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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:
AtiaoftheJulii · 09/04/2017 18:32

Ds didn't break up until Friday. He spent the afternoon with grandparents, and yesterday morning we came to France for the weekend. He has brought some computer science past papers with him, but I'm not sure he'll look at any! Home tomorrow afternoon, and he says he's working from Tuesday. Eldest is house sitting from Wednesday, so he's planning on going over there each day to revise in peace, and away from computer distractions, which seems very sensible!

Dancergirl · 09/04/2017 23:17

Assuming a 5-16 year old DC sleeps for, max, 9 hours, 24 hours a day- which leaves 15 hours awake. I feel that requiring a DC facing some really quite important exams to spend a third or that 'awake' time working towards exams success- really isn't that demanding

I agree. And even if they're not doing a reasonable amount, other students will be and THEIR results will affect grade boundaries.

Dancergirl · 09/04/2017 23:20

I have nothing against hard work, but there needs to be balance

And there is doing 5 hours a day. Two hours in the morning, three in the afternoon. Still leaves plenty of time for R+R.

Are you also saying no work should be done during May half term right in the middle of the exam period? Or should that also be seen as holiday?

portico · 09/04/2017 23:41

TBH, as they get closer to the exams, and reality kicks, you will find they start to put in the required hours f their own volition. I know I did!

portico · 09/04/2017 23:44

Interestingly, I am helping a neighbour's Y11. He has no idea what his exam specs/boards are. School website was not clear on subject pages. We found out for maths it's ocr for foundation and ed Excel for Higher. He then had to spend a good two days finding out from teachers which was relevant to him, ocr in this case, before I could source relevant assessment books for him. I hate it when schools are not transparent about specs and boards. Why do some not communicate this!

errorofjudgement · 10/04/2017 06:08

Interesting coupe of days here, DD sprained her ankle at school on Friday, spent 5 hours in A&E to be told it's not broken, but given crutches and told to RICE for 24 hrs then start weight bearing. No chance! It's massively swollen and DD in tears when anything touches it. As a dancer she's used to a fair bit of pain at times, but nothing like this! She managed to do about 3 hrs revision yesterday, I'm hoping a good sleep and nature will mean things look brighter today, and she can get back on track.

Meanwhile my judgey pants are hoisted so high I might choke myself! Her friend is just starting a part time job today, it's pretty much full time over the Easter holidays working 9:00 until 5:00 every day. Her friend is a lovely girl, wants to go to uni etc but isn't top group for anything, and I suspect 2 weeks revising would help her much more than 2 weeks working. And yes I know it's none of my business, but I do feel a bit sad.

HappyMum543 · 10/04/2017 09:53

'Noblegiraffe' do u think going to school in the easter holidays for 2 hrs a day 10-12 of science revision? And English 10-2 on Tuesday?

Because I think my ds does revision at home better than school but he prefers going to school and his teachers have suggested it aswell.

How much revision would u recommend after his 2 hours in the morning?

My ds just told me he's gonna be back for 12.15 have dinner then revise till 2 and then have ever free time till 4 and do 1 more hour and I've no say in his decision because he sed that's how he's made his timetable I'm really getting frustrated not long to go first exam starts on 16th of may....

Madhairday · 10/04/2017 10:41

That is a lot for that girl error, I think it must surely add to her stress a lot :(
DD has timetabled 6 hrs a day over the holidays but also has 3 days off which seems reasonable ( working one day, visiting relatives etc.) She seems to think 6 hrs is ok and not too stressful and she spaces it out with Netflix breaks etc.
She just got all her March results and she's doing really well but needs to up the effort in a couple of subjects. She's very confused about her English results, she got a 7 in lang and a 6 in lit which is on target and a bit above, but eng lit teacher said she'd really flunked the poetry paper. This grading is very mysterious.

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/04/2017 17:27

That's a bit rubbish portico - it's one thing for the kid to be a bit vague, but the information should be available. My ds has his exam timetable which has all those details on.

