Failed GCSE mocks

[bizbazboz]

Help! DD 15 just had mock results. Two 4's in English and French. Rest 3's and 2's. For context she is ADHD and Dyspraxic. Her results are worse than last summer when she was disappointed but seemed positive about turning it around.
She did revise but suffers from anxiety. Has extra time in exams and is medicated for ADHD.
Head of pastoral is brilliant and is academically mentoring her for remainder of year. Putting in place revision plans at home and school but I'm not convinced anything will help.
She has just about 'survived' secondary school. No real friends but desperate to fit in. Last year took up her hobbies again that she had stopped post Covid. Any words of advice? She needs 5's to get on the course she wants to at college or sixth form. What are her options if she doesn't pass? I'm a planner but at a bit of a loss as to how to help now.

She may pull it out of the bag. But realistically you need to start encouraging her to look at college and vocational options with lower entry points. My god daughter is unlikely to pass anything for similar reasons she’s looking at things like beauty, animals/ agriculture
All is not lost, there are opportunities out there, don’t worry, encourage her, good luck

DS did well in his mocks, although he could improve in some areas. We have talked to him about really focusing on the subjects he needs for college and not worrying so much about the others. We have made sure he has everything he needs to revise - but it was his very wise godmother who asked what worse case scenario was? He doesn’t get the grades he needs? He can resit. It’s one extra year, not the end of their lives.

If she doesn't pass maths or English she will need to resit at college.

Most college courses have a higher level and a lower level. So if she wants to do catering for example, then she will need to start on a lower level course and then the next year she will be able to progress to the higher level course.

What does she want to do?

Does she know how to revise?
My DS failed his mocks last year. I started sitting with him when he was revising and found that he wasn’t really doing anything because he didn’t know how to revise. He also didn’t know how to ‘do’ exams. He has extra time and rest breaks but wasn’t making best use of them.
It was a busy few months, he was tutored in maths and English and I tutored him in Science, plus I set all his revision work, and had to sit with him for a good amount of it.
We also spent quite a bit of time looking at exam technique, doing practice papers and looking at what the examiners were looking for and how to pick up extra marks.
He did brilliantly, and got four 6’s and five 5’s. But my gosh it was hard work!

With her being ADHD she will find it difficult to sit and concentrate for long periods of time. You said she gets extra time. Is she in the main hall, or is she in a separate small group room? Does she get rest breaks? I work in a sixth form, and they do tend to go off a points scheme. However, we do have students studying A Levels who also study GCSE Maths and English on top. However, for those with ADHD I think they would struggle with the workload, organising their work and prioritising. What is she looking to study at college?

Thanks for the responses.
To answer some questions she wants to join the police, but after some good advice at college decided she wanted to do what she enjoys for 2 years at A level so chose btec performance arts, Eng lang and theatre studies / drama.
She has tutors for maths and English and was doing really well in both until exams.
I honestly think she is completely overwhelmed. She loves reading, dancing and creative arts. Loves her waitressing job and is really personable.
I don't think she does know how to revise. Definitely has problems with long term memory and executive function skills.
I've sat with her tonight and written a revision plan and gone through everything she needs to do. I am going to make it my mission to get her through this and will revise with her if I need to. I have 2 other children one of whom also has SEN but should be able to work through everything.
Looking at other college options there's a travel and hospitality course she might like and she is always talking about seeing the world so might explore that further. It's a lot harder now than when I sat mine in 1996!

It wouldn't be wise to plan to do English language a level if she is currently getting either 3 or 2 at gcse. Regardless the college will probably not let her on the a level English if she fails the gcse.

Btecs look more appropriate but be aware that for students with adhd the constant pressure of coursework can be problematic.

Is she medicated?

She's a grade 4 at English currently. Was predicted grade 4's /5's across the board in September.
She is medicated. Homework done to a high standard according to teachers - I don't help
her, no trouble at school, described as a lovely girl. Just completely loses it in an exam.
I am at a loss really as to how to help but will look at other course options at college

I don’t know where in the uk you’re based but look up neurodevelopmental delay treatment. I know of kids who have come off medication using it.

Have you tried using mind maps for revision? The more visual aspect might help.

I think it would be wise to explore other courses and possibilities, so that there’s a plan B if necessary. It might be that she can start a course at a lower level and take longer to do it. Nothing wrong with that; lots of people do.

Can she drop one or two subjects to ease the burden?

In my school we require a 6 for English.

She needs to see exactly where she went wrong in each paper. Is it skills or content?

