Support thread for parents of Y11 GCSE kids with SEN - no judgement just lots of handholding!

[yawnanotherone]

From another thread, it seems that there are quite a few of us who have to approach this revision period a bit differently! I'd love to share what is and isn't working and just have somewhere we can offload any stresses in the coming weeks. I have a DS with ASD and ADD who is trying his best, but struggling with the amount of content to get through.

I can't believe how quickly time has gone and we're nearly at results day.

DD has been so much happier since school finished. She's ASD and ADHD so we still have a lot of mood swings but she has been noticeably better since the stress of school ended. We actually had a nice family holiday together.

I just want to get through Thursday. There's no chance of any actual passes. Her achievement was getting into school and sitting every exam. That in itself was a miracle.

She has applied for a level 1 at college and her EHCP has been accepted and is in place. I'm hoping that means if she ends up with all Us (which is a possibility) she will still have her level 1 place. We have to go and do the enrolment at college straight after collecting the results from school so it will be a very intense morning for her.

I just hope that she enjoys college and is able to attend. It would turn her life around if she actually found something that she could do and had some fun. We will deal with that step in September....

For my DD, doing a level 1 was great as finally she was being asked to do something she actually could do, rather than a bunch of stuff she couldn't.

She had very very little work outside of lessons in her first year as it was portfolio based, and still hardly any in her second which was assignment /assessment based with 2 short multichoice exams (on health and safety and working in her topic area).

We took a pragmatic approach to maths and english gcse resits which was to prioritise one above the other, and both well below the main course and her mental health.

@TeenDivided That's really good to know. That gives me some hope.

I'm glad your daughter is doing well.

Arrgg results day is nearly here!!! I just want to know now. We're expecting 2s or 3s across the board. I wouldn't dream of saying this to DD obviously! She did amazingly just to sit them at all with all she's been through. She's hopefully off to college to do a level 1 course soon. She's not very enthusiastic about it though. I don't know how to get her interested in anything. How's everyone's nerves doing?

How are we all doing in the hours before the big reveal tomorrow morning? DS is a ball of nerves this week. He is desperate to stay on at his current school for sixth form but needs a magic 42 points to do so. His second choice option isn't as appealing--or familiar, which is a bigger issue than the academic side of things. I really feel for him. This isn't easy.

Expecting U's tomorrow and a meltdown.

Hopefully we can move on quickly. She only say 3 exams and not one whole one.

Good luck to all your DC tomorrow. It's an awful process. Mine is only Y10 but we have this all ahead.

I'm going to try and stay away from the news with the usual clever high achievers with their amazing set of results and a glowing future ahead of them. It's hard not to feel bitter. I have to admit to the biting envy that I feel when I see these kids every year. My children struggle so much with school and exams. It all just seems so unfair but that's life I guess.

It is so hard. I teach so will have to go in and see all of the other kids( I am happy for them) but it is difficult.

Sending best wishes to all our young people for tomorrow. 💐

Just found this thread. Wishing everyone the best for tomorrow.

We're expecting a couple of 4s at most (Btecs) and 1s or 2s for Maths and English despite the hours and hours of one-on-one revision and tutoring. DD has ASD and ADD, LDs, and a brand new EHCP after years of fighting. But she has done 5 years of a shitty, one size fits all, good-for-nothing education system so for that she definitely gets a 9 ☺️

She has a place on a Level 1 course at college so onwards and upwards. I've been avoiding social media and trying not to get too down tonight, though thankfully DD doesn't seem bothered at all.

My son seems totally unbothered about results day. I asked what time he wants to go and get his results as his school is open 8.30am-11am and he said 'err, dunno, about tennish?'

He's unlikely to get more than 2s at the most. But he has a place at college that he can start at Level 1 on so the results really mean nothing. Yet I can't help hoping that he might have pulled something out of the bag on the day and scraped a 4 in something. But I'm trying to squash that thought down as it is so unlikely and not very helpful!

Good luck to all

DS is quite chilled about it as is DH - I'm just hoping he has got Maths & English so won't have to retake and if he passes any others it's fabulous

Barely slept

Best wishes to everyone today. For many just sitting the exams was an achievement.

Good luck everyone. DS has ASD and ADHD and elements at least of PDA , and was very reluctant to revise; he is I know very bright; it is what it is 😎. I hope our kids get what they need to help them on life's journey 😘

Thanks all for making me feel less alone with this. I slept well last night. I can hear she's up already and sounds cheerful thankfully. She's got a friend to go with so they can support each other 🤞Good luck everyone.

Luckily DS's results are coming via email so it spares us the big hall/in-person drama. Am sat on the sofa with a LARGE coffee in hand, refreshing my inbox. DS is hiding in his bed.

Best wishes today to all our young people, no matter what the day brings ♥️

It's sometimes very isolating being a parent to a ND child, and I am feeling it especially today. I can't stand looking at the news. DS has autism and ADHD, and I am surrounded by friends of high achiever children, some of them had a pre-GCSE party last night. I know I shouldn't compare but am feeling a little tearful. He is a lovely boy and kind to his siblings so I just need to focus on that. Need to get him up shortly, he doesn't want me to go with him to collect his results which is fair enough.

I am very appreciative that there are lovely people willing to share their experiences and worries on this thread which makes me feel less alone

Me too.

Thinking of you all. My DS is year 10 so just has one to collect today (GCSE Statistics). I know that doesn’t compare to the year 11 stress. I dreamt it was a 3 which is likely the best possible outcome. Mostly I’m really happy he was at a sleepover last night with actual friends, so if he forgets to collect his results I’ll just be delighted he’s had a sociable and independent time.

I have a DC with moderate to severe learning disabilities but who is physically able and good at sports. He didn't get grades he needed to do a BTEC Sport level 3. Instead he did the BTEC Sport level 2 and passed last year. He also miraculously passed his Maths GCSE last year. This year he's now doing the first year of BTEC Sport level 3. He's found it hard but doing the level 2 course helped him on the level 3 course. He's just passed his first year. He's doing English GCSE tuition this year. He's not studied English at GCSE level before and found the longer writing hard. I just thought it might be useful for people to know doing a BTEC Level 2 course counts equivalent to 4 X GCSE level 4 or above. Fingers crossed everyone.

My DS didn't get enough passes to get on his Level 3 college course so we are looking to see if we can get him on a Level 2 when he goes in for enrolment tomorrow. He is very angry even though he didn't do any revision.

@AmyandPhilipfan I know the feeling of maybe, just maybe they might've pulled something out of the bag. DD has her results, no idea whether she's actually opened them and has gone to the park with her friends. Mulling over logging into her email so I am forearmed. Then I can get all my tears out of the way and be positive and encouraging when she comes home. It's just the injustice of it all makes me so damn angry.

And yes, @Greenbanana7 totally avoiding the news and social media 😞