Year 11 22/23 support thread.

[PritiPatelsMaker]

Does anyone fancy a support thread for the just about to start Year 11's.

I'm not Mystic Meg but even I can see a rocky year ahead of me...

Anyone fancy joining me?

Checking in as DS is on track to fail a couple of gcse's. Will hopefully get 6s in a few.
He's a bright kid and has zero behaviour issues but he doesn't care.

DS2 missed some mocks as he was ill. Not ideal as it included English which has now been done as a teacher assessment. His science grades were good enough and maths remains very strong, but I'm not convinced he'll get accepted onto A Levels. He has zero interest in and Btecs etc.
He seems to think it will all work out...

@PennywisePoundFoolish my sons school is doing 2 lots of mocks as extra evidence. Is he not doing any later on?

I don't think so NCTDN but the communication from the school is always patchy at best, so it's possible. the 6th form application has to be in early January, so he;ll have to put down his latest results. I am actually pretty clueless on the process, DS1 has an EHCP so I am more used to that system. I guess he could be rejected at this point but if his actual results are good enough, he could see if they would accept him in August? He does have some medical conditions and an ASD diagnosis, so I was hoping they will accept a lower English (predicted 5 rather than 6 that's needed) His predicted Sciences and Maths are above the minimum entry requirements

As I killed the thread I thought I'd try and reanimate it.

Things have really unravelled here, DS2 became too anxious to attend school after Christmas. School were not at all helpful to begin with, but have got better.

Looks like he won't complete his BTEC or GCSE Geography, but his wellness is obviously the priority.

How are others doing?

Sorry to hear about your DS @PennywisePoundFoolish i have a child in year7 whose unraveling fast who I don’t think is going to last until yr8 in mainstream. I hope he can find a path that fits him.
My eldest had mixed mocks but is ok and making more effort on doing some past papers now, the school alas are still teaching the curriculum in the science subjects so they are all struggling!

@PennywisePoundFoolish sorry to hear about the anxiety - that sounds very stressful for all. Glad school is being more helpful now.

DD1 is OK, we think. She's just asked for Tassomai (used it before a bit) which we are paying for and she is doing, and we've got her a couple of science tutors. She's never had a tutor before but it feels like quite an efficient way of doing things (especially as due to lockdown they are struggling to cover the whole triple syllabus - it's one of those schools where you get no more time to do triple than combined, you just have to work faster).

First lot of mocks done - mostly fine - science massively improved by tutors, so now she has higher predicted grades in Physics than English (which is what she actually wants to continue doing). Second lot after Feb half term. Music composition currently the main nightmare as they had a very interrupted few years with no music teacher and now she's working after school every day to finish. Will be glad when that and drama coursework is sorted.

Sixth Form applications also done. She'd like to stay put and predictions should be fine for this. Had her interview yesterday and they seem happy for her to at least start four A-Levels and suggested she looks at Oxbridge. This is unexpected - not least since she thinks she wants to do nursing - but it's good they are pushing her and thinking of different options.

Good luck everyone!

@PennywisePoundFoolish the DfE have just released a new document relating to attendance and mental health which may be helpful in case you haven't seen it www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-issues-affecting-a-pupils-attendance-guidance-for-schools

Thanks for sharing @handmademitlove I’d not seen that and it’s very timely as my youngest is really struggling with school based anxiety.

While it is welcome that they are considering this, I am not sure the DfE have a grasp of the realities of school life. The case studies made me laugh out loud - the idea that our school could muster a team of ed pysch, education welfare etc to work through problems with attendance after missing a few days is ridiculous. That is absolutely what should happen but there is no capacity in the system to do that.... So do take with a pinch of salt, but it is useful as it gives a clear picture of the legal position for schools who are not doing everything they could..

minisnowballs, sorry to hear about the music composition, my DS is in the same boat but is now working after school on his medieval composition and the music teacher has been very praising of it. He said want to give it up but now seems to think he'll get through it.

