Y11 2023-24 thread 4

[Techno56]

New thread for GCSE survival 🙂

Interesting to hear how many are in person - more than 95% stay on at his school so I’m guessing they don’t really need face to face on the day.

Sorry to hear how your dd is feeling @PinkChaires it’s definitely an odd time for them.

DD is also in this weird limbo. She doesn't know which 6th form she's going to. She's not great at staying in touch with friends or making plans so she's mainly sleeping and lazing about. Fine for a bit - she deserves it after the stress of the exams - but I feel it's not healthy to mope about for weeks on end.

DD is doing more lazing than usual. Also doing lots of art and not much A level bridging work reading yet... She's helping at a coffee morning for pensioners at our church each week which is good for her and does a sport on a Saturday which is as much social as exercise. She's not really seen much of friends from school but at least once a week sees out of school friends. And she still goes to youth group at our church and we had a family social this week which was nice. Trying to keep the balance between lounging and doing isn't always easy.

DS seems to spend half his day in bed, most of the afternoon discussing what they are going to do and then eventually going out in the late afternoon/early evening.
No one has any money, apparently, only one has a job, and he works 36 hours a week!
DS is 16 next week, so we are applying for jobs this weekend.
I'm shocked at 6th Form work over the summer.

I remember being given pre work between GCSE and A level 30 years ago. It’s not a new thing by any means.

DD has prep materials but not actual work. She is resolutely ignoring it ! I don’t blame her either !

I was a bit worried about the extended summer , as was she, and we compiled an ideas list for things to do off and on during the GCSEs. However, somehow she has been so busy with prom, birthday, other various things. She’s also been able to relax and read. I’m pleasantly surprised as normally in holidays her mood dips significantly and it’s hard work. We’re on a short hols soon then she’s got a gig followed by gcse results and all the college induction stuff .

Fair enough but not (late 80s) for me, DS or any of my friends' kids locally and further afield, so I was surprised

It may have depended on the subject to be fair - I did English Literature so they gave us the first two texts to complete.

I'm sure I have seen noblegiraffe saying important to be up to speed on algebra prior to starting maths A level, and also in general reading about v early maths tests.

DS will be tested about transition work in September. At least in maths. I don't know about the others.

Ds has some suggested reading to do for PRE and Drama plus a list of ‘what we expect a Y12 Politics student to know’ - nothing too arduous.
I do remember his older brother having a lot more to do for Maths and Physics and it being compulsory- if it wasn’t done over the Summer, it had to be completed within the first fortnight of term starting…

Our school has set transition work, quite a bit for maths. They have said 3-4 hours per subject but it looks like more than that to me with the amount of links and YT videos in there on top of the actual work!

DS has decided to change his 4th A-level subjects depending on his results. He was looking into uni courses he likes.

DD hasn’t had any transition work, but I imagine some may materialise once she has her results and (all being well) has her place confirmed. The entry requirements are quite stringent so some of her friends are not at all sure they will make the grade.

DD has started her transition work and is really enthused! Mind you, she’s got an Ed Gamble podcast to listen to so I’d probably be enthused too!

DS is, like many others it seems, getting up late and doing very little. He is jet lagged as we're only back from holiday a couple of days ago so hopefully that'll pass. He's already saying he's bored though.

He has been set a vast amount of transition work for all subjects. He did spend an hour in the garden yesterday reading the first few chapters of The Great Gatsby, which is one of his set texts for Eng Lit. I've suggested he do an hour or so each day in one or other subject, it'll break up the boredom and mean he can spread out the work.

I get the feeling he's regretting not getting a summer job. He does have a tennis coaching course lined up in August which will allow him to do some basic tennis tutoring for some extra cash.

DD is currently struggling her way through The Handmaid's Tale and wishing her school hadn't cancelled drama....

This makes me glad I don't set bridging work. I don't want students struggling through texts, and it's the flaming holidays!!!

I'm suspicious about the lack of bridging work, I think they might set some on enrollment when my son is then away for a week!

He is getting a bit bored of being at home now, especially when both his friends were away last week, but has activities on and off the rest of the holidays so hopefully a good balance of doing things and chilling out.

Apparently they can't read it in class because of the content??? Which does make me ask why they didn't pick one of the other texts!!

What???? That's nonsense!

We teach that, and it's read in class. If it's not appropriate to read in class, it's not appropriate full stop.

@MrsHamlet do you not set bridging work? My DS seems to have been set a huge amount. I do feel like they need the summer off.

Ds hasn’t been set any bridging work. Just as well really as I’ve barely seen him over the past few weeks!

Between working, spending time at his friends holiday caravan, ‘popping’ into town (our nearest city) and going to the beach when we have had decent weather he’s barely stopped! He’s still got Cadet camp and Boardmasters to go!

No. Our year 12 is about 50% our students and 50% from 6 other schools. It would be nigh on impossible to manage that.

And in any case, we finish teaching in January of y13. We don't need more time.

Wish my DD was in your class!!!