Ds's plan is to work roughly a school day, which seems ok at this point.

AtiaoftheJulii · 17/04/2017 18:16

Well, he worked a bit last week (spent Tuesday in bed looking miserable) but hasn't done anything since Friday I don't think. Apparently today he doesn't care what his GCSE results are. Suggested at some point in the nearish future that he might!

pointythings · 17/04/2017 19:25

DD got all her stuff done ahead of schedule only to find her maths teacher had added more online stuff. Which he then did again on Thursday. That's just taking the piss.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 18/04/2017 08:17

Mine have done very little revision over the Easter hols, went to a few school sessions but that's about it.

I don't want them to be stressed but do feel they should be taking it more seriously at this stage.

Have any of you clamped down on their social lives? DT2 just wants to go to sleepovers and parties, I think this should stop until after exams now.

Ontopofthesunset · 18/04/2017 11:10

That's really unfair, pointy.

DS has been working consistently if not as much as I think he should be. Parties etc have pretty much stopped as I think all his friends (and parents) are clamping down now. They've had a low key meet up or two (out for a burger, trip to the cinema) but not much more than that.

It's only two weeks till his first exam. He's now trying to wangle a trip to a record store with a friend this afternoon but he's back at school tomorrow and needs to sort everything out as well as revision so I'm not keen.

Laniakea · 18/04/2017 12:49

dd had the day off yesterday, she's worked pretty consistently up until now (not sure how it is going though, all I get is 'fine' if I ask) - she met some friends for coffee in town but that's pretty much it for social life. She's trying to finish her maths workbook today & is having her hair cut, school science revision tomorrow and Thursday & back to school on Monday.

AtiaoftheJulii · 18/04/2017 19:16

Ds is just pissing me off now, I'm losing sympathy and just thinking "it's five weeks, just get on with it" - surely you can do anything for five weeks?

Dd2 was (is) a swot, so the worries were a bit different. Dd1 was pretty lazy, but had done fairly well throughout so I was at least confident she had a decent foundation. Ds has had a really patchy 15 months, a dodgy physics teacher before that, and currently an attitude problem.

I've welcomed the general election news as light relief!

Laniakea · 19/04/2017 08:52

Has he got any school revision sessions Atia? Dd is in school for two days now - probably not the most efficient use of time but at least he'd be doing something (& away from home for a few hours!).

AtiaoftheJulii · 19/04/2017 08:56

No. He did get up and do some work eventually yesterday. Dh and I are doing a good cop/bad cop thing, with the good cop being whoever's less fed up at the time!

Laniakea · 19/04/2017 09:05

I'm glad you can tag team! dh is not talking to dd until after the exams - everything he says is wrong (tbh it is) and she screams at him a lot.

And you're right - anyone can do something for five weeks, he could at least pretend to work! This isn't a particularly pleasant part of parenting :/

Laniakea · 19/04/2017 09:07

She did a P1 paper last night & got all kinds of stupid shit wrong - typical dd at her worst - arrogant clowning around. I did lose my temper. She cares more about her hair right now.

Ontopofthesunset · 19/04/2017 09:24

Back at school today. First exam in less than two weeks. He is insouciant. I am very anxious.

minesawine · 19/04/2017 20:24

I have just realised it is less than 4 weeks until DS's first exam. I am beyond anxious. He did quite a bit of revision over the easter hols, but not as much as he could do, in my opinion. He is now on lockdown until after they have finished but I am worried about my nerves, patience and frustration.

Please let it all be over Wine Wine needed

pointythings · 19/04/2017 20:52

sunset is that PE? DD1's exams don't start until the 15th of May but PE starts earlier.

LIZS · 19/04/2017 20:56

Dd has German oral next Wednesday then starts written exams on 10th May (3 weeks, eek!Shock).

Ontopofthesunset · 19/04/2017 20:58

No, it is French writing and listening. He has already had French oral.

Draylon · 19/04/2017 21:38

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