Page 7 | Parents of GCSE 2025

Mum2LazyBoy · 2025-03-04T15:35:32+00:00

Is anyone up for a thread to follow the highs and lows of supporting our dc through the coming gcse season. As user name suggests I have a DS who really isn’t getting his head down enough. He does tend to spend a lot of time gaming and school don’t seem to be setting much work. Interested to hear how others are getting on.

Oblomov25 · 19/05/2025 21:21

I'm still here, if that's ok. My ds2 is only 9 exams in to 25. He does not a lot. But seems ok.

NotDonna · 19/05/2025 23:58

25 exams is such a lot! DD only has 15 exams - 7 before half term & 8 after (or vice versa). Shes doing a few practical ones so although she wasn’t enjoying all the coursework it’s definitely reduced the exam stress and overwhelm. She’s my third and my other two had zero coursework. She’d agree that it’s made a difference. I think she’d struggle with 25 over 4 weeks! 25 over 20 days is one every day back to back with 2 exams on 5 of those days! 🥴

VivaDixie · 20/05/2025 08:59

DS has 22 but it's over 19 working days out of 24 working days. So he has 2 days with 2 exams

I'm sure I only had one exam for biology (1989) one for maths and one each for English.

Now it's 6 for science, 3 for maths and 4 for English

It's his last double exam day today. As he gets extra time his English Lit is 2h 50m and then comp science at 2h 12m. A heavy day

MagicalMystical · 20/05/2025 19:43

I didn’t think to count them. Looks like he has 28 in total. It’s a lot isn’t it!

MagicalMystical · 20/05/2025 19:43

Wonder why some of them have more than others?

Tiswa · 20/05/2025 19:45

We had longer but less exams now they are shorter but more - designed I think to ensure that you should be able to make at least one exam per GCSE

timetochangethering · 20/05/2025 19:51

MagicalMystical · 20/05/2025 19:43

Wonder why some of them have more than others?

Depends on the subject, My DS has two extra for maths as hes doing further maths. Some subjects (like art, drama and music) have one exam and more coursework.

DaisyDukesAuntie · 20/05/2025 21:27

VivaDixie · 20/05/2025 08:59

DS has 22 but it's over 19 working days out of 24 working days. So he has 2 days with 2 exams

I'm sure I only had one exam for biology (1989) one for maths and one each for English.

Now it's 6 for science, 3 for maths and 4 for English

It's his last double exam day today. As he gets extra time his English Lit is 2h 50m and then comp science at 2h 12m. A heavy day

My son has had these subjects today too. He said English Lit was “alright” - tried to extract from him what the Q was but he’s at his Dads tonight so WhatsApp one word answers 😂

VivaDixie · 20/05/2025 21:31

DaisyDukesAuntie · 20/05/2025 21:27

My son has had these subjects today too. He said English Lit was “alright” - tried to extract from him what the Q was but he’s at his Dads tonight so WhatsApp one word answers 😂

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🤣 if it's An Inspector Calls it was either to talk about Power or the relationship between Sheila and Gerald

DS said it was OK But comp Science was much better

DaisyDukesAuntie · 20/05/2025 21:34

Thanks! Bugger it. If it’d been about Responsibility as a theme he’d have been ok I think. But what’s done is done and 2 more subjects done and over with for now.

VivaDixie · 20/05/2025 22:02

I have told DS that if he was in that situation and got discombobulated with the theme to just adapt another theme

So he could use responsibility but adapt it to power - he wouldn't get all the marks but might salvage a decent chunk of it.

He has RE short course tmw and hasn't really revised until tonight. He got flummoxed but I told him to just apply common sense to it and not worry if he can't remember exactly what the Islamic/Christian terminology is

VivaDixie · 21/05/2025 13:13

Hey how are we all? Mixed bag still here - DS has prepared us that he has probably failed Eng Lit - which is a shame as he felt OK coming out of the exam last week - but he reckons yesterday has brought his grade down significantly. Onwards and upwards for English Lang on Friday.

RE short course today and Physics tomorrow morning.

I had a look at this thread yesterday (i think its a follow on from the other one linked above). I have changed my original view on it as I agree with PP that it has calmed down on the over achievers significantly. I have a few posts on there but am still staying here.

Keep the faith everyone 😉

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5338534-year-11-20242025-half-way-half-baked-half-term?page=1

Year 11 - 2024/2025: Half way, half baked, half term! | Mumsnet

Continuation of the year 11 support thread. Go!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5338534-year-11-20242025-half-way-half-baked-half-term?page=1

Sisublondie · 29/05/2025 18:28

VivaDixie · 19/05/2025 12:58

Totally with you here.