DS is definitely feeling a bit down, he says school is not fun anymore and I think the pressure so early in the year is actually demotivating. He seems to think he doesn't learn much with the revision in class and he is better at revising at home. Obviously that is not an option at this point but he tells me he has loads of revision to do over half term before their second round of mocks and he is not going out once. Tbh I am surprised by this as his social life is quite important to him but apparently there is no time. I think I'm a bit worried that he is going to burn out but DH thinks he is right to think like this. He was pulled out of science class about 2 weeks ago and told he was chatting too much and will be moved down from top group and not be able to do triple science so I so think this has had a lot to do with this new attitude.

Interesting those doing triple are all still teaching, DD has now got chemistry instead of Physics (she doesn't mind as she prefers both bio and chemistry over physics) as they haven't managed to finish the Chemistry syllabus yet. We have finished mocks waiting on results aside from one more English paper which has a random March date. She is off on her history trip tomorrow which is great after all the covid disruption- she gets her mock results tomorrow but doesn't want to open them until she's back. Lots of anx during mocks, think we will all be glad when this year is over! College interview still to come, she has high levels of social anxiety so will be a big deal for her to articulate what she's thinking possibly but she really wants to do IB so I'm hoping her want overcomes the anxiety and nerves!

Ds has finished the chemistry syllabus but not the biology or physics.

Yes my DD mentioned the other day they hadn't finished Biology syllabus and they are told to read on independently.

Does anyone know what to expect in terms of the next few months? We got the exam timetable on Friday. Do they finish school a while before exams start, or just on Friday 12 May? Do they then only go into school for the actual exams or do people normally go in anyway to revise?

It depends on the individual school. Not many actually have study leave these days. DS will be in school all the time, when not doing exams they will be in revision sessions.

Not many actually have study leave these days. DS will be in school all the time, when not doing exams they will be in revision sessions.

That's interesting. I only know of one school that doesn't have study leave, pretty much all the schools near me send them off a couple of weeks after the summer term begins.

That's useful to know, thanks @Hellocatshome. Is a revision session like a lesson, or just sitting quietly in a room and working independently?

Sorry @dew141 missed your message in between. I think that's what we had when I was at school, but that was a long time ago now. Can't decide which I hope ours will be. On the one hand DD is terrible at getting out of bed, but on the other finds it difficult to revise around other people as she hates the sound of them breathing!

I have no idea unfortunately, I'm lucky DS has told me this much. The school as per normal have communicated absolutely nothing directly to parents.

We haven't had any timetable or anything else yet.

DD has her exam timetable (sourced from the exam websites, not school afaik, with her study leave starting one day prior to her exam. She is not happy as last year study leave started a full two weeks prior to exams, but tbh I prefer it this way as I can envisage her staying in bed till lunch times (at the earliest...) on study leave!

Mocks went reasonable well, but fortunately has still give her the kick up the backside I was hoping for

My DD will be starting Y7 in Sep 2023. I'm obviously mad to think about this already but had a question please for parents with children heading towards GCSE. So when my DD started prep school I was naïve enough to think tutoring would not be required and the school would prep her for 11+. Realized well in time that was not the case and got a tutor.
Am I being naïve again to think that if she is at a top selective secondary school G&L and LEH - she should not need a tutor? Would I still need a tutor for most subjects?

Have any had their college/6th form interviews yet? DDs is next week she is desperate to do IB, they only take 50 students and it is a big college so 🤞 she's not the most talkative so I'm trying to encourage her to practise which is apparent mortifying 🤣 has anyone used anyone online for computer science? DD teacher hadn't taught them over half the mock exam she is doing bitesize but I am slightly out of my depth with tutors etc and the benefits.

Not college interviews, DS has got a conditional college offer without an interview but he is currently doing apprenticeship assessment days left right and centre, quite a few of them keep trying to schedule them during school time which is fun to try to work around.