Year 11 - 2024/2025 - Support Thread - the final stretch

[QueenMabby]

A new thread to take is to exams and beyond! All welcome.

No study leave here (state comp)
It all kicks off this week for dd with her art practical
Then one exam following following week then the core subjects kick in
Good luck to MFL students this week 🍀

@Araminta1003 thanks! Fortunately her teacher is kind and there is good pastoral, but her first study is a rarish orchestral instrument so she definitely needs to ensure she’s available since almost all the players have big exams this term.

sounds like you’ve done a great job providing for different needs for different dcs. We all just have to hope we’re getting the balance right for individuals!

Dd has an afternoon of music rehearsals at school for a concert that is this week but that will then be her done. She’s not doing music lessons during exams either apart from this coming week and the next at school and then two more to be taken sometime before the end of the school year for each instrument which she’ll fit in around her exams.
@Araminta1003- my dd doesn’t want a music career either so that definitely makes it easier!

dd has been revising solidly but is coming to the end of available past papers for some subjects (MFLs and Latin) so I hope she has a plan B for that!

Art Monday and Tuesday then language oral in Thursday here! Study leave starts at the end of the week then first exam is the 8th. I will be delighted when art is over as it does tend to take over everything. Music lessons on an as and when basis this term and sport/ group music seems to be in the back burner..
older dd started first with language oral last week.

There are hardly any Latin papers… I think they changed the specification a few years ago, but not sure if the earlier ones are easier or harder!

I'll be glad when art is done, too.
It's such a lot of planning and work.

This is how my son is motivated. I have to sit with him. Then he gets in to it.

Just been chatting to DD2.

"why do they keep suggesting we have revision timetables. i DON"T NEED ONE'...

Argh.. Yes you do.

My DD and her school friends have spent the last few days “revising” together. They have made very detailed history timelines and beautiful biology diagrams to put up on their pin boards at home, together. And English quotes written in those fancy Japanese brush pens.
It all looks absolutely lovely and straight out of some TikTok/instagram but not sure if it is effective revision, whatsoever!
Complete opposite of anything the older brother would ever have done.

I am taking photos for posterity’s sake.
I reckon they will next compose a GCSE song. They are in some choir together where they take popular songs and do an a cappella medley.
DD has always been a “sociable” person. Even during Covid, I had to give her a phone so she could spend the whole day talking to her friends and getting some work done.

Same here with maths. I do a bit more than sitting down and suggest what questions she needs to do. This is exhausting.

I don't sit with dd, but I made her revision calendar and, like today, she asked what I thought she should concentrate on.
Tbh dds school has been very poor wrt teaching them revision and exam techniques, so I'm happy to advise.
Dh and I were saying earlier that it's going to be a loooong 6 weeks!

Our older dd got a lot more advice/taught exam and revision techniques when she did her gcses so this is a bit new to me.
But they are also very different kids, and older dd worked really hard.
Dd is revising but....let's just say.. is exactly not wearing herself out 😀

Hi. First time poster on this thread. How I wish I’d found it sooner!

DD2 is having a terrible time with Eng Lit. Mocks come out at a 3. Paper 2 mock was sat just before Easter. (Not a second or third mock for that paper but the first.)

She seems to have problems writing down her answers. She knows the answers when she does flashctarda eg she can tell met examples or Macbeth being dishonest. But the analysing seems to be poor. Or at least her ability to plan the essay.. She’s seems to write 10 words when she should probably be writing 100!

Does anyone have any advice at this late stage (I did post on Chat, but was recommended to post here too.) Thank you.

Texts are Macbeth, Jekyl and Hyde and Inspector Calls.

No revisions sessions offered by school. Thank you.

@Examwoes - I think at this late stage it may be best to get hold of lots of grade 5/6 type answers to questions in past papers and read through as many as possible. She needs to understand how many points she needs to make for the short and longer questions, how many quotes to use and how many lines on analysis.
Let her read it and then give it a go herself the next day. Just to build confidence.

Also @Examwoes - lots of info on savemyexams and you can do a free trial,

Yes, I was about to come on and suggest savemyexams...

@Examwoes
She can use bbc bitesize for ideas
The cgp revision guides to the texts are useful
Past papers are the best way imo and these can be found online or school could give her some
Really look at what each question is worth (e.g. 2 marks, 12 marks)
That will give a good idea of the length of answer required (e.g. one sentence or two paragraphs)
Essay answer structures can really help e.g. peel, petacpa etc
There are some good teachers on YouTube, too
Has she been to any theatre productions of the set texts?
If not, try and watch them at home - ibtyink you can stream national theatre shows?

Back to school this morning for us - was a bit of a shock to the system!
Only a week and a bit left at school. Dd is thrilled to only have 7 periods of English left for sure!
The start of exams seems VERY close now.

First day back after Easter here, too.
Dd seemed OK.
I think she just wants her art practical over with now.

DD texting me from school as has her drama grades back for devising. They seem very good - but I seem to remember the grade boundaries for these being very high. Just waiting on music now . She doesn't find composing easy so hoping against hope they aren't too bad.

She's back this weekend for a weirdly early exeat and I think hoping to do lots of revision at home. Hoping she'll leave the instruments at school!

I'm glad there's no exam leave here.
At least at school there will be revision sessions.
Dd seems to need the routine.

@QueenMabby i think another 7 sessions of English would be great! They’ve had 3 teachers since December and I am concerned that they’re predicting VERY different grades (8, then 3, now 4) what the heck!!! Needs at least 6 to go to her 6th form. There’s only this week left (with a stand in English teacher) then study leave on Friday so 🤷‍♀️

Doing similar here. Although not with maths as DS is better than us at it, but helping him with the Sciences and English. He does the work when given/nagged to do, but needs a lot of hand holding with regards to organisation and focus.

I am WISHING I could sit with DD2 and talk her through more - but perhaps given that I've got to do so much with DD1 for A-Levels it's best I can't see exactly what's she's doing.

Dd won’t let me be involved. I’m feeling very out of it. I’ve had no input. Doesn’t help that she doesn’t write anything down (all online and past papers only) so there are no nice flashcards or mind maps for me to see!