GCSEs 2018

[DoNotBringLulu]

Hi all, I am sure many of us with dc going into year 11 this year are trepidatious about teachers and pupils thrown in at the deep end due to the new GCSEs.

There is one thing I can do which I hope will help my ds (even though he thinks I'm mad!), which is to get hold of this year's GCSE English Language and English Literature papers, read the books and work through the paper myself - I studied English Lit at university over 20 years ago. I will know for myself after I've done this how difficult the exam papers are at least - I'm not sure who I can ask to mark it for me though!

Can anybody tell me how challenging the Maths and English papers were for their dc? I understand these were the two subjects introduced with the new format.

Wow - that's pretty soon traviata. The A level open evening at the college here isn't until January.

They definitely weren't expecting students to go in yr 10 - we went with dd for a look around at a later open evening in May & it was nearly all yr 11s. Fortunately timing all seems quite relaxed - I think dd will struggle to decide on subjects, but they assured her that she can change her mind / make a final decision after GCSE results right up until term starts in yr 12. I guess the advantage of being in a rural area where the problem is shortage of students not lack of spaces!

yep - open days were in June/July for year 10s locally. Lots of people didn't hear about them.

The colleges do say that they will help with final selection of courses after GCSE results.

We went to an open day last month - only one that particular college does and the forms have to go in by end of September. DS1's school does open evening in January, so completely different!

Not so bad if they don't have to decide definitely on courses - I guess most will have a broad idea but end yr 10 is pretty early to have to decide.

Yes, my understanding is that final decisions are made once they've got their actual gcse grades - until then it's an indication of what they want to do.

6th forms here all have their open days in about 2 weeks around October 1/2 term.
Not well advertised / publicised though IME (not sure if this is because dds' school want them to stay on there?) we had to be quite pro-active in seeking out what might be around.
From the replies it looks as if it is different around the Country, so might be worth doing some question - asking locally.

My DD's school are going to run a GCSE book club for parents so we can learn and then advise our children how to answer the questions. The questions are highly prescriptive in how you answer each section.

Fortunately dd's school directly advises them how to answer the questions Not sure my intervention (other than as sympathetic listener) would be gratefully received.

More seriously, that sounds like a way to further advantage those with more educated and involved parents. My DM was incredibly supportive, but there's no way she could have helped me with O level English. In fact she was doing a college access course while I was doing my O levels and I used to help her with her homework.

Like sadik - I can't help thinking teaching the students how to answer the questions would be more helpful than the parents... I'm not planning to take any GCSEs

DDs school is full of educated involved parents. And by educating those who will get involved and be asked for help, might give the teachers more time for those with less involved parents.
But hopefully a good revision guide and notes in their books should help (it helped me with her elder sister).
Btw TKAM? Are you using the Welsh exam board because I thought American books weren't allowed any more?

Yes, we're in Wales - so English authors just as foreign as American . They get their patriotic medicine in spades in Welsh lit though

Actually to be fair the reformed Welsh lit GCSE looks quite interesting (though I'm no fan of them having to take 2 x lit exams). They include film as a topic - so dd's class have been studying the Hedd Wyn biopic alongside his poetry.

DD already attended Open Eve for local 6th form, thankfully she liked it. She wants to look at a few others. (I really hope she goes local).

One 6th forms DD wants to tour is rumoured to have directly slagged off my workplace (local huge employer), so I am looking forward to testing the waters on that one.

DD gets results for 3 GCSEs next week. That's our next event.

I haven't read the whole thread and apologise if I'm repeating another poster's point.

get hold of this year's GCSE English Language and English Literature papers
I will know for myself after I've done this how difficult the exam papers are

How will you get next year's paper before your child sits it?

And, if you did, you wouldn't know the grade boundaries. Or would you?

Am I missing something?

As a teacher of English, I'd say as gently as possible that I feel you're barking up the wrong tree, OP. Try to keep your DC calm rather than building up the hype (that he/she will no doubt get from friends and possibly the media) about 1-9 and instead encourage him/her to study regularly throughout the year and effectively, practising timed essays, and following their teacher's advice and feedback. Mock exams., as always, will provide a good indication of what still needs to be revised. I wish your DC the very best.

