GCSEs 2018 (2)

[Stickerrocks]

Pre-empting our 1000th post.

Our eldest went from A-Cs in mocks to 10 A*s 1 A in real GCSEs. In his case it was because he wasn't prepared enough for the mocks, both in terms of having all his files/notes etc in order and also underestimated how much time he need to revise. I think the mocks served as a useful wake-up call and then it all came together for the real thing, which is of course what you hope will happen.

As parents, I think the most helpful thing we have done for both DSs is to try to teach them how to get organised! I was quite shocked when I saw the state of DS1's notes/books/files - it was a complete muddle of a mess. The problem these days is that there are too many information sources/ handouts/ photocopies/ loose bits of random paper etc. We probably spent the first few days of the Christmas holidays with everything laid out in piles/sections and then spent a fortune on binders, files, dividers etc.
DS said afterwards that he felt so much calmer and in control once he could 'see the big picture of it all' but I do worry that many kids are similarly disorganised and never get it organised, which is why they just resort to cramming the CGP books!

That's a really good post, @Pebbles574

I agree about the mess of handouts, which at DS's school is interspersed with scanned pages emailed as a PDF, URLs and photos of the whiteboard complete with poor focusing the lens and other kids heads in the way, so the bottom third of the screen isn't visible at all! I am not joking or exaggerating (but I wish i was). Somehow, DS is supposed to organise all this into something he can study from. (Its the reason I've been buying text books recently).

Thanks mmzz - glad it's not just my kids then! However it is something I feel strongly about which I think is being overlooked in schools. DS has one teacher who is fantastic and builds in 'organisation' days (usually at the end of term when some are off doing shows or carol singing etc)
The kids have to bring their ring binders in and sort their notes. She supplies a front cover sheet with all the sections pre-printed, together with details of the exam, how many marks, how much time etc.

The school sent out some 'revision guide' sheets which tell the students where to access the information and it is all over the place - on the school system under OneDrive, OneNote, random legacy systems and often just attached to emails from teachers. It is assumed that every child has easy access to a fully functioning colour printer 24/7.

Oh yes, the photos of the whiteboard!! Aaargh!

On that front, can I recommend that they download an app like Scannable to their phones, as this then transforms it into a tidy pdf later, even if the original was at an angle!

The fourth sixth form interview I've taken my twins to (divided by two admittedly) Dd refused to acknowledge ds2 when she was sitting with her friends and gave him a glare when he tried to join them I saw this from a distance. Although I had grilled him on why he wanted to do Classical Civ A level, no difficult questions like that! I think they spent a bit of time discussing flashcards. It was really worth going to the interview - I wasn't sure whether ds2 had reached saturation point on all these official open days and visits but just talking to teacher and sitting in the school building with other potential A level students made him feel like he possibly liked the place quite a bit and could study A levels there quite happily

What do they ask at 6th form interviews? DS has been offered an interview next week and I think i need to prepare him.

Will they ask things like " Why do you want to study here?", "What are you ambitions?", "What will you do if we do not offer you a place?, "What do you want to do at university?"

At the moment, DS would be likely to fold if faced with some of those questions. He just doesn't know what he wants to do in September, in 2020 or at any point in his life. He's never had to make decisions before.

well, one asked about ambitions (possibly because ds had put a wide range of A level choices down, so I think they were just trying to be helpful and make sure he didn't limit himself by choosing wrong facilitiating subject or no f sub) one asked whether he wanted to go to uni. But mostly it was a chat about what sort of person you were, what your interests were, based on the form you filled in prior to interview. So not much really grilling about the subjects you wanted to study. I think the real issue for the subjects was getting the grades for those subjects at GSCE which allowed you to study them at A level. They were pretty open about whether you chose Drama or History, no pressure to prove why you wanted to study either, and certainly not subject specialists. Dd had a languages teacher for her interview (no language on her A level choices) and ds2 had an English teacher and a headteacher and a language specialist at his other interviews, nothing to do with the actual A levels. It seemed to be an assessment of character/personality - awkwardness, bravado, articulacy, likeability.

dd did get asked why she wanted to leave one school and go to another but that was because it was a boarding place. She answered that she didn't want to get up so early in the morning and wanted more fun!

