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Secondary education

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

Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (4 already)

999 replies

Stickerrocks · 24/02/2018 20:56

Following on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3152060-GCSEs-2018-3

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
mmzz · 04/03/2018 22:22

Sost which exam is on 1st May? DS has two weeks more than that

Sostenueto · 05/03/2018 03:07

Spanish oral mmzz

mmzz · 05/03/2018 06:17

I guess it takes a long time to process all the students through the orals. DS hasn't got a date for his yet. I think he has just started preparing as he has to write a 1 minute verbal presentation for homework.
Sostenuto when does your DGD's school start the study leave? Maybe since it obviously has a far flung catchment, the teachers want the orals over before the study leave begins, rather than dragging someone back in on a 60 mile round trip, just for 10 minutes?

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 05/03/2018 06:51

DD'S school doesn't give any study leave. They have to attend school each day, going to the correct lesson until the exams in that subject are over, with study periods slotting into the rest. I assume things relax a little after May half term though.

OP posts:
MaisyPops · 05/03/2018 06:56

sticker
We don't do study leave anymore.
I'll be honest, I agree with keeping them in school til May half term / til thr main chunk of exams start, but keeping them in until the end of June so you never quite know how many you'll have in a class, they're wanting to revsie for their next exam and are alll ready for a break? It's too much.

I'm planning on stopping teaching properly just after Easter. I finished the course at Christmas. I'm doing revision teaching and exam technique. Then I'm going to do mini teaching inputs and provide loads of revision material and students can get on whilst I help peoplr out. What's the point in me revising Shakespeare in clsss when half are fine and half need to work on their poetry?
Then again, I have really nice students who will get on.

TheDonald · 05/03/2018 07:11

No study leave here either but speaking to friends with kids who have been through it there is definitely a blind eye turned to a few extra dental appointments and stomach bugs Wink

I am fully prepared to let dd stay off occasionally after Easter if she is getting overwhelmed or if she feels time will be better spent at home e.g. if some other kids are messing around and distracting her.

Oddsocks15 · 05/03/2018 07:53

Maisypops what are teachers using for this cohort to predict GCSE results? How accurate can the predictions be for this year?

BlueBelle123 · 05/03/2018 08:58

Thedonald you won't be the only one DS has to attend to May half term and has asked if some days he can stay home and revise and I've agreed, as I know that is what he will be doing. I'm hoping the school will turn a blind eye.

LooseAtTheSeams · 05/03/2018 09:13

Think it's been mostly science revision here - there's a physics mock and a chemistry mock this week, then maths and computing at the beginning of next week.
DS is finding it hard to get motivated about art exam prep when he has revision to do for mocks but he should be ready for the actual exam near the end of term.
I've tried to motivate him using mmzz ideas about what grades he wants to get and it did make him more thoughtful. Funnily enough, his maths teacher got them all to write down the maths grade they thought they could get and sign it!
English revision is on one side for now, though, it's all maths and science at the moment, sadly!
By the way, I love 'Romeo and Juliet' but I've decided I really can't stand Romeo!

mmzz · 05/03/2018 09:26

I've been wondering about how teachers predict grade boundaries too. English and Maths teachers will have last year's results to go, so although its not much its infinitely better than nothing (which is what I suspect MFL, science, History, geography, music etc teachers will have).

Also, how are the grade boundaries for triple science going to be calculated. Its a bit like Latin in that typically its only the more able students who attempt triple science, so it would be unfair to get a low grade only because you are doing a subject which only the most able do, whereas if everyone did it you would get two or three grades higher just through the comparison.

BlueBelle123 · 05/03/2018 09:27

Do you think his maths teacher has been reading this thread Grin

Sostenueto · 05/03/2018 09:28

@mmzz study leave starts middle may I think. As dgd goes by train and may not get there for 8.45 am ( because she will have to run uphill from station to school over a mile) or if trains are delayed the days she has a.m exams I will take her in. For p.m exams she will go on train in the morning and study before exam in afternoon as she cannot bear to be rushed before exam. So she will be cool, calm and collected for both a.m and p.m exams.

BlueBelle123 · 05/03/2018 09:28

But mmzz that is how A levels work!

mmzz · 05/03/2018 09:33

But at A level, there are so few that people look at the names next to the grade and, i hope its not controversial to say that an A in History is more highly regarded than an A in Sociology

Sostenueto · 05/03/2018 09:35

Whichever way you look at it this years cohort will be at a disadvantage because as already said English and maths have some comparison to work yo, but other subjects do not so the DC will be in same position as last years cohort for all exams except English and maths IMO.

