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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:
Stowickthevast · 29/04/2025 07:53

Should add we're in London so lots of options but also lots of competition.

SatsumaCat · 30/04/2025 23:06

I think DD will likely stay on at her school, they do IB and she's fairly keen to go that route. If not we've got a couple of choices of other grammars that do A levels - I don't know what the grades needed for newcomers are in reality she'd definitely be well over the minimum ones needed. In some ways it's too much choice.

Original poster
36and3 · 01/05/2025 06:09

Dd is doing 11 subjects including further maths. By default she’s a STEM girl through and through and wants to do bio, chem and maths alevels. Shes a bright girl, predicted 8s and 9s across the board. But!… She’s finding one of her non-compulsory subjects overly demanding in terms of work load. Would it be the end of world to drop it? It would leave 9 GCSE’s plus further maths (not sure why this doesn’t count as an official gcse!) How many subjects is everyone else doing?

OP posts:
Retrecir · 01/05/2025 07:26

@36and3 I've been told that universities count further maths as a gcse, so for their purposes, your DD will have 10, even if she drops one.

FedUpWithBriiiiick · 01/05/2025 21:55

9.5 here. Arts and humanities so no further maths.

The .5 is R.S.

Original poster
36and3 · 09/05/2025 05:57

Exam grades are trickling in now. Let’s just say dd is most definitely a STEM girl 🤦🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
SatsumaCat · 14/05/2025 09:08

DD is doing 11. Not further maths. But her school seems to be an outlier nowadays many do less than 10, I'm sure 9 plus FM would be fine.

DD has completed mocks and they were all."ok" except the Maths which everyone found hard apparently. The school are doing a big reveal /results assembly to make it like the real thing, 3 weeks to go! DD told me last night she was worrying about the results as they make up a big parr of the predicted grades to apply to sixth form. I reassured her she has nothing to worry about!

Stowickthevast · 14/05/2025 10:23

Dd1 is doing 10, dd2 will do 9. Most of the schools round us are moving to 9, although some do a mixture of 9/10 depending on whether you do combined science or separate.

Dd1's mocks aren't until the last 2 weeks of June. They do get study leave for them though. She's a bit annoyed as everyone who doesn't do art finishes 2 days earlier as they have a practice art assessment which takes a day and a half! Art continues to be more work than all the other subjects combined.

MiniMidiMaxi · 14/05/2025 20:50

DS got his report card today following all his mocks - he already knew his % exam scores but they translated them into ‘working at’ grades in the report. A real mixed bag - really strong in English and French, almost full marks, then weakest in history, RE and Maths. I think he has the skills to uplift a lot in history and RE, just needs more memorisation, but he might need more support with Maths.

He already has a science tutor - he has a recurring health issue that has meant his attendance has been around 85% ish throughout secondary, and sciences were the area where he found it hardest to catch up on what he missed. Need to think about helping him to close any gaps in his maths too. He’s smart but needs the exposure to the content!

waitingquietly · 15/05/2025 16:02

Just joining as I have a yr10 ( sign posted to you all by the yr11 thread as I also have one of those )

Amazed to hear so many already have mocks out the way and thinking about yr12 options . We have mocks once the yr11/13 cohort have finished with the hall

sunshineandshowers40 · 16/05/2025 19:32

@waitingquietly I have one in Y11 and Y10 too. Not sure I have the energy to do it all again next year!

Y11 DC is just pleased exams have started. The build up has been hard and I don't think my Y10 DC is looking forward to the next academic year!

Original poster
36and3 · 17/05/2025 07:52

mocks all complete and dd got grades 6/7 for everything except 8 for biology. School are saying they are effectively y11 now that the exams are done so that’s given her a good head wobble.

OP posts:
SatsumaCat · 26/05/2025 21:26

Sounds like your DD has done really well —solid grades, especially the 8 in biology. My DD is into biology now she's enjoying the teaching.

Original poster
36and3 · 28/05/2025 06:13

We’ve got some open days booked for sixth forms next month, though I’m pretty sure dd will stay at school.

what alevels are your dc thinking? We have to have our options in by February latest.

