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Secondary education

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

Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (5 & a puppy, but no kittens)

999 replies

Stickerrocks · 22/03/2018 22:48

Here we go again.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3177476-GCSEs-2018-4-already

OP posts:
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12
KingscoteStaff · 08/04/2018 14:39

You may be right - if so, he’ll have to nominate me and I will have to resist the temptation to steam it open until his plane lands. I can just see it now - all the rugby team’s mums standing there with their sons’ envelopes, watching to see who will give in first and open theirs...

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 08/04/2018 14:52

One of my chums had booked a holiday for the last couple of weeks in August without realising the significance of 23rd or the need to enrol at college on a given date. They actually ended up losing their deposit and are now going away at Christmas instead.

Personally, I can't wait to have my first out of school holidays holiday for 11 years!

OP posts:
Cherryburn · 08/04/2018 15:02

DD's results were emailed to her (at 7am on GCSE results day!) No one went in to school to collect, but there were teachers available if results didn't go according to plan.

At DS's school the pupils go in to get them before disappearing to Reading Festival.

AlexanderHamilton · 08/04/2018 15:23

I’ve got no idea how Dd will get her results. School hasn’t said.

I’ve just checked & 23rd is ds’s summer school week so we will be at home as we are going away the week before.

I’m guessing they will be emailed.

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 08/04/2018 15:24

Cherry I got my results many years ago through the post and it was quite deflating to have nobody to celebrate with at the time. These days it almost seems to be a rite of passage to go into school for one last time before you all move on, thank the teachers and either have a bit of a cry or leap in the air swishing your long blond hair for the press!

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LooseAtTheSeams · 08/04/2018 15:38

At DS's school the plan appears to be to lure them in to get their results and do sixth form enrolment the same day! It does rather beg the question of what would happen if you couldn't physically be there, though I'm sure there's a contingency plan.

JufusMum · 08/04/2018 15:42

So DD's maths tutor is here, he's a year 12 who got 9's and A* across the board last year. He's totally speaking a language I don't understandEnvy

AChickenCalledKorma · 08/04/2018 15:56

In terms of time, DD1 is aiming for five hours a day and actually managing about three to four hours max.

She has the same issue with having some very time-consuming homework on subjects that she is already doing well in. Her English teacher has told them to type up the hand-written essays they did in the last mock and improve them as they go. But her typing is really, really slow, the essay is looooong and she already got a grade 8 in the exam, so it does seem pointless for her.

By the time she's done that kind of thing, the motivation for self-directed revision on subjects she really wants to focus on has gone. (See my rant above about the lack of science revision to date).

They have also been told that they need to clock up five revision interventions, in school, per subject in order to get their "passport to the prom". DD1 is not finding the school-based revision sessions helpful because they tend to cover stuff she is already doing OK in. I haven't decided whether to start a dialogue with the school. To be honest, given her lack of self-motivation to work at home, her argument that that would be better is wearing thin.

AChickenCalledKorma · 08/04/2018 15:58

JufusMum - does your daughter understand it?!

JufusMum · 08/04/2018 19:46

Korma - she said he was great so I'm hoping so!

Sostenueto · 08/04/2018 20:19

Difficult to get Dgd to do revision this weekend she is so tired. Tomorrow a complete rest from revision as it is her mums birthday. But I have warned her that time is short and time now to show her endurance, dedication and mettle in the face of a hard task if she wants to succeed but feel really sorry for the tremendous pressure she is under like all DC are.Sad

AlexanderHamilton · 08/04/2018 20:23

the Oliviers live radio broadcast has stopped play (or revision)

TheSecondOfHerName · 08/04/2018 21:23

the Oliviers live radio broadcast has stopped play (or revision)

One of DS2's friends is on the guest list, which is a good excuse to take an afternoon/evening off from GCSE revision.

TheSecondOfHerName · 08/04/2018 21:34

The play he was in has won three awards so far!

androbbob · 08/04/2018 21:43

Evening! Never got on the pc last week, so starting from now to try and keep up daily with you lot!

DD had a day off revision - went to a small concert in Manchester. Back to school tomorrow so hopefully the slog to the start of exams will ramp up a bit - she has done about 3 to 4 hours a day over the last week, but I reckon scope to do more, but she is tired and pale. Blood tests in a few weeks to check on iron levels and will try to get her to eat properly over the next few weeks - quality meals required not snacks or fast food!

AlexanderHamilton · 08/04/2018 22:17

Ferryman?

