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Secondary education

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

Anyone up for a GCSE handholding thread?

1000 replies

BaconAndAvocado · 08/01/2023 14:26

DS2 has his GCSEs in June. He had mocks in November and more (why??) next month.
He needs to get 5 6s to stay at his current school (IB, not overly keen) or to transfer to another local 6th form.
He said he’s going to start revising this week......
Think his school will be helping him devise a revision timetable this week. I’ve bought him flashcards, he just needs to knuckle down now.......

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Homeworkhell82 · 08/05/2023 07:56

NoKnickerElastic · 08/05/2023 00:19

I am concerned by the number of posts describing studious children! Please can someone come along & reassure me that their DC is also doing approximately nothing every day?! DD is managing about 1 hour every other. Unless she's working through the night which I doubt.

My DS! Don't worry. He's a absolutely exhausted after a day at school. If I make him sit down with me I can make him sit down for a short time whilst I test him but there's no self motivation at all....

filchards · 08/05/2023 12:05

We've been away for 2 days (which might have been a mistake, but DS manages to waste time spectacularly when at home, so maybe makes little difference). We stayed with my parents - my Dad used to be a chemistry teacher so DS had about 3 hours of very enthusiastic chemistry tuition yesterday (Dad loves his subject). But he hasn't taught it for many years and things have moved on. Still, it is probably more than he would otherwise have done.

Reluctant to work today because it's a Bank Hol (sigh - does he think the examiners care??). Sitting at the desk in the living room as potentially fewer distractions than his bedroom, although he's taken his guitar with him and is listening to music with headphones and singing along. Probably checking his phone every 2 mins.

No matter how often we / his teachers say it, he's absolutely dead against a timetable, a plan, short and focussed sessions followed by a brisk walk down the garden. etc etc. All the things that are scientifically proven to be beneficial, particularly as he has ADHD, for goodness sake. The stubbornness is astonishing.

There are piles of revision books I bought but he barely touches them. Seems to prefer anything on a screen.

If nothing else, he needs to practise sitting in a quiet room, without music, without phone and concentrating for required length of time.

Arrrggghhh

In the meantime, i don't want to go out and 'enjoy the bank holiday' because I want to keep an eye on him. I shall make up for this once the exams are over- I've told him he won't see me again till September.

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/05/2023 12:10

@NoKnickerElastic don’t panic! Mine doesn’t seem to be doing that much but it’s hard to tell when she’s holed away in her room. My oldest dd, now 22, assures me she didn’t do much gcse revision and what she did was crammed in last minute and she did pretty well.

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/05/2023 12:19

Dd needs 46 points from her 8 best GCSEs to stay at her school sixth form. That’s an average of 5.75 per GCSE. I hope she can do it.

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/05/2023 12:22

@filchards my dd is autistic (and probably ADHD too). We’ve come to an agreement that I won’t nag, or indeed even mention revision unless she asks me. So I’ve had to bite my tongue and trust her to get on with it.

Changes17 · 08/05/2023 12:48

@filchards My grandma absolutely got me through my biology, and she'd been retired for years at the time. I got a very unexpected A, so that's great your dad's been able to do that. I expect it doesn't change that much!

DS has gone out for a bike ride with friends, which I think is very good alternative to being stuck in your room not really revising. He's very snappy every time I offer to help with his MFL - I am very much looking forward to the speaking being over by the end of this week.

filchards · 08/05/2023 12:57

@Changes17 my Dad got me through O level Chemistry and Maths with Bs but lots of tears and door-slamming from me. I wish we lived closer so he could help more regularly. I think Dad's enthusiasm helped clear up a few things he hadn't understood.

JobChangeSoonPlease · 08/05/2023 14:39

filchards · 08/05/2023 12:05

We've been away for 2 days (which might have been a mistake, but DS manages to waste time spectacularly when at home, so maybe makes little difference). We stayed with my parents - my Dad used to be a chemistry teacher so DS had about 3 hours of very enthusiastic chemistry tuition yesterday (Dad loves his subject). But he hasn't taught it for many years and things have moved on. Still, it is probably more than he would otherwise have done.

Reluctant to work today because it's a Bank Hol (sigh - does he think the examiners care??). Sitting at the desk in the living room as potentially fewer distractions than his bedroom, although he's taken his guitar with him and is listening to music with headphones and singing along. Probably checking his phone every 2 mins.

No matter how often we / his teachers say it, he's absolutely dead against a timetable, a plan, short and focussed sessions followed by a brisk walk down the garden. etc etc. All the things that are scientifically proven to be beneficial, particularly as he has ADHD, for goodness sake. The stubbornness is astonishing.

There are piles of revision books I bought but he barely touches them. Seems to prefer anything on a screen.

If nothing else, he needs to practise sitting in a quiet room, without music, without phone and concentrating for required length of time.

Arrrggghhh

In the meantime, i don't want to go out and 'enjoy the bank holiday' because I want to keep an eye on him. I shall make up for this once the exams are over- I've told him he won't see me again till September.

I have an identical DD at home! No plan/ can't be told what to do/ phone checking ALL the time/music while studying 🙄

Not sure if we are moving ahead at all?! It's so stressful that DH and I have given up! She does what she does.

I suspect ADD/ADHD but didn't think she was bad enough to need formal diagnosis. Might have to get that done after the exam.

Changes17 · 08/05/2023 14:49

@filchards My GM got my A over the course of one half-term (I always think of it as being hers rather than mine...!). Maybe zoom or similar might work if your DS has more questions he wants answering? I think lot of it's down to whether they understand it or not, in the end.

