How can I help my 14 YO with gcse

[Frenchdressing]

Had a virtual parent’s evening tonight. DD is all 4s or 5s in predicted gcse grades. Apart from maths where it is a 2! She is devastated.

I know maths is a struggle but the rest she was hoping for more. She works hard but just must lack the ability. I try to help with work but the science and maths is beyond me.

Going to get a tutor for maths but as for the rest....does she just resign herself to it? I’ve requested a school meeting but wondered if anyone can suggest anything.

(I would be fine with 4s or 5s btw so this isn’t me pushing beyond capability)

Hopeful bump

I feel your pain! My Dd is similar and it doesn't help that she hates school too!
We pay for a maths tutor who comes once a week and has helped her loads.
I am off the "let them get on with it" school of parenting but will always offer support when asked.
My Dd has recently turned 15 and hopefully has now realised that actually GCSEs are important and are a stepping stone to what she wants to do next.
I'm also careful not to put on her what my expectations of what I enjoyed if that makes sense?
For example I love science and have a degree but she doesn't feel the same and I found that hard.

Get her the GSP’s “complete revision and practice guide” for each subject she is studying being careful to order the ones for the right exam board (ask the school about this).

Schools are not covering enough, the study guides can give her the structure and fill the gaps the school is not covered and explain in more detail things she finds difficult to understand.

Sadly they have cancelled the exams so apart if catching up she has to convince the tutor she has “changed” and deserve better grades. DS was projected a lot of 4 and 5s and ended up with 8s on every subject using the guides but I can assure you not a single teacher would have given him such grades.

I had the CGP books for GCSE and got absolute top marks...they have little jokes and characters in them that really kept me going. What I did was read the page, and then make my own set of colourful notes in a notebook - usually a mind map. Does she know how to do mind maps? The important thing in learning information is being able to have it conceptually, free from the sentences, and that's why mind maps are good. Learning from your exercise book is hard. These study books are really concise.

Has she got a nice quiet desk with lots of natural light? Could you help her create a revision timetable with the detail of what she needs to study when?

Is the maths tutor good? That should make a massive difference there.

Oh god it's judged by teachers isn't it?! Ok, so in that case, you not only have to do the above, but you also need her to get all the work and prep she is doing in their faces, so they can really see the step change over the next few months. I would get her to share the mind maps or revision with them to "check" whether she has understood it. This is going to be performance learning, unless they are going to do weekly tests or something objective like that!

Meant to say CGP as welll, sorry

The OP's dc is 14, so presumably in year 10 - not currently expected to be teacher assessment for that cohort.

I would welcome any tips . 18 year old DS just failed maths for the 3rd time . He gets a 3 every time. He won’t entertain a tutor and we have the revision guides. I am hoping teacher assessment may be good for him!

Yes year 10.

Thanks. Some great ideas. Have ordered the guides for maths and English. Mind maps she likes and uses.

No idea if tuition good as we haven’t started yet but fingers crossed. She really needs to just scrape a pass in maths or she will be forever retaking it. ( I took it 3 times! )

@sandgrown

I would welcome any tips . 18 year old DS just failed maths for the 3rd time . He gets a 3 every time. He won’t entertain a tutor and we have the revision guides. I am hoping teacher assessment may be good for him!

Why won't he entertain the idea of a tutor? Doesn't he want to pass?

DD found the CGP guides massively helpful BTW.