Starting Yr11 Gcses 2020 Support Thread [Edited at OP's request]

[OrangeCinnamon]

A continuation of a Year 10 support thread
previous thread

Last thread was great and supportive as some of us tried to navigate year 10 and some very helpful peeps steered us through.

First 6th form application in - phew!
It's been tricky as DD is applying for a special scholarship, so needed to include a personal statement as well as her predicted grades, year 10 report and a reference from a current teacher. We asked her HoY who is also one of her subject teachers, and whilst she agreed to do it, she wouldn't let us see it and said she would be very sad to see DD go elsewhere for A levels. It doesn't help that the school DD has applied for is over the road from her current school and there is quite a string sense of rivalry between the 2.
So, we've had to show our hand, and the HoY copied the head into her response, so they now know we're looking elsewhere.
DD is applying to her current school as well, and that will be for a different scholarship, so we'll just have to see.

Good luck to your daughter @alsoplayspiccolo.
Last night we found out that the A level cohort for music at the local college is tiny ...three last year most of them it seems are doing these subsidiary diplomas worth just over one A Level. DD really wants to study music academically but may opt for another humanities subject instead at degree level so wanted to keep options open. There is nowhere else (apart from two small Religous sixth forms) that do A level Music.

I hope it will be ok and actually run!

It’s hard when they aren’t many places that do a subject OrangeCinnamon. We were at an open day with DS and they have an arrangement with another college to accommodate most subjects but said music was the one they hadn’t been able to so far.

DS not happy and hates current school. Starting the open days has made him realise how much I think. He’s starting on first application but it’s very competitive to get into and he would have to weekly board so really hoping he will like one of the local options. On the plus side I think he has decided which subjects. Roll on half term...

DS2's school is nominally badged as a Performing Arts School, from back in the days when specialist school were A Thing. Not only has the Head of Music left under a rather big cloud, A Level Music has not been on offer this year, nor will it be next year.

So, I'd be interested in your thoughts on this one" sixth form rather than revision related!. Ds - having been dead set on staying on at his existing school - is wavering as so many of his mates are now planning to leave. We have a fairly new free school locally: the kids who started there are only just hitting sixth form, and the sixth form is tiny. For logistical reasons, they teach a full single day of each A level subject, so the sixth form have 3 x full days of teaching + 2 study days a week. DS really liked the school, and I can see it would be great for teaching independent study, but it seems like such a low amount of actual teaching time, and so unlike anything I've encountered before I'm struggling to get my head round it. Anyone come across anything similar??

That sounds intense and weird, and I would bet that most 16/17 years olds don't use those two days well.

Why are so many of his friends wanting to leave the current school?

I'd check the free school is offer the correct Guided Learning Hours per subject.

Yes: that was my initial reaction, piggy: but ds said all the current students were very positive and felt it worked well: especially for subjects with practicals etc. People are leaving for a variety of reasons I'd say: current school gets excellent results, but is tired builds-wise and very academic: quite a few of his mates are therefore heading to colleges which offer a mix of A levels & Btecs to get that mix; some won't hit the grades needed to stay...

Oh, and due to the current small size, classes are tiny: think maximum of 10 people, but some with only 3-4 ... in fact, one had a single pupil! I'll look up guided learning hours, thanks.

Bought DS the Mr Bruff guide to Macbeth. Looks good.

Linguists are always in demand for intelligence services.

AlsoPlaysPicolo So glad your DD liked the other school. Hope she ends up at the one she wants.

I think that could work very well for a certain type of person -my DS is one, my DD absolutely not. We’re looking at a free school for DS and I think they said there is 4.5 hours a week per subject if that helps at all.

I received an email from DS's school yesterday. It was one of those circulars sent to all year 11 parents. The school suggests that the teachers will attempt to minimise homework over half-term and urges the parents to ensure that their children get a good rest.
To be honest, I'd planned to get DS to start revising for his mocks in December.

Thoughts?

DS is off on a school sport trip for 5 nights. Absolutely no expectation of any revising. Be hapoy if does a few hours homework on the other days. Mocks are Jan.

