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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Year 10 2024/2025 - come and join!

406 replies

36and3 · 19/08/2024 08:53

A thread for those with kids beginning their GCSE course next month.

Dd is my oldest so this process is a first for me. Her options are: triple science, Spanish, history and food/nutrition.

We've spent the summer organising her room. We've bought revision guides and files etc for every subject and she's excited to get started!

Would anyone like to join me for the ride?!

OP posts:
jennylamb1 · 25/02/2025 20:26

wonderstuff · 25/02/2025 20:18

@jennylamb1 i think you need to do whatever works, it’s a marathon not a sprint and you don’t want your ds getting overly stressed at this point. My dd has school homework club, he does an hour after school Tuesday to Thursday, one afternoon is art club and the other two everything else. I’m not sure how productive he is, and he often has to do a bit extra at the weekend. I do worry I’m not doing much supervision, but he’s at a private school and I can’t do the work to pay the fees and be around for homework!

Thank-you, I don't want to push him, however he does have plenty of time in the evening, it's hard to strike a balance with his autism to not upset him but also to stand some ground. Agree about it being a marathon, he is also at a private school. Will see if the time agreed gets through what he needs to do.

jennylamb1 · 25/02/2025 20:30

wonderstuff · 25/02/2025 20:18

@jennylamb1 i think you need to do whatever works, it’s a marathon not a sprint and you don’t want your ds getting overly stressed at this point. My dd has school homework club, he does an hour after school Tuesday to Thursday, one afternoon is art club and the other two everything else. I’m not sure how productive he is, and he often has to do a bit extra at the weekend. I do worry I’m not doing much supervision, but he’s at a private school and I can’t do the work to pay the fees and be around for homework!

I know what you mean about supervision, sounds like there is a little time at the weekend to see how he is getting on. Ultimately, they need to be taking ownership of it don't they, however a 14 year old boy is still a 14 year old boy! Grin

jennylamb1 · 07/03/2025 23:57

Son is doing Y10 mocks in 3 weeks time. We have had revision set for most subjects which he is getting on with, however nothing for computing. He wants to do Computer Science at A level and potentially at university, so I'm a bit annoyed that he has no revision materials. We can't do BBC Bitesize etc because the exam board isn't on there. Is this usual? I'm not really happy with him sitting an exam that he hasn't revised for and the likelihood that he is falling behind in a subject that he wants to do longer term.

Ifonlyoneday · 09/03/2025 11:14

jennylamb1 · 07/03/2025 23:57

Son is doing Y10 mocks in 3 weeks time. We have had revision set for most subjects which he is getting on with, however nothing for computing. He wants to do Computer Science at A level and potentially at university, so I'm a bit annoyed that he has no revision materials. We can't do BBC Bitesize etc because the exam board isn't on there. Is this usual? I'm not really happy with him sitting an exam that he hasn't revised for and the likelihood that he is falling behind in a subject that he wants to do longer term.

Which exam board is it?
my DTs have exams in 3 weeks too. They don’t do computer science but I can look up their proposed revision aids if it’s the same board.

jennylamb1 · 09/03/2025 11:25

Ifonlyoneday · 09/03/2025 11:14

Which exam board is it?
my DTs have exams in 3 weeks too. They don’t do computer science but I can look up their proposed revision aids if it’s the same board.

Show quote history

It's a Cambridge International 0984 IGCSE. Thank you.

Ifonlyoneday · 13/03/2025 19:59

Ah, we are standard GCSEs here so not able to help. Hopefully someone else can assist

jennylamb1 · 13/03/2025 20:48

Ifonlyoneday · 13/03/2025 19:59

Ah, we are standard GCSEs here so not able to help. Hopefully someone else can assist

No probs, have had some info from the computing teacher which is good.

wonderstuff · 17/03/2025 18:54

How is everyone doing - we've not had the best start to the week, DS has a day in isolation tomorrow for being caught leaving site to go to the shop between lessons and prep, what's super frustrating is that this is the second time this term, you'd think he'd learn. We've had a long conversation about the importance of actually getting through school and getting his GCSEs - how much tougher life is if you coast and mess around and don't get the grades you need for 6th form. Lets hope he gets it. I'm really hoping when we go looking at colleges in a couple of months he will start to get excited for that and buckle down a bit more. He has ADHD and is impulsive and in the moment, but his dad and I do too and we both managed to get through school without getting suspended (which is what will happen if he gets caught a 3rd time).

I swear I'm getting greyer by the day.

jennylamb1 · 17/03/2025 19:16

Sorry to hear about DS, it is a challenge when they do silly things. DS had his Y10 GCSE Spanish reading mock, foundation level today. Got a 5 which is good. He’s doing the higher for the real thing.He’s stepped up his revision, doing some of each subject every day after school except Friday and a couple of hours Sat and Sun. Putting the subjects after Easter on the back burner since he has 2 weeks to specifically revise those over the break.

Walkingbkwrm · 17/03/2025 21:03

Yes, Sorry to hear about your DS @wonderstuff .
Here not going great - very difficult to interest DS1 in any revision despite him really needing to work. School setting v little homework and expecting them just to revise by themselves and the pressure of mocks etc seems to have made him forget everything he learned earlier in the year…..It’s going to be a long haul to the end of next year…..

