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Secondary education

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Original poster

Starting Year 11 GCSE 2021 Thread 2

481 replies

indy69 · 04/01/2021 15:19

Just continuing on from thread one. Let's support each other through these difficult times. Here is the earlier thread. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3653238-Starting-Year-11-GCSE2021-title-edited-by-MNHQ

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8
Blubell46 · 11/05/2021 17:32

@rachel38 I totally agree with you...my ds has 12 exams next week, 11 week after and 9 the week after that I think? He is exhausted and it has just begun!!

I just think it unfair how some schools are not doing exams and some are . My ds is doing 11 but now we are at the stage - where we are saying don't worry about those couple of subjects...let them go and focus on the ones you want to continue...

I don't blame the school- I blame the government putting undue pressure on our kids and teachers over a very stressful time . Plus they have not thought this through...since every school is doing something different!

MoiraQueen · 11/05/2021 22:42

DD has 5 assessments tomorrow, she's already on her knees. 2 teachers have implied she hasn't done well in their subjects, she's so demoralised, she was predicted good grades. I feel so powerless to help.

TeenMinusTests · 12/05/2021 05:46

I am shocked at quite how many assessments some schools are doing, it's crazy. It's like they think more is better, whereas it is likely to be totally counterproductive.

DD's school is doing proper exams for the last 2 weeks before half term, but only 1 per subject. They have been doing in class assessments too, but judging from her emails not an excessive amount (DD's not in school so most of this is passing us by.)

Blubell46 · 12/05/2021 06:07

@MoiraQueen that is awful... she doesnt need to hear that while she is doing her exams...

It's hard enough going through these exams- an endurance test and then be told you haven't done as well as expected!!! What is the poor child supposed to do with that information!

Gosh that is a lot. I thought when my ds had 4 the other that was too much.

I wish her the best of luck today! I know it is easier said than done but there is nothing she can do....lots of confidence and hugs is the best medicine I feel.

As you can imagine that is what we are doing. I feel this is not just the poor child going through this but the whole family. My dd ( aged 13) who are argues with her brother came home from school with a box of chocolates for him- which surprised us all but she obviously felt his pain.

Thank god for this forum. Take care and best of luck for her today

cptartapp · 12/05/2021 06:09

I believe students are not be tested on anything the teacher 'hasn't delivered'. He seems to be being tested on the whole syllabus yet only two teachers out of eight did any remote learning between March and July last year, the rest was worksheets.

DS1 did GCSEs two years ago, yet with the shambolic preparation and disruption it seems much harder for DS 2 this time not even doing 'exams'.

DS1 now in A level exam year which is a whole other stress!

MoiraQueen · 12/05/2021 13:05

@Bluebell46, thank you.

I believe students are not be tested on anything the teacher 'hasn't delivered'.

That's not been DD's experience at all. Some of the assessments would be a doddle if that was the case.

cptartapp · 12/05/2021 13:32

I think that was the national guidance though. But agree, it's been conveniently overlooked in some cases. Probably by teachers who badly short changed their students in the first lockdown.

UncomfortableSilence · 12/05/2021 16:52

We're at breaking point in this house, DD has added up her timetable and has a total of 63 assessments, she has had two solid weeks of formal exams in the hall in between exams they are to go to classes as normal, candidate numbers etc the rest are in class, she's basically given up, she won't revise anymore, she's exhausted, so moody and miserable all the time.

Yesterday in RE they had to sit with the teacher and she showed them what evidence she was using to come to their grade, I told DD to speak up if she feels anything is amiss but she said she doesn't care anymore Sad

UncomfortableSilence · 12/05/2021 16:55

@MoiraQueen

DD has 5 assessments tomorrow, she's already on her knees. 2 teachers have implied she hasn't done well in their subjects, she's so demoralised, she was predicted good grades. I feel so powerless to help.
Yes that's a good description of how I feel, I'm even sick of the sound of my own voice saying you can only do your best, no one could have predicted this happening etc etc I'm trying so hard to keep her going, she was also predicted good grades and has always worked very hard at school, but she is missing homework now something she has never done as she said she just cannot do anymore Sad
TeenMinusTests · 12/05/2021 17:03

I am totally shocked at some of this.
Is this schools with hopeless pastoral care and SLT just letting departments do what the hell they like? Or have people been surprised that schools with previously good track records for care and organisation are willfully overloading the pupils?

Titsywoo · 12/05/2021 17:14

@UncomfortableSilence

We're at breaking point in this house, DD has added up her timetable and has a total of 63 assessments, she has had two solid weeks of formal exams in the hall in between exams they are to go to classes as normal, candidate numbers etc the rest are in class, she's basically given up, she won't revise anymore, she's exhausted, so moody and miserable all the time.

Yesterday in RE they had to sit with the teacher and she showed them what evidence she was using to come to their grade, I told DD to speak up if she feels anything is amiss but she said she doesn't care anymore Sad

63?! That is crazy. This whole thing is a shambles with our children suffering the most. There should have been proper guidelines. God only knows what the schools are thinking - I've been very disappointed with some of the actions DDs school have taken but at least the exams she is sitting are full exams and no more than 2 a day with revision time between. Once this is all over and the grades have been submitted I'm going to be writing a long email to the head about what was done badly. I know schools are under pressure but to be honest I'm not sure I'm that sympathetic right now - everything has been dealt with appallingly.

I'm sorry to all of your DCs who are suffering - I hope they can relax soon. I keep saying to DD once a subject is done just forget it - nothing you can do now. I want her to enjoy her summer without worrying.