I'm staying here too, I get that some kids put even more pressure on themselves to get a 9 but in our house we need DS to get over the line to get four 4s. I am really worried about his English - have you seen the format of the Lit exam tomorrow? It's brutal

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Hellllllooooooo!! I didn’t know what to do as couldn’t post on the other thread.. so, didn’t know if a continuation was in existence ….. whilst hunting, (to no avail!), I’ve found this thread….but doesn’t look like it’s in use? 🤷‍♀️.. I was just wondering if people have gone somewhere else….. ?

I had been feeling really much more positive in trying to get DS his 4 x 4’s, hearing about others quests and support….

Hope all good with your DS and you today! 😸

kary42 · 29/05/2025 18:30

Sisublondie · 29/05/2025 18:28

Hellllllooooooo!! I didn’t know what to do as couldn’t post on the other thread.. so, didn’t know if a continuation was in existence ….. whilst hunting, (to no avail!), I’ve found this thread….but doesn’t look like it’s in use? 🤷‍♀️.. I was just wondering if people have gone somewhere else….. ?

I had been feeling really much more positive in trying to get DS his 4 x 4’s, hearing about others quests and support….

Hope all good with your DS and you today! 😸

Show quote history

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5344251-year-11-20242025-its-all-downhill-from-here?reply=144618960

Year 11 - 2024/2025: It’s all downhill from here! | Mumsnet

New thread to help us get through the next week or so!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5344251-year-11-20242025-its-all-downhill-from-here?reply=144618960

Sisublondie · 29/05/2025 18:41

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 19/05/2025 10:17

It’s been a rollercoaster. Exams that ASD/ADHD DD expected to be easy were hard and then maths, which she was dreading, was ok.

It’s chemistry today but she’s not nervous about it as she knows she has ‘no clue and won’t pass it‘. I’m proud of her that she’s going in and having a go. Revision has been non-existent. She has no idea what to do. She just goes into overwhelm. I’ve tried to help where I can but found it better to keep the pressure off. Any pushing just leads to meltdowns and shutdowns. Being supportive and letting her go at her own pace means she’s on an even keel for the exams she stands a chance at.

She needs 4 GCSEs to get onto the college course she wants to do. So the goal is those 4 GCSEs. Anything else is a bonus.

She’s not lazy. She’s not a slacker. She’s bright, funny and an all-round brilliant person. She’s struggled all the way through school and secondary school has been horrific for her. But she’s kept going and the end is in sight. It’s a wicked system that brands any child who isn’t a high-flying academic as a failure. I tell her that these exams don’t define her and she will get where she’s meant to be in life despite of them.

Good luck to everyone today. Especially those who find it so challenging.

Well. I will happily admit that I’m in tears reading this. You could change your DD in your post to my DS and I wouldn’t be changing a word. Thank you for explaining, in words that I’ve been unable to find to describe my DS, what a perfectly special, talented, beautiful, lovely DC your DD is and how her magic goal of 4 x 4’s ( as I’m calling the coveted results my DS is also desperate to get in his quest to escape his horrendous secondary school life, and hopefully start afresh at a college without his bullies and, instead, new friends-he-hadn’t-met-yet 🤞) will mean the absolute world to her.

I don’t know which thread, if any, is now going, my son is ASD/ADHD, will be blessed to get 4 x 4, my worry for him is exponential and I just want him to do his best, not the best.

Thank you for the beautiful post you wrote. You have cheered me beyond belief ( in a very strange, our DC are not alone, neither are we) way. 🙏

kary42 · 29/05/2025 19:30

Sisublondie · 29/05/2025 18:41

Well. I will happily admit that I’m in tears reading this. You could change your DD in your post to my DS and I wouldn’t be changing a word. Thank you for explaining, in words that I’ve been unable to find to describe my DS, what a perfectly special, talented, beautiful, lovely DC your DD is and how her magic goal of 4 x 4’s ( as I’m calling the coveted results my DS is also desperate to get in his quest to escape his horrendous secondary school life, and hopefully start afresh at a college without his bullies and, instead, new friends-he-hadn’t-met-yet 🤞) will mean the absolute world to her.

I don’t know which thread, if any, is now going, my son is ASD/ADHD, will be blessed to get 4 x 4, my worry for him is exponential and I just want him to do his best, not the best.

Thank you for the beautiful post you wrote. You have cheered me beyond belief ( in a very strange, our DC are not alone, neither are we) way. 🙏

Show quote history

This is the latest thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5344251-year-11-20242025-its-all-downhill-from-here?reply=144618960

Year 11 - 2024/2025: It’s all downhill from here! | Mumsnet

New thread to help us get through the next week or so!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5344251-year-11-20242025-its-all-downhill-from-here?reply=144618960