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?

Can I join please. My lovely ds1 is starting year 11 next week. He's predicted high grades but cannot muster up any enthusiasm for actual work. He told me he was stressed last term and we discussed how I could help. I actioned all my points: tidied his desk, new books from Amazon, note pads for each subject, pens, drew up a Rota with him. Since then he's done nothing. He really struggles with any form of effort and I've been walking on eggshells all summer 're revision. He has mocks before half term and wants to stay on for 6th form but doesn't want to work.

He's bright and funny and kind, but lazy and doesn't want to work. I refuse to pressure him into working. His teachers all day the same thing - very bright, could get great grades but never stops talking!

Oh and he's only doing 8 gcse. His school changed his PE gcse to a btech late last year.

I got ds's shirts yesterday in M&S.

He's over 6ft but well built, has lost 4st 10lb since February ( slimming world and gym ) so this year he opted for the slim fit in men's shirts, 17.5 inch collar, white short sleeve, 3pk for £27.
We've been buying M&S shirts for a few years now and they're fab.

One good thing from his weight loss is also his feet have shrunk from a size 14 to a size 13. Shoes have always been a bloody nightmare to find.

I would look at measuring your ds's collar and get the men's size shirts in slim fit. Iirc they start at 14" which is very small.

Zoflora that's amazing. He must be feeling great.

Good to to everyone whose dc start tomorrow.

what an achievement for him Zoflorabore!

he had his collar measured in mand s yesterday and came out as a 14 but when he tried on the 14 shirt the collar was too tight! The 15 super slim was ok but they didn't have any left in stock etc

Everyone is doing the same thing aren't they?
Will seee iof they have them online

just looked at m and s-theyb have them but they are 65% polyester-he will stink!he's already whiffy at the end of the day in cotton. Will keep looking!

Hi, my DS is starting y10 but will be doing 2 or possibly 3 gcses in 2019. Academically he's pretty middle of the road, with English GCSE being the only worry. He works hard when in school but grudgingly does homework/revision.....

Count me in, DD1 starting year 11 and DD2 starting Reception - my precious babies!

Am here for support, hand holding and humour!

DD2 is doing 10 but that includes triple science. No RE, that has been ditched - they couldn't recruit a decent teacher and the additional workload of the new GCSEs makes it difficult anyway. A shame, because DD1 had a superb RE teacher and really enjoyed the subject.

Re shirts she is wearing boys' 15-16 from M&S. They are very big on her but that is what she wants - she likes them baggy. She only wears short sleeved ones under her blazer and has a school jumper for the colder periods of the year. And oh we cannot wait for her to be in 6th form where there is no more bloody uniform! Not even so-called 'business wear' - they can wear what they want as long as it is clean, not ripped and has no offensive slogans on it.

My daughters school does 10 in year 11 + a short course RE in year 10. So 10.5 in total.
My boys' school does an early gcse in French or German in year 9, the short course RE in year 10 and 10 gcse in year 11. 11.5 in total. Our local comp does 9/10 (combined or triple science).

We have no choice with the school skirts and shorts. Both has to be the school version. Same with the blazer and the jumper. And they have a sixth form uniform.

We have business wear in sixth form - which is so silly. The pupils have a higher standard of dress than the teachers and business no longer requires a suit.

My dad has gone for trousers this year as she hates the regulation skirt style so much ("nun skirts, mum"). A cute little pair of ankle grazers from Top Shop.

Separate, more casual uniform in 6th form here - a weird reversion to primary school, with polo shirts and sweatshirts. A lot more choice and flexibility in terms of trousers / skirts than up to Y11, where there is a single uniform skirt and theoretically one type of uniform trousers (not made in DS's size, which was always interesting - he's a stick of bamboo, excessively long with very bony knees / elbows). No blazer, resulting in DS wearing a coat for the first time in 5 years when he moved into 6th form, just to get some pockets in which to keep his 'stuff'!

DD cannot wait to ditch the school skirt, a pencil type designed to fit nobody and restrict all movement by the athletic...

The two colleges ds is applying for are thankfully relaxed about clothing, no uniform, none of this business-wear malarky either. I had a moment of pure joy this summer when I realised I was buying school shirts for the last time!

Thanks everyone for lovely messages :)

Ds can't wait to be out of school uniform, he hates the feeling of being "strangled" in a shirt and tie.
I've said I'm going to give him an allowance for college and he can get new clothes, probably around £250 as that's what his uniform and extras cost me.
Then he can wear what he wants

Ps his dad contributed to that too so it's not as bad as it sounds!

In other news, DD has succumbed to quiet despair over her final art piece (the one she has spent all summer working up to, producing a sitting room floor's worth of preparatory work, obviously completely without teacher guidance). She has chosen to interpret the brief as a triptych of portraits from life in acrylics, combining influences from 3 different 'modern, fairly impressionist' artists in each piece.

Luckily OH - who works away during the week - is at home and has spirited her away on an errand in the hope of slightly restoring her equilibrium.

ds's sixth form state business dress too but ds has said he's going to wear shirts and chinos and that will be fine.

He's upstairs again beavering away at the english homework he's been given.

DS3 starts year 11 next week. Once more unto the breach although not sure Henry V is on the english lit syllabus :) Maintaining focus likely to be the main challenge.

Your dd's art sounds fab!
My ds is lacking in motivation with his art coursework. His best friend came round yesterday evening to do to it together and neither of them got much done, preferring to gossip like a pair on pensioners on the bus

He began to draw a sphinx cat ( those ugly ones with no hair ) and didn't get too far.
He needs a kick up the bum at the minute.

Got a feeling this school year is going to be super stressful.