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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:
Laniakea · 22/04/2017 15:23

(dd is prancing around in her pjs & prom shoes ... need to wear them in!)

pointythings · 22/04/2017 15:26

Laniakea DD1 is wearing high-heeled ankle boots to her prom to go with her steampunk-style burlesque dress. She's had the boots for 2 years and they are comfy and worn in. They also look great. I thought she was mad to buy them, I was wrong.

Dancergirl · 22/04/2017 15:52

I have reluctantly allowed dd take part in her dance school's show at the end of May!! Terrible time of year for a show but dd says there are other Year 11s taking part and they only do a show once every two years. She says she won't be needed for all the rehearsals and is quick to learn stuff. Plus it's just before half term so she'll have the half term week for any last minute revision for later exams.

I don't know if I've done the right thing at all...

GiraffeorOcelot · 22/04/2017 16:14

Catching up again after a few weeks. Interesting to see the mix of those working really hard and the reluctant studiers still.

DS is still in the reluctant reviser category annoyingly. We're finding it really hard to get him to knuckle down. He thinks he is doing LOADS AND LOADS but doesn't seem to get that the 1.5-2hrs a night he is doing is not enough. Getting him out of bed has been a real problem too.

All seemed to be going ok until they have just had another English mock back. In his previous English mocks he got a 5 and a 7 which were an improvement on previously and his English teacher was really happy. They have now done a set which were marked with a few thousand others across the country and he has just scrapped 3s. It was all a bit of a shock to the system when we thought English was going ok. It seems that it is not a case of everyone dropping down at all, him specifically only. He has been given a booklet to do to improve but no idea what other help he is going to be given. Aghhhhhhh!

pointythings · 22/04/2017 16:31

DD1 does a couple of hours on top of a normal school day, about 4.5 hours on weekends. She's working in a very targeted way, knows exactly what to do for each subject, has amended her revision timetable around her exam schedule. She's even worked out how much rest she can afford and is determined to take it because she realises she needs it. I'm in shock.

Dancergirl · 22/04/2017 17:18

That sounds amazing pointy send her round here Grin

pointythings · 23/04/2017 12:25

Dancergirl today is apparently science day. We are being bombarded with facts and formulas. Grin

I do know how lucky I am. DD2 is a much more 'interesting' character and is probably going to need a different approach though.

Ontopofthesunset · 23/04/2017 12:34

It's the very loud music that's apparently an essential revision aid that is getting to me.

I wish DS was as organised.

pointythings · 23/04/2017 12:51

sunset DD1 has a music tab playing on her laptop while she works. Yay headphones.

I am listening to loud music myself on headphones to drown out DH's endless boring documentaries so am as guilty as she is.

Also Yay Linkin Park.

Ontopofthesunset · 23/04/2017 12:58

For some reason he refuses to wear his headphones. I should try again!

LittleHo · 23/04/2017 13:01

ds can't concentrate without music. It is essential that is loud, tuneless and must have a house shuddering bass.

pointythings · 23/04/2017 13:20

DD1 has good taste in music. I learned Linkin Park from her. But headphones are compulsory in this house.

GiraffeorOcelot · 23/04/2017 14:46

DS did a couple of hours this morning and is round a friend's house 'revising' this afternoon. I am sceptical at how much revision will actually be done.

He is finding the whole thing quite stressful so we are trying to find a balance between work time and down time. Which is easier said than done.

t875 · 23/04/2017 21:59

were doing science (chemistry) past papers and going over what she doesn't know! Chemistry mock tomorrow so will get an idea where were at!

GiraffeorOcelot · 24/04/2017 08:06

It would be handy to keep having mocks I think t875. DS's school did them ages ago and only a couple of random ones since.

Laniakea · 24/04/2017 10:29

dd has module 3 mocks for science, and P2 for geography & history this week.

t875 · 24/04/2017 13:32

yeah the mock exams are very good, she is additional lower though which we cant find any past papers for??

GiraffeorOcelot · 24/04/2017 17:00

Well DS has come home and said that he got a D1 in his final chemistry ISA and a C2 in his biology Sad.

He is not happy and needs an A in biology so is going to have to pull out all the stops in the exams.

