DS (year 11) can't get any revision done due to homework

[Kazzyhoward]

DS is currently getting 3/4 hours of normal homework per evening, and about 10 hours each weekend, and hasn't been able to do any revision since Easter. Last weekend was the DofE Bronze assessed expedition so he couldn't do anything. Last weekend this month is the DofE Silver practice expedition, so that's Friday-Sunday out of action.

Is it reasonable for the teachers to continue giving "normal" homework of such high amounts when they are so close to the GCSE's? They don't get any "revision" leave as they're still in school to the Friday, with exams starting the following week. What's worse is that teachers are giving it one day to be handed in the next, so DS can't even try to schedule it, so every time he "plans" to do some revision, he gets another long homework which takes up all his time.

Main culprits are History, Geography and Res Mat where the teachers seem to be panicking that they've not finished the course and are suddenly giving loads of homework, when over the last couple of years, they've had virtually nothing (maybe an hour per subject per week) - some of the homework is very time-consuming such as projects and all of it has to be handed in for marking at very short notice (typically next lesson which is often the next day).

He's starting to think about just not doing it and doing revision instead, his rationale being that he'd be better simply not being able to answer the odd question that they've not yet done/mastered, thus losing minimal marks, as opposed to not being able to revise another subject at all (such as biology) and potentially losing marks on most questions due to lack of revision.

Any opinions as to whether to prioritise revision over all subjects or follow teacher homework on selected topics only?

[Clavinova]

This company run Silver D of E expeditions if you can't make the school dates:

www.adventure-expeditions.net/individuals-d-of-e/open-silver-expeditions/

[Peachypeaches]

I’m so shocked about the Resistant Materials project, my son started his in October. It sounds like something has gone very wrong at the school. I’d also take him out of the DofE, it’s madness doing expeditions during exam season.

[tumpymummy]

At DS's school he did bronze d of E last year. They don't do silver at all. Then Year 12 he can do gold if he wants. There's no way he would be doing dfe at the moment.

[winewolfhowls]

I'm also shocked at the Weimar unit being started now - crazy! are you sure this is the case?

[Kazzyhoward]

As an update. Silver DOFE expedition happened last weekend without DS - we had a telephone conversation with the teacher/leader who couldn't understand why we were concerned and tried desperately to persuade us to let him go.

Today, DS told us that less than 10 pupils did it (over 40 were in the preparation lessons and groups set up) and that it was a fiasco as the planned groups had to be re-formed due to the amount of people who'd pulled out, meaning 8 groups had to be re-formed into just 2 groups with some duplicated equipment, some missing equipment, some groups got lost because the pupils who'd planned the route didn't do it. DS was so glad he didn't do it.

Res Mat has been dropped as it descended into total farce because some of the electrical components required (and asked for/ordered several weeks ago) were still not available in the last few days before the deadline for handing the finished item in for marking. Rather than handing in something which was nowhere near finished, we have withdrawn him.

Likewise with History - teacher was absent last week and didn't provide any cover work, lessons were supervised by a games teacher who had nothing to give them. We withdrew him from History on Friday.

So, problems solved, taking 2 fewer GCSEs but massive relief he can actually get on with revision now rather than being messed around by incompetent teachers.

[Oratory1]

Well done I’m sure you’ve made the right choices - I’m also sure you won’t be the only ones with schools in this position and feel so sorry for those who don’t have parents as in the ball as you.

[Oratory1]

The variation in schools grasp of the new gcse s is enormous

[titchy]

Wow! That is utterly shit OP. Letter to Head and Governors time?

[Malbecfan]

I understand completely why you have withdrawn him, but FGS, his school seems pretty useless. Those of us teaching the new qualifications have been let down monumentally by the awarding bodies, the people who publish resources etc etc, but to schedule D of E now is ludicrous.

For context, I have just seen my year 11s for the last time today although I am giving them some revision slots between now and their exam during their study leave if they want them. The revision guide to my exam board was published this week (I kid you not), so I haven't bothered getting one. The main publisher of revision and practice material in my subject has pushed my board's publication book back by months. Those of us who are in a Facebook group are placing bets as to within how many hours before the exam it actually appears, such is their lack of urgency. I have 2 D of E expeditions scheduled this month, but these are for year 9. Year 11 did their silver expeditions back last September. I wasn't allowed to do anything with year 11 that could distract them from their studies.

In your position, I would be writing to the Head and Chair of Governors with a timeline. For your DS to put in almost 2 years of work and then to withdraw due to incompetent planning on the part of their staff is indefensible.

[MaisyPops]

It sounds like incompetent management, not just poor individual teachers.

Get your child through as much as you can and then write a formal complaint.

I know of teachers who are still completing content last minute. I roll.my eyes and feel for the students every time i hear it.