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Secondary education

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

Original poster

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
HappiDaze · 16/05/2023 06:47

Yes Good luck for Biology today

DD has been revising hard the last few months off her own back so I really hope it pays off for her

She was a very lazy student up till then and her mocks were dreadful so it gave her a massive kick up the bum

Apparently the Drama written exam yesterday was really hard in that there wasn't enough time to read, analyse then write down the answers etc

They have so many exams about 3 for each subject it's crazy really

HappiDaze · 16/05/2023 06:47

DD is very stressed so I have be very calm and positive and tell her she's got this and she'll be fine etc

SheilaFentiman · 16/05/2023 07:17

DS1 didn’t sleep well and DH isn’t talking to me. Joy.

Hellocatshome · 16/05/2023 07:17

DS accidentally set his alarm an hour early he managed to go back to sleep I have been wide awake and stressed for far too long. Ill be glad when these exams are over.

Taswama · 16/05/2023 07:46

Same at DS school @Hellocatshome .

They may have read the research but are going with what is expected by parents.

It would be a brave school that put on morning yoga before every exam even if the science says at this stage that’s probably more effective as a pp mentioned!

Original poster
BaconAndAvocado · 16/05/2023 07:49

Gave DS2 a Good Luck card just now.....didn’t go down that well. “You’re making a big thing of it!” were his exact words. I got that one wrong!

He too has Biology today and yes, there is sooooo much content to learn. It’s the Science subject he finds the most challenging.

I’ve just waved him off.
Here we go.......

OP posts:
Changes17 · 16/05/2023 07:52

DS came back from school yesterday saying he’d revised biology for five hours at school and was now going to play Zelda. Seemed fair enough. Think he was nervous though and didn’t get the best night’s sleep. I seem to remember that the first one is the worst. Good that eng lit will be over by the end of next week since that’s another big source of stress.

Hellocatshome · 16/05/2023 07:54

BaconAndAvocado · 16/05/2023 07:49

Gave DS2 a Good Luck card just now.....didn’t go down that well. “You’re making a big thing of it!” were his exact words. I got that one wrong!

He too has Biology today and yes, there is sooooo much content to learn. It’s the Science subject he finds the most challenging.

I’ve just waved him off.
Here we go.......

Yes I have been warned by DS not to make a big thing of it and if I was to dare put a good luck post on Facebook like most of his friends parents he would disown me.

Circleoffifths · 16/05/2023 08:23

I waved DD off this morning who looked tearful. Biology is probably her worst subject. Am hoping that once they start and get into the swing of things a bit it will feel better.

Loueytb3 · 16/05/2023 08:25

I've got 2 DSs (twins) doing GCSEs, one with SEN. Fun times. DS2 has biology today. He did a past paper yesterday and had a meltdown last night because he didn't think he'd done well enough to get a 9. I found the grade boundaries this morning which showed that they were lower than he thought that year. It's calmed him down a bit. Just hope it goes well as it's the first written exam he's done.

DS1 starts tomorrow and couldn't care less how he does Confused

naughty40me · 16/05/2023 08:41

My DS really isn't happy today.

His school are doing boosters constantly and each morning they have to be in at 8am.

Today he has biology exam and boosters until 6pm.

He has a long walk home too.

He's gonna be knackered.

Good luck everyone. I have bad OCD and anxiety, and it's through the roof at the moment. Trying my best not to show it to him.

Piony · 16/05/2023 08:46

Changes17 · 16/05/2023 07:52

DS came back from school yesterday saying he’d revised biology for five hours at school and was now going to play Zelda. Seemed fair enough. Think he was nervous though and didn’t get the best night’s sleep. I seem to remember that the first one is the worst. Good that eng lit will be over by the end of next week since that’s another big source of stress.

DD did an RS exam yesterday followed by 3 hours of timetabled lessons. She probably only opened her Biology about the time your son was starting Zelda.

About 90 mins later she announced she had reviewed the entire curriculum and there was nothing more she could do. I don't know whether she is underestimating the task massively or was just too tired by that point in the day.

I'm really struggling to see the taught lessons as in their interests at this point, but DH is adamant they are better than study leave. DD even has "compulsory" homework on top still.

Original poster
BaconAndAvocado · 16/05/2023 08:53

Piony DS2 has lessons in between his exams (until half term, after which he’s on study leave) and also thinks it’s better than studying at home. I agree and having his teachers there to answer questions is a positive.

