Current Year 11 2021/2022 support thread pt II

[StColumbofNavron]

Thread for those with Y10s finishing July 2021 ready for Y11 in Sept 2021.

All welcome.

@IThinkIMadeItWorse I know what you mean - her brother got eight 9s and two 8s a couple of years ago and I was probably one of ‘those’ mums then , dd is not as academic but in many ways more capable, but she’s a lazy minx.
Very jealous of your ds reading. My ds joked that he’s going to teach his 15yo dsis to read this summer as he’s not sure she can.
How she laughed

@StColumbofNavron I think we share a similar philosophy. There’s no point in me pushing my dd too hard - I just point out that the better the grades the more options she’ll have. Trouble is she has NO passion other than bloody TikTok.

I’m can’t seem to find anything that she’d like to do - yesterday she mused that ‘working in a zoo might be fun’ so I started thinking about possible routes to achieve that but I know it was just a passing comment. I even sent her the new Emirates video of the stunt woman on top of burg al arab (have a look if you haven’t seen it - it’s fab) and suggested that as a possible career.

I think that’s fine though. I constantly suggest career paths to DS2. He is a gamer and I often talk about computer game based stuff.

I just think it’s hard for them to know the vast array of jobs that are actually out there.

DS1 had a careers thing at school and discovered HR for the first time. He wants to be a lawyer, but I once went on a training course where a recruitment consultant came (it was in the field of property) and he said young people think property = estate agent. Then he had this incredible slide that showed over 40 different jobs associated with working in property.

Hello all! Start of year 11’s all getting a bit close isn’t it!

Can anyone link to somewhere that can give a definite answer to whether GCSEs will be modified and how? I’m drawing a blank.

@Rollergirl11 - glad your dd is weight restored - that’s a big step towards recovery. Oxbridge sounds exciting and I hope her mentor can inspire her.

My ds has not done much this summer. Some dr frost maths that was set by school. He’s also re-read Macbeth, is currently re-reading Of Mice and Men and doing his quote bank and he and I together are going through his poetry anthology and making some notes. English is not his strong suit but I’l be damned if I’m going to let him fall on it - he’s capable he just doesn’t enjoy it. My friend is an English teacher and she’s going to tutor him informally (I’m paying her in gin!) so that will help too.

We’re back on 6th but there’s pre-season sport next week so that’ll be an easy seague into the start of term. Along with ds into yr11 I also have a dd going into yr8.

Morning @QueenMabby.

We’re back on the 6th too. DD is having the weekend off, then has got to do a final push to get everything finished.

Morning @QueenMabby and @HelloDulling

I can't really tell what the supposed modifications to the GCSEs are either. I did fill in the consultation forms before the deadline.

I also heard on the radio yesterday that the results are going to be early next year, like they have been this year. Anyone know if this is definite as obviously it affects when to book a holiday?

My DS is in school on Tuesday for a LFT and then starts back on Friday 3rd so seems a little earlier than others. He has 1984 to read before then but think/hope he's done everything else he HAD to do. Certainly not done any extras 

Long time lurker. Slightly put off the thread by the number of predicted Grade 9s floating about, but am also finding this thread very comforting ...

DD doing 10 GCSEs - NOT predicted top grades, but doing OK. Not helped by the fact that she's at an incredibly high achieving school. She's going back to exams in two subjects, and also has to do some coursework for both Design and Art. To my amazement she actually started revising a few weeks ago, so at least I know she's motivated. I wish it was this time next year though ...

@Diditreallylookawful

I'm wishing the year away too!
Welcome to the thread

Hi @QueenMabby - no decisions have been made yet for summer 2022 GCSEs. Exam boards are promising schools they’ll be sending out some info next week but who knows if they will.

Welcome @Diditreallylookawful. Please don’t be put off. I’ve got 3 DC and although DS1, relative to this thread is likely to work hard and do well, I will almost definitely be facing a different year with his siblings.

I hadn’t thought about results. We are planning to be away for the whole summer - but I don’t want to take that moment of opening his results with his cohort away from him.

Welcome @Diditreallylookawful , similar position here with regards to our school. I'm just hoping for ok mental health and a safe sixth form place. No idea how the year will work, continuing assessment, mocks, etc- our school is not very informative! Ds has prepared for term by doing some duolingo and lecturing me on the cold war :). Good luck to anyone starting this week- for lots of them it'll be the last September in uniform!

