Anyone up for a GCSE handholding thread?

[BaconAndAvocado]

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.......

As parents, our contribution was encouraging ways of studying that meant they had: sufficient rest breaks; rewards (eg a concert/meeting friends); and knowing that, whilst important, it wasn’t the end of the world if they didn’t ace every subject. GCSEs are the gateway to 6th form -you can recover from a mediocre set of results and they don’t define you.

Eldest found online tutorials really useful when they’d had enough of doing past papers/flash cards etc.
Primrose Kitten was a great help with sciences (I’ve just checked and she’s still producing YouTube videos and other resources), Mr Salles Teaches English etc. -it made revision less “dry” and was a bit of a break from book work.

Youngest did a lot of past papers and used memrise for mfl, but did find some history YouTube tutorials on a topic she found particularly uninteresting!

If you go online you’ll find all sorts of free help and it just mixes it up a bit, as sitting on your own revising is a bit dull and revising with friends can be distracting.

Eldest did pre-pandemic GCSEs, youngest did post-pandemic GCSEs. Their teachers/school were great, but they both thought they nudged up a grade using these free resources.

One thing they both learned from GCSEs was to write your revision notes as you go along -don’t leave it until “revision time”.

Best of luck to everyone!

My DDs school is crap at communication & organisation too but the exam boards have published their timetables so you can check that way - eg AQA
filestore.aqa.org.uk/admin/t_table_pdf/AQA-TT-GCSE-JUN23-P.PDF

Joining for a bit of a handhold as DD had a meltdown last night about revision and getting in to college.

She came out with mainly 3s and 4s after November mocks, with a 5 in Dance and a 6 in PE (although she should go up for these once the practical grades are added). She did actually revise for them, but not sure how effective it was as she wouldn't let me help. She's been doing before or after school revision sessions most days and another 1.5 hours when she gets home. Just started with English and Maths tutors after Christmas too.

The problem she's so down on herself. Her school friends are all very academic - aiming for 7 - 9s and already planning for top universities. DD won't revise with them as she says she's thick compared to them. DD's been offered a place at her first choice sixth form college (school is 11-16) but her friends were surprised which has upset DD. I don't think they were being intentionally cruel but school have been emphasising how over subscribed this college, need a back up, etc.

DD will need to get at least 6 GCSEs at 4+ including two at 6+ to do her preferred combination of A-levels with Btec sport and as a back up she can do the full Btec sport with 5 x grade 4+. She should be able to do it if she works hard, but it's terrible to see her so lacking in self belief and refusing to accept help.

Next set of mocks in March 😬

It sounds like your DD is doing lots of good things that could really make a difference between now and the summer. Do you have the relevant revision guides and flash cards? Also, a lot comes down to exam technique and understanding the mark schemes. I have one DD who is v savvy in this respect and one who will write loads and loads but not quite get at what the question is really asking. Past papers with the mark scheme are helpful. It's hard when they don't want you to help. I can sometimes persuade mine to try to teach me something after they done some revision. But don't question them too much if they do this, it's really just an opportunity to build confidence and say wow, thank you, I never knew that etc.

It’s hard isn’t it @MoFoFlo my DD was predicted 7s average with a couple either side but mocks have all been 4/5 & one 6. And a surprising physics 7! But she needs min 6 for her A’Levels she’s in top 1-2 sets for everything and revised but the school have also dropped the ball & with ofsted due yet again (3rd time in 5yrs!) are expected to go into full special measures.. but that will be too late for her cohort. She does 16hours a week competitive sport so fitting all the extra studying is challenging. I’m hoping March mocks she will fare better as it’s scared her getting the lower grades 😞 she’s always worked hard but found things generally easy in the past.

just had school report, all seems ok but got a big red for 93.80 attendance, i mean really they told us not to send them in if they had a cough or temp and strep was rife in December!!!

Does anyone have any good recommendations for Biology revision? This is DD's weakest subject (she has to do triple science) and she is a bit panicky about it following the mocks. I am no help at all as I loathed it too, even though I liked the other sciences.

