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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSEs 2019 - support thread part 2

999 replies

AtiaoftheJulii · 28/01/2019 20:27

Here we are again Grin

OP posts:
myrtleWilson · 06/02/2019 21:46

No more mocks for us - Hurrah!

At DD's school many start 4 A levels but don't always continue with 4 - especially I guess when one of the A levels may be a new subject and whilst they like the concept they don't really know how they'll respond to it... But some do 4 plus EPQ, some do 4 and no EPQ, all who do 3 do the EPQ as far as I can see...

DD is planning on two existing subjects (English Lit and RE - although at A level - RE is RE, Philosophy and Ethics) one new - Politics and one possible 4th option/reserve - sociology... I would bet my mortgage on her eventually taking English, RE, Politics and EPQ and I think she'll really enjoy 6th form.

Soursprout · 06/02/2019 22:05

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Keel · 06/02/2019 22:42

Binkom my dd is also doing Edexcel art. Has to do 3 pieces a week with annotations. Got mocks after half term. Also I media department has decided coursework done in year 9 needs to be redone. All the classes not just dd. It is a bloody nightmare.

Destiel · 07/02/2019 07:45

At ds1s choices its 3 a levels and an epq.

OlderThanAverageforMN · 07/02/2019 10:21

No more mocks for us.

Our school is 4 Alevels, or 3Alevels and an EPQ. Those on 4 Alevels can drop one at the end of year one. However, even those not doing an EPQ have to do a self directed research project in addition. So, swings and roundabouts I suppose.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 07/02/2019 12:35

Ds has just had an offer for his favoured sixth-form college Grin

So incredibly relieved. The stress of the last few weeks has been awful. His school have really piled on the pressure, despite him getting perfectly reasonable mock grades (not utterly fabulous but not in any way disastrous either).

But no, not good enough for his school, so ds and I got called into a meeting with the Head to be told that he is 'on course to fail' and won't get into any decent sixth form ( 'and certainly not our sixth form') the way he is going and he should start devising a 'plan B'. Reduced both of us to tears, ffs.

Today, he goes for interview at an outstanding sixth-form a few miles away from us. Is nearly sick with nerves because his own school have shattered his self-confidence. Has the interview, gets told that his grades are 'great' and 'we love your ambition and commitment'. Gets a low conditional offer and comes out grinning from ear to ear, feeling proud of himself for the first time in months.

I cannot WAIT for him to leave that damn school. I regret ever sending him there.

Destiel · 07/02/2019 12:53

Good news x

Soursprout · 07/02/2019 14:46

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Bimkom · 07/02/2019 16:32

Oh Maud that is so awful of your DS's current school. So pleased that the other sixth form has come through (hope it also gives him the boost to tackle the exams and go sailing through).

All the local comprehensives are only doing three A levels, and not allowing more (including DS's current one), although an EPQ is allowed (although one of the other ones we looked at, you had to have a minimum of an 8 in English to do it, and other restrictions, they said it was only for those who were aiming high - ie Oxbridge/medicine, everybody else it was three A levels only). And the alternative private sixth form that we looked at it was three A levels only, plus an EPQ if you wanted (but no tough restriction on who could choose it). All do allow four if the fourth is further maths.

But the dreaded 6th form sees itself as desperately academic (hence the ridiculous level of their conditional offers), and DS is quite beguiled.

Bimkom · 07/02/2019 16:43

DS wants to do 4 A levels because - he genuinely likes all the sciences and would like to keep doing them, and they are difficult subjects to do out of school. If pushed, the one to be dropped is physics (keeping maths, chemistry and biology). Keeping physics on keeps other career options open. Keeping physics on might help with the BMAT, which apparently has physics in it as well as biology and chemistry. Plus he wants to -show off- demonstrate that he is very able academically - he came to this late - he was never the kid at the top of the class, never the kid who took home the academic prizes, just sitting in the top quarter or so and being told he was doing fine - and mostly he has over the last year or so started doing better than fine through sheer hard work (comment at parent-teacher was all about how he needs to keep up with the work ethic). Really likes it that he is now tutoring various people in the class and out in chemistry. I personally think he might become unstitched with four A levels, but I also think that he will realise that reasonably early on, and drop one of them if he can't manage. Now does not seem to me to be the time to tell him he might not manage.

Bimkom · 07/02/2019 16:49

Keel - three pieces with annotations seems a little better than five (or seven, he was talking about seven last night!). It just seems mad! although at least we don't have mocks after half term. I do want to tell him there is no point getting a 9 in Art if his science scores drop, but I keep biting my tongue (and whinging on here instead). But at least yesterday he was back working on some other subjects. Art is so subjective as well, I don't have the same confidence that hard work will result in better grades in Art, it might well be time down the drain.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 07/02/2019 17:21

Thanks destiel, sprout and binkom. I am really so fed up with ds's school for the way they have handled it all. He was diagnosed with memory and processing issues at the end of last year (fairly mild, but enough to justify extra time in exams etc) and none of that was even mentioned. Just 'you need to work harder, you're on track to fail' etc. I know ds can be a lazy little toad at times and perhaps they felt he needed a bit of a rocket up his backside, but my god there are ways and means of approaching this with 15-year-old boys that don't have to involve shattering their self-confidence completely!

