Starting Year 11-GCSE2021 (title edited by MNHQ)

[indy69]

Good morning Mums,

My DD will start her GCSE journey this September. MN always has such good advice that I thought we could have a new thread to support each other. My DD has 4 options apart from English, Science AQA and Maths Edexcel. She has Art and History - Edexcel, and Psychology and Economics - AQA. It wpuld be lovely to know what your DC are doing and we could share resources here. I look forward to meeting you all on this thread. We have 4 weeks to go to start of term and a ton of homework to finish. My DD is feeling too lazy to do anything at the moment, but I guess they have earned the break. I will start reminding her next week about the work. Thanks

@AsPerMyLastEmail
Our local college had a notice on their website that they would enrol everyone on their chosen course this year irrespective of their results.
I assume they will do the same next year.
Obviously this wouldn't work well for courses/places that are over subscribed.

Anyone else just getting really pissed off now? This is way too stressful for the kids. DD is desperately trying to revise for the first set of mocks next month while also keeping up with loads of homework, revising for tests, art coursework (which they are saying needs to be done next month - why?!). Her Eng Lit teacher has been off since Sept and so has Eng Lang teacher so they've had random supply staff who haven't been teaching properly. She was originally told her Eng Lang speaking assessment was now going to be in front of the teacher and a small number of students but now she's been told she has to do it as soon as she gets back from half term and in front of the whole class (a large number of whom bullied her years 7-9). Argh! July can't come soon enough!

DS did his English speaking exam over lockdown which actually worked really well as they could just concentrate on that. They filmed it (or rather I did) and had to email it in.

DS is normally so laid back he is horizontal but he is getting so stressed. They are having test after test and being told they will all count towards their final grade if they need to be given CAG. He is predicted an 8 in Maths and only got a 6 in a maths test this week so he just had a complete meltdown. It’s far too stressful for them.

@ihearttc DS had a maths test a few weeks ago, his score was lower than he's ever received. The teacher emailed because they had a shit teacher last year so didn't cover all the curriculum and what they cover was poorly taught (someone in top set got 3/80). She is new and is desperately trying to cover everything but said that she's come from a school with a high number of Grade 9s previously and all the Grade 9s received were at a Grade 7 at this point. So judging from that, the Grade 6 is probably right on target for the 8 at the end of the year... Hopefully he doesn't need to worry

Thank you, that’s really helpful. I think he was worried cause if they use the data towards their grades in the summer if it all goes pear shaped then a 6 isn’t going to look good. He did say he got the second highest in the class so it must have been very hard. Now just need to work on English!

We are struggling here. So much homework, coursework and mocks coming up too. So tired. We are in tier 2 so can't have people visit or go to friends houses. My DS said there is no fun, only school. Luckily his football on a Sunday is still on and hopefully the weather will be ok to meet friends outside in the half term.
I feel so sorry for the kids this year - as if it wasn't going to be a hard enough year as it is. Anyone got any tips?

Last day of half term here for us. A school report and news that parents’ evening will be held after half term in Microsoft teams. That will be interesting.
DS has just come to the end of isolation and is still very focused on doing well in his mocks. He refuses to let the covid get to him he says. I wish I was as strong minded and focused as him! I’m the one who probably needs the coping strategies @Cuddling57
We’re up north and in tier 3, that’s not going to change any time soon.
I just can’t see us - or the West in general getting back to any sense of normality in the next 6 months.

Dd got her first report in ages yesterday
Grades were based on various things but we'll get more accurate ones in Dec after the first sets of mocks which start on 9th November. Lots of revising planned over half term. They spilt the mocks into core and options subjects and do them a few weeks apart. So the first exams she has are options which is history, French and art. Makes it a lot easier as she can really concentrate on those 2 and do some art coursework. She also has to write and practise the eng lang speaking ready for the first week back. We've come up with a great topic which should be easy for her to come up with a great speech for her.