Locked I think op meant the exam papers from this year (2017) rather than the papers our dcs will take next year (2018)
Although as pp said, they are unlikely to be available until next May as they are kept secret so schools can use them for Mocks.

My DD2 has done very little over the summer - I agree they need a decent break to recharge and the next few months are going to be very full on.

Thanks Lobster, I was confused!

DS1 has done nothing so far - he has maths to go over and has been asked to revisit Macbeth.

His form tutor told them to leave any work to the last 2 weeks of the holiday. So that's what he is doing, as obviously mums know nothing.

He seems to be on track to get predicted grades at the moment, the only hiccup being history, but his teacher told us he work is fine, just that his exam technique let him down - he didn't finish the paper in end of year tests. So she has said he will work on that with him.

I want DD to get a job this year... it's not gonna happen, is it!? Would be so good if she balanced her life out a bit, though.

Oh... and they turn 16 this year. Need to do the Safe-Sex talk soon.

I have task to try to chivvy 13yo into his summer homework today. He is King of procrastination & then flips into feeling down about his own procrastination. Any words of advice about dealing with procrastinators who go straight to being depressed rather than Just.Getting.On.With.It ?

Lijkk DD wanted to get a job and I talked her out of it

It was waitressing at a local restaurant, and she was pretty much told the job was hers if she wants it. But a friend's daughter worked there last year and I know she ended up working long shifts (6-midnight) at least 3 nights a week.
I think that's just too much so told DD to look for a Saturday job instead of she really wants one.

I'm hoping her dance school might offer her some Saturday morning "TA" work with the younger classes (DD1 started doing that at the start of year 11 and has loved it)

DD2 is worrying about this year.
She did well in most of her end of year tests, however English was a big blip (she got a 4, predicted 8/9)

There are definitely some issues with the teacher (New this year and DD1 has had the same one for some AS lessons and has no faith in her whatsoever)
So I'm thinking of looking into a tutor - does anybody have any experience? I don't know where to start looking.

Job wise DS1 is a FA referee; due to his age he does junior matches and he gets well paid for it - depending on the age group and how many matches he referees he gets between £15-40 on a Saturday. Over the summer he didn't referee summer league, but did pick up some tournaments (£70 for 5 hours work!!).

He only referees on a Saturday as once the season starts he will be playing himself, but one of the lads who qualified with him now referees both days and makes up to £80 a weekend - not bad for a 15 year old!

DS1 has said he would potentially like to be a professional referee - one of their mentors has just been promoted to the Premiership.

We have said we will support him in this, but that he needs to do well enough at school so he can have a job that will allow him the flexibility and financial stability to work up the referee structure.

He is thinking he will look at accounting at the moment!

My older 2 work as lifeguards. dd2 is doing the course soon (is 16 right at the stat of the year).
During term time in 6th form, dd1 would just pick up very occasional shifts - around one a month, but that £60odd made a nice difference to her bank balance without impacting too much on time. In the holidays she picks up more. It is also a skill (and work experience) to take to University with them.

BaclforGood my DS is 16 in early October and doing his NPLQ in half term. David Lloyd and the local pool have said they'll have shifts for him if he wants them. It is good because he plays sport himself at weekends but can fit shifts in around his own sports fixtures!

I've suggested lifeguard to dd2 but she'd have to brush up her swimming, she was good but mainly runs now.

Lifeguarding costs what... £225 to get the basic qualification? And it's only minimum wage job here (so whatever they pay 16yr olds). How long do they have to work to get that £225 back?

Dd is looking at newspaper delivery (better than nothing).

Lifeguards usually get above minimum wage.
4 shifts covers the course (well, bit less than 4).
My older 2 happened to do their courses at the start of the Summer holidays, so were then able to work those shift within a week.
Yup, it means you do 4 shifts before you start earning, but then you will earn above min wage, and it is a job where you can pick up shifts around your other commitments, which is a MASSIVE advantage if you are a person that does other things.
Lots of pubs / cafes / small shops make youngsters work for free as a "trial" for a day or 2 before taking them on anyway.

mmm... £7.50/hr. 3-5 hr shifts (call it 4 hours on avg). That means more like 7.5 shifts needed to cover the £225 fee.

£105/wk apprenticeship for 30-40 hour/wk. 12-15 month commitment.

Fig me. No wonder our pool lifeguards don't bother to confront anyone.