Finally my dgd got her R.E textbook which is compulsory subject at her school. The new spec textbooks only now been printed and unavailable till now. Blooming lot of good that is with only 18 weeks to go! Also prom email for June. £40 per child but is in a great venue 44/miles from where we live, going to be a nightmare to organise as all her friends live that distance away! A real expensive night for a single working mum what with prom dresses £100 or more! Then transport as we can hardly turn up in family car! ( might have to).

DS has Eng Lang mock at 9am tomorrow morning!
He has taken himself off to have a shower and a shave so he doesn’t slice his face open with shaking hands in the morning...

I have filled his bag with snacks (more than 100 calories...)

Shave?!! How long has he been shaving?

DS2 has been shaving his 'tache since the end of Y10. No beard yet though.

Are there 16 year old who don't shave?! DS has been shaving since 14. Isn't that the norm? In any case, his dad is to blame. He couldn't wait to teach him even though I wanted to wait a tiny bit longer.
kingscote english lit here too! Earlier than you

Both of DD' s interviews lasted 5-10 minutes. She was asked which subjects she wanted to take or just try at the taster days, they checked a few details on her application form, asked if she enjoyed being head girl and then rounded up with any questions from her. Easy peasy. Check if they need to take photo id. DD forgot hers, but got told they could wait until August.

Sostenueto I would tackle the sales sooner rather than later. DD' s prom dress came off the sample rail, so it "only" cost £100 (saving over £150) but needs running repairs to a couple of hook & eyes. She bought shoes in the sales with Christmas money. The average spend on a frock in her school seems to be over £350, which is ludicrous. Meanwhile my niece spent £5 in Oxfam on a vintage 1970s silk jumpsuit and looked stunning a couple of years ago. It was either that or just not go, as she was on FSM and refused to accept help from us.

Ds1 does not shave yet. He is still 15 but I think it will be quite a while yet.

Thanks stickerocks am already looking. Her poor mum I feel for. Obviously I will help but my dgd train ticket goes up after her birthday and we only get a little discount off adult ticket if we buy a season ticket or termly ticket (nearly£300). The things we have to do just to go to a decent comp. Every high school in our town below par. In fact up until last year ALL of them on special measures! Loads of kids in our town shipped out to other schools

Sostenueto we got DD's prom dress from ebay, it was a beautiful vintage dress and at only £12!!! it was a bargain, but look now before the prom and bridesmaids rush begins. Also if you are going to look in Charity shops go to ones in affluent areas, apparently you can get more designer wear! Also at DD's prom a number of people arrived in their parent's cars, it's just that publicity shots are always of the novel ways people arrive. You really do not need to spend £300, unless you want to of course

Sostenueto we got DD's prom dress from ebay, it was a beautiful vintage dress and at only £12!!! it was a bargain, but look now before the prom and bridesmaids rush begins. Also if you are going to look in Charity shops go to ones in affluent areas, apparently you can get more designer wear! Also at DD's prom a number of people arrived in their parent's cars, it's just that publicity shots are always of the novel ways people arrive. You really do not need to spend £300, unless you want to of course

Sostenueto we got DD's dress from ebay, it was a beautiful vintage dress and at only £12 it was a bargain! If you are going to have a look round charity shops go to affluent areas, they will have more designer gear.

Also at DD's prom plenty arrived in their parent's cars, it's just that the publicity shots are all of the novel ways others arrived. You really do not need to pay £300+ for prom unless you want to of course

Oh dear I didn't think it had posted to wrote it all again

But it was such good advice that it was worth seeing it again!

I've only justified the money for DD's, as the two of us go on a cruise each year, so I know she will get more wear out of it.

Just off to pick dd up from Biology mock - gentle start this week Eng Lang yesterday and just Biology today but then the timetable gets busier. Major concern is Computer Science because having looked at revision booklet there is still lots of course not covered given that they spent last term on NEA...I do hope that they evidence that all children have spent the 20 hours on programming because otherwise it seems unfair that the children that have not started have had an additional 20 hours to prepare for theory exam.

He's in his way back home after mock. Breakfast this morning: freshly squezzed orange juice, bowl.of blueberries and cereal, soft boiled egg with toast, rest of toast eaten with vintage marmalade and half a croissant. Is that against board regulations?

on his way