  1. biology, maths, chemistry - medicine
  2. biology, maths, psychology - physiotherapy
OP posts:
Walkingbkwrm · 29/05/2025 21:50

Wow that’s forward planning! No open days etc until the autumn here. Very glad as firstly DS doesn’t know what he wants to do and secondly he may not get grades for a levels. There seems to be a bit of a black hole (here in Wales anyway) for people who will hopefully get 6 or more C’s at GCSE but not the B’s that are wanted for A-levels everywhere near us - and also aren’t interested in any vocational qualifications. Not really sure what to advise him tbh. I remember also having no clue what I wanted to do at his age either…..

Stowickthevast · 30/05/2025 07:57

@36and3 that's interesting, I don't think any here have open days until the autumn.

Dd1 is quite keen on staying on at her school's 6th form - Grammer school where they start of with 4 A levels and then drop one - but I think it would be good to look at a couple of others. Her school doesn't do drama which is one of her strengths.

If she stays, she'll probably do Maths, Further Maths, Art and either German or English Lit. She's thinking of doing architecture.

If she leaves, Maths, Further Maths, drama and again either German, English or Art. She may not do further Maths if she leaves though depending on what the colleges allow.

UncomfortableSilence · 30/05/2025 14:59

This thread fell off my radar so popping back on to hope all your DC are doing well. The last 6 months or so have been a lot here, caring for elderly DMs and parenting young adults/teens is not for the weak 😳
DD is doing so well, working incredibly hard. Mocks for her are all through June, she’s been revising consistently and has made a start on her Art final work.

We’ve only just had the work experience email which they have been asked to complete over the summer. There are lots of links on the Careers Google Classroom for virtual stuff but she would prefer in person and she’d like to go into London somewhere (we live in an outer borough and an easy commute)

VI form open evenings are in the Autumn term here, she may stay at her school but is swaying towards the school I work in so we’ll see, she’s still not set on A-Levels as, in her words, she loves everything 😅

SatsumaCat · 03/06/2025 22:27

So nice to hear your DD still loves her subjects. Mine used to be like that but gradually has lost her love for many subjects over the years!

The latest here is her school has shared the "Fantasy Wings programme" which is about careers in aviation targeted at diverse students. As DD has no idea what she wants to do she thinks she might aswell see if she can get a place - yet another activity she doesn't really have time to do.

waitingquietly · 13/06/2025 15:16

Afternoon all , just wondering if anyone’s DC start mocks next week ? DS2 starts on Thursday literally the day after DS1 finishes his GCSEs . I know a lot of you have already had mocks ?

Stowickthevast · 13/06/2025 18:40

@waitingquietly mine does. Her school has put them on study leave for the next fortnight.

Original poster
36and3 · 13/06/2025 19:10

We’re done now, they were straight after Easter. Our next batch are after the October half term. Good luck!

OP posts:
SatsumaCat · 13/06/2025 23:09

Our mocks were over a few weeks ago, results last week. Generally fine, either same as predicted or 1 lower (6,7,8s). Bit of a shock with English though 2 grades lower for both (5s) which DD was upset about. Thinking about a tutor even though she'll likely pursue science because it's an important subject and I don't want it to potentially impact uni applications. Also she'll have to carry on with some English if she does the IB, which is the plan.

MakeTeaNotWar · 17/06/2025 11:58

Question - my daughter struggles to finish an exam on time. She has mocks at the moment and has never gotten close to finishing an English paper. We’ve never used tutors but is that the type of skill they can help with ?

timetorefresh · 19/06/2025 21:21

MakeTeaNotWar · 17/06/2025 11:58

Question - my daughter struggles to finish an exam on time. She has mocks at the moment and has never gotten close to finishing an English paper. We’ve never used tutors but is that the type of skill they can help with ?

Raise this with school and ask them to assess if she's qualify for extra time

waitingquietly · 11/07/2025 16:02

Anyone else just belatedly got mocks results ? DS2 has a right old mix ranging from 1 ( for 1 part of combined science) all the way up to an outlying 7 Minimal revision on many subjects as his school takes a GCSE early and he’s concentrated on that . School have given them all summer work . I think I need to wait and see how he gets on in the November mocks actually revising but boy does that feel like leaving it late ! Very different older DS has just finished GCSEs and awaiting results.