I'll look at mind maps.. thank you.
Just bought her a dictaphone so she can record revision notes. It's the way she learns monologues so thought it might be help but not on her phone with distractions!
I just want her to be happy. Nothing else matters and at the moment I am so worried about her whilst trying to remain positive. She wants to do well, does all the right things. Looks like we will both be knuckling down for a few weeks

What about doing a BTEC performing arts diploma at college - the one that counts the same as 3 A levels. If she doesn't get enough grade 4s to get onto it, she could do it at level 2, then go on to level 3. I would concentrate on getting her to pass English language so she doesn't have to do a resit (and maths if possible).

Can't drop subjects. Although I wish I had pushed it earlier but she was a solid B student during and after Covid until GCSE's
Needs a 5 in English to get into the college she wants currently.
I'll look at Btec performing arts too. The college she wants to go to is 2 buses away. We have a more local college that does that.
I'm all for Plan B at the moment.
Thanks all. Feeling a bit calmer and focussed up help her. I have nowhere else to vent so appreciated

If she wanted to do something more towards her career direction, there are "uniformed public services" courses. They cover a range of skills which are likely to be useful for many possible future jobs, uniformed services or not.

Thanks, I'll investigate. Haven't come across it locally so far but fingers crossed

My DS didn't do great in his mock results last week either, he was very disappointed because if they don't improve he won't get into the college course he wants to do, however he still won't revise, snaps at me when I try to encourage him, the school have set up extra revision sessions in school and online at home for the students that need it, my DS won't attend or just messes about in them. He's just not interested and seems to think he can leave it all to the last minute. I feel like i'm always nagging him and being strict so I'm close to just giving up trying to help him now, if he can't help himself then there's not much else I can do 😔

English lit is easier to cram for than language.

Essentially you find the books/plays they are studying and memorise the four or five most likely to come up essay questions.

It usually has spillover effects into English lang as you can then use a lot of the phrases/analysis in the language paper.

Has she tried using rescue remedy pastilles in exams. My daughter gets overwhelmed in exam situation but finds that they take the edge off, she’s able to function better and therefore performs better as she doesn’t forget what she’s supposed to do.

There is a Uniformed Public Services course that may be suitable which will have lower entry requirements. I would definitely be applying for level 2/3 BTEC/T courses as back up. Plus if she only scrapes 5s it may be the course you have chosen will be too much anyway.

You say She did revise but suffers from anxiety

So first you need to know whether she revised well enough but panicked, or whether her ADHD impacted the quality of her revision. I did all revision with DD1 with her 1-1 to help her focus.

I have just read a bit more carefully.

I do think there is a lot to be said for a more vocational course that has fewer high stakes exams and more continual assessment.
There is also a lot to be said for taking 3 years and doing a level 2 in chosen vocational course first to help gel into the way of working etc.

@TeenDivided She revised well I think, although I will be doing revision with her from here on in and checking what she does alone.
Agree about the vocational courses and taking longer to get where she wants to. Browsing last night I found a Travel and Tourism course she would love so will encourage her to apply this weekend.

School are convinced she panicked. Her ATL is excellent, 100% attendance, homework to a 'B' standard. I think it all got too much for her. She had two exams a day for a week and half - I know they will be better spaced out during the real thing.

We spent last night going through her revision resources, sorting her room. She has an inset day today and off next week so is creating a revision plan as we speak.

I bought her the book 'starving the anxiety gremlin' and she was reading it last night. I actually think it helped her put some things in context so she feels a bit more grounded this morning.

@Hemax1 I will definitely get some pastilles - not heard of them before. Thank you.

@TiredMum30 sorry to hear you are struggling too. Its such a difficult time. I am usually one for natural consequences but its really hard to stand by and watch although at 16 they need to take responsibility.

I know its not the end of the world but she certainly feels like it is.

Really appreciate you commenting.

One useful way to revise is for her to explain something to you / someone.

Knowledge organisers can be good too. You basically have all the main points on one piece of A4 paper. The process of creating them helps with the revision.

So eg a KO for the French Revolution you will have key dates, names of main people and places. Any specialist vocab.

The sheets can be kept together or displayed around the house, so inside the snack cupboard, next to the bathroom mirror etc.

re Vocational courses.

It is really worth drilling down with a college exactly what a vocational course will be like. DD1 did Level 3 BTEC Travel & Tourism in 2015 (so pre reform) and it was more written assessed and less practical/verbal than we had been led to believe.

The vocational courses can also have loads of unit options which the college will choose, so understand which units it is she would be doing.

Things seem to be a lot less clear up front for vocational courses in general.