BlueBelle123 · 05/03/2018 09:42

Yes but if you look at the sciences and as most schools/colleges restrict entry to those with mainly 7-9 and some 6's and then those high achieving children when they take the A level will all be stretched out across all the A level grades A*-E.

mmzz · 05/03/2018 09:45

Are the current year 11s also going to be the first to sit the 9-1 A levels in 2020 (or is that just something I made up in my head?)!

BlueBelle123 · 05/03/2018 09:55

I wasn't aware of any plans for a levels to go to 1-9 but Iam happy to be corrected. changes in A level have now happened ie linear and changes to syllabus.

Teenmum60 · 05/03/2018 10:08

IMO all the children this year are in the same position so they will be judged as a cohort on primarily statistical predictions but the same level of grades will be given as per previous year with the addition of Grade 9. I'm not sure they are disadvantaged but I guess they will be setting the bar for years to come. Thankfully it will be A-Level results which really matter.

I think the problem is with the new addition of Grade 9 - some parents have become fixated that their children achieve the top grade where previously A* would have been considered a great result - so there will be some disappointed parents because they have set their goal too high.

DD will get exam leave and it starts on 4th May ...I am really pleased that the school takes this approach ...they took the same approach with Summer 17 and mocks exams. Dd's school are also dipping into PE lessons now for extra study - DD did a double period of DT last week and will do the same this week (missing one PE Lesson).

Its a bit of a rollercoaster household here at the moment and I'm hoping that we can cut out the arguments that seem to start from nothing ...I'm finding it difficult to get over to DD I just want her to put in the effort (revise) rather than necessarily get the top grades...if she's focused and revised I will be happy whatever grades she gets because I know she would have done her best. Hopefully, that came over yesterday.

mmzz · 05/03/2018 10:10

I think you are right. It looks like current year 12s are the first to undertake the entirely new system (it has been phased in gradually but no one is starting the old style A levels any more). the A*-G still remains though. I don't know why i thought the A levels were moving to 9-1 too

Teenmum60 · 05/03/2018 10:15

I spoke to a girl (in prom shop)who was studying A-levels on Saturday (Yr13), she commented how hard the Maths A Level was and dropped it after Yr12 (she had taken 4 A Levels). She also stated that the Chemistry was very hard (which they don't seem to insist on A(7-9) GCSE grade) but she had personally loved Biology (very interesting) and RS. She had been offered a place at Liverpool to study Veterinary Research.

All the A Levels have been reformed for students that started in 2017 that will take exams 2019.

Sostenueto · 05/03/2018 10:17

@teenmum Trouble is the new 8 is actually not quite the old A. The 8 sits just below it. The 7 is on same level as the A. In fact, looking at it again the A sits mid way between the 8 and 9. Also you have to remember the high achieving DC will feel they failed in some way if they dont get the 9s. Its all psychological because an 8 is not the highest grade in their eyes. An 8 IMO is fantastic but in my dgds eyes its one below the top grade and she's not alone amongst her peer group for thinking this way.

Sostenueto · 05/03/2018 10:20

Didn't they just drop AS levels and coursework for the new A levels?

mmzz · 05/03/2018 10:26

DHdoes not take as much interest in the minutiae of the education system, as I do (which is probably just as well). He's obviously heard of the new grades though, and he knows his sons are very able. So, he keeps telling DS1 that he expects 10 9s.

He doesn't know what he's asking - I think he just thinks 9 is the new word for A. Some of our friends children got straight As at GCSE and at their schools it wasn't considered extraordinary. So, DH keeps saying it to DS, even though i keep telling him that the number of people who will do that this year could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Expecting to get 9s in everything has to be an unreasonable expectation, unless you are that one rare genius.

Sostenueto · 05/03/2018 10:28

No study leave was given during Mock's for my dgd. Also good new my dgs has been offered an apprenticeship at Vauxhall when he's 16 (next year) and also one for R.A.F could be forthcoming. Dgs not academic but good with hands and engineering skills and attends a university technical college since year 10 and has blossomed which is a great relief for all especially my eldest dd as his behaviour has also vastly improved.