It's a Mumsnet favourite school as well, and in the past I've defended it against accusations of having a very 'sink or swim' attitude to the boys...but having now been on the receiving end of that attitude I'm starting to see the light! Ah well, only a few months to go...

marmiteloversunite · 07/02/2019 17:47

Maud my DD has memory and processing problems. She did her mocks in January. At that time her Grandad had just died and I am going through chemo so she was a little stressed. She got 6/7 for all of her mocks. She now tells me her name is in red in the school computer system because she didn't meet all of her targets! Can't believe they have done that when though know how stressed out she is.

Destiel · 07/02/2019 21:29

That is horrendous

steppemum · 08/02/2019 12:45

Oh marmite, what a stressful time for you and her.

Ds has not really started working, he has been doing the bare minimum.
Hos mocks were Jan, so no more coming, but he was ill, had flu and missed 2 days,a nd the days he was in he was ill. He passed them all, and now is not motivated to do any better.

Just had a falling out with his girlfriend too, and I think he is feeling low, tired and de motivated.
Not sure how to buck him up really. I do wish he would go to bed/sleep at a reasonable time, he just doesn't go to sleep until 1 am, and then wonders why he is tired.

he needs a 6 in English to go on to sixth form (school) he is planning on 4 A levels including further maths and gold Dof E which will be his enrichment subject

Bimkom · 10/02/2019 20:01

Well I was wrong about there being no mocks. Got an email from the school geography department. "Geography Mock Exam Retake "
"As we discussed in parents’ evening, [it wasn't!] we will be running a series of mock exam retakes for Geography to help your child practise exam technique."
Oh, I also don't think I mentioned, but although DS was originally told he got an 8 in the Geography mock (and the next result was about a 5 or so), they then decided to raise the grade boundaries and gave him a 7 (which, btw, if this had been the real thing, would have made the different between making the grades for the dreaded sixth form or not). I was a bit surprised by the 8 though, because the Geography exam in February last year, he got 38/100 (top mark in his class 42). And while his current teacher does (according to DS) know her stuff, the previous teacher (who left at the end of last year), he is pretty scathing about, and he feels he wasted two years.
Think the school has finally woken up to the fact that the geography department haven't really had a clue about how to handle the new GCSE (they switched from doing an IGCSE once the new one came in, and the IGCSE no longer runs) to a board that DS is also pretty scathing about, and we now have additional geography intervention lessons and now the retakes of the mocks (the only subject that is doing this).
At least the school is alert to the data - it is one thing to have individual students underperforming, but another thing to have the entire class/year underperforming, and in my view about time - but I hope it isn't too late. And it does mean three more mocks during his intensive art period, as well as additional geography lessons to make up what is almost certainly a default on the school's part in the past couple of years.

Soursprout · 12/02/2019 14:25

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Destiel · 12/02/2019 15:48

Ds1 has just informed me he is going into school during half term next week for an English revision day.

gleegeek · 13/02/2019 13:22

Soursprout had dd sobbing last night saying she hates year 11. It's just too stressful. They haven't finished any of the courses yet, have masses of homework yet are expected to be revising every night. She's exhausted and panicky and it's only February Shock
We have 2nd mocks in March but tests next week too Confused

gleegeek · 13/02/2019 13:23

Oh, no mention of half term revision sessions here destiel...

Destiel · 13/02/2019 13:28

Just had confirmation via text.

Its from 9.30 on weds.

Your poor dd :( I'm expecting some sort of meltdown from ds1 at some point :(

Ds has had an invite to a 6th form interview too....he hates the history syllabus but I think its his back up.

OlderThanAverageforMN · 13/02/2019 13:36

DD really under the weather, second lot of antibiotics since Jan, she actually passed out on the bathroom floor last weekend !! Need the half term for some r&r. However, she is due to go to Berlin for the weekend, a full on three days of walking. Additionally they need to dropped off at school at 2.45 AM on Sat morning.... really looking forward to that..... not.

She is back Monday night 1.30 AM (again not looking forward to that either), and the rest of the week is a doctors appointment, a counselling appointment, Specsavers, and hair cut. She is a mess basically.

If I had known how much of a wreck she was going to be I would not have booked the trip for her, but she really wants to go, and I am sure it will be amazing. It is just so full on. I am secretly hoping she will not be well enough to go.

bizzey · 13/02/2019 15:34

Hello ..I hope you dont mind if i join you . I am on another thread for ds1 for UCAS/ university/ A levels ...but feel it would be nice to be here as well for the " forgotten " ds2 !!
He is staying on at his school 6th form
Though not 100% sure of his choices.

Re the " word" for Art ....does everyone's school/ body get a different one ...or are we not alowed to say our " word " in case we influence each other .

He has had his mocks and an " official " result card was given to him today .
Just 1/2 hour to wait !!
thanks

Destiel · 13/02/2019 15:56

Poor dd!

So much illness around atm

Bimkom · 13/02/2019 17:20

bizzey re Art, I think it is the same "word" if you are doing the same board, but a different one if a different board. So Edexcel won't be the same as AQA (I don't know if all the boards even have "words").

Welcome - I don't envy you having one doing A Levels and another doing GCSE. Luckily I spaced DD enough so that won't happen with us.