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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

General starting Y10 Sept 21, GCSE's 2023 thread

143 replies

Itsafouryearjourney · 12/08/2021 14:24

Don't think there is already a thread??

I think our cohort have an 'interesting' time ahead and would definitely like to hear how others are finding it along the way. Will they get told they have had no disruption (!?) so everything can be normal come 2023 exams? But more importantly how will they adjust and and thrive whilst coping with being 14/15 and all that that entails AND studying?

OP posts:
Blubell46 · 22/11/2021 18:39

@helpinghetty I agree ....I feel she had missed out on the foundation due to lock down last year!

My ds has in doing his A levels and even though I was very worried what would happen- he knew his foundation!

My dd is really tired when she comes from school and she has the best intentions but it sometimes doesn't come to fruit...

Does anyone know if they will resort back to normal exams ?

Silkieschickens · 23/11/2021 03:35

DS is struggling with it all, he is asd and has really struggled from last lockdown and also I just got diagnosed with breast cancer, at either stage 3 or stage 4 and he just cried. Sad Am trying to arrange some nice things for him but have lots of medical appointments and a DD doing gcses in y11 so tricky to manage everything.

minisnowballs · 23/11/2021 10:45

Silkies that sounds awful. I'm so sorry, that is an awful lot to deal with. These poor teens too. x

Silkieschickens · 24/11/2021 01:53

Thanks Mini Yes its hard on everyone though DD was very sweet tonight and as I had my MRI she said I will cook my brother his dinner as well as mine, they are only 14 months apart but she is so much more mature. Glad Taossmai is working for you.

helpinghetty · 24/11/2021 06:58

@Silkieschickens so sorry you’re having to go through this, you and your dc sound amazingFlowers

Silkieschickens · 24/11/2021 19:59

Thanks Hetty Hope you DD gets through her tests OK this week and isn't too stressed.

Taswama · 24/11/2021 22:20

Just seen this thread! Will read and come back later / tomorrow to comment.

Taswama · 25/11/2021 08:30

Flowers @Silkieschickens . Really sorry to hear that. I've seen you on other threads talking about your DS and battles with the school and almost feel like I know you.

I have DS1 in year 10. He took all academic subjects as options (history, geography, german, triple science) and is also doing AS politics as an extra curricular. He has been struggling with the sheer volume of homework after very little over the past 18 months. We had parents evening a few weeks ago and his German teacher said he needed to be practicing using the website and he's better at reading and listening than writing and speaking. But I had a meeting with the Senco on Tuesday to review his EHCP (he's autistic) and she said the German teacher is very concerned as his target grade is a 6 but he's currently only working at 2. So I need to liaise with the teacher and put together a catch up programme for him. I am fluent in German and try and speak it a bit at home with him and help him with his homework and I can see he hasn't got the basics properly embedded so is really struggling as it's getting harder.

Silkieschickens · 26/11/2021 00:42

Thanks Taswama Yes I think we have been on a few threads together and both have ASD DSs, mine also has an EHCP now and struggling in y10, very bright but cannot reproduce on paper except maths.

His big sister who is a year older is being so kind and has cooked for him last 3 nights as I have been doing hospital tests in the evenings and she announced she was looking after him, they are only a year apart in age but so different in maturity.

minisnowballs · 26/11/2021 08:26

Your daughter sounds amazing - you must be very proud of her Silkies...

On the assessments, Tassomai has certainly done the trick for DD on science. Just had her results back - top in the year for chemistry, and near the top for biology and physics (and since she was one of the only children who came up from set 2 to do triple science this was by no means a given). I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it is the 'little and often' that has worked for her so far. Seeing her actually excited over her results for once was fabulous.

Latin - not so good. She needs to learn to work on grammar, not just vocab. At least she learns that now, not in year 11!

Silkieschickens · 26/11/2021 18:54

Thanks Mini Well done to your daughter, that's brilliant.

CarlMcCoy · 14/03/2022 15:35

Thought I'd see if anyone is still here!

DD working hard, feeling a bit over-burdened at times, but generally OK. I think it's sinking in how quickly KS4 goes though.

Silkierabbit · 17/03/2022 04:22

I am still around though thought this thread had died but glad there is still life in it. DS in y10 is massively struggling and we are in emergency review for LA and they are dragging their heels to avoid spending money but current school are saying can't meet needs and can't stay there. And I start chemotherapy on Monday for my cancer. Had two lots of surgery so far which they think has removed all of it apart from there may be odd cancer cells around the body which scans won't show. Thankfully its not at stage 4, the adrenal mass was benign though going for tests for that too to see what it is. 3 months of chemo, then radio then 2 more operations and 10 years of tablets. It was found after surgery not to be in skin but in breast and lymph nodes so re-staged at 2B so around 88% chance of surviving 5 years and 71% 10 years from surgery and if I can get through chemo it goes up about 4% more and hormones about 7% more for 10 years not much added on 5 years, maybe 1% each.

