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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (3)

999 replies

mmzz · 28/01/2018 08:40

Following on from:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3113917-GCSEs-2018-2

OP posts:
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17
Original poster
mmzz · 28/01/2018 08:45

Just realised that old thread still has 100 posts to go....
Sorry for any confusion caused by creating this thread too early

OP posts:
TheDrsDocMartens · 28/01/2018 08:54

Marking place for now. Mocks this week.

Original poster
mmzz · 29/01/2018 10:56

Good luck for the mocks, TheDrsDocMartens

OP posts:
Original poster
mmzz · 29/01/2018 11:10

I finally got DS working yesterday and the first thing he had to do was some maths homework. There was 5 hours worth of it (he'd had it for a week)! It was just practicing the same thing over and over again. The thing is DS is really good at maths, so he's no better at that skill now than he was on Saturday. Of all the things he could have spent his time doing yesterday - including going for a long walk or some actual revision - this was the least useful.

By the time he finished - 6pm - he had a headache and there was no point in trying to do something useful with the day.

There's no way though of getting the maths teachers agreement to exempt DS from excess homework for the sake of his other subjects though, is there?

OP posts:
Original poster
mmzz · 29/01/2018 11:11

aaargh wrong thread again!

OP posts:
CeeCeeMacFay · 29/01/2018 14:53

My ds had mocks just after Xmas getting results back now.

Original poster
mmzz · 29/01/2018 15:07

Welcome, @CeeCeeMacFay

There's been a couple of threads already this year. I stupidly set this one up a bit early - 100 posts too early, to be exact!

Why not come over onto the current thread and join us? We'll get to this one when no. 2 thread is full, probably in a couple of days.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3113917-GCSEs-2018-2

PS Hope the mock results go well.

OP posts:
CeeCeeMacFay · 29/01/2018 20:40

Thanks, I will do. He is a very middle of the road student and finding the new GCSEs tough. So far he has got a 5 in maths, a C in history and 3s on both English papers which he was very disappointed with.

Original poster
mmzz · 29/01/2018 20:50

There's a poster (looseattheseams) on the other thread who I think it's an English tutor. She's got some really good tips on how to get English grades up.

OP posts:
CeeCeeMacFay · 29/01/2018 21:02

Thanks! I will check out the other thread now.

TheSecondOfHerName · 30/01/2018 19:26

DS2 went to the memorial service for his friend today. I can't stop thinking about that boy's poor parents.

androbbob · 30/01/2018 19:27

Evening! English speaking done today. They had to write a speech and then present it to the class. She practised it last night on both my and her dad separately and she is a confident speaker and writer. Her topic was 'the crisis in the NHS'. She did great research and felt it went well. On target so far with revision sessions - both after school run sessions and independent learning at home. We are ticking them off on her weekly revision planner so she can see what she has achieved at end of week (or where need to do more at weekends ). Coping so far but there is talk of extra school sessions in half term! !

Stickerrocks · 30/01/2018 19:53

Thesecond It's worst nightmare stuff, isn't it. Just give him a big hug.

BlueBelle123 · 30/01/2018 20:24

Thesecond its things like that, that put everything into perspective hope you and your DS are OK.

BlueBelle123 · 30/01/2018 20:27

androb glad your DD had a good day, it seems all the DC on this thread are revising English........wish DS would!! (although I have been taking a mental note of all the excellent advice just in case I catch DS with his English book outWink)

Stickerrocks · 30/01/2018 20:34

DD still refuses to read her English Lit books from cover to cover, but she did go to Spanish after school tonight. She was annoyed because her teacher had asked her to come along for a few weeks for an intensive boost, but 3 or 4 other girls dropped in who are more naturally talented at languages then she us, so she didn't get the help with the basics she was hoping for. I've told her to grit her teeth & try again next week.

LooseAtTheSeams · 30/01/2018 20:53

TheSecond that's so awful - the poor parents.
DS was almost asleep at school today - one of the teachers was worried about him. I think he just overdid it yesterday and needs a good night's sleep!

Sostenueto · 30/01/2018 21:04

My Dgd did a speech on laughter for her English and got a distinction. All because she had time to think and do it and surprisingly she delivered it really well considering how she goes red and tongue tied if anyone talks to her!

EllenJanethickerknickers · 30/01/2018 21:21

Wow, these threads move quickly. I didn't get around to posting for a few weeks and another thread has been filled!

DS3 has had his mock results. Fairly disappointing except for maths. A lot of his predictions have gone down a grade. He won't meet the offer for the super selective sixth form DS1 went to but has applied to a local good sixth form attached to a high performing comp and has his own school's sixth form as a back up.

Further maths may be a problem. Local good sixth form has 22 taking it this year in Y12 but his own school has only 3 in Y12. All the really bright mathematicians tend to leave. He's not guaranteed a place at local good school. (With his current predicted results at least)

He's just realising that lack of revision causes problems. Probably just as well he didn't do that well with minimal revision. Would have given him the wrong idea. But it has caused his options to become restricted.

I can't catch up on the 1000 posts I missed Blush but I'll read back on this thread.

BlueBelle123 · 30/01/2018 21:24

DS did his speech on antibiotics, I got a call home from the teacher as she wanted to let me know how informative and entertaining it was, apparently it was also amusing......not sure it was meant to beConfused

BlueBelle123 · 30/01/2018 21:29

Ellen if his actual results are better than latest predicted's would he then be able to get into the super selective or would he of already missed the boat? there's no competition round here and certainly no selectives let alone super selectives, so I'm a bit clueless how it all works.

Teenmum60 · 30/01/2018 21:41

TheSecond - hope your DS is OK - I cant imagine how the parents (extended family) come to terms with such a loss of a child at such an early age.

We had minor panic yesterday - DD's Biology teacher seemed to think that DD was about to be entered into exams under the wrong name (she uses my name at school - not the name on her BC). All resolved and Ok apparently the entries have to be signed off by DD.

DD at dads tonight because I'm working away from home - so no idea what revision will be done - but I'm back home tomorrow so hopefully she will get a little bit done then.

DD's English Lit seems to be different from everyone else's - even the DC doing IGCSE - She's studying - Of Mice and Men which I think Michael Gove got removed from the GCSE syllabus...

KingscoteStaff · 30/01/2018 22:25

It's clearly an English evening - DS is busy analysing the 'Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow' scene from Macbeth. So far, his most insightful comment is that 'They probably didn't have mindfulness in those days'...

drummersmum · 30/01/2018 22:52

kingscote Grin
thesecond yes, when I think of anyone losing a child I come apart too Sad

TheDonald · 30/01/2018 23:17

Hello all. I fell off this thread somewhere in thread one. Just been catching up.

Well done to everyone on some good mocks and hard working dcs.

My dd was pleased with her mocks despite a lack of revision in all subjects except maths. She got 8s in maths and computer science and a 7 in geography (her three A level subjects)

She got 5s in all three sciences and German and a 4 in English. I think she was most pleased about the English! She was only 1 off a 5 and she got a 3 last year. It's still a bit close for comfort for me.

I came on to ask a question. Those of you with dc who are revising now - what exactly are they doing? Dd isn't really sure what she should be spending her time doing and is finding it all a bit daunting.