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Secondary education

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Original poster

Anyone else's DC got mocks in New Year and doing NO visible revision??

37 replies

kitnkaboodle · 23/12/2017 00:39

.... i hope so because the other threads on the subject of mocks are making me feel like crap parent of the year!! My DS has good grade predictions and apparently has a plan for studying these hols (nothing at all done in first two days ...). DH and I have agreed to let him do it his way. He reacts very badly to nagging - it would ruin everyone else's Christmas. No charts, colour coded timetables, etc, here Blush

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 23/12/2017 10:35

Nothing in the first 2 days isn't really much of a problem, provided he actually does have a plan. My average-bright but slow-processing DD took 5 solid days off to have a decent break (we compressed all family visits into this time) and then did ~4.5 hours on remaining days. (3 hrs between 9-1, then 1.5 between 4-6. Every afternoon off.)

Maybe have 1 conversation. e.g. Right we are going to let you revise for mocks however you like. However if you don't get XYZ grades for the mocks doing it your way, we will insist on more oversight for the actual exams. Deal?

noitsnotteatimeyet · 23/12/2017 11:51

Mocks are a chance to practise revising and sitting lots of exams in a concentrated period. There are plenty of pupils for whom mocks are a wake up call when they realise that their particular ‘revision’ techniques aren’t that effective ...

I’d let him get on with it for now with the proviso that if his way doesn’t work then he’ll need to accept more help for the real thing

Teenmum60 · 23/12/2017 12:03

I suppose it depends how hard your dS has worked during term time...I have a coaster who has probably only been focused in subjects she likes. DD didnt have a plan until a few quiet words were had over last weekend. This week she worked hard over first couple of day's one full day off - now probably doing 2 to 3 hours a day but very reluctant at applying herself to the subjects she does need to revise ??

ScipioAfricanus · 23/12/2017 13:01

Depends on the general personality. Some of them burn themselves out somewhat by going hell for leather at this point - you’re better off pacing yourself and ramping up in March in my opinion (though obviously not if you’ve done no work whatsoever in preceding years). Some pupils definitely need the kick up the backside of not doing brilliantly to realise they are going to have to put more work in. I never revised much for mocks over holidays (though worked steadily during terms) and found it useful as getting a B without revision comforted me and then I would do more with energy for the real things. However that was as a long time ago when data was less of a thing. The pupils I teach who tend to do well in the long run do a reasonable amount but don’t treat the mocks exactly like the real thing.

Original poster
kitnkaboodle · 23/12/2017 22:56

Hmmm - yes, I suppose he has worked hard in term time - hard to tell. No hard n fast revision done at all recently. I wouldn't anticipate any Christmas eve-Boxing Day, so that leaves 8 days ... and I've promised no nagging (this time!). It's gonna kill me!

OP posts:
DrMadelineMaxwell · 23/12/2017 22:59

Last Christmas, DD had revision for her 3 science GCSEs, not mocks. It completely spoiled Christmas as she was stressed out with the pressure of it all.

She did revise though.

Littledrummergirl · 24/12/2017 12:39

My ds2. These are mocks so I'm not overly concerned - if it goes horribly wrong the consequences aren't completely catastrophic and will show him what needs to be done.

He'd better bloody revise for the actual exams.

Ds1 has A level mocks and he is working hard. They are a total contrast.

Sadik · 26/12/2017 22:01

I gave up on the GCSEs 2018 thread, because just reading it was making me feel stressed Grin
DD had mocks before Christmas, did very little visible revision and got perfectly good grades - she has since been doing some French on duolingo as she was a bit freaked by the written paper (though got a B on it in the end). I assume some work is going on somewhere, but tbh with dd I know that too much hassling will result in less work not more.

spababe · 27/12/2017 14:20

I am sooooo with you kit. Family rows about revision achieve nothing so I've given up and told DS it's up to him. We shall see what happens.

ReinettePompadour · 27/12/2017 14:33

I had 1 that never revised anything. They felt if they didn't know it then quoting out of a book wouldnt help them know it either. They also found revising to be very stressful and made them panic. They did great at gcse.

I have another teenager who revises constantly despite being top of the class in most subjects. They panic all the time especially if they read only half a paragraph, dont understand that first half then we have complete meltdown until they read the rest of the text and they realise the do know what its about. I'd rather they didn't revise as the stress and anxiety for my dc is unhealthy but the school have been brutal about revision this year. Funny enough the school also said my dc could never attend another class for the rest of the year and they would still get grade 6/7 in most subjects. Confused

There are millions of options open to students if they dont quite get the grades at 16. Some people mature so much later than others and a more laid back approach really wont do them any harm. The schools really push this need to get the gcse grades because thats what makes the school look good. Theres no consideration for the actual students.

ILoveTheEU · 27/12/2017 15:08

What ReinetteP said about 2 completely different kids but both found own way.

Oddsocks15 · 29/12/2017 08:32

Kit - I feel your pain, Mocks were a really stressful event. For my DD the outward signs were good, she had created a revision timetable, highlighter pens and revision books were purchased but her mock results showed that either she needs to put more effort into her revision or improve her exam technique or both as her results were a mixed bag. She had a 1 in English and a U in French.

