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

[QueenMabby]

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

Ahhhhh. Indeed, bless him. What a sweetheart. I can’t imagine how they will feel on the morning after their last exam!! ( Oh, bloody hell! I’ve just remembered- my DS has an epilepsy appointment first thing he doesn’t yet know about! And, won’t be told about right now, either!).

Well, your geography and Spanish def sounds good for yesterday? Any movement yet, today? I’ve got my Steak Bake bribe so……🤞🤞🤞!

Yes, the hot weather that I, too, totally missed by throwing revision books round, too ( you did make me laugh, at saying that!!)……. At least I’m consoling myself it’s been dank as hell here all week, so least not got tourists noisily walking past en mass!

My DS18 is Spanish chap, too… been over in South America for few months pre Uni in Sept ( doing a Spanish mix degree). I think that’s great for your DS. Does he want to use it in future? Hopefully his final exam being that, he will have a good memory of last GCSE! 🤞😸

Ps- Ditto! Bring back “just” the usual servant duties! I’ll pass on the Irritating Mother “yapping at him”… ( except I’m really not!!!! I feel like demonstrating what that really COULD be like!!!! And, he would not like it!! ( I just wouldn’t know how to do it as good as his Godmother would… good strong forging language which can be dipped into for emphasis!) ……🙄

I thought it was quiet! Here you all are.

THE PRINTER HAS RUN OUT OF INK

Of course DS could look at the past paper online and work from there, but he likes having the 'real thing', which I can understand.

Apparently there are some very funny memes about this 1/2 term for our GCSE students.

Yay! You’re here! It was like bandaid ripped off when I couldn’t post yesterday!

Your DS sounds like me! ( I get my newspaper delivered…live in the middle of nowhere so it’s subscription cost ( which seems to double annually!) plus stupid delivery cost!, which the men in the house whine about … “ It’s bloody ON LINE, MUM!!!! “ ..

Can you get ink for him or is it a thinly veiled “ I’m done for the day”… thus, saved by the printer?! 🖨️ 😈😹!

I saw Eng Lang menes but no half term ones yet!! They should cheer us!!!! 😻.. thanks for the heads up!!

Can you get ink for him or is it a thinly veiled “ I’m done for the day”… thus, saved by the printer?! 🖨️ 😈😹!

I can order ink to arrive tomorrow.
It was out this morning so he hadn't started for the day, never mind being done!

I am very much a pen and paper person - I can problem solve and retain information much better that way, so I do believe him.

re trades. DS was keen to learn a trade rather than study for A levels (he was not doing very well academically and was pretty ambivalent about school), but when we looked around the college and he had an 'interview' he didn't feel inspired. Despite people acknowledging that trades are skilled professions, that they can pay very well and there are in high demand, there was still a feeling of these courses being less respected than academic qualifications.
Maybe if he's still interested he can look at apprenticeships post 18.

I am glad he is staying on for A levels as I do think it will give him more options and while he could go back and do them later on, I do think it's easier to follow the conventional route.

@Sisublondie no he wants to take pure STEM going forward his Spanish is hard for him but it’s good it’s hard (I think).

We have been looking after a dog today, friend’s dog, unusual for us, got totally lost across the fields, dog was over heating, went to local newsagents for drink stop, very packed, broke her lead, we think she chewed it, she wouldn’t drink bottled water so needed to make a pit stop at local pub, she wouldn’t drink their water either, called Dad, he met us there, teens wanted a full plate gammon lunch, teens took dog home where she drank two bowls of water from her bowl, me & H stayed out for an additional wine.

Home now

Revision 0 - I think.

It’s humid here I have been up since 6.30am doing laundry, prepping dough, spent 4 hours walking a dog and feeding teens.

I might just have an hour with a book and an ice filled wine before dinner and I think we are watching Rogue One (Andor finished this week) this evening.

Today hasn’t been lazy (which I feel guilty about) but it’s not been revision either.

We have four full days before next exam.

And regarding trades, it takes all sorts to make this wonderful world go round, our roofer fell off his ladder (not here just to clarify) what he needed then was a spinal surgeon.

Trades need mobile phones now to book work, cost up jobs, take and send photos, they expect their phones to work and be secure (my H is a IT geek working in data security) it earns more than you average trade with private healthcare and pension.

For some people driving around fixing domestic electrical problems daily would drive them mentally nuts regardless of the wages.