No homework reprieve but mocks are January.
DD has paid work in half term- gotta fund the party clobber
Having said that, I'm hoping she makes.a start on some revision in half term as I don't want revizilla mode over Chrimbo

We have mocks in December, so we are planning some half term revision: we're off on hols for a short break and he's taking English texts to re-read and planning to do some duolingo if and when wifi works!

Wow, 4.5 hours per week per subject doesn't sound like much tbh: I can see that's easily covered in a day. I agree @PostNotInHastePostNotInHaste that it could suit some ppl. I'm just not sure if ds is one of them tbh!

4.5 hours per week per subject is 45 hours each week if you do ten subjects...

Quair: we're talking A levels/next year - at which point I blooming well hope ds isn't doing 10 ;-)

We have 2wks for half term and are going on holiday as we didn’t get away in the summer. DS has mocks starting second week back. So he is planning to take his revision with him. He’s studying so hard, I rarely see him on the PlayStation now. That’s a good thing I know but he does seem to be spending hours working. Not all revision but some school work that needs doing. He’s putting a lot of pressure on himself to get the top grades he’s predicted. Just need to keep a close eye on him

DS is staying at his local school for 6th form. We went on the visit 2wks ago and he really liked it. It’s not a huge difference to school, can’t leave until end of the day, business wear etc but DS seems fine with that. We haven’t bothered looking elsewhere as know he will get the grades needed to get in. They do an Oxbridge group - one on the teachers is a Cambridge graduate with 4 degrees and he loves it! Not sure if he will definitely apply but probably we will consider. Depending on what degree he chooses. I’m hoping more traditional academic (maths) than sports (which he loves). Maybe a compromise of the 2! His choice in the end of course. But I shall give my views and try and persuade him.

A levels: tons and tons of homework, plus possibly an EPQ, plus lots of hours researching universities plus lots and lots of time doing things for the personal statement. 4.5 hours per subject would just be a drop in the ocean.

Last year, DS1 was in year 12 and typically worked 7 days a week, usually from leaving home at 9 until about 9:30pm. Weekends were spent doing homework or going to open days, or attending masterclasses or watching online lectures or doing super-curricular reading or revising.
As hard as year 11 felt at the time, it was just a warm up for year 12, which is beginning to look like it was just a spot of jogging compared to the marathon that is year 13.

Sorry that should be leaving home just before 8am.

A college in our area has gone over to a timetable with 2x2.5 hour teaching blocks per day, each A level/BTEC getting 2 of the 2.5 hour blocks per week, leaving 2 days for EPQ, enrichment, homework etc. They do get a short break in the middle of the blocks. It means free periods are in half day blocks rather than odd hours here and there which was a pain when I was at college.

DDs 6th form/college applications don’t need to be in till January and open evenings are next month. The college course BTEC extended diploma is 3 days a week with the other 2 days for self study/music practice whereas the school sixth form with A levels is 5 days but there are study periods between lessons.

If you remember me from further up the thread DD has now been assessed by the school and she does have slow processing and would qualify for extra time in exams. It needs to be her normal way of working so all teachers will be contacted and extra measures put in place ASAP. In some ways it seems all a bit of a shock that she’s got to year 11 without anyone noticing but on the other hand it makes so much sense and explains why she’s found things such hard work.

PaddingtonPaddington
That's good that they have identified the issue and are going to put adjustments into place from now.

Glad that’s sorted Paddington, hopefully she’ll be able to reach her potential in exams now.

The sixth form decision is quite tricky isn’t it. Dd decided last year that she’s leaving her current school - but her criteria seem to keep changing. Initially she wanted a more ‘normal’ environment- she’s at an all girls selective independent on a bursary. We visited a sixth form college this week that I really liked and it definitely ticked the ‘normal’ box. But now she’s worried she maybe needs the push of highly academic peers so we’re looking at two grammar schools too. However one of them didn’t offer the subject combination she wants (History, Geography, Psychology) last year - still waiting to see if that changes for 2020. It’s a shame as it’s our nearest school. Hopefully the other one will but they don’t publish option blocks oh the website.

Part of me thinks she might as well stay where she is - although I know she’d like a mixed environment. Her school gets the best results in the city - although that’s a lot to do with intake and resources of course.