Ifonlyoneday · 18/03/2025 06:56

Here we have mini mocks end of March. My DTs refusing to do a revision timetable but are revising so leaving them to it.
School careers fair was last week and for the first time they are now starting to think what subjects they want to do at A level. Prior to this they just wanted to do A levels but no idea which. So hopefully slowly and surely they will work it out.

sports seems to have stepped up here and I’m a bit worried they’re missing quite a few lessons to represent the schools in competitions.

Original poster
36and3 · 18/03/2025 17:43

Dd has mocks straight after Easter. I’ve made her a revision timetable. School are treating them like the real thing so only attend school if they have an exam that morning / afternoon.

OP posts:
timetorefresh · 29/03/2025 20:03

DD has an actual GCSE this year, they are doing one early. Trying to get her to revise for one is painful enough. Dreading year 11!

Walkingbkwrm · 29/03/2025 20:22

Feel your pain @timetorefresh DS1 is doing one early too - plus some papers of a few more - it seems so early and he’s really not ready.

FedUpWithBriiiiick · 24/04/2025 16:23

How are all the module takers doing? DS has spent his Easter hols (2 weeks here) revising most days for a few hours. I would not have been that dedicated at that age!!!

6 exams between 7th and 22nd May - he seems comfortable but I think the nerves will kick in soon.

Original poster
36and3 · 25/04/2025 06:58

Dd is on day 4 of 9 exams days. 12 exams. She’s revised well for her alevel choice subjects but not much for the others.

OP posts:
MrsMcNallysMaureen · 25/04/2025 17:30

DD has done some revision. After every exam, she tells me how badly it has gone. We shall see.

wonderstuff · 26/04/2025 17:25

Mocks are so stressful! DS not back until tomorrow and is off timetable all week for careers work - he's at his dad's work on Monday, has a day at a uni one day and I think there's a careers fair - not sure. He has not done as much work as I had hoped over the holiday, he basically won't do anything unless I sit next to him and I have got other things I need to do!

In more positive news though we went to an open evening at the local 6th form college last week, and it was really interesting. He can do two art subjects and they said it was common for students to do that and totally doable, so he is thinking of doing Fine Art and Graphic Design alongside another, possibly Drama, at college. My dd is in year 12 and she is academically more motivated than ds and the one I worry less for as far as education is concerned, but going around college was such an eye opener - dd at that age was painfully shy and when we did open days wouldn't talk to the students or teachers, really struggled to engage, and well thank goodness for taster days as without those I think she would have really struggled to pick subjects and understand the process. DS, who is a worry as he has dyslexia and adhd and finds school difficult and is only just going to get the grades to do Alevels, taking him around college was so different, he was engaged, asked sensible questions, had interesting discussions with the students and teachers, just seemed so much more mature than his sister, and I've never really seen him in that way. Gave me hope and confidence for him. I think that when we get through GCSEs he might actually start enjoying education and working a bit harder and feeling successful - and actually success for him in school so far has been something that happens occaisionally rather than regularly. A lot of that is his making, but notheless it will be a relief when I can stop having to nag/cogole/supervise him so much.

SatsumaCat · 26/04/2025 23:10

Mocks start on Monday, DD has obviously started panicking as she said she's not going to her sport tomorrow morning so she can revise. She did do revision over Easter though so I think she'll be fine.

FedUpWithBriiiiick · 26/04/2025 23:48

Oh, do DCs in England, Scotland and Wales not do GCSE modules this year? Maybe it is a CCEA thing…

wonderstuff · 27/04/2025 11:30

FedUpWithBriiiiick · 26/04/2025 23:48

Oh, do DCs in England, Scotland and Wales not do GCSE modules this year? Maybe it is a CCEA thing…

In England Gove got rid of modular exams.

Today we can’t find ds art book, not sure if it’s at school or not. DH very grumpy. Ds has been saying all holiday he has art to do but obviously only looked to start it Sunday before going back to school 😒😭

Walkingbkwrm · 28/04/2025 08:56

In Wales here and DS1 is taking English Lit early and some papers this summer too. There seem to be 3 different exam sessions a year, it’s just constant stress. DS1 not coping well at all :(.
Mind you the curriculum changes starting next year so maybe they will change it for DS2.

Retrecir · 28/04/2025 19:59

Anyone starting to think about sixth form? We went to an open day at the weekend at DD is head over heels.... now we just have to get her in (and it's massively oversubscribed).

Original poster
36and3 · 28/04/2025 21:31

Retrecir · 28/04/2025 19:59

Anyone starting to think about sixth form? We went to an open day at the weekend at DD is head over heels.... now we just have to get her in (and it's massively oversubscribed).

Well look at a few but 90% certain dd will stay at her school for sixth form. A college wouldn’t suit her. And as the alevel course is only 5 terms effectively, she (understandably) wants to stay where she knows the teachers already.

OP posts:
Stowickthevast · 29/04/2025 07:52

I think mine is likely to stay where she is too @Retrecir . But I'd still like to look at a few. Dd2 will definitely have to move as her school only goes up to y11 so I'd like to have an idea beforehand. Dd1 will only move if she decides to do something her grammar school doesn't offer. They have a pretty conservative offering, but I think drama is the only thing that may sway her.

I think most of them have open days in October but they seem to get very booked up.