OP posts:
CornishGem1975 · 16/05/2023 08:56

@BaconAndAvocado My DD has study leave for Year 12 mocks and she's decided to go into school every day as she thinks she'll get more done there than at home!

Changes17 · 16/05/2023 09:00

@Piony DS says when he’s stressed he procrastinates so I think he is better off with a structure. It suits him but others will work differently. Ideally they’d get to opt out if it doesn’t suit them. No homework here though.

Changes17 · 16/05/2023 09:03

So, he is having lessons as normal - he skipped PE to revise, and also had a biology lesson anyway, and an engineering one, where the course has already finished so they could do their own revision.

CallmeIT · 16/05/2023 09:07

@piony my DDs school is doing the same which I’m struggling to see the wisdom in. She sat RS yesterday, had timetabled classes for maths and chemistry and has three entirely different exams today. She’s a crammer rather than a planner so isn’t being left enough time. No study leave at her school (timetabled lessons until the 16th 😳) so may need to pull her out unauthorised after the break.

My nieces school has rewritten the timetable to match the exams so she had half day biology yesterday and will have half day English lit today. So much variability between schools!

Good luck to everyone’s DCs for biology today 🍀

filchards · 16/05/2023 09:12

@BaconAndAvocado - I wondered about getting a card after one came in the post from his Grandparents. Parents can never get it right, can they?! I decided instead to keep with a constant supply of tea and homemade cake - he seems to appreciate that.

I am working from home much more over the next few weeks just so that there is always someone here to see him off to his exams, and here when he gets back if he's got a free afternoon (otherwise he might not get anything done). It's probably really annoying him, along with being made to go to bed early. There's some sighing and swearing and occasional door-slamming but he's actually quite tolerant of us. Still mostly bone-idle though.

Biology today too. DS is really good at Physics but not great at Chemistry or Biology. Because of the Chem and Bio, school wanted to drop him to Combined Science instead of Triple, completely overlooking the fact that he consistently gets 9s in Physics and wants to do it at A level. I put a stop to that, obviously! It's quite normal, I think, to be good at one and not others, which is why this whole Combined v Triple seems so silly. Although there's some overlap, they're very distinct subjects.

Good luck to all. Look forward to chewing it over on here later!

Circleoffifths · 16/05/2023 09:12

I am in two minds about the benefits of study leave versus being made to be in school on timetable or adapted lessons. Not that we have much choice here as DD needs to be in. There are 8am pre-exam sessions plus after school sessions for exams taking place the next day. There have been Saturday interventions running all year in some subjects - not that she has been able to make any of those as she has music commitments on Saturdays.

I remember finding group revision sessions frustrating when I was sitting exams as I much preferred being able to focus on areas I knew I was weaker in at home on my own. But I can see the benefit if there are content areas which students would benefit from teacher input on. I also think DD would spend a lot of time on her phone if left to her own devices. Or having long lie-ins.

Homeworkhell82 · 16/05/2023 09:24

I forgot a card but I'm going to arrange a little gift to give him on his last exam day

Madcats · 16/05/2023 09:35

English Lit clashing with Biology for us today, so that's a fun morning for DD.

Inspired by this thread(?) I bought DD an orange Daruma doll which arrived yesterday. I am pleased to see is sat on her desk with one eye coloured in. It looks a bit creepy TBH but hopefully it will guilt-trip her into a bit more study. Only 5 more weeks......

HappiDaze · 16/05/2023 09:46

DD had a meltdown this morning because her shoe wouldn't go on so she screamed and ran out of the house slamming the door behind her

Hopefully that's all out of her system and she's slaying Biology exam right now

Piony · 16/05/2023 09:49

@CallmeIT wow your poor DD. She's going to need spoonfeeding cake after that lot!

@CornishGem1975 that's very organised.

-I- We also forgot a good luck card but the cake is a good shout. I was a boarder so my parents were completely out of the picture for my exams. I am clueless on how to help DD.

mumonthehill · 16/05/2023 10:00

Ds also in school until half term, although they are moving lessons to put in revision for the exam the next day. I have not done a card but have his favourite ice cream coming in the shop later. We did not really speak this morning!!!! He left for the bus clutching his revision book.

CornishGem1975 · 16/05/2023 10:07

I didn't bother with a card for my DS, he really couldn't care less.

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