DD in y11 is doing really well, another set of mocks currently and has offers from Kings Maths School and another excellent two 6th forms. She got pretty much all 9s in her first mocks despite changing school end y10 and new curriculums. We managed to have a nice Feb half term in Edinburgh and Lake District. Hope everyone else is OK.

elkiedee · 20/05/2022 14:04

Hi, I hope others are still around here. I've not been online much recently as I couldn't read unless I could adjust settings, and can't work out how to do that on this laptop. This was due to cataracts. I had surgery on my left eye on Wednesday and much improved so am now spending too much time online trying to catch up on all that I've missed!

Silkie, sorry to hear of your cancer and your DS struggling. Good luck with chemo, and to your kids with exams and studying.

Silkierabbit · 21/05/2022 06:15

Thanks Elkiedee Sorry you needed eye surgery but glad its improving things for you. How is your child getting on?

My year 11 DD has done a week of GCSEs and 5 weeks to go, going very well so far. My y10 DS I am still trying to get help for via LA whilst doing chemotherapy and he is still really struggling at school, mute and not writing there. We have just got a new Maine Coon kitten called Mr Floof who is super cute. I have 6 more chemos then radio then hormone treatment and 2 more operations, have done 2 operations and 6 chemos so far. Managed to get to Edinburgh at Feb half term and to Wales to see puffins at Easter which were lovely in gaps but otherwise very tired and quite ill with treatment.

elkiedee · 21/05/2022 11:56

Thanks Silkierabbit. From the parents' evening (first in over 2 years) DS1 seems to be doing very well in most subjects though I'm a bit concerned by English as I think he can do better than he is at the moment - 5 compared to 7 or higher for most of his other subjects. I think this is likely to be about putting a bit more time into homework and at least reading his set texts properly if nothing else. He had a few years of reading a lot which lasted through year 7, but now he devours Netflix. He's quite clever but there's always more interesting things to do than schoolwork, obviously.

Sorry that you and your DS are having such tough times and that you're dealing with so many things at once. I hope you can get the support he needs.

SoulAuntie · 21/05/2022 12:28

Good to see this thread resurface. Y10 are the new Y11 now after all!

DFE confirmed again this week that 2023 exams will return to full content but that
"Ofqual will, as planned, consider the approach to grading for 2023 in light of outcomes in 2022. Ofqual will also ask exam boards to look carefully at the design of the exam timetable for next year in the light of experience this year, to see if the increased spacing between subjects in the exam timetable should be retained."

Silkierabbit · 31/05/2022 19:06

Thanks Elkie sounds like your DC is doing really well. My DD has now done 2 weeks of GCSEs, gone very well, she always gets near perfect grades, taking 12 gcses and 1 level 3 fsmq and 15 exams over 3 weeks left after half term. Mr Floof the kitten has been catnapped by her and very happy together.

DS has made a bit of progress and wrote for first time in over a year and did 8 out of 10 mocks, he has 10 plus fsmq level 3 and 7 passes out of 8 and other a coupke of marks of, 8 in maths, 6 in physics, 5 plus in biology and 4s in rest. Very low grades for him but big improvement on no writing so very happy. Cancer charity has given us weeks holiday in Cornwall by coast in July in 4 bed place, will be lovely. 8th chemo done, 4 weeklies to go.

Jovanka · 10/06/2022 19:20

Is anyone else reading with a bit of trepidation the experiences of the current GCSE cohort, especially in relation to exam content not matching with AI? Sounds like a nightmare for some subjects. Guess that might not apply for 2023 if the boards don’t make revisions to topics covered in exams?

JosephineGrundy · 12/06/2022 09:58

Yes, I think it will be better in many ways next year when they just need to know everything - saves stress and angst at least. As earlier post says, the DFE have confirmed full content for next year, but looks like grade boundaries returning to fully 'normal' not quite so clear cut as they had said previously.

Silkierabbit · 12/06/2022 23:58

I have got 1 in year 11 taking 12 gcses and so far there's only been an issue in physics with AI and 1/2 of the errors have now been adjusted for and so its not been a big issue as long as you read it correctly. What maybe an issue is staff shortages and this years cohort weren't taught the full syllabus in some subjects and will they be able to achieve that for y10s. But I think its better to be taught whole syllabus otherwise there are gaps.

I will be glad when GCSEs are over, 24th here as she is also doing a level 3 FSMQ qualification. Thankfully we have just got a Maine Coon kitten which is keeping her very calm.

Threedcinhighschool · 13/06/2022 10:25

Hi everyone, can I join?

A bit of background... I have three DC, in Sept they will be starting Y7, Y9 and then my eldest DS is obviously starting Y11 (I am on the right thread...aren't I? 🤔)

DS1 started high school having had excellent sats results and so being put in the 'gifted and talented' group. He's still there, as far as I'm aware, but because of his intelligence (or so I thought), I dropped the ball and kind of left him to it as my youngest DS was struggling at school at that time.

Over the last couple of years he seems to have lost all motivation and they get target grades every year- are 5 for most subjects and in assessments (its a very uncommunicative school so I don't know exactly how often they have assessment fortnight but it seems to be at least once per term) he is hovering between grade 4-6! :(

He's autistic, but because I was advised by the school that he "wasn't bad enough to need 1-1 help" I didn't bother applying for an EHCP and now it's too late to get one in place.
He does have a student passport however, which lists his needs and difficulties and he is allowed to ask for extra time in assessments (which he never uses as he's embarrassed to!).