One friend builds IT infrastructure for banks, one is a corporate solicitor. They earn 6 figures a month, a month not a year. And don’t risk accident and get great perks.

I know a camera person for news, not quite those wages but a colourful chaotic life.

One person’s paradise is another person’s hell. If you earn enough for what you want to have, doing something that doesn’t destroy your soul you are already a winner.

Education can never be taken away from you. If you start from that it’s not a bad base to work up from.

Thank crunchie it’s Friday!

Hi, long time lurker for this thread finally saying hello 👋

I’ve been following as DD1 is doing her GCSEs, so good to see how other parents are finding it all. Her plan was to do A Levels but she dropped a bit of a bombshell the other night by announcing that she no longer wants to do that and is looking at a BTEC instead. I’m not sure if it’s just a wobble or not, but she never even mentioned that’ she was considering it when she was. looking round colleges - so no idea what it involves, how easy it is to get into uni with one (if she wants to go) and just a bit worried that she’s limiting her options but …. I’ve suggested she concentrates on her exams for now and we can look at the different options after.

Welcome @Panda1884 goid idea to focus on GCSEs for now and explore options later. What A levels were being considered previously? And now which BTec?

Just dropped DD off at her friends for the friend’s bday celebrations. I think she’s done some revision today but not entirely sure. So so many of her friends including DD have birthdays during the exam period so on 18th June when exams finish the parties are back to back for a fortnight! They really will be exhausted!

Hi @NotDonna,

She was looking at biology, geography and psychology A Level and is now looking at a level 3 Btec in some sort of Sports Science or Sports Development and Coaching. It is very much her thing, she volunteers at gymnastics coaching the little ones, but I worry it’s potentially selling herself short and limiting her options - I might be wrong though. I need to look into it more.

She’s done some revision today and now gone to gymnastics, which will do her good. A lot of her friends are also postponing birthday celebrations until they’ve finished so it will be a busy few weeks with those and prom.

Found you! I wondered why my ‘Threads I’m On’ wasn’t updating. Doh!

Dd uses the pomodoro method of revision and has managed 3-4 hours a day this week. Yesterday I dared to, gently, suggest she should/could get more done if she started earlier and instantly regretted it. She is normally very mild mannered and cheerful, but I forgot she was hormonal and the end result was a direct hit, with both barrels!

She did come and apologise later, but hasn’t got much done today either. TLC, a hot water bottle, chocolate and painkillers, plus comforting tv with Mum was required instead, until about 5ish, when she finally went off ‘to revise’. Only problem is, she doesn’t actually need to be playing guitar and singing for revision purposes. I have left her to it, not wanting a repeat of yesterday’s reaction to my ‘interference’. 🙄

She can certainly go to uni with that Btec. Friend of DS's went to Loughborough to study a sport-related degree with a Btec on a similar topic (football basically!).

Yes some unis will not accept Btecs or not without A levels as well, but most will. Certainly worth having a look tho before she makes the decision to set your mind at rest.

@SilverSnafflesMy kids do the pomodoro method too. We call them 'pommies' (we're not Aussies!) as in 'How many pommies have you done today?". DD has had another day off but she does seem a lot chirpier than before half term. I know the break can mean a loss of momentum but for some kids, it's so important to unwind and go into exams a bit more rested. The rest will be worth so much more than a bit of extra revision combined with exhaustion. DS2, on the other hand, has been working like a dog. I'm not sure where his capacity comes from (not me!) but he doesn't even seem tired. Poor DD, it's not easy to have a twin like that, and I think it's making it even harder for her to get going.

My ds2 is basically a football fan but I fear won't get the grades to get into Loughborough, which is obviously the epitome for sporty stuff.

Hi, my DD is pretty self-supporting in terms of revision. Mostly in her room, occasional forays out for food if she thinks we aren't in the kitchen.
I really haven't been very involved. This week she's gone to stay with other family members for a bit more peace and quiet! I don't know how much revision she's doing and how much staring at phone screen. She seems to be on a different timeline, getting up late and going to bed later.

Thanks for new thread. We have had a Maths and Science focused half term - past papers and me testing him using the AQA revision books (for science), which are a great resource.

He’s ignoring Spanish at the moment…..we will do some of that next week.

this time next week, English will be done and finished!

My DS has three exams on his birthday. I took him to town yesterday to get a suit for the year 11 prom. I was hoping to only (!!!) spend £57 hiring one, but they only hire out the traditional standard fit ones with the baggy trousers. I ended up spending loads more buying him a trendier fit one.

