Are we ready for a GCSE’s 2019 thread?

[KittyMcKitty]

If so I’m in.

DS (my pfb) will be going into year 11. Mocks after half term. Crossing my fingers for him - needs average point score of 6.5 (across all 10 subjects) to stay for 6th Form.

Anyone else?

Like a triangle? ??? Trojan! !!!

DD2 had no homework at all. Neither did DD1 after Yr10 - and I think giving them a proper summer break is vitally important.

DD2 has done some work on her poetry but that is because she enjoys it. Time enough for hard slog starting next week.

Ours had a getting ready for Year 11 study plan. The idea is that they did 30 hours work and it had to include all the subjects they study. Some teachers supplied work and others just gave an outline of what they could do.
Textiles has had plenty of hours of work put in, others not so much!

I'm in as well! I have another bright, capable, but not driven boy unless I threaten his beloved x-box time This could be a long year....although he is also a sweetie x

Yes I’m in! My DD (4th child) will be starting Yr11

Plenty of summer homework handed out for the dcs. The French teacher just uploaded the homework 3 days ago! Geography teacher gave a project to complete, took dd about 10 hours and English dept gave them books to read - that’s the ones they’ve loaned about but it’s likely there were others!

Portico -** please could you explain what you mean that you printed out legacy papers for all subjects?

My DS didn't get any homework over the holidays and he rarely gets any anyway. I will have to be having a word with the school when he goes back, much as it will be to his dismay. He wants to do the bare minimum work possible and has wasted the last 3yrs messing about.
I have had a firm word and whether I was right or wrong told him as it is, that he is going to fail, judging by his mocks. He says he is going to try hard in year 11, but he said that about year 10. If I talk to him for any length of time he starts getting stroppy and just says why can't I just leave him alone he will be fine. I'm at a loss.

Workload in Yr 10 was very, very heavy indeed, which I suspect is why they've been allowed the break over the summer. English Lit curriculum has all been covered so just needs find tuning and revising - our school starts the GCSE curriculum in Yr 9. DD2's end of year results were very good - at or above target for everything - and she's hardworking and ambitious. DD1 is much the same, I have to put the brakes on them to stop them from burning out. As parents we all have different problems to deal with.

Dc1 starts yr11 this week I've been in denial over it. He's not sure if he wants to go to college or stay on for 6th form yet but he plans on going to uni if possible. So far he's taking it all very seriously he did badly on 1 subject in his mocks so plans on revising and practising it on days he doesn't have loads of homework.

Hello everyone - I'm in too. DD1 starts y11 on Thursday.

I'm a teacher so see first hand all the stress and strain and am dreading DD going through it. DD 2 starts her GCSEs in y9 this year too and has morphed overnight into terrible teen so that's really not going to help us. Am a Single parent so I predict shouting/tears/flouncing .... and that's just me

DD1 is pretty bright (at a Grammar though so sometimes loses sight of that) but has really been coasting a bit up til now. Tbh I know how full on y11 is so haven't put the pressure on and she has recently (after speaking to some of her friends who have just got their results) realised that she needs to get working sooner rather than later. She even took her Eng Lit novel on hol and read it. She also suggested that she goes to lunchtime Chemistry sessions that her teacher mentioned

Am just hoping it actually translates into action rather than just talk (she's far too like me and only gets motivated by very, very visible deadlines!!).

Oh and we have already had the prom dress discussion as if exam stress isn't enough?!!

I feel like we should all be in that Davina show
'This time next year Davina ....I want to have a happy DD and have kept my sanity'

Soursprout sorry am on a campsite with a terrible phone signal and intermittent Wi-Fi!
Dd has had ridiculous amounts of homework. History in particular has taken many many days of work. They're worried they're not getting through the syllabus quickly enough so gave 2 booklets of work for the dc to complete with lots of research to do and essay questions to plan and write. It has completely put dd off choosing a-level history
She's had maths, french, German, English all 3 sciences plus they've signed up to Tassomai so she's doing that every day. No geography so hasn't looked at that but just remembered there's a test when they get back It's not fair IMO!

Wow. That's a lot of work for your daughter gleegeek

And they have a prom after gcse? Always thought they only have one after a levels.
I have to check it!

I know... I have various concerns about the school and their obsession is one of them! Poor thing is going back anxious and tired. I've tried to suggest some if it isn't necessary but she's very diligent and wants to please. It's hard!

My ds is 15 and starting year 11 on Tuesday.
He did GCSE English Lit this summer and got a grade 4 which he was happy with as he really struggles with the literature side of English.

He's been acting odd for the last week or so since his result and he finally admitted that he's so nervous about Y11 as having done one GCSE this year he knows how much revision and work he has to do. He also has Aspergers and is an anxious soul.

His school doesn't have a 6th form so it's other schools or college which we have plenty of in different directions.

Glad I found this thread :)

I have one going into Y11 this week; I'm also an English teacher with a Y11 form. So I'm all about the GCSEs this year. Could do with this thread to assist in keeping me sane I region!

Thank you so much Sour

He thankfully has a bloody amazing memory which helped him. He loved Blood Brothers as is also doing drama and that has been one of his set plays so at one point he was doing it both in English and drama which I think helped him to grasp it ( plus it's set in Liverpool where we live so he related to a lot of the language used ).
He struggled with Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol but concentrated a lot on quotes which I think served him well.

Poetry was surprising. He had 20 to memorise and there were 2 to compare in the exam and luckily he knew them both very well but ran out of time in the exam and missed a whole question ( unsure of the marks available for it though ) so on the whole he did good.

Yes he has said what you have above, it's one less to worry about!
We're devising his revision timetable this week as a starting as soon as he's back at school and his plan is to start off with his weakest subjects which is science.

Just got to get him off Fortnite

not gcse related but where are you all buying school shirts?
The marks and spencer age 15-16 fit almost perfectly but a bit short i the sleeve.
He is super slim and 6 foot tall. The next skinny fit ones are 40 quid for 3!

The memorising poems and quotes is causing some issues here.
DD has very poor comprehension skills and this was discovered during her illness. We spent a lot of time at GOSH and they did lots of cognitive testing with her.
Just trying to find that best way of getting them to sink in. Think that audio maybe the way to go as she does process better by listening. Her learning support teacher has been putting some stuff together over summer so that should help too.

I found DD some 17year old shirts from Sainsbury's. She's tall and needs the length for the body and in the arms too. They're ok for size, but I've washed them and some of the buttons have come off already.

Yes to prom here, but we also have a Christmas formal too!

I got some super slim shirts in Primark - in the suits section.