterday, and took the opportunity to have a meeting with his Head of Year. We basically shut him in a room, tied him to a chair and shone a bright light in his eyes. Then begged him to take his revision seriously. His HoY said that he has such potential and if he really pushed himself for the next few months he could make his predicted A and A* grades. The A'level meeting was quite inspirational and we both came out excited and looking forward to the future.

I just don't know what to do to maintain the motivation and keep him focussed. I have tried everything. He has promised me he will focus, but he has said it so many times. To his face I am super-positive and supportive. Secretly I feel very stressed and anxious.

It is going to be a tough three months.

Laniakea · 10/02/2017 11:22

Oh well, thank God for half term!!

^this

It is going to be a tough three months.

^and this.

I'm very tired.

Dancergirl · 10/02/2017 11:32

Checking in!

Our latest problem is that dd is really struggling with the final History topic of Medicine because she's very squeamish. She knew it was part of the course but it wasn't made clear that it is 25% of the total! I just don't know how she's going to answer the questions fully if she doesn't even want to read them!

Whoremoan · 10/02/2017 14:27

How's everyone's DCs coping with the seemingly endless further material still to be taught for so many subjects?

My DS has enormous amounts of new work still being taught, especially in the three sciences and is struggling to remember anything at all - or understand it - from Yr 9 and Yr 10. He didn't do so well in the science mocks after Christmas, despite working flat out almost every day of the holidays then and is doing work experience all half-term, with very long days. So he won't be able to do much revision or rest at all this coming week.

He's exhausted but the school are continuing to push them all to study hard and revise, alongside normal homework every night, on new material still being taught right up until Easter apparently.

They don't do any coursework for their exams, apart from one of two subjects. It's all based on the final exams in May/June/July. So the mounting stress is getting to him.

Anyone else's DC in the same position? How can I help him to cope better?

RalphSteadmansEye · 10/02/2017 17:32

Thanks for the new thread, Pasanda.

Ds is pretty calm at the moment. I think that he's finished all controlled assessments. Got art exam titles to start working towards.

Not much homework these last couple of weeks and not going to make him do anything over half term. His mock results were all fine. Not stellar, but fine, and we're battling anxiety that started 18 months ago. Mental health is more important. The long haul starts soon enough.

Hope Possum's dd has had a good week.

Hope all those with disappointing mock results start to move out of first gear soon.

Hope those with missing content get taught it soon!

PossumInAPearTree · 10/02/2017 18:10

Talked to HOY today. She rang me. Dd has been very tearful today in school. Graphics teacher told HOY that dd isn't behind at all and that she's stressing herself out for no reason.

Dd this evening is still adament she is behind. She says graphics teacher is lying to HOY. But can't give any reason why graphics teacher would lie. Dd is adament that graphics teacher has told her she's behind. That some others who have been invited for a catch up day at half term because they're behind are further ahead than Dd. I.e. They've printed their nets out and Dd isn't yet at that stage.

HOY did say the head of dept has offered to have Dd in his lessons if her relationship with the graphics teacher has broken down that much. The class he teaches at the same time isn't a graphics lesson but another DT subject but he is a graphics teacher and Dd can sit at the back, do her stuff and he can help.

I think that sounds like a good idea because if she is behind and the graphics teacher is fibbing it will become obvious and she will get help. If HOD also says she's not behind then she will surely has to believe him!

pointythings · 10/02/2017 19:12

Thanks for the new thread!
We had a minor panic yesterday because it turned out DD had an English mock - but had injured her shoulder and couldn't write, and had forgotten about the mock...

Her teacher ended up scribing for her and DD said the mock went well.

Now going to get on the medical treadmill to get this sorted, this is the second time it has happened and the shoulder is a permanent problem.

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/02/2017 19:56

Thanks for the new thread!

Not the greatest week here - ds had a migraine on Monday, but after dosing himself up, did make it into school for half a day (because I was doing some training nearby and popped home and basically shoved him in the car and took him in).

And then yesterday he wasn't ready for me to take him (I usually drop him near to school so he has a deadline to be up and I know he's out of the house) but promised he would get dressed and go ... Couldn't get hold of him at all after 9 o'clock but knew he wasn't in school, no one convenient to go round and check on him, couldn't get in touch with dh as he is having a major work catastrophe, so at 10 I ended up so completely wound up that I called the police - he phoned me just after I got off the phone to them (which took for ever) so let them know, but they still went round just to look at him. Jesus Christ. I was exhausted last night. He was very very apologetic.

Anyway, apparently serious revision starts in half term, and he's going to get into a good evening routine ... We'll see!

Tiredemma · 10/02/2017 20:47

Do you mind if I join you? I have a Year 11 DS who didnt do too great in his Mocks recently. Im just looking for 'space' amongst others to see if I am being over fraught. This episode is stressing me so God knows how he is feeling.

errorofjudgement · 10/02/2017 20:53

Checking in, and thanks for the new thread.
DD has a v busy half term, then another busy week, then finally she can start to really focus on the exams.
Having spoken to the school re them not starting P3/C3//B3 triple science until next week, DD has decided to drop to the double science. There are 6 of them in her class all doing the same, so they are staying in their current class but are being given revision work to do. I think this has the double advantage if not needing to learn any new work for 2 GCSEs plus very targeted revision in school, meaning that revision after school can focus on her other subjects.

errorofjudgement · 10/02/2017 20:59

Also, can anyone advise how many points a GCSE has? DD has quite a few some level 2 dance and drama awards, which carry ucas equivalent points. Having dropped to 9 GCSEs it would be useful to know how close these extra-curriculars would come to making up for a dropped GCSE?
I thought it would be easy to figure it out, but they seem to have changed the system this year and I can't figure it out - though that might be the Wine

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/02/2017 21:33

Doesn't look like GCSEs get any UCAS points? I looked at the tariff tables and the calculator. Does look very complicated though, I may be wrong!