He had his maths tutor last night and I am hoping to encourage some more history revision as there is so much content to remember.

I hope all the birthday young people have a brilliant time after the exams celebrating.

DD told me yesterday that her History paper 2 is Anglo Saxons and post-war superpower relations. Only 45 mins on each with all that content. And you couldn't get more different in topic! I did a history degree and I'm not sure I could manage that.

It’s a lot isn’t it? We only have 32 marks a paper too and 3 questions so most of the topic they revise won’t even be in the exam! We looked at a past paper yesterday and my child couldn’t answer most of it, despite us revising for a couple of hours that morning. There’s just so much to retain.

Well,, that certainly sounds like an unexpected adventure! Little scamp- the pesky 🐶! The legging it off over the fields! 🙀 We have two, one of which will make a break for freedom out of the house/ garden when he can…. only to go onto the village green outside and pee on the grit bin, and that’s it. Won’t run off up the hill for freedom, but won’t come back in either. Yesterday’s pooch sounds like they gave zero cares and just wanted frolics and water on their terms, didn’t give a flying about the drama they were causing! Was it a breed known for legging it?! Bet it had fun, tho! 😈.. Your Dad sounds a star for coming town, and the teens for getting mutt home ( if you think about it, and you were a doggy drama queen… HOW much fun to do all that, get ALL the attention but, then, I guess you get home, you are hot, so cave when you see your own bowl!! .. any further doggie-sitting planned?! 😈😹!). Gsmmon good, ticks off a feeding at home, and the wine, absolutely!!

I hope the dough prepped early on got used deliciously and the book and frosty wine went well….. as to revision, least DS had fresh air and what sounds like fun! ( for the 🐕!), Spanish can wait…

STEM subjects are so impressive to me… so good for your DS going that route …. ( Spanish can be continued alongside…)… . ( I ended up doing STEM first, then second round of A levels so I’m always interested in STEM minds! I have a theory you are born with them….. or, maybe, I really did “ get cooked” Round One!! 😹😹😹 ( did I use that correctly?!).

Hope Rogue One was good and things looking ok, today! Zero revision here, thus far 🤷‍♀️!

We’ve got Early Elizabethan England and Cold War Superpower Relations. Not topics that naturally sit together. All DS keeps saying - all this for 3 questions - why???!!!!

DD1 was gutted not enough signed up for history GCSE at her school so couldn't do it. She circled back to history with her degree choice though.

I think GCSE history put DS of it entirely - too much content - he did okay but it was a subject that went on back burner for him.

DD2 finished with science - it's langauges, maths and her DT subject and RS left so 7 exams in two and half weeks. She off to a birthday party this afternoon as well though she's done a bit of revision this morning.

DD1 was gutted not enough signed up for history GCSE at her school so couldn't do it.

@CatHairEveryWhereNowWas it a very small school? My kids school is 180 per year and they have 2 full classes of History! Also 2 classes of Geog. It's not a v academic school either, but you can take both subjects which many kids do. (My kids only do one of each as I said they had to do a language! Now I think they're happy to have a different kind of brain usage).

I’m glad DD didn’t do History, although it was my favourite subject. She’s stressing enough about English Lang Paper 2.
Meanwhile, XH is arriving sometime today, but we still don’t know when, because he wants to be spontaneous. Which is exactly what DD needs, when she is revising for her GCSEs, is seriously mentally unwell and is also autistic. I’m considering spontaneously wringing his neck 😼

@PrincessOfPreschool not really it's around 250 a year group.

It was odd set of options that year as well - no language bar compulsary Welsh that year either - language department and many parents were very upset with that and it's not happened since.

Fewer than 15 needed signed up to history - so DD1 did geography and did well and went on to A-level with it. It was only year History not run at all - they'd had very lax luster Y7-9 humanties teaching - temp teachcers abounded - and full time Geography teacher was persistant with getting kids to sign up talking to them and us parents- where as p/t history teacher wasn't as proactive.

Later years DS took both history and geography and DD2 could have but took neither - so DD1 was just very unlucky. DD1 was very upset and then later when couldn't do History A-level - but ones she did set up her well for her degree and she's happy now.

DD1 did get Drama GCSE option which had never been offered before or since - and DD2 got textiles again first and only time that's been offered as GCSE.