We’re in half term too. It includes an entrance exam for a sixth form and lots of GCSE revision. Fun

We have made it to the end of the first half term and have managed to have no days off! Lots of assessments but more importantly DD has enjoyed being back at school. Mocks due at end of November so she has plans to start some revision during half term. I had a quick look at aqa website yesterday and it looks like there is a preliminary timetable for next June with physics last on 2 July. Open for feedback until end October. I'm not good at adding links. Hope all have time to relax over the next week

Been so pleased that we have got through a term that hasn't even thought of sixth form applications! Need to look at that this week and hope not to late.
All the best for the entrance exam.

Thank you!

Yes good luck with entrance exams! My DD will stick with where she’s at now thankfully. I don’t envy anyone doing entrance exams but I guess the good thing is those schools won’t need to be too concerned regarding the delayed GCSE results.
DDs all on half term here too with big plans for lots of revision. DD2 not decided on A levels choices at all but they have til Feb. She also had a report card. Nothing stellar but nothing hideous so all good. I’ve no idea when parents evening is. Maybe after mocks in January. The online calendar has disappeared so I’ve no clue about anything anymore.

So, another lockdown and more discussions about examinations.
I’m curious, how many of your dc have still got all their subject teachers? Currently my ds has all of the teachers he had last year except in English language due to maternity leave, the teacher he had now is a supply teacher. At least the supply teacher is an English teacher - is everyone else still got actual subject teachers in place?

@Toobuktim my ds still has all his teachers but for how long who knows...

My worry is that he had exams as soon as he got back supposedly to see where they are after the lock down and mocks are in January.

Would be really good to know for teachers, kids and parents what they will do for Summer 2021- they seriously cant go ahead? If they do I really hope they make some concessions

Having just looked at the provisional exam timetable for next year I can see the exams go right upto the 2nd July. I thought there was usually a contingency day built in. Will that go into the following week? DS's school breaks up on the 2nd July?!

My DS’s mocks are at the end of November, but it looks like they are talking about official mocks in January.

My DDs mocks start 1 Dec for 2 weeks with more in the new year. I think she has some new teachers this year; although they promised to keep them the same I guess that's just not possible under the circumstances. We also have virtual parents evening this week, but only with teachers that have requested to speak to you - so out of all her GCSE subjects we only have 2 appointments...trying to see the positive in their methods!

I’m a bit confused about the mocks statements - usually every school does their own thing. Nothing standardised in England. So does this now mean they will be standardised and all kids will take the same mocks? And relied upon if GCSEs don’t go ahead?

DDs mocks start 23rd Nov, we've had the timetables through and revision guides but thought that schools just did them whenever they wanted and only the actual GCSEs where standardised.

Checking back in, had a shitty few months so been a bit absent.

DD is currently SI she sat next to a confirmed case the Wednesday before half term and got the email on the Saturday that she had to SI. She was gutted, she's worked so hard this term and needed a proper break not being stuck at home. Her mental health plummeted at the beginning of lockdown, she's so sociable and loves being out so it has been very hard this week plus we have my DFs funeral on Wednesday which she was worried about missing.

She is revising hard for mocks which start 30/11 the timetable looks a bit full on as they are done across 6 days, she should have had her actual Italian speaking assessment tomorrow but assume that will be rearranged for those who are SI? I am worried for them I have never seen her so stressed I just cannot see how exams can go ahead as normal with such disparities across the country with how much time is being missed due to SI.

Can only upload 3 pictures, but this was in the Times this morning

Sorry! uploaded them back-to-front!

That seems a ridiculous suggestion. My DD already has mocks scheduled for Dec. Basically they'll be constantly being tested and doing revision with no let up over the next 7 to 8 months. They've already had months to decide what to do for this years GCSE'S and yet it's still being "discussed". Basically they don't know what the F**k to do and no one's got the balls to make a decision. Personally I think the Scottish had the right idea, at least their kids know where they stand.

If that is the case I hope my dc's mocks don't go ahead in a few weeks otherwise the whole year will be spent revising and testing. Maybe the government should have thought about standardising the mocks this year. I am just so angry they didn't have the forethought you have a proper plan B for this cohort.