So. I think I need to get my bum in gear and make sure he achieves his potential.

He is in the middle of the top band (they have three bands and three sub-bands, so basically he is one group below the very top people, if that makes sense?) so I feel like he should easily be able to achieve 8 or 9s.

I'm afraid all I've done is ask if he has any homework then make sure he's done it. I'm potentially neurodiverse myself so find it really hard to motivate myself and have a complete mental block when it comes to maths and sciences, I just can't comprehend that stuff so I feel I'm quite limited in how much I can actually help him revise.

It doesn't help that the school haven't let us know anything about what the children are studying, I don't know when mocks might be, nothing like that.

Is it possible to improve his grades before gcses next year and if so, can anyone give me an idea of how much 'extra' work/revision their child is doing outside of school hours and how you're helping them with their studies?

Thanks in advance.

Hersetta427 · 13/06/2022 10:46

Threedcinhighschool · 13/06/2022 10:25

Hi everyone, can I join?

A bit of background... I have three DC, in Sept they will be starting Y7, Y9 and then my eldest DS is obviously starting Y11 (I am on the right thread...aren't I? 🤔)

DS1 started high school having had excellent sats results and so being put in the 'gifted and talented' group. He's still there, as far as I'm aware, but because of his intelligence (or so I thought), I dropped the ball and kind of left him to it as my youngest DS was struggling at school at that time.

Over the last couple of years he seems to have lost all motivation and they get target grades every year- are 5 for most subjects and in assessments (its a very uncommunicative school so I don't know exactly how often they have assessment fortnight but it seems to be at least once per term) he is hovering between grade 4-6! :(

He's autistic, but because I was advised by the school that he "wasn't bad enough to need 1-1 help" I didn't bother applying for an EHCP and now it's too late to get one in place.
He does have a student passport however, which lists his needs and difficulties and he is allowed to ask for extra time in assessments (which he never uses as he's embarrassed to!).

So. I think I need to get my bum in gear and make sure he achieves his potential.

He is in the middle of the top band (they have three bands and three sub-bands, so basically he is one group below the very top people, if that makes sense?) so I feel like he should easily be able to achieve 8 or 9s.

I'm afraid all I've done is ask if he has any homework then make sure he's done it. I'm potentially neurodiverse myself so find it really hard to motivate myself and have a complete mental block when it comes to maths and sciences, I just can't comprehend that stuff so I feel I'm quite limited in how much I can actually help him revise.

It doesn't help that the school haven't let us know anything about what the children are studying, I don't know when mocks might be, nothing like that.

Is it possible to improve his grades before gcses next year and if so, can anyone give me an idea of how much 'extra' work/revision their child is doing outside of school hours and how you're helping them with their studies?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, you're in the right place. I have one starting yr 7 in September too -pleased that sats are over and they are now full steam into end of year musical.

It is surprising that having been put in a gifted set at the beginning, that he is now only predicted grades 4-6 without them letting you know there was an issue before - do you get terming tracking if he is on target, ahead or behind their predicted grades for him?

Has he done year 10 mocks already - ours were done just after Easter and we have all the results back. I think I would be asking to speak to either his form teacher or the head of year.

Threedcinhighschool · 13/06/2022 11:33

Hersetta427 · 13/06/2022 10:46

Yes, you're in the right place. I have one starting yr 7 in September too -pleased that sats are over and they are now full steam into end of year musical.

It is surprising that having been put in a gifted set at the beginning, that he is now only predicted grades 4-6 without them letting you know there was an issue before - do you get terming tracking if he is on target, ahead or behind their predicted grades for him?

Has he done year 10 mocks already - ours were done just after Easter and we have all the results back. I think I would be asking to speak to either his form teacher or the head of year.

Show quote history

He hasn't said he's done mocks, he usually tells me when it's assessment fortnight so unless they've done them and given the results results the students directly (and his grades were bad so hid them!) then no,they haven't been done. I think I'll phone the school now and ask about that actually.

We get assessment results every term.

So I've found the December results and his y11 target grade is 6 for every subject. His assessment grades range from 3 in history to 6 in biology :( mostly 5s with effort rated as excellent for most subjects and good in chemistry and history.

I suppose if he's making an 'excellent' effort then they don't see any need to contact me? But his grades should be higher imo - both target and actual.

Threedcinhighschool · 13/06/2022 11:50

Quick update, I phoned the school and the receptionist said they don't get told anything about exams etc and she had no idea whether they've had mocks, or are due to.

However, I wonder whether this assessment fortnight is actually mocks as they run from today until the end of next week but I'd have expected a note in the weekly school email newsletter if that were the case? They mention gcse and a level exams but not y10 so I assumed these were just the usual termly assessments.

Anyway, have emailed DS' form tutor for some insight and made a note of the assessment dates for each subject and will get him onto some hard-core revising over the next few days!

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