MargaretThursday · 08/05/2023 14:50

JobChangeSoonPlease · 08/05/2023 14:39

I have an identical DD at home! No plan/ can't be told what to do/ phone checking ALL the time/music while studying 🙄

Not sure if we are moving ahead at all?! It's so stressful that DH and I have given up! She does what she does.

I suspect ADD/ADHD but didn't think she was bad enough to need formal diagnosis. Might have to get that done after the exam.

Ds is similar. He has adhd and asd but I think it's at least partially he reckons on getting to the next stage with minimal work so doesn't see the point.
Frustratingbe because I suspect a little work would make a big difference.

Homeworkhell82 · 08/05/2023 16:26

What happens if a child is ill with covid for example for the exams? can't help wondering whether all the partys/crowds this weekend may not help with the exams next week. Fingers crossed it makes no difference.

Taswama · 08/05/2023 16:58

We have been told if feel / are ill to send child in anyway. They should tell a teacher but still sit the exam and go to doctor afterwards.

Am glad the untouched revision books were mostly freebies from Facebook! The past papers that he insisted we bought on the other hand...

dutysuite · 08/05/2023 19:30

DS (15)has cut us out entirely from knowing what he is doing in terms of revision. He goes to extra revision classes held at school either in the morning or after school and is still doing maths and French tutoring but again he refuses to tell us how he is getting on or what he is doing. He now tells us “I don’t need to answer myself to you” I’ve tried to support him but he refuses.

christmastreefarm · 08/05/2023 20:51

Homeworkhell82 · 08/05/2023 16:26

What happens if a child is ill with covid for example for the exams? can't help wondering whether all the partys/crowds this weekend may not help with the exams next week. Fingers crossed it makes no difference.

My youngest has thrown up everywhere today so I'm hoping it doesn't last and oldest doesn't catch it.

BaconAndAvocado · 09/05/2023 16:08

Just had an email from DS2’s History teacher asking me to give him a “nudge”.....she had a brief meeting with him during which he said that he hasn’t been revising for History very much as “there’s too much to learn”!!
Oh god.........

OP posts:
blue23blue · 10/05/2023 16:40

It's getting very close now isn't it! Feel like I'm sitting mine tbh don't remember even being nervous when I actually did, more nervous now 😂

SheilaFentiman · 10/05/2023 16:52

I think we are about the only school in the country that has started, DS1 has done 3 papers already!

BonjourCrisette · 10/05/2023 16:58

We have started too! DD has completed History, Drama and Eng Lang so far. 3 down, 9 to go! Cannot wait until it's all over. I'm definitely finding it much more stressful than my own exams when I was 16.

Hellocatshome · 10/05/2023 17:12

DS is starting on Monday I have just written all his exams and timetables revision sessions onto the calendar, when he gets in from the gym I'm going to give him a big hug because I didnt realise how many exams he was doing and how many days he has with multiple exams and multiple revision sessions. Last week I did 2 professional exams in 2 days and felt wiped out he has 4 weeks of non stop exams and revision sessions. I'm sure when I did GCSEs they were more spaced out.

Hellocatshome · 10/05/2023 17:15

BonjourCrisette · 10/05/2023 16:58

We have started too! DD has completed History, Drama and Eng Lang so far. 3 down, 9 to go! Cannot wait until it's all over. I'm definitely finding it much more stressful than my own exams when I was 16.

Is she only doing 12 exams? Or is that before half term? DS has over 20 and he is only doing 6 GCSEs!

SheilaFentiman · 10/05/2023 17:16

DS1 has done 2 English language papers, 1 out of 3 physics papers, Spanish speaking and 2 day art exam so far. He has 18 papers to go!

Homeworkhell82 · 10/05/2023 17:17

My ds has 19 exams starting next week..has already done 2 days of Art. Its so much 😫

mumonthehill · 10/05/2023 17:20

We start on Friday, actually will be glad as I think ds now needs to just get going. Teachers apparently very stressed and kids have staged a mini revolt over getting their leavers hoodies, after negotiations they will be allowed them on Friday!! Good luck all and lets keep each other going over the next few weeks.

Hellocatshome · 10/05/2023 17:28

mumonthehill · 10/05/2023 17:20

We start on Friday, actually will be glad as I think ds now needs to just get going. Teachers apparently very stressed and kids have staged a mini revolt over getting their leavers hoodies, after negotiations they will be allowed them on Friday!! Good luck all and lets keep each other going over the next few weeks.

Oh God dont talk about leavers hoodies current estimate is ours will get them about 1 week after exams have finished.

MargaretThursday · 10/05/2023 17:47

Ds is banking on his knowledge of WWII to carry him through the rest of the history exam. Apparently playing a computer game flying a spitfire is an essential skill for his GCSEs.
I think he's risk assessed the possibility of working too hard and decided the risk is too great to try. (Severity: extreme; probability: infinitely small)

I'm sure ours were much more spaced. I did 10 GCSES in total, one early, and two were 100% coursework. So I had 7 left to go, and I think mostly 2 exams per paper. We also started earlier an finished later, even if I discount French oral, by this point I'd finished one subject at least, and my last exam was on 30th June. So I had 14 exams spread over almost 2 months.
Ds is doing 12, doesn't start until next week, then finishes a week before I did (not counting the contingency day) and has more exams per subject I think. Once he starts he's got pretty much one or more every day, except one (which happens to be his birthday!).

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