He also could do with Bs in chemistry and physics which looks increasingly unlikely. He is sitting the foundation paper C3 and P3 so even less likely.

Oh boy....

pointythings · 24/04/2017 21:47

No mocks here. Plenty of past papers and targeted revision work though.

DD1 just had a total meltdown with all the pressure she puts on herself. As in, all her friends are talking about relationships, they're all getting summer jobs and she feels to anxious to do that, they're all going to learn to drive, their lives are so much better than hers.

So I told her that they're all swans just like her, serene on the surface, paddling furiously underneath, and that she doesn't have to have a summer job or learn to drive if she doesn't want to. That I didn't have summer jobs or learn to drive until I was 18. Cuddled her a lot. It was ok in the end.

Bring on the end of June, it can't come soon enough.

Original poster
pasanda · 26/04/2017 12:41

Long time no type!

Pointy... so sorry your dd seems to be putting so much pressure on herself Sad My ds is still only 15 so the learning to drive thing isn't even on our radar yet, thank goodness. Is in a relationship though but i can't complain about that as she is an A* student who helps him a lot and makes him revise when they are together!!

Anyway... ds is now working!!! It has taken nearly 5 years at secondary school for him to start, but better late than never. He did himself a revision plan for the Easter hols and stuck to it and created one on Monday evening for the next few weeks. I have spent a fortune on printer ink as he is doing loads of past papers. He's going to extra classes and even his teachers at parents evening just before the hols said he was now focussed at school. Literally every one of them commented on how nice it was that he wasn't chatting in class, wanted to learn and now, finally, seems to care. He's had no demerits for ages (bloody miracle that one!) and just seems to have matured in that he isn't a cocky little shit in class anymore!! He has always had the attitude that if it doesn't count, then why work for it. Bloody frustrating in one sense and the cause of a fair few arguments tbh, but if he does manage to pull it out of the bag for the real things, good on him Grin Grin

I don't know if all this effort will be too late but he does seem to have quite a good memory so I'm hoping it will stick!

DS has had quite a turbulent few years with self harm and overdose in Year 9, 3 days after his 14th birthday Sad. To see him now makes me so proud. He has come such a long way in the last 2 years and I hope this burst of effort pays off.

Also, he's not played his PS4 since before the Easter hols!! Shock

Fleur - how is your ds doing?? They have seemed similar in their attitudes to work in the past and I have been wondering if your ds is pulling his socks up now??

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pointythings · 26/04/2017 13:23

pasanda that is brilliant news. And he will be able to pull back a lot between now and the start of the exams. That really is coming through in a big way.

Original poster
pasanda · 26/04/2017 13:47

Thanks pointy. It is isn't it Smile

I hope he's still got time. He's done well in all his controlled assessments ('because they count') and got 38/40 in his PE practical so it seems that when it matters, he tries!

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GiraffeorOcelot · 26/04/2017 17:51

Just wrote a long message and lost it Angry
That is brilliant news pasanda. You must be so relieved.

DS has come home with a new report today. His forecast grades have gone down in 6 out of 9 subjects but his ATL has gone up in most.

We are trying to focus on the ATL as he is now finally working fairly hard at school and at home, and trying to give him confidence that he can improve on the forecast grades. He needs to as he needs 5 Bs/6 to get into his first choice sixth form, he is currently predicted 2.

He finds the whole thing very stressful and perhaps we have sacrificed grades for wellbeing (he is targeted straight As but had a very unhappy yr 7&8 so got behind then and has never caught up). I think we have the right balance but you never know do you Confused

Draylon · 27/04/2017 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
pasanda · 27/04/2017 14:38

giraffe - I agree. I don't think I'll ever know whether we have played it right with ds either. There is a very fine line between trying to be a supportive parent and not piling on the pressure too much, and getting cross because they don't seem to be doing enough! But I do agree that mental health and well being has to come first.

I don't think ds is finding things too stressful (yet!!), instead he seems really hyped up. I'm sorry but I don't know what ATL stands for Blush

draylon - I think I would be trying to get ds to do a bit more at this stage but I know from experience you can't make them so i hope he complies and does as he's told! Good luck!

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