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

[QueenMabby]

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

My Ds really wants to take computer science at A level but it clashes with further maths at his current school. Seems like madness to put a subject like that in the same option block as maths but means we are looking elsewhere. He likes the look of our local maths school but it will mean a longer journey.

@BobbyRobin- that’s very odd. There must be loads of kids wanting to do FM and CS - it’s quite a common combo.

DD not happy how the Electromagnetism topic was taught for Physics AQA Higher.

She's always got the highest grade in Physics but has had to teach herself this topic.

Any suggestions for good resources for that topic welcome. She's actually asked for a video and usually she doesn't like videos (e.g. for Maths).

Apart from the TikTok, of course.

@NotAPersonalAttack
My first thought is BBC Bitesize
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z3q2b7h

Or you could maybe try Oak Acadamy?
https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/programmes/physics-secondary-ks4-higher-aqa/units

Oh we'd forgotten about Oak Academy @IThinkImAMathmoMum since lockdown, thank you.

Yes, she liked the BBC one but it was very short do we'll give Oak a try.

Free Science Lessons.

DS had his 2 hour Spanish revision session today and said it was ok-this is BIG praise for him.
Now gone off to play football with his pals with the understanding he will do another subject later on.
Not sure how I am going to find time to work amidst the revision supervision!

Found out today that DD has left maths to the last minute and not started revising at all. To make it worse, she’s once again mixed up the formula for the circumference of the circle with that of the area. We’ve gone through this so many times for the last three years. I feel like crying.

Not sure whether to tell her to focus on her strong topics and leave maths to chance?

Is it possible they have been doing quite a bit in class/ through homework? Maths at DS’ school has been v organised so he has done less independently.

Corbett 5 a day is a really good one. Takes 15 mins or so. Also a few past papers?

I'm wondering if ds2 has gone onto past papers too early, without solid foundations, he did a maths one, non-calculator, and really struggled with some of the later questions , which are a lot of level 9 stuff.

How are your kids revising English lit? He says he struggles with structuring his essays mainly. Has anyone come across any revision material that helps with this? Thanks. Both English lit papers are in the next 6 weeks so need to get this cracked.

With DS doing Edexcel higher paper boundaries are quite low. Teacher focused on first half of papers for a lot of this year. This is a good strategy for children not aiming for 8-9 as they can get a 7 with a lot of marks in first half, picking up a few on later questions. DS on a 7 and would like an 8 (if possible - not sure if it is!) so is going to do some of those later questions, which he says he usually can’t do. He is also doing Corbett 5 a day 8-9 questions. I think Corbett has a video explainer of questions for past papers. Hope relevant/ useful

Thank you so much! This is really helpful. I’m a bit weirded out by the Edexcel paper and the low grade boundaries… Hoping DD will get a 7 but wondering what she’s really getting in terms of a maths education out of all this… Foundations still pretty shaky.

Try Mr Lasalle books for English Lit.

Thanks will have a proper look later. I feel we have so many revision guides and study guides etc it’s all too overwhelming at the moment. Even for me trying to guide him!

We have similar problems with English Lit. I think the first step is rereading the texts. DS reread An Inspector Calls and also we watched it as a play, so I think he's pretty secure in the content now. There is a great dramatic narration on BBC Iplayer of Jekyll and Hyde (narrated by Reese Shearsmith) which is great and we watched it together. The school recommended it too. I'm trying to get him to reread Julius Caesar but that's going slowly as he can't be bothered, so I think perhaps that won't get done. Then attempting past paper questions and marking it according to the mark scheme is our next step. We've got revision guides and flip cards recommended on here, but like you say it's overwhelming when there's too many resources/information/opinions.

Has anyone used chatGPT with English Lit? It seems to give comprehensive answers to questions in the past papers and DH says it can also be tailored to each exam board and it will suggest a predicted mark based on the mark scheme (he's a teacher, although not English). Seems to good to be true!

Ooooh I think DD must be doing the same board as she’s been told the same by her teacher. That nailing the first half will give them a 7 and anything later in the paper is a bonus if they’ve time (& knowledge). She’d love a 7! Not sure if she knows Corbett maths so will let her know. Thank you.

Anyone with tips for history? My DD is struggling despite being on track for doing well in geography and English lit which seem to test some of the same skills

What she’s getting in terms of maths education? What do you mean? I’m intrigued.

Just that she doesn’t have the maths agility that I’d like her to have - she seems to know stuff but not always completely understand it. I had probably covered less stuff at her age but it’s imprinted in my brain and I don’t think that’s going to be the case with her. Not the end of the world and we’re all different, I know.

Ahh yes! I know what you mean. Some people can do amazing mathematical gymnastics. I think ‘maths’ is actually a hugely broad subject. Plus some have a natural ability to get their head around the gymnastics required (my eldest DD) but would struggle with inferences in text or film etc (also my eldest DD).

We are struggling with history and English - I guess due to the essay type answers. He much prefers maths / science! There is so much content for history too that it’s trying to get those facts in his brain. Which exam board are you and which topics is he doing? I think we are edexcel but not certain

Thank you very much Hollyhedge.