She has some real exams in Jan/Feb which apparently she is revising for. Again the outward signs are good but any conversation we have with DD about revision ends up as strop, slamming doors, eye roll.

drummersmum · 29/12/2017 13:24

DS is revising full on, everyday. I have asked told him about possible burn out but he says he's advancing work for the real thing and everything he's doing now will help later on. I guess there's some truth in that?

NotAgainYoda · 30/12/2017 14:11

Revision: what is that?

Oddsocks15 · 30/12/2017 22:53

NotAgainYoda

As the green Jedi master himself would say “Do or do not, there is no try”...

No revision here either

Original poster
kitnkaboodle · 30/12/2017 23:40

Ah - a few kindred spirits here. Well, I wasn't expecting any revision to be done on 24th/25th/26th, and we went out on the 28th, but he's had the 27th/29th/30th where there has (semi deliberately) been nothing scheduled. I think he did a bit yesterday. He's either a total lazy sod, or doesn't need much revision Confused. His predictions are good, ranging form 6s to 9s. We shall see ...

OP posts:
Oddsocks15 · 31/12/2017 08:45

kit
So my DD has two younger brothers who currently share a bedroom, one of them has decided he wants to move into the spare room. Fair enough, he is 14! Anyway DD kicks off because she wanted to use the spare room to revise in as her bedroom is a mess! This has not been mentioned by DD before DS decided to move in and whose fault is it that DD bedroom a mess, I have offered to help her clear it up several times!! A firm no was the answer, she has bedroom and the dining room!

DD has actual real exams in Jan and Feb (Music and IT)... She seems to spend most of day in bed .. occasional outward signs of revision, books, highlighter pens.... Hmm Shock

TheDonald · 31/12/2017 08:57

This thread is reassuring. I also got scared off the gcse thread.

Dd is also coasting towards reasonable grades but not really doing any noticeable work or revision. Predictions are 6-8 except RS which is a 3. Her mocks start on the 8th. She has been revising this week but despite working out a lovely timetable with lots of fancy colours she has ignored it and only done maths.

Maths is her best subject and she's currently working at an 8. Of course it would be nice if she got a 9, but it would also be nice if she didn't have to resit English!

I'm keeping well out of it. She doesn't react well to nagging and I'm just telling myself that at least she is doing maths. Up to this year she never revised maths because she thought it was too easy and there was no point. Confused

Oddsocks15 · 31/12/2017 15:36

TheDonald Was your DD and my DD separates at birth? They sound so similar! My DD predicted at 8 at Maths and intents to take it at A level, however she too is heading for English resit if she doesn’t get it together for May 🤦🏻‍♀️

aaagggghhhhFFS · 03/01/2018 23:14

Oh my god I'm so glad I found this thread. I've just looked at the GCSE thread too and got scared!!

My DD is predicted 6-9s, had some mocks in Oct, which went fairly badly across the board due to lack of revision and exam technique (1 in one subject). Has another set of mocks in Feb, but the Oct exams have not given her the kick up the backside that I was hoping!

She doesn't let me even mention school work or homework with out rolling her eyes and getting defensive. I think she's totally overwhelmed but not willing to share any of the stress with me (apparently me helping "stresses her out") and pretending it's happening instead.

I need to stop feeling so invested and bite my tongue but it's SO HARD!!

Original poster
kitnkaboodle · 04/01/2018 21:55

Welcome aaagghhh! I asked my ds at the start of the hols if he was overwhelmed and he said no. Did next to no revision in the hols but a lot (finally) last night - first exam today. Maths - went well but he's a reasl STEM kid. Spent a lot of time in his room tonight too- but no idea what he was doing. If I ask questions he gets arsey with me. If he does badly in these mocks then we are going to have one hell of a battle over the next few months Sad

OP posts:
Oddsocks15 · 05/01/2018 08:02

aaaggg welcome! - your DD sounds like mine. I can’t mention anything to do with school without one or all of the following: eye roll, slam door, tears, defensive, blaming DH & I, shouting ....

She too is anxious about it all but refuses to let me help her in any way as apparently I make it worse... I’ve bought her a relaxation CD and some books to help with teenage anxiety

Oddsocks15 · 05/01/2018 08:05

Ps - hard not to feel so invested in it all, only natural that you want your DC to do as well as they can.. Does your DD have plans for after GCSEs? Mine is aiming for a super selective 6th form (her choice not ours), which only adds to her stress

drummersmum · 05/01/2018 17:37

I hated it when my parents got too involved in my studies (which didn't happen often) but I was top of my class. So don't worry about their reactions being a sign of anything, although it's not pleasant!

AnonymousBeing · 05/01/2018 18:54

Don't panic about mocks - if kids don't revise enough it's a great wake up call when they subsequently don't get good marks and will likely cause them to be far more self-motivated for the real thing. It's a valuable life lesson and sets them up not to need nagging in the future.