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

@Neversaygoodbye I’m with you on that one. With such unpredictability for all concerned, that would probably have been the best option. My DS is fairly steady, not much fazes him, but if my DD was in the same boat it would be a completely different situation for her. It just feels like they are being toyed with.

@Toobuktim my DD has been diagnosed with anxiety so this will they won't they situation is just awful. Williamson saying exams will definitely go ahead is a joke, he just can't promise that in the current climate - anyone with an ounce of intelligence can see that and would have provided our kids with an option that gives more certainty. My friends will tell you I'm not an advocate of the exam system anyway, I believe modular assessment with coursework gives most kids a fairer chance of success, not a system based mostly on memory at GCSE and one or two days to "shine".

That aside, I think their's nothing worse than "not knowing" and I think that's where our kids (and teachers) are at just now.

@Neversaygoodbye the kids have absolutely no say or input into what has happened to them or what may or may not happen in the future, I really feel for them. The not knowing is an absolute killer for some and those like your daughter with anxiety, it’s multiplied many times over.
There are many that suffer with sad syndrome this time of year, I can imagine that this year will be even harder. No fun events like fireworks night, family get togethers, spending time with friends or hobbies and extra curricular activities. Our kids are being out through the mill enough without the stress of what is going to happen over the next 7/8 months.
I’m glad they at least (currently) are being allowed to stay in school.

toobuktim yes, it does feel like drudgery with very little uplift. All mine are doing is study, study, study. I’m having all on to even get them out for an hour dog walk. They dare not take their feet off the gas as everything matters. I keep reminding them that no one can give 100% all the time.

Back to school today. DS's report wasn't too good before half term so i've no idea what our online parents evening is going to like this month. No idea what's happening with GCSE PE either as his two out of school sports have been cancelled yet again.

Completely agree with you @Neversaygoodbye about our kids not know what's going to happen. Seems like they'll be stuck in limbo for many months.

Mocks start in the 22nd here. What about all of your kids? Will they be having mocks?

Mid January for DS and there's talk of more in March too.

Mid January for DS and there's talk of more in March too.

30th November for us

Microsoft Teams parents’ evening next week

Well, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Microsoft Teams Parents’ Evening! No queuing, jostling and elbowing from other parents, we could actually hear the teachers and all were pretty accurate to their fine slots. I’m converted!
DS is now very focused and has taken on board the comments from his teachers. He knows where he wants to be and he’s working to get there.

@Toobuktim

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

This doesn’t make any sense. The longer you leave it to sit exams the more kids will have caught up. Plus by summer the virus will be under control and vaccine widely in use.

@BobsKnobs I think it's extremely unlikely the vaccine will be in wide use by the time our kids take exams. Seeing so many kids having to isolate & I expect them to still be doing this through spring. Online learning cannot replace face to face teaching. Kids need certainty and they're being completely shafted by our government at ofqual. I still wouldn't be surprised to see them ditch the exams as late as Easter!

DDs mocks started yesterday - well they were supposed to but her french listening was on Wednesday. I'm quite annoyed about it as her french teacher is shielding and the person who has replaced her only told them about the listening the day before. It was in the normal classroom and he didn't have control of the kids so some were mucking about and DD couldn't hear properly so said she ended up guessing some questions . She went and complained and apparently the head of languages has been informed. The same day loads of her year were sent home to self isolate due to a case and they are sitting their exams at home. That would be fine but according to DD the grade boundaries aren't set so if they end up cheating then she may not do as well. Lots of things pissing me off at the moment! DD has been revising really hard and will spend this weekend getting ready for her art exam next week. It feels non stop at the moment. They have a second set of mocks in Feb/March.

@Titsywoo I feel for your DD, it's just sh*t really. My DD's mocks start in 2weeks but her school have also had some yr11s sent home to isolate this week...you kind of feel that it's only a matter of time. Also I know they too have teachers isolating and trying to teach via zoom, not sure that's working particularly well either but hats off to them for trying. It really is tough at the moment.

@Titsywoo ... that sounds tough. DS is having live lessons on Teams, and they had an IT problem earlier in the week, all the kids were kicking everyone out of the lesson, the teacher had to boycot, it was really terrible behaviour :(
His mocks also start on the 23rd November, he is currently (along with all of his Maths, English and Science classes, and some of his History and PE class) self-isolating and will return to school for his first English exam on the 23rd! He is determined to do well in these mocks, he had his "expected grades" on Monday and really wants to try and improve some of them.
He's had two college interviews, another one on Monday. Been trying the virtual open days, but you just can't get a feel of the place, so I have no idea where he'll chose to go.

Hope everyone can keep their chins up and muddle through this shit show :)

Thanks @Hellohah and @Neversaygoodbye. Yes it's so rubbish isn't it? I didn't expect so much stress so early on this academic year! I think DD is getting used to it now though so is just shrugging it off and doing her best. I'm the one getting wound up

God that online lesson sounds a nightmare Hellohah - I do feel sorry for the teachers too but then I'm also annoyed at some of them for dropping the ball. I feel like I've sent more emails to teachers this term than the whole of DDs time at secondary! It's not that I'm complaining to the teachers I'm just constantly trying to clarify what is going on.