@QueenMabby this is the proposal for the changes but I think that's all we have atm www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-the-assessment-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2022

No revision over the summer here...still need to finish some homework set over the summer. Sigh

DS1 and DS2 are off shopping with DH for school shoes/bags tomorrow whilst DS3 and I have a nice day out. I’ve had some lovely (non-committal) conversations with them all over the last few days and last night in particular where D2 and 3 ended up sitting at the kitchen table having a chat about options, secondary schools (DS3 is year 6) and then DS1 joined and we played cards. It was just lovely after a few days where it seemed everyone was at each other’s throats - part of just not going anywhere this year at all other than the odd day trip the older two opted out of so cabin fever.

I’m looking forward to down routine and watching them fly (whatever that means in each case) this year. I’ve also got a hard deadline so need some peace

Still on holiday here and DD starts back next Wed, DS in y10 on Monday. 6th form open day on Saturday. Hope everyone has a good last few days of holiday and return to school.

Rollergirl so glad to hear your dd is getting much better and you had a nice summer.

Frustratingly I cannot find any details about Sixth Form open evenings or secondary school ones for DS3. It’s one of those things that I am sure will be sprung on us. DS3 will in all likelihood go to his brothers’ school but I feel obliged to do the rounds.

Glad to have found this thread. DS is going into year 11, starting back next week but we've heard nothing from the school. I was expecting some sort of update on masks / covid bubbles etc. The website has not been updated either.

Have other people heard from their schools?

Just reiterating the message from before the summer about LFT. I believe across the board that there will not be bubbles or masks.

@Lettitbee welcome!

In other news DS1 has suddenly decided to address revision and I have therefore just spent a lot of money on the revision guides for everything. Individually they aren’t expensive but it really adds up. Particularly at history where each unit is a separate book! We discussed timing for revision and he is thinking 2hrs per night in 4 30 min slots which still leaves him time to chill and do other things. On the weekends he will just do quick revision cards at various intervals. I’ve told him to see what sports clubs and things are happening at school or offered to pay for the gym because now he has decided it’s time I think he could end up not doing anything else.

That's an impressive attitude to the start of the year. Will they do that on top of any homework set @StColumbofNavron ? I'm expecting DS to get a lot of work set every night as I feel he hardly had any last year.

We've also had an email from school that they are to continue to wear masks despite the new guidance. Don't think DS minds too much

His homework is not that significant to be honest and he goes to bed at 10pm and usually comes straight home so he should still have time for other things. Do you think it’s too much? I don’t want him to put too much pressure on himself but he has 6hrs after school and I expect any homework to be ‘answer this 10 point question’ type stuff which I would consider revision anyway.

@StColumbofNavron
I don't think it's too much personally but unfortunately know that my DS won't have any intention of doing that until a few weeks before his mocks.
I'm almost hoping that he get tonnes of homework style revision as at least he always does whatever is set. He just doesn't have any initiative.

I hear you, my Year 9 will need real coaxing and pushing this year.

It seems like a lot @StColumbofNavron but harness the moment if he's enthusiastic! I'm expecting ds to have a lot of homework this term as they catch up and consolidate. Ds has an lft today and a tutorial. Proper day in tomorrow. He got his RS short course GCSE result today officially which was a 9. The teacher had already told him he was likely to get this so not a surprise but nice nonetheless to have the 'official' result. Trouble is, he said there's no way I can work that hard for all the subjects.

RS being removed from the timetable has been filled with extra English and maths. His class size has also reduced and they seem to have made a small class for those children that need extra support which is good for all of them I guess.

I’ve been thinking about this today. I know he wants to talk again so I’ll think about this. I suggested it when he asked on the premise of little and often meaning much easier and really focussed on past papers nearer the time. I think I’ll mention casually that maybe he should just focus this half term on reading (he has stopped, other than sports related news), maths revision cards - short and snappy, a little science - content heavy and Spanish - 10-15 minute duolingo/memorise or revision cards. Anyway, I’m overthinking it.

Congratulations to DS! Lovely news, and nice to have one in the bag so to speak.