Year 11 - 2024-2025 Support Thread

[QueenMabby]

Hi
A continuation for those of us with DCs going into year 11 - GCSEs are looming!

DS school does not start the Sixth Form process until January, and I think similar for other schools round here.
If you are worried, if DD is moving school, you could check other school websites for open days, etc. If she is staying, then emailing for info is no bad thing, although I would hope that they would tell everyone in due course.

Thanks @yorktown - we are hoping DD2 stays put, but she relies entirely on a government funding scheme and I note there is a 'break clause' at Year 11, which as far as I'm aware they have no desire to enact but I am anxious.

She'd have to come home - she currently boards 100 miles away - and the local school open days are in November. She'd struggle to get to them given her current schedule!

Homework - I can see what DS gets on his teams account and I “help” set him revision. I am 100% sure left to his own devises he’d get the homework done but nothing else! some of his homework is on Seneca. Using Seneca for revision as can see if he’s actually done any!

Sixth form - I’m hoping ds will get the grades to stay at his school. They said they do an assembly and that’s it for “internal” students. And there is an application form. I should look at other options but trying to sell it to DS if he works hard then he won’t have the hassle of starting somewhere new - he likes an easy life.

I've been catching up as I've not looked at the thread for a couple of weeks. It's great to hear most getting on well in year 11. Ds is all settled into his new timetable. He has a couple of new teachers. We have a gcse and revision talk at school next week, it's only for parents though. Apparently there will be another later in the year for pupils. Open evening for 6th form is later in October. Ds doesn't want to look at any other 6th forms just the one at school, I have suggested looking at others, but his mates will all stay on there. Ds is a prefect, prefects usually get a special tie to wear, but seems they aren't bothering this year. So that's a shame. Anyone can be a prefect, so there are lots of them, but apparently Ds is a "senior prefect"

Ds brought his mock results home last night. He wasn't happy with them as he always says he's not good enough. They were excellent results as always. He said almost everyone got 3 or 4 in French. He got 8. So way above everyone else, but he still says that's not good enough. So I do feel GCSEs will be stressful.

Hi all, is it right that there are no physics equation sheets this year in the exam? I think that is is the case and mentioned to DS who got in a blind panic…

I think that's right. No equation sheets for 2025.

That's useful to know.

DS has got a physics assessment on Thursday and his teacher says ALL the equations learnt in year 9-11 must be memorised for this test. He's not even started revising for it yet as he's got another end of topic test tomorrow for Biology, plus the usual homework.
I have no idea how to advice him to manage homework/end of topic test revision which is on current content and revise for the Nov mocks which are on previously learnt topics. Only 8 weeks to go for the mocks and the content seems so much for 10 subjects!

I agree DS has a lot of homework and they want an hour of revision per subject, per week. 7 weeks until mocks, 3 weeks until Spanish oral. He calmed down about the equations and said well at least we are all in the same boat. I think he is starting to realise how much there is to do. It’s intense!

Feeling quote low about year 11. DS has no interest in school, often refuses to do homework, doesn't know what he wants to do after - 6th form, college apprenticeship- in some ways I feel he is emotionally younger than his peers and know covid screwed things up as he never settled back in to school propetly after. I'm trying to talk to him about school in a positive way, but he just he just goes there to tick a box, only showing some interest in 6th form because his friends are. I worry he will finish education and just stay at home.

What are the available options @3doughnutproblem? Would a new venue, eg further education college, or a new approach, eg a more vocational, hands-on course, motivate him better? Would it help to tell him that if he’s not in education next year you’ll expect him to get a job and pay his way? What are his interests and his strengths?

Hi @Elizo just to say, my dd has just sat her gcse's the summer, so the last cohort to get the equation sheets. She said if you batter revision & past papers you will remember the equations- like a second nature recipe.
In her year 10 mocks she got a 4😬 but an 8 in the real thing, same with maths 7 in the real thing. These were her lowest grades, she's a proper humanities bod, but more delighted with these than any other result. Tbf, she sweated.
She's told me to say always read the exam spec when doing past papers & mark yourself hard.
Re biology - check what hasn't come up in the last few years "absolute ba**ard plants nearly caught me out"😅
Revision - I let her get on with it, she said nagging switched her off🙄
She says start early, like now, even though they may not have finished all curricula.
And best of luck to all your dds/ds. It's a relief when they're done & tbh we'd both had enough & just prayed a maths re-sit wasn't on the cards

Hi there, just read the thread. Have taken notes and I'd love to join.

DS in Y 11. He is bright and during class is spot on with questions and answers but not consistent with tests and exams. I think regular past papers may help but the outcome could really go either way.

Any tips on a revision timetable would be greatly received. Do your DCs revise one subject per night, so a dedicated evening to one subject or a couple of subjects?

At the moment DS is trying 30 mins per subject, 2 subjects per day if poss. But barely started as he is getting a lot of homework and is tired…

For a revision timetable dd uses www.getrevising.co.uk where you can make a revision timetable. It has all the GCSEs and exam boards on and links to revision topics etc.

Sometimes the timetable it throws out is a bit weird but you can drag and drop slots until it suits you.

Dd is not doing any revision yet although most of her homework seems to be revising for topic tests so that probably counts. Her mocks aren't until after Christmas so she'll probably do a little bit at half term and then the rest in the Christmas holidays.

@3doughnutproblem that sounds hard. Is he generally motivated with other things? Or is he generally a bit down?

I've discussed college with him and suggested working with animals as he loves them, but he doesn't show any active interest. At the end of year 10 I found a screwed up bit of paper in his bag where a teacher had discussed what he'd like to do in the future, he hadn't even bothered to talk to us about this conversation. It mentioned working with animals, I feel that if anything is to happen I will be doing all the leg work and research he's just not motivated at all. Feel so sad for him as his school photo in year 7 shows him happy with his future ahead ...

He had really bad anxiety in the past and although not down now I feel it has made him more vulnerable. He has friends and a girlfriend and that's his whole life, any excuse to get out of school he will take it.
He's only motivated by his friends!

Could you offer to get him started with the research @3doughnutproblem? It’s difficult that they have to make such big decisions when they are still maturing/their brains still developing. DM worked for the Open University for many years, and it was common for the male students to say they hadn’t been interested in school, only girls and football, when they were teenagers.

Agree with all of this!
Interesting your DM said this.Will try to get him talking about next steps again, maybe a drip drip approach ..

And for someone with a tendency to anxiety, it’s hard to have to focus on planning future steps at the same time as studying for GCSEs.

Dd has a big show next week, so hopefully things will calm down after that
She has 3 x post 16 open evenings next month
Her school have started some after school revision clubs for Y11 already
She's ok but very tired due to rehearsals, etc

Sixth form open eves start week after next. Was hoping there would be subject talks but it seems to be more of a go round scenario. DS has narrowed down his A level choices, but he really needs a way to find out about different subjects. There must be stuff online I guess…

There will be another lot of open evenings in the new year and before Easter
That's when it gets more subject specific and some places do taster lessons which I really recommend

Our area only does one open day or evening each. You have to book and once the places fill up that’s it. They start in October and run through to November. They all have different dates for the application too. Some are this term but the majority are in January. They prioritise children who apply on time but if they have spaces they can apply on gcse results day and go in a queue.

There are post GCSE taster days which look great but only one open eve. He has to express his A level preference after the open day.