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.

Silverhill, I'm not sure if the conclusion that it's not exam stress related is a relief or not? I guess if it was school stuff, at least you'd be able to find strategies to reduce the pressure and could look forward to an end to it.
I remember going through a phase of everything feeling pointless when I was 15 or 16. It's such a bewildering time - not a child, but not quite an adult, and with your future bring told to you ( sometimes in threatening terms) by the adults around you. School is all-consuming, even without GCSEs looming.

I'm glad she's getting support and it seems to be under control for now, at least.

Thank you Alsoplayspiccolo
I do feel that she is receiving the appropriate support, and recently we have seen glimpses of the old DD again, which feels hopeful.

Really cross to find out that DS hasn't been attending the 2 lunchtime revision clinics that he had agreed to do for his weakest subjects. So, we had words....which ended up being shouty. In the meantime, DD(12) is getting little attention due to my energy being absorbed with nagging her older brother to make my effort. I KNOW that I need to chill out way more & back off but it's harder said than done! Next June seems a lifetime away. What's more - there is now an official girlfriend on the scene. Large glass of wine for me.

Good luck with the girlfriend @sansou ! Great timing! :) Not sure how you can force revision really, I’m struggling to do that with year 9 ds. I can see I’m going to be tearing my hair out in 2 years time!

Whereas dd is pretty motivated but finding different things to get stressed about on a daily basis. Today it’s history - they have a huge bulging folder of work for each topic plus a textbook and she has no idea how to reduce it down to a revisable amount.

However the other history class at school had a different teacher who gives out a short revision summary each lesson. We just spent about an hour discussing whether that teacher could possibly be asked to give her his material or whether it would just get her own teacher in trouble, how long it would take to photocopy her friends folder etc etc! Aagh!

Those of with dc doing mocks already, are they going to sit another round of mocks again next yr? Just asking because DS doesn’t sit any mocks till January.

No I think this is it for full mocks. They haven’t even finished the syllabus for most subjects so it’s strange. I guess they’ll still be doing lots of tests between Jan and Apr.

My DS has one set of mocks starting next week and another at the end of Feb/beginning of March.

Lord knows, we don’t seem to get told anything.

Ds had history today. Couldn’t answer 1 question which was 8 marks out of 60 or 70?😬He seemed fine which was a positive. Said everything he revised for he could answer, funny that.🤔

Taking him out to breakfast tomorrow at a local farm, just the two of us. Hoping if I feed him enough it’ll set him up for a decent amount of revision.

Thanks for your replies. Lots of tests here too but just one lot of Mocks in Jan. Struggling to get DS to prioritise all subjects. He overfocusses on subjects he thinks he’s weak in, does a test and gets a really high score but then simultaneously gets a very low mark in a subject he was previously strong in because he hasn’t studied it at all.

Shimy DS only has one set of mocks and bang in middle of them now😬
Just had the "well I've done three hours today so can I stop now". Had to grit my teeth and say well they are your mocks so if you think you know it. Has 8 papers next week so by my reckoning if he does another (reluctant) three hours tomorrow that's less than one hour of revision per paper🥴. I can feel the steam coming out of my ears but don't want him to get even more reluctant by saying something. It is hard though as he had 8 papers last week so this middle weekend is tough. Maybe I'm just not being reasonable expecting him to do a couple of hours per paper over the weekend??

@Lovethecrown, its hard isn't it? getting the balance between encouraging and putting on too much pressure.

@Shimy - my DS will sit 2 more lots of mocks before the actual GCSE exams start. They have mocks for the next 2wks, starting Monday. They will be presented with their results in an envelope during an assembly to make it more like results day. They then sit more mocks end of Jan / early Feb I think and then just before Easter. Does seem a bit much but does mean the kids are well used to exams by then and the teachers can pick up on exactly the areas they might need to put a bit more work into

Teachers at his school must LOVE marking!! or mark no other year group ever!

@Darbs all i can to say that is . That's a bit of overkill isn't it? your poor DS. They're adding more needless stress to an already stressful time, including the whole presenting of results at assembly. Dear Lord, what will they do for A'Levels?

God that assembly sounds awful. Talk about piling on the pressure. Think it would finish my ds off before he’d even started.😩

Had the 3 hours thing with my other son yesterday.😂3 hours must be a line they cross. Obviously with the son not feeling great I’m being lead by him but with the other one its hard because yes great you studied for 3 hours but 6 across a day is very doable. I’d sound deranged enforcing it (you will sit there and do 6 hours)and not that easy with a 16 year old. I did ask him if he was sure he couldn’t do more and that he didn’t have anything more pressing to do, reminding him that screens wouldn’t be an option. He did then go back and do more.