DD is doing her eng lang speaking exam today too - the teacher is shielding so the kids stand at the front of the classroom and speak to the class and a laptop so the teacher can watch from home. Sounds horrendous and DD is pretty shy but she has become very resilient this year - a bonus I guess!

At this point I really hope the exams go ahead - but I'm selfishly thinking of my DD!

@Titsywoo your daughter sounds as if she’s doing remarkably well despite all the obstacles that keep on appearing! She’s had a tough run of luck there - but as you say she’s learning resilience!
I too hope the exams go ahead, I keep on changing my mind on this, but I do think it’s for the best. DS is currently studying very hard and is keen to do well in his mocks. I just hope he doesn’t have another 2 weeks isolation. His sister managed to get a week in school before being asked to isolate again, it’s pretty soul destroying for her. But thankfully she doesn’t have any exams for a couple of years.

So my DD has just been sent home as a friends has tested positive. We're less than 2 weeks away from the start of their mocks on 1st Dec. I know she doesn't manage well with online learning not that we've been told what will be provided yet or what happens about the mocks. She's also missing out on the opportunity to attend after school revision sessions so how's that a fair playing field.

DD had two weeks off just before her mocks which have just finished, second set of mocks in Jan (maybe moved to Feb). I don’t know many who haven’t had at least some time off, it is all very hard for them to deal with. When DD first heard she was in tears and this is a resilient child who copes in most situations. She felt as though life’s opportunities were being snatched from her as she’d never be able to prove her capabilities.

Latest proposal is that in England (all the others having cancelled exams, so how can that be even!) subject of question and core content will be revealed before exam so teachers can focus on that. It isn’t going to help with our DCs getting a rounded education. Also one of DD’s strengths is dealing with the unknown in the exam, which I appreciate will not be something all will have.

Just one almighty mess

@PettsWoodParadise thanks for responding. I think at the moment having just collected DD from school I'm the one stressing and having a melt down - very unhelpful to my DD I know, unfortunately I tend to be quite verbal in my feelings whereas she keeps things tucked away inside (which has caused big issues in the past with her mental health). Still, I need to get my act together and be the grown up! 😬 No news from the school on contingency plans or revision/lesson work which I think is quite poor, surely they must have planned for this.

My dd is so stressed about the exams next year. She works hard and faces a lot of health challenges already. She recently was ill, had to have a Covid test (thankfully negative) but has missed 2 weeks of school. The uncertainty of what will happen to English exams and the disparity between nations is adding to an already stressful time for our youngsters. It’s so unfair.

I'm so so cross today. I don't even know where to begin with what has pissed me off!

Mainly it's the sodding art department who I am so close to letting rip at. The art exams have of course been cancelled but they aren't telling the kids that as they are trying it appears to scare them into working harder. The kids have only really had 2 terms in class working on their portfolios - the first half term of year 10 was spent on something completely unrelated to the gcse then they had a term and a half before lockdown. They were basically sent home in March and told to just create as many pieces as they could. No contact from the art department between March and Sept bar I think 2 zoom calls in June. Emails rarely responded to. At first they told the kids when they got back that their portfolios needed to be done by end of Oct then they said end of Nov now it's by the end of this term. I have no idea why since the portfolio is now 100% of the mark. Apparently after xmas they will work on a 'special project'. Dd still have about 10 pieces to do (most of those small bits) plus all the writing and mounting. She has done several amazing very detailed pieces though and admittedly they have taken longer than is ideal. But she works as hard as she can considering how much work there is from all the other subjects too. The art teacher has been having a go at her for the past two days and made her cry both times. Yesterday she told dd that she talks too much and doesn't work hard enough (dd is always told she needs to talk more by teachers - she is a girl of few words and no way is she chatting away and not working all lesson). Today she went mad at dd and said she has been spending too long on this one piece and made her start a piece that doesn't even fit with what dd is doing. She told her she couldn't leave until it was done (even though the lesson was over). Dd walked out and ended up in tears in the counselling type area they have in the school. I'm so angry with this teacher. She is making this so stressful. Dd wanted to do alevel art but says she can't deal with this teacher for another 2 years. It's so sad as art has been her passion since she was little and she is really good at it.

As well as that her french teacher is shielding and has been replaced by a cover who isnt teaching new content and is only going over foundation level (dd does higher).

Re teacher self isolating, maths teacher teaching via zoom to a laptop on the desk.

It's ridiculous. This can't carry on.

@Titsywoo art - ha don't get me started! I can completely sympathise with your DD as mine is also doing it. She's supposed to be starting her final piece but is now SI as her bubble burst today. Also told it's to be completed by the end of term - without access to the art department I'm not sure how they expect that to happen. She also has a fractious relationship with her art teacher who seems to expect every child to bash out a perfect drawing in record time - not sure what that's all about but seems to be a common theme!