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Secondary education

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What should year 11s at higher grades be doing?

5 replies

ScrapThatThen · 07/02/2021 17:34

Just having this conversation with dd2. I know that more info will be out soon about how teacher assessment will work. She took mocks in November and got 7s/8s/9s, mostly 8s with results in most subjects above her predictions. She's worked her socks off during most of this year. She is doing all the live lessons and homework that has to be submitted and some of the other stuff. Had parents evening and she is maintaining her grades well. She is also really struggling with anxiety (not exam related specifically, just lockdown and social isolation getting to her I think). She knows that some people are still revising 'as if' they had exams. Some are doing a lot of Tassomai etc. (She is not taking a science at A Level). She always struggles to see the point of doing things without a rationale or purpose. The one grade she could lift a bit (English) she is dismissive of and very happy to stick at where she is rather than try harder. She's at 9s in all her A level subjects. Its different to previous years so I don't really know what is right to advise? I'm just saying the end is in sight keep doing what you are doing, it's fine to focus more on your A level subjects and developing those skills, and encouraging things that will help with anxiety. Her sister was knee deep in revision cards this time last year and expecting to be for months but then they cancelled exams. I think she has the right approach for the circumstances? If further assessments are planned she can revise then? It's all a bit aimless.

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clary · 07/02/2021 20:00

It's so hard isn't it. I have a DS in yr 13 and he seems to be doing a lot less than I would hope in a normal year.

I totally see why they are feeling unfocused :(

Maybe consider contacting the school to ask if there are assessments coming up - either in a block or individually? Schools must be hoping to get yr 11 back in mid-March - so are they planning exam-style assessment then? Or after Easter? At least this would give her something to focus on and work towards.

ScrapThatThen · 07/02/2021 20:09

I think they have decided not to go ahead with March mocks (at least one teacher said this at parents evening) and have said that they are awaiting the government arrangements which is totally fair enough. But yes, what to aim for? She feels like she is probably fine, for grades, but I want her to get something out of the next few months. She went for a walk with a friend today and it was good for them to share how confused they are about it all.

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ScrapThatThen · 07/02/2021 20:10

I don't even really know where the finish line is? Last day of school?

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ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 07/02/2021 20:18

With regard to English, watch out for this one - it's the one where sticking where you are can really trip you up. One thing she could be doing is working on her writing in finer detail, practising the difficult bits such as cohesion, symbolism, dialogue etc. Equally, with persuasive writing, focus on developing general knowledge of modern issues so she might have something to say given any topic - most tasks (and it is likely that mini-exam tasks will form at least part of the assessment) have some tangential link to modern teenage life - relationships, aspirations, education, tech, experiences, dreams, health, mental health. Read lots of opinion pieces from Sunday newspaper supplements to pick up the tone. Particularly look at the way editorial writers mix humour and seriousness through vocab choice and that high-low swinging juxtaposition.

ScrapThatThen · 07/02/2021 20:24

That's really interesting Elizabeth I wonder if that would actually make it more interesting to her because she is quite a political person (takes after my mum) and we get lots of news magazines. Thanks. She used to do tassomai over breakfast so maybe she could do an editorial a day too.

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