I do know and have seen kids who will happily study for hours. I think for some that work ethic comes later. It did for my dh and my dad who is sadly no longer here to motivate,which he used to do. Both very disciplined in later life and v successful in their choice of work. My dad was incredibly successful but very similar at their age. Twin 1 is a master of doing buggar all and pulling it off at the eleventh hour. So annoying when you think what he could achieve.He still has v high aspirations.🤔 I point out that you reap what you sow but it’s a fine balance. Put too much pressure on and it can put them off, cause anxiety......gah another you can’t win parenting scenario.😩 We can only do our best.

DD still with very busy weekends - working at stables/volunteering for Riding for the Disabled ALL Sunday, sports training Saturday evening.

So she’s doing 1.5hrs Fri evening, 2 hrs Sat am and 2 hrs Sat pm. Seems to be coping ok, but I am watching carefully. Mocks in Jan, Parents’ Eve immediately after.

Is anyone’s DC STILL faffing with filming for PE? It never seems to end!

@kingscoteStaff - doing PE as well. Athletics was done at end of year 10 - they had a special meet set up locally for filming purposes. Swimming provided by us from a successful meet. Not even sure what team event is yet. Just asked DS who looked at me blankly...!

Re mocks. Ours done and mock results day Thursday which is a facsimile of the real thing. Hopefully an eye opener as to how will feel on the actual day! Core subjects inc RE will have further mocks in February. We are having a bit of a breather and just doing homework and some English grids at the moment. He revised heavily up to mocks and can’t carry on like that until May! Will restart properly after Xmas is done.

DD is doing 2hours per night Mon-Tues predominately on homework plus a few hours on Sunday afternoon.
Saturday is still 'downtime'. Yesterday afternoon was spent getting ready for a meal out with friends and I picked her up from town at 10pm.
Mocks are January but she has 3 weeks off before and study leave over the 2 week mock period.
I've asked her if she is planning to do past papers for her mock revision and she is not. Her reasoning is that if past questions she has covered in her revision appear on her mock papers it will give a 'false impression' of where she is in terms of knowing and understanding the sylabus- if that makes sense?
She does intend to cover past papers for the exams proper,

How important does everyone think GCSEs are?

Are they simply qualifications that are required for the next step?

Or do people feel that good grades are essential to get to university and/or get good jobs?

I think some universities might use them in their selection of people?

(I work in broadcasting and when recruiting would never take any notice of A level grades, let alone GCSEs)

I think it never harms to have good GCSE grades!

I believe (but have no evidence) that they are potentially pretty useful for those not heading to university. Everyone 'understands' GCSEs (though the new numbers will take getting used to), whereas people may not understand a random BTEC qualification. So I think in the early days (eg to 23) some solid GCSE passes may help set a tone on a CV. (ie better to say 9 passes at grade 5+ than 5 passes at grade 4, and better still to say 9 passes at 6+)

Proggy I think that is bad reasoning from your DD.

For mocks they will most likely be using last years papers, which aren't on 'general release' yet (only accessible to teachers). So any she can get hold of won't be the ones being used for mocks.

What she shouldn't do is go looking on Student room from last summer as they have been discussing questions there as they did the exams.

Qualifications to next step with exception if you want a shot at Oxford and Cambridge in my opinion Hangonamo

DS has PPE exams next week apparently and mocks some time next year I think. Had to find out what on Earth PPE exams are.

I am feeling quite stressed about sixth forms at the moment. He has his heart set on one where he will have to weekly board but it’s very competitive to get in and we need a good local option and are struggling with that. Final one to look at tomorrow and then he is going to have to decide.

Really liked one until they started going on about free lessons and how they have to study in certain areas and earn privileges so can go into the cafe and onto sixth firm lawn and stressed how they know where they are at all times. That just isn’t DS , he is a sensible lad and I want him to have a bit of freedom for sixth form and to continue to learn how to self manage. I’m hacked off with how all the figures are manipulated everywhere too.

Not liking the idea of results being handed out in assembly, that’s full on. Big gaps in the teaching during year 10 of two of the sciences so new teachers having to play catch up.

Teen DDs school do not use last year's papers for mocks. I asked the question at parents evening after her end of Yr10 mocks if they did.
Apparently the previous year's papers are not 'locked down' as people believe.

Though as Teen says pretty useful for those not going to university. My DD is a bit older and wasn’t going to go to University and her 4 passes not including Maths did hold her back a bit though she worked round it, I am always waiting for the lack of Maths to bite her in the backside and think it will at some point even if she gets her degree.

Don’t think many people understand the numbers at the moment but that will filter through with time and really pleased our lot aren’t the first going through this system.

Yes that's what I thought @PostNotInHaste
There is a certain number you need to avoid lots of doors being closed and ideally would include English and maths.
Oxbridge will use gcse grades to whittle down their applicants but apart from that, I think it will help me to stay relatively relaxed if I can say to myself - he only needs enough to get on his a level course. (Currently his post 16 plan.) Rather than stressing about is he achieving his absolute maximum potential in all subjects. Who knows anyway, what their maximum potential is when you factor in the number of subjects being examined over such a short period..