GCSE's 2023 - Feeling my anxiety rise! Anyone want to join a thread?

[BumblingBy]

Just that really. My first child is taking her GCSE's next year and I have no idea what to expect. Currently I am much more stressed than her which isn't going to help anything! She struggled last year with Spanish so I suggested that she do 10 mins vocab a day over the holidays so she goes back feeling confident, but that was met with a real lack of enthusiasm/ accusations of interfering! She has good predictions - 6 & 7's which she will need to get to stay on at her state 6th form, but I feel that she might not get those if she doesn't put in a bit more effort. Should I lay off her for the holidays? School don't appear to have set much, although she has lots of art to do but that she finds a pleasure which helps. Anyone else feeling nervous?

Also these Snap books seem good for English texts, DD’s friend recommended them so they were deemed acceptable!

Can I join please, Sam's boat as OP.

*same

There are 3 threads for the same cohort literally next to each other as I type!

@Remolina Oops! But that shows probably that lots of mums (and other parents/carers - there are lots of different parent/carer models in my extended family) are worried about the coming school year, as term approaches in England and Wales and has already started in Scotland, I think.

We can try to encourage people to come together on one thread and keep it going for support.

I just thought I'd add a little information about myself and DS1, particularly

Where: North London, Zone 3, very mixed area in terms of class, race and everything, lots of parks and good transport links - I'd sooner be feeling skint here than in an area where you need a car and lots of money to access activities and services.

Me: 50+, living with partner and our two teenagers in a small late Victorian terrace with a 21st century loft extension to give the boys their own bedrooms. We will never be able to afford to move. The house is crammed with books and other stuff.

Years ago I took a career break as I was made redundant, my boss died, my mum was ill and childcare was nearly as much as I could earn anyway, and have had to defer various plans to look for paid employment, though now am thinking at least I no longer need to pay for childcare or worry about how old is old enough to be a latchkey kid.

We have broadband, Wifi and DS1 has a laptop bought by his aunt and a phone funded by his grandfather. (I have lots of helpful and generous family including father, step parents and sisters - my mum sadly died 6 years ago and I miss her love, support, advice and scolding every day.) I've been a governor at my kids' former primary school for almost 9 years, remaining as a co-opted governor since the kids have moved on!

Year 11/GCSE year DC & others: DS1 Year 11, DS2 year 9
School: Very urban 11-16 co-ed comprehensive, 5 minutes walk from home. Some students do very well and I think my sons' school is benefiting from gentrification and will continue to do so, but it has a very different intake from the much posher west of our borough.

Subjects: Maths, English Language and Literature, triple Science, Computer Science, Sociology and Religious Studies
DS1: Hectic social life hanging out with a large group of friends from who mostly also live fairly locally. Basketball and swimming and supporting friends, some very talented at sport or music. Online gaming and WhatsApp when he's at home.

I have lots to worry about here, but at the same time I know that we are really lucky here compared to a lot of local families and other neighbours, in terms of housing and being able to support our kids at school.

My DD2 is about to start GCSES. First time for me as DD1’s GCSES were supposed to be in 2020 and were cancelled!

Just wondering which thread is going to be more active, this one or the other one?
DD starting Y11 beginning of September & the workload she's had over the summer is massive.
Plus the school want all the children to do intervention which means them staying an extra hour each day at school to get on with work.

As far as I remember back when I did my GCSEs just over 30 years we didn't have all this extra pressure & stress & everyone seemed to do just fine (well those who cared about passing their GCSES with a good grade back then A was the highest you could get!

@TracyBeakerSoYeah I wish mine had a workload over the summer holidays (if that is what you mean, it might be that you mean summer term?), her school have set nothing for the holidays apart from art. It is an outstanding academy and gets really good results but they seem to think this holiday is for relaxing ready for the push ahead, but as a first timer this makes me nervous.

@BlueMarigold lots of us first timers on here so we will hold each others hands virtually! Part of me wishes I could just do the darn revision and exams myself I feel so powerless watching my DC doing not much.

@elkiedee You sound such an amazing parent and so supportive! hopefully we can all support each other on here although everyone has such different circumstances I think we are all after the same thing - happy children doing themselves justice in their exams.

@567and my second DC has dyslexia so I am dreading the revision time for them which will be in two years. School are pretty decent at giving typed notes for the dyslexic children but DC's organisation in general is pretty chaotic.

My DD2 would definitely fail if I tried to do the exams for her!

We are going to start looking at 6th form options soon

@BlueMarigold my DD will probably do better than I did in my GCSE’s which might be why I am anxious, I did hardly any work!
Good idea re sixth form I might do the same, it gives them something to focus on beyond the boredom of revision - and shows why they do GCSE’s - just a stepping stone. Our academy asks for 6’s if they want to go on to a levels

@BumblingBy DD will need mostly 6/7s to stay at her current school. But we are going to look at other schools which are easier to get into. Also looking at BTEC options in the community college.

@BlueMarigold think it is a good idea to look around and keep options open! I did nothing for my GCSE’s and was unhappy at school but then I moved for 6th form to a college and ended up working so hard and loved revision for a levels and for my degree - I think the scare of GCSE’s can do that to a person.

As someone who has children who have already gone through this can I offer some advice? Ask the sixth form if a child does X subject and gets a 6 at GCSE what do they realistically come out with on average for A level? The usual rule of thumb is a one grade drop from GCSE to A level so a 6 (B in old GCSE terms) becomes a C. If they are thinking of university then a C grade is very low. Obviously some children do come out with A⃰ s at A level but that does require work.

Whilst, yes, GCSEs are just the door openers for the next step, usually A levels, they might find the jump from GCSE to A level a bigger one than they think if they get average grades. Depending on their attitude to learning this may spur them on dishearten them. Look beyond A levels to university degree entry levels. See what they are asking.

As both Dh and I went to uni our children knew all about grades required from year 9. You ace out your A levels nothing is off limits application wise. If you are predicted BBB then you have to find universities that offer the course they want who will take a student with BBB.

As much as we want them not to be stressed they have spent the last 4 years being told by school all the time how important their GCSEs are. As parents we can help them with revision, help test their knowledge, look at past papers with them, mark schemes and read the examiner report that spells out what students did well and where they need to improve. Basically support them through it. Sometimes that is just providing snacks. The thing we made clear was that we wanted the best for them and would facilitate that which did mean supporting their revision.

There are usually large apprenticeship fairs that should take place to you locally should they wish to consider that route after GCSEs or A levels. Worth looking out for those.

Hiya can I join you? My ds is one of the eldest in his year(sep 06) he has a lot of pressure from teachers as he's top set for stuff and they are already saying they see him going to Oxbridge.

This is an ordinary state C of E academy-my daughter has just done her a levels and is off to uni so he won't get any support from her.

I'm not bragging about him-I'm worried he will crack under the pressure-none of it's from home.