GCSE 2018 no. 6: stress, struggles and success (hopefully) *Title Edited by MNHQ*

[mmzz]

New thread for GCSEs 2018

Got text saying it went very well! Phew.
Glad everyone seems to be getting positive feedback.

English Lang paper 1 and 2 next week.

My DS had History today and usually struggles with it despite doing lots of revision but found the paper ok/ doable so fingers crossed!

That's a relief for all concerned. Onwards & upwards!

Sounds like the right questions came up - well done to all the dcs!

My DS school is not offering any study leave. They are expected to finish school on the Friday the 11th May and start exams on Monday 14th. I am considering taking him out of school from 7th-11th so he can prepare for his exams at home and spend his time on his own personal revision. It seems really odd that he doesn't have time to prepare properly away from school. Is anyone else school doing this - would you let them take time off for home revision?

Hi Ggirl27 my DS's school is the same and he will not be going in next week, according to him the lessons now on the whole are a waste of time too much chatter and messing around very little actual revision.

Well done all those with exams today sounds like they all got off to a good start!

Ggirl There's 2 weeks of exams before half term and 2 weeks after and DS's school only gives study leave from half term onwards. So his year will be in lessons and then leaving to go to the exam, then back again afterwards into class.
I'd take DS or if I thought he'd be better off studying at home, but for now school is doing a series of revision lessons that are helpful. They are covering things that DS can't get from a text book, such as exam technique

Ggirl27 My DD does finish on Friday and up until yesterday, all her lessons were helpful...In some subjects now the revision technique has been fully covered. DD stated that she is still finding some classes beneficial - I think the teachers are giving the option of self-study at the rear of the class or specific topic study at the front. I think DD finishes on Friday because their exams are mainly IGCSE so there are a lot of exams next week but DD's first exam is not until 14th.

DS is finding some lessons useful and some not so - but it is useful being able to get practise questions marked with feedback. He also likes the structure of the day and lunch with mates etc so on balance happy for him to be in (he gets no study leave at all). But I think we will play it by ear and if he's getting stressed or starts to find lessons a distraction we may suddenly discover a few 'appointments' or sick days.

Teen how the date goes well, although the timing isn't great......

mmzz is your DS still getting mountains of homework or are the teachers still trying to mark the last lot

Oddsocks hope everything is OK with you given the circumstances

We don't have study leave either. DS says he is finding the revision lessons useful, though.

I wonder do you think my DS is stringing me alone as he seems to be the only one who isn't impressed with the revision lessons

bluebelle DS would also prefer revision at home now.
Luckily, he goes on study leave this Friday.

Bluebelle- also crossing fingers for the date too(I'm not going to go into why it could go wrong - but let's just say DD is a little on the tall side). They are both NONE judgemental kids - but someone did tell him he needed to wear wedges! I somehow wish I was thinking of exam rooms NOT Costa's :-(. DD also with DF tonight who has NO idea (thankfully) that DD is on a date before he picks her up.

Well done to all DC with exams

Rang into school. Boy has been spoken to and put in the isolation unit. They've taken it very seriously which is a positive for DS. Thanks for all support.

DS has just done a Maths paper, and will be going over all Geography case studies later, followed by some RE and maybe some more Maths.
He got a Maths paper back today and got 96/100 (marks dropped were silly mistaks) and it's given him a bit of a boost.

BlueBelle123 Luckily the homework has dried up. The maths teacher fought really hard to have it continue but even he seems to have given up (for DS but everyone else is still getting enough maths revision to take up about 8 homework hours each week).

DS is now cracking through his revision and it is beginning to make a difference (except for RE where he is crawling slowly through it).

I think my DS would prefer to be at home getting final revision done at his own pace - think my son may be 'ill' next week! I feel like the school is getting everyone in because they're convinced the kids will be on there xbox's otherwise!!

whatsfor great news and what a mark!

Maybe the school are right, Ggirl27, but only about some of the students.

Blanket rules are always a bit annoying, but you can see why they can't divide students into a trusted group who can do what they want and the untrusted group who, probably through immaturity, are best off in school with a teacher breathing down their necks!

@Ggirl27 I think you know your own child - just be careful that their attendance records are not affected; I needed to explain to DD's 6th form (back up) why her attendance was below threshold - all down mock exam leave in January! I guess if they are sick and have 95% plus attendance no one will bat an eye

Isn't there an absence code for off-site education or similar? You could try to argue for that, rather than give the school and your DS a high absence rate that looks bad on both sides' records

No study leave here & full revision lessons until 11 June, when there are only a few exams left. They must attend classes until each exam has finished, then continue in school until the bitter end (19th).

Prom tickets are at stake here for unauthorised absence.

DD is finding the revision classes very useful - much better than hearing everyone going on about how much they have or haven't done, how they want to get straight grade 9s (yes, like That's going to happen) and how they are going to fail everything! Geography let her practice Spanish earlier today, so the staff are taking a pragmatic approach with those they trust. She is losing her authority this week - handing over as head girl to a year 10!

No study leave here either.

DS isn't going to his prom. He's one of the few in his year who aren't. Anyone other dc not going?