MoiraQueen · 12/05/2021 17:21

@TeenMinusTests

DD's school's pastoral team are understaffed but try really, really hard, SLT are shit and some of the teachers do the absolute minimum, although some are brilliant, but then they just get hampered by the SLT. Head is past it.

UncomfortableSilence · 12/05/2021 17:30

Or have people been surprised that schools with previously good track records for care and organisation are willfully overloading the pupils?

This really, DDs school has a fantastic pastoral dept, a great community caring ethos to the school, they keep telling the girls that they can only do their best and not to get too caught up in these assessments!!

I just can't understand how they can't see the stress and pressure they are piling on with pretty much 8 weeks of solid exams. There have also been lots of issues with teachers maybe 'helping a bit too much' and kids getting mark schemes online etc so there is no consistency across the year group so how can they be marked fairly, we are just hoping for passes now but that's unfair and not reflective of her however at this stage I'm more interested in getting her out the other side of this mess with the least further damage to her mental health.

Teen I hope your DD is doing ok.

TeenMinusTests · 12/05/2021 17:39

Silence Thank you for asking, she is better than she was. And amazingly managing a very limited set of assessments from home which 2 months ago seemed almost unachievable. We're talking 1 subject per week. We were very strategic with which 4 subjects she kept which has helped.

ihearttc · 12/05/2021 17:42

I think it’s really hitting them all. DS is planning on doing A level Biology and normally gets great grades. He came home today and said that he got 18 out of 40 on a test yet that was the highest in the class. He is the top Biology set so I would have expected him to get higher (not a criticism of him!) so what are they being tested on to not be able to answer the questions?

UncomfortableSilence · 12/05/2021 18:07

@TeenMinusTests

Silence Thank you for asking, she is better than she was. And amazingly managing a very limited set of assessments from home which 2 months ago seemed almost unachievable. We're talking 1 subject per week. We were very strategic with which 4 subjects she kept which has helped.
So pleased to hear that, hope you are holding up ok too.
UncomfortableSilence · 12/05/2021 18:11

iheart This seems to be a common theme here too, DD is doing higher Maths and she got really low marks on the last few assessments, equivalent to a 4, her friend only managed to get 6 marks out of 50, she said there were questions she couldn't even attempt as she has never been taught it?

Lowther · 12/05/2021 18:32

Sorry to hear all the difficulties that we all are having. Things are so different from school to school, but 63 assessments!
It is overload here too but school and teachers have been consistent and been very positive and supportive but still the stress is huge. 4-5 assessments a week. They more or less finished the curriculum and so being tested on on everything .Some good days some not.
Lots of mood swings so I have been reading (hiding) in my room and giving plenty of hugs when asked. At times I'm not sure what to do- it is difficult to see her hurting whilst trying her best.
I'm trying to stay optimistic -so we will get through this and I look forward to a great result day in August!

Curlyshirl · 12/05/2021 19:05

Why are some schools doing so many assessments? Will they just pick the ones the dc have done best in? What does this mean for my ds who is only doing assessments as per normal GCSEs? If he messes up they’ll be no other ones school can fall back on. It’s so stressful to think he’s only got one shot at it whereas some schools can pick and choose the best pieces.

TeenMinusTests · 12/05/2021 19:19

I wonder whether some schools are giving top sets hard assessments in maths / science to really show they are level 7/8/9?

UncomfortableSilence · 12/05/2021 19:43

@TeenMinusTests

I wonder whether some schools are giving top sets hard assessments in maths / science to really show they are level 7/8/9?
In yesterday's Maths assessment several girls were in tears, the top set teacher is writing the papers and her teacher said the paper was overly hard, DD could answer two questions and her teacher said looking at the paper that's about right for her level but how demoralising to be given papers that you can't even have a go at.

We had several emails saying grades would not be based on just these exams but I really don't believe that. DD and some friends went to speak to the Head of maths after the paper yesterday and her advice to them was to have a good cry!

Lowther · 12/05/2021 20:09

@TeenMinusTests

I wonder whether some schools are giving top sets hard assessments in maths / science to really show they are level 7/8/9?
Yes, that is what my Dd class have had every Tuesday for the past four weeks. She is at the 7mark but is in a class with some real mathematicians- definite 9s she said. But her teacher has been really supportive of her.
Lowther · 12/05/2021 20:14

Uncomfortable- so good that your DD was able to go speak to HOD.
What a really unhelpful reply!

NotDonna · 12/05/2021 23:20

whereas some schools can pick and choose the best pieces. they are not allowed to cherry pick. It has to be the same exams across the whole cohort. They could of course do 63 assessments and then say most of the kids did best in 50 and use those pieces. But those results will still need to follow the school’s grade profile, so makes little sense.
Our school is also doing millions of exams every day for a lot of weeks as they don’t have any evidence. There were no mocks and most work including yr10 end of year exams were done remotely. Some exam boards want at least 5 pieces of evidence. So given students take 10 or so GCSEs theres 50 exams. Way too much for the teens and the teachers marking & moderating. The whole thing is madness!
My own DD has had enough now. She’s one more week of exams (2 subjects a day) and that is supposedly it. According to her ‘everyone has had enough’ and I’m really not surprised. This has been far worse than when my eldest did proper GCSEs.

TinyDancer78 · 12/05/2021 23:48

I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed that this isn’t just my DD school. It’s just overkill.
They did mocks before Xmas then again just before Easter. Then returned from Easter to constant in class assessments. None of these are timetabled. They just get told the lesson before. My DDs mental health is at rock bottom as a result she isn’t taking note of when assessments are and then being taken by surprise. This is resulting in panic attacks during the assessment itself.
I have had countless conversations with school and spoken to my DD about leaving now. She said that will stress her even more. I am counting down the days until this is over.