Tiredemma hi, come in, sit down, have a drink Wine (or Brew if you prefer!). Room for plenty more overwrought parents here!

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/02/2017 21:34

And glad she's made the decision, error - sounds like it will be a positive one.

RalphSteadmansEye · 10/02/2017 21:36

No, gcses don't attract UCAS points, though universities will have their own entry requirements.

Where FE or sixth form colleges or schools offer post-16 places based on a number of "points" at GCSE, that will be their own internal system, not a national one.

Laniakea · 10/02/2017 21:58

Wine all around?

Sadly I'm out of Gin

I've told dd I'm stopping all lifts and money unless she hand the phone over to me while doing tassomai (only 30 mins a day, I'm weaning her off the phone while 'working'). That went well.

She wants to go to Edinburgh uni open day with her cousin (a year older) - they've done no planning and don't even know when it is, but knowing my brother he'll drive them up (from Cambridge Shock ) dniece doesn't do public transport Hmm I'm not getting involved!

errorofjudgement · 10/02/2017 22:49

Thanks guys. My mistake then, it just seemed that if a Level 2 dance exam carries (say) 10 ucas points, and DD has 6/7 of these and a GCSE is a level 2 qualification, then there would be some way of comparing them.
(Not that I'm suggesting a Grade 6 dance exam is equivalent to GCSE Maths)

RaskolnikovsGarret · 11/02/2017 13:14

Atia, that sounds stressful. Hope he (and you) are ok now.

Original poster
pasanda · 11/02/2017 13:35

Day one of half term and the promise of starting revision properly from today.

DS has been on his PS4 since 9 o'clock Confused

Luckily the rugby is on this afternoon so he will be kicked off for that. I will wait and see if this gives him the push to actually start.

Minor mishap last week - his desk collapsed! I think he was hoping this would be a great excuse not to do any work but his younger sister has helpfully given him hers for now Grin And unfortunately only one half of the new one I ordered arrived yesterday Angry

Anyway, welcome to anyone joining this thread...I reckon it's going to be a busy one over the next 4 months!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
pasanda · 11/02/2017 13:38

Oh, and regarding having lots of the syllabus left to learn, I found out that ds's set won't have time to even finish Unit 6 of Biology and have been told they will have to learn it themselves Shock Shock

Fortunately, most other subjects are on track or finished. Bloody typical this is a subject he wants to do at A level though.

OP posts:
galaxy671 · 11/02/2017 23:35

All of my DS's ubjects have finished teaching now apart from Geography and Computing (both of which he's thinking of doing next year) who have one topic each left to do. Still got another week to go until half term here.

minesawine · 12/02/2017 16:42

My DS went to a party yesterday and got home at 1am. I have told him that the parties now have to stop until after June. He can go to basketball for his stress relief. He has a timetable for half term and has to produce a plan for the next three months. I do feel a bit mean, but I am desperate.

I am also trying to get a maths tutor. Tutors who know the new curriculum are very rare and very expensive.

Why is it all so hard????

QueenofQuirkiness · 12/02/2017 23:24

Hello!
Luckily DD did well in her mocks, but I am stressing out over Triple Science also, she tells me she's working through Unit 3 in Chemistry and Biology, but is way behind in Physics where they haven't even finished Unit 2 yet Shock
School play is also taking up silly amounts of time, will be glad when's it's over at the end of March so she can completely focus on revising! She's planning on starting regular revision after our holiday in half term, so in about ten days.....it begins Wine
She's also been attending support sessions for English, pretty pleased that she's acknowledged it's important!

readyforsunshine · 13/02/2017 07:51

Thank for the new thread pasanda & welcome to the newbies.
I'm glad it's half term, I'm struggling to keep a lid on things. Any involvement from me has an undesirable effect on Ds but I can't cope with the total lack of planning. I feel like it's actually making me ill! Keeping out of it makes me feel irresponsible & I feel Ds & I growing further apart.
School have been fantastic & I feel awful that he puts in such little effort when he has so much support. I hate that he seems so entitled & selfish Sad 2 of his teachers have been in touch as he's behind, geography deadline was extended & reluctantly finished at the very last minute. Catering to be completed over half term. I was all for no Xbox until it wa done but Ds has struck a deal with Dh that he is trusted to manage things himself & is given until weds to prove himself. No evidence of any work yet, he has however broken the £80 Xbox headphones that he got at Christmas, it could be a blessing but it's another thing that makes me see him in such an unfavourable light, I'm losing so much respect for him.
I have offered (begged) him that we go through subjects & work back to make a timetable but he's just not interested. I so wanted to be able to help him but he refuses.