@BonjourCrisette i don’t know which exam board he’ll be sitting exams with but these WJEC guides are good. They’re obviously available in Welsh too if needed. resources.wjec.co.uk/Pages/ResourceSingle.aspx?rIid=3072&_ga=2.159519358.2135032889.1674805774-1019119204.1674805774

My friend's just recommended this book. I've ordered it - will let you know if it's any good!

GCSE Survival Guide For Parents

I think the CGP guides are simple and have end of topic questions. The answers give you an idea of how the question should be answered.

Does anyone have any tips for English Literature? Lord of the Flies, Jekyll and Hyde and McBeth? Plus has anyone tried Tassomai or Seneca at all? Many thanks and a welcomed thread!

My DD has only been using the GCP guide and flash cards and seems to rate them

My DD school sets homework on both Seneca and Tassimi I think.

I have seen for English Mr Bruff and Mr Salles recommended on youtube. Not sure if they would work for you.

Thanks so much everyone, will check those out. Really appreciate the tips.

So, DS has come home saying that one of his subject teachers is withholding DS’s mock exam paper from him. Apparently the teacher has seen something from a low achieving school in Texas where that teacher did the same, wouldn’t tell the students what their grades were and now these same students are all at Harvard.

At what point on Monday do I email the school and say I don’t appreciate teachers going AWOL and adopting new teaching practices off TikTok and does the school’s SLT endorse this policy? I believe DS BTW - there have been many complaints about this particular teacher .

Many thanks for the tips earlier - will look them up

Yes I would be questioning that approach @FlorisFigure ! Without detailed feedback how the heck do they improve..

I’ve just printed off a chemistry gcse mark plan and paper that’s the job for Wednesday teachers strike day to try plough through that with my DD home learning. As they haven’t gone through the mark scheme at school.

Me too please

GCSE DS didn't get the mock results he is capable of, lack of revision and motivation. Says all the right things & has a second set of mocks in a few weeks but I'm still not seeing much work being done. While I tell myself these are his exams & he needs to make his own decisions, it's really hard.

DD did better in her mocks than she expected (another low confidence here!) so I'm hoping that boosts her for the actual exams. Not had the timetable from the school yet but one teacher has told us the dates of their exams. They have lots of extra sessions (too many IMO!) so I can see her getting tired and ill before the exams - trying to keep an eye on her to make sure she has some rest and fun. She is keeping up her outside commitments as well so far, two of them are related to her GCSE subjects.

I don't think she has any more mock exams planned - similar to previous posters, her school run their internal exams from year 7 like GCSEs (in the hall, no phones, clear pencil cases and invigilators walking around) so by the time they are in Y11 it's feeling quite normal for them.

We have been looking around colleges - her school has a sixth form which she may apply for (they've been told they can apply for more than one place) but she is keen to get away from the school! She's liked both the colleges we have looked around, thankfully.

Neversaygoodbye I feel your pain.
I’m finding getting the balance right between pushy and saying nothing very difficult with DS2.
DS1 was a studying machine and thrived during this time without me having to say a word of encouragement!
DS2’s mocks were actually good - a mixture of 6s and 7s - but I know he’s capable of more.
I think I have to accept that he is 16 and now responsible for his choices.....but I find that very very hard.

@BaconAndAvocado it's a difficult one and I'm sure we're nit getting the balance right all of the time. Funnily enough older DD was similar but seemed to pull it out if the bag and now she's actually studying quite hard for her A levels as she has a more obvious goal in mind with gaining the grades needed to study her chosen subject at the Uni she really wants to go to. I wonder with DS if the fact he doesn't have a clear focus following on from GCSE's and college is adding to the lack of motivation.

So DS had his first proper exam today (BTEC not GCSE) he seemed fairly relaxed about it but I dont know if that is a good or bad thing.

Neversaygoodbye You might be right re the lack of purpose. DS2 doesn’t really know what he wants to do other than something Science or Computing based.