Anyone else's Y11 struggling massively with workload/exhaustion?

[Somerville]

She's struggling so much with the workload of really full on days at school and LOADS of homework. Two long pieces per week for each of her subjects, plus often revision for a check-up test.
Most of her lunch breaks and the hour after school are full with either music lessons or attendance at optional extension/revision clubs.

Staff are clearly working very hard, and I suspect feeling the pressure of the new GCSE specifications themselves. How 'normal' is this for this point in year eleven? Should I be going in? Considering her dropping a GCSE? Cancelling her sporting/work experience/music commitments (which we've already cut to the bone)?

She won't get a break over half term, as is off on MFL exchange trip with school. I'm not sure how I'm going to get her through until the Christmas holidays at this rate.

Thanks for all this sensible advice.

I've emailed school, and I'm keeping track of this weekend's homework (8 pieces) to see how long they're meant to take and how long she actually spends.

Is this a private school or selective entry, OP? I don't think DD has a lot of homework. They seem to be easing off now in yr11 (they did have a fair bit over summer).

DD is a compulsive high achiever, has a PT job, a leadership role in the school supposedly & a part in school play (ensemble part, thank goodness) & she is not drowning in workload. Whatever your DD has on is too much for her, sounds like something has to give.

I know the new specs make a difference, but my DD (now yr 12) didn't get anything like this. She did new spec maths and English and worked very hard, but it was very much marathon-not-sprint and supported by the school. She got really great results.

I have a DD in Yr10 at present and she is getting a fair amount, more than in yr 9 - but nothing outrageous. I think some schools are just terrified about the new spec and are pushing too hard.

DS calculated today how much he had to do between now and the end of the half term for homework and class tests etc - 14 hours.
There's no after school sessions and no lunchtime or pre-school ones (although I think there will be eventually).
He thinks it's incredibly onerous (and he's not taking it well) but it's nothing compared to your DD, OP

And he's doing 10 GCSEs - all linear exams- but has the possibility of adding further maths to make 11

DS doing 11 IGCSEs here, plus music and sport.

He does about 2 to 2 and a half hours each evening. Because of school sport, he does no homework/revision on a Saturday at all, so aims for 5 hours on a Sunday. I'd rather he split it over the weekend, but he really is too knackered on a Saturday eve.

With essays, I am encouraging him to spend an hour getting notes together (which he can then save for revision) and then write it in a strict 35 mins.

I'm glad to see that not all children have allot of homework I was getting worried why my DD had allot less. We did speak about homework on Friday night and I think she has already adapted to just answering questions in the given time slot (or completing work)- she said she had some History homework and she spent 50 minutes on the homework 45 minutes was allocated) where some of her friends are spending 2 hrs. They have not had any Maths homework for 2 weeks ...but she's in the second set and expected to get a grade of 7-9 - I expect it will be a 7/8 because some of the set 2 and all of set 1 have already been selected for grade 9 work outside class. Which is fine - she's not the most focused of children at times.

Quick update after chat with HOY.
Quite a few staff think although she did well in end of y10 mock for their subject, she could have done better and might not be on track for the top grades she wants to achieve. (Exacerbated by the fact that they don't know where ground boundaries will lie... English and maths teachers, where that is all clearer, are the only ones without concerns.) So they're inviting her along to clinics. At said clinics there are then suggested optional extension activities... she's doing all of these at home, alongside class homework. So last weekend she didn't have 9 pieces of homework, she had 4, and 5 clinic activities which were optional in case they had the time and inclination.
HOY is going to talk to staff and find out which clinics she really does need to attend and which she doesn't - at the moment she is going to 6. She's also going to keep an eye on the over-enthusiastic homework setting of history teacher, who is giving out extra in lessons 'to those who want to do it'.
Alongside this, DD1's instrumental teacher is postponing her theory exam. So she gets to avoid the stress of that exam, and can enjoy the lessons for music-making once more.

I feel like I've take my eye off the ball with her - because she's hard working and independent I left it to school. Parenting teenagers isn't for the faint hearted, is it?! Hope all your y11's manage to cope well with their workloads, and thanks again for advice. It was useful to hear that the level of 'homework' wasn't normal.

Glad you managed to get to the bottom of it...your DD sounds very conscientious .....it is difficult - my DD does the minimum although when she is given a nudge she will knuckle down.

I think as the parent of a Yr11, especially a really hard-working and conscientious one, you do have to monitor that they aren't burning themselves out. Last year I insisted on dragging DD1 out to archery with us (though she wasn't shooting due to injury) just so she could have time away in the company with some agreeably eccentric people and eat a lot of cake. OK, so she did a lot of quoting Macbeth and discussing photosynthesis but it was still relaxing.

Yeah pointy... I see that now. I gave birth during the first week of term, so was a bit distracted. Though she says cuddling him is very relaxing.

Cuddling babies is definitely relaxing. I doubt he'll mind if she quotes Shakespeare at him either.
You've still got most of the year to get it right. It really is a marathon.

DD has loads of HW and has already starting revising in earnest (her choice) - flashcards galore which I have to test her on each night!
She dances outside if school which is 10 hours a week plus competitions most Sundays, we have talked about dropping some dance but she is having none of it. To be honest, her dance is keeping her sane at the moment, but I agree the HW is pretty relentless plus tests every five minutes!

That sounds a lot.

Dd is Year 11. She is doing 9 GCSE's (could have done a 10th but couldn't make the twilight sessions it entailed)

She finishes school at 4pm, then dances for two hours & has an hours journey home. She does some homework at lunchtime & generally ends up with about half an hour per night plus an hour or two at weekends.

She's supposed to get 2 pieces per night of about 30-40 mins duration but it seems a lot less.

DH has just text me to say that our DD English teacher has phoned him as DD has not handed in 2 lots of homework and teacher is worried about DD, as study leave coming up for them to revise for mocks. DD is fiercely independent where homework is concerned and refuses and intervention from us.

DH and I are going to tackle her soon..... I need

DS, who I never fall out with, is not talking to me because I suggested that if he puts in the effort for class tests now, it will go into long term memory and therefore make his life easier in March and April.
He's furious with me but he can't say.