GCSEs 2018 (3)

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

Teacher suggested that dgd get a tutor as obviously everybody has graded her wrong for years but her grading is fine as she went to Oxford!. We got a letter a few weeks ago saying none needs tutors as school outstanding and teachers outstanding and ALL pupils needing extra support will get it at school.l
Perhaps she should have read letter!

Awesome results Alexander!

My DC got about 50% in the Physics mock - he thinks this is a grade 7. Most of his friends got lower marks some as low as 12%.

Was that AQA spa? DD actually got 45% apparently. I've been on TES forum & teachers seem to be guessing at 50% being a 5/6

Alexander I wonder if physics was like our chemistry paper - DS got a 5 when he usually manages much higher. The teacher has complained to the exam board about the paper as apparently it bore little relation to the new specification. She knows her stuff so must have been hard!
I have bought DS some revision books just in case.
Sostenueto - rather conflicting comments from the teacher there! Hopefully, you'll get a helpful response from the head of English, though. What were the school's English results like last Summer?

There were lots of U's apparently.

Sostenuto that sounds really poor.

Geography teacher and maths teacher called dgd phenomenal! All teachers except English thought DVD great!

English teacher just said that DVD got great ideas in class and classwork but has to work on confidence. I said 'isn't that what you are supposed to do inspire confidence?' That's when she piped up about getting a tutor! I mentioned time management which she said us up to the DC to sort by doing lots if practise papers. I said 'fine where are the practise papers because so far you haven't given the class any?' I was told to source them ourselves as she has curriculum to sort. So, I really don't think school us going to be impressed by the oxford English teachers attitude when they find out!

Sostenuto didn't the teacher come up with any constructive comments on how your DGD could improve, doesn't say much for her as a teacher if she's recommending your daughter to get a tutor

Great results last tear loose, but this teacher didn't join school till 2 months before last years exams.

Exactly bluebelle! I mentioned fact that dgd a 9 in geography 8 in R.e and when she did history a 9. All essay subjects which she has no problem in writing. I know a different technique but proves she is not illiterate or has lack of understanding. Nothing constructive suggested, more or less the DC has to sort herself.
So we are just going to have to get sorted ourselves but suspect when head of English receives e mail help will be swiftly given. Meanwhile we will work on timing, confidence and creativity.

Sostenueto - Sorry to hear things didnt go well with English Teacher - didnt sound like she was being constructive at all - odd that she would suggest a tutor too (that indicates she has no belief in her own teaching if DD clearly has the ability). I had the opposite with DD's French teacher - she was most annoyed when I engaged a tutor and actually started to contradict some of the advice (however it did boost DD's confidence she was happy to open up more to the tutor and the grade improved). Its so hit and miss with teachers - DD's English teacher is amazing she had 121 with all the girls this week and is offering to stay behind after school for more 121's too. Cant same the same about French teacher !

Yes AQA mock paper. We've not had official results from the school yet. I can believe 50% it's a 5/6.

Teenmum my dgd is a pp pupil. Her mum single working on minimum wage and zero contract. We are poor. The teacher knows this very well. It was a bit of an insult to suggest a tutor really knowing full well we could never afford it. She may have forgotten and I think she realised after she said it, hence my clenching fists at comment. Its no fun being poor, especially when you are proud and give dgd all that others have, even if it means my cupboards are bare! ( the dog has more food than me!) So I couldn't say to teacher we can't afford it especially with other parents listening

Rant over now, too many positives from other teachers to keep us upbeat and my dgd is truly awesome and we will help and support her as much as our average intelligence can!

@spababe I think it might depend on where the department within the school sets grade boundaries because DS got 75% on his physics mock and was told it equated to a high 7.

What exam board is she doing sostenuto?

Thanks to all for your support

Your DD is a credit to you and your DD....but I cant understand why any teacher would recommend a tutor because it is basically saying that the teacher has failed especially if she is a very able student. I feel for you but my upbringing was very much the same when I was your DGD's so I can relate ...although it was a different era and not so materialistic. Surely if your dD is on PP there should be extra funding available to support her in school unless things have changed.

@TheSecondOfHerName DS1 (year 11) and DS2 (year 9) did the UKMT intermediate individual challenge this morning too. Both answered approx 20-22 questions (however I suspeçt that one did it with more accuracy than the other though!).

Answering every question is a remarkable achievement.

Aqa Alexander. She just gas problem making ideas flow. Right notes not necessarily in the right order time management and a real big ' thing' about English. The more she thinks about it the more sick she feels and actually gets sick with the stress of English. Daft really as she is great at everything else.

My dd is doing edexel. We have loads of resources I just wondered if I had anything.

Ds will be doing AQA & we have just got him a tutor but his issues are specific to the kind of problems autistic children have with English - the 1:1 approach will hopefully help him.

Dd used to struggle with writing & found the best thing was to memorise formulas & writing techniques.

Teenmum support is there for pp students underachieving but not for high achievers on pp. Lots of her teachers forget she is pp cos unlike.me and her mum she talks pish, us quiet, studious and in all top groups. Is always fed and dressed immaculately so easy to forget she's from a very poor , so called deprived background. ( we make sure of that!) We bought all her books before they realised she was supposed to get them free!

Sostenuto sorry to hear about your experience with the English teacher. It sounds like it is definitely worth flagging with the the Head or Deputy Head. I think it is really important to pick your moments to complain so that when you do it makes an impact - it sounds like this definitely merits it.

Back from our parents' evening. Lots of positive feedback and practical advice about how to make the most of the time left before exams.** Really impressed by the plans the teachers have to boost grades - far removed from my time at school.

The history teacher is running lunchtime timed sessions to help pupils get a feel for how long they should spend on answers.

The maths teacher will run all maths classes after Easter as revision sessions for topics identified by the boys during their revision in the Easter holidays.

Similar stuff from the others.

DS1 teachers are an inspiring bunch and committed bunch - I'd love to be taught by them!

Sandybaley yes same here, physics on Monday lunchtimes, English lit Wednesday lunchtimes and geography teacher wants dgd to help on a Tuesdays with geography using her exam answers to help tutor others! Maths I believe on a Friday lunch and various others after and before school. None if which dgd will do as she gas to travel by train 37 odd miles each way. It really us just English the problem, though she is level 5 at no. As long as she can get that she will be fine. Trouble is she wants higher to make sure.(sigh,).

Sorry about wrong letters, spasms kicking in after sitting in car so long me thinks.