TheSecondOfHerName · 08/04/2018 22:34

Yes, I haven't seen it but DS1 has (with the new cast so DS2's friend was no longer in it) and liked it.

mmzz · 09/04/2018 06:51

AChickenCalledKorma I think we can both see how that would be a useful thing to do (typing and improving version 2) if there was lots of scope for improvement, or lots of feedback to incorporate. However, not for those students who got 8+ on version 1.

Each student has different weaknesses, and so, should be allowed to have different priorities. That English homework might have been a good task for my son but, not for your DD.

It feels very uncomfortable going against the school. It has never been something that either of my sons would ever contemplate before, and if they had, DH and I would have been telling them that they need to do what the teachers ask. DS cannot continue like this though.

Cherryburn · 09/04/2018 07:38

mmzz would it be worth having a conversation with the HOY? Individual teachers are naturally going to be concerned about results in their own subjects and there will be many DC who need those sort of guided revision tasks in the absence of having their own revision plan.

The HOY may be able to take a wider view and if he/she is satisfied that your DS has developed his own tailored revision plan (and has your assurance that he's sticking to it) they may be willing to speak to the teachers.

The only problem is (as I think someone said upthread) that the revision exercises set for the holidays may be the basis for revision lessons when school resumes.

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 09/04/2018 08:09

mmzz I would get a list of all the tasks your DS has been asked to do over Easter and email his HoY to explain that he is working through his own structured revision programme (exhibit A) and will only complete tasks from the school list (exhibit B) if they correspond. Reinforce the fact that he will not be given any detentions and that the pressure the school is placing on him during the holidays is creating mental health issues, as DS feels he must comply & is working ridiculously long hours.

DD has a 3 hour session in school today, then she's off to the cinema. I expect she'll do a bit more tonight if the trip goes well (she's going with part of the friendship issues group). I think she is probably doing around 3 hours per day. She has to go to work for 8 hour shifts tomorrow & Wednesday. We occasionally remind her that she needs to be happy with the balance of what she is doing, then leave her alone.

OP posts:
LooseAtTheSeams · 09/04/2018 08:15

The HOY should be made aware of the lack of communication between departments as well, mmzz!
Today is the last day I'll mention art exam prep. Whatever DS has by the end of the day will be it until Friday's art session at school! There are some revision classes this week but he can pick and choose the sessions. Computer science tomorrow afternoon and science on Friday are definite ones, though!

Teenmum60 · 09/04/2018 09:34

DD in school for 3-hour History revision session today ...then she's off for first gym induction.

Stickerrocks - hope cinema trip goes well...

Mmzz - I think your DS deserves a Halo hope you manage to sort things out ... its probably just as well he doesn't have to go to school for any sessions.

Clavinova · 09/04/2018 10:19

mmzz I wonder if your ds is spending too long on his past papers? Ds1 found that he could complete science and maths papers in half the allocated time if he didn't bother checking anything at the end. Of course he made some silly mistakes which he might otherwise have noticed, but he would rather get 90/92% in 1 hour than 96% in 2. Marking a 2 hour maths paper should only take 10 minutes if most of the answers are correct - or you could mark it for him and ring the questions he needs to go over.

Likewise, he could write bullet points for essay questions he doesn't have time to complete or just read through past papers with the mark scheme (sciences/geography), revising topics he doesn't know.

mmzz · 09/04/2018 10:32

Clarinova - DS says he is finished in half the time, but he feels that he has to go back checking through looking for mistakes because that's what's been drummed into him for years.

It really only takes about 20 mins to mark them, but in maths, there's an issue that the teacher has been consistently knocking points off here and there if he feels DS has not explained something fully. So, its that level of pickiness that takes the time because DS has to read the mark scheme carefully, not just give himself full marks for the correct answer.

TBH, having done maths myself at university, I suspect the teacher may be erring on the side of caution with some of the steps he requires to see. What he takes marks off for is often stating the blindingly obvious and then applying it, rather than just applying it. I will be amazed if these things are still required at A level.
Its just confusing for DS though to not take the teachers advice, so he just goes with it, and I don't contradict.

mmzz · 09/04/2018 11:52

Clavinova I took your advice and spoke to DS. You are right he finishes the exam early and then spends ages trawling back through the paper looking for mistakes. I suggested that, for this holiday only, he just stop when the last question is done, quickly mark it (no in depth analysis of the mark scheme) and get on with something he knows he needs to do. He agreed. He says he'll be able to reclaim quite a few hours this week by doing that.

So... thanks!

Stickerrocks and others - I am (or DH will!) going to take your HOY advice too.

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