Advice for yr 11?

MrPickles73 · 2025-08-29T06:18:33+00:00

DD is our eldest and starting year 11 next week. She is bright and we hope she will come away with grades 7-9. The teaching is overall good but she doesn't get on with the other girls who sadly seem a spikey bunch. Any tips for how we can support her at home? How much homework etc should she be doing? What should we keep an eye on (academic management at the school is not great..).

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 07:21

So past few years have been tough socially for her? Or a recent thing?

clary · 29/08/2025 07:31

Look at some of the threads on this board about how to revise (even if a year or two old they are still relevant) so she can find a style that suits her. Good ideas include obvs past papers but also explaining the work to someone (eg you!) or talking it through, targeted revision on a topic, revise and then get you to test her.

Encourage her to write up notes and make flashcards or other revision resources now on any year 10 topics such as geography case studies, books already covered in Eng lit, vocab for topics in MFL, topics covered in history, ditto science. That will be massively useful next summer as topics may not be covered again in detail this year.

She should do the HW as set and also work on revision of topics and work as she goes.

You can also make sure she has a space to work that’s quiet (desk in room, kitchen table); good food and drink; time to relax eg with a sporting or other hobby; all the stationery she needs (flashcards, coloured pens, calculator for maths). All the best to her.

Original poster

MrPickles73 · 29/08/2025 07:36

itchyoureye the last two years at this school. She's generally sociable and friendly with no issues. The year above and below her seem cheery but her year there always seem to be friendship issues with the girls. We did ask at the very start and the school admitted the years before she turned up weren't great amongst the girls. We did try another school but she decided to stick this one out. We agreed she won't stay for sixth form and we try to distract her with hobbies outside of school. It's sad but I think she just has to get through at this stage..

OP posts:

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 07:38

MrPickles73 · 29/08/2025 07:36

itchyoureye the last two years at this school. She's generally sociable and friendly with no issues. The year above and below her seem cheery but her year there always seem to be friendship issues with the girls. We did ask at the very start and the school admitted the years before she turned up weren't great amongst the girls. We did try another school but she decided to stick this one out. We agreed she won't stay for sixth form and we try to distract her with hobbies outside of school. It's sad but I think she just has to get through at this stage..

She had similar social issues at previous school?

Original poster

MrPickles73 · 29/08/2025 07:52

itchyoureye no specific to current school

OP posts:

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 07:53

What was the issue with the school you tried?

This current school really sounds far from ideal both socially and academically

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 29/08/2025 08:30

I can’t comment on the social side of things because my Y12(today!) is a boy, and they seem to be a bit more straightforward in that respect.

What I found full in about Y11 was the constant planning and admin. Sixth /college form open days, A level/BTec etc choices, mock exams, revision sessions, 6th form /college applications, interviews, offers…. - it seemed to be constant deadlines to keep on top of.

I’d also advise applying to at least 2, if not more, 6th forms/colleges, to have the greatest chance of doing what you want to do. DS was happy to stay at school 6th form, but in Feb they told him they couldn’t timetable his (not unusual) subject combo because a teacher was leaving and not being replaced. Fortunately he’d applied to a couple of colleges that could accomodate him; one of his peers was all set to do a particular BTEC at college, but they have decided not to run it this year.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 29/08/2025 08:46

My tip is to revise different topics constantly through the year so there’s no big stress in the run up to mocks and exams.

Do they do any GCSEs in year 10 in her school? That worked well for our dc to see how much work is needed.

Make sure she’s got a desk and quiet space to study, make sure she knows how she learns best.

Keep up as many out of school activities that she enjoys as you can.

Be proactive with sixth form / FE college open evenings and applications. They creep up surprisingly quickly.

Original poster

MrPickles73 · 29/08/2025 10:36

Thankyou for the tip on multiple college applications, I've wondered about this but seems a prudent approach.

OP posts:

Bellyfat · 29/08/2025 12:09

Little and often for revision, it's a busy year in school and downtime is just as important as revision.
YouTube has brilliant short videos for topic revision, take a look now and see who is a good fit for learning. We used to put one on some evenings, literally 10-15 minutes as a quick recap. Maths, science and English were particularly good.
Sixth form open evenings happen really early in the school year, we didn't realise and missed some. Colleges seemed to be later and at the weekend.
Clear pencil cases turned into gold dust the closer it got to exam season.
Prepare yourself for the cost, it's an expensive year - school sold revision guides and flash cards, leavers hoodies, year book, prom ticket and dress. I didn't want her to miss out on any 'lasts', but year 11 cost a small fortune.

noblegiraffe · 29/08/2025 12:15

Open evenings for colleges and sixth forms will be SOON so make sure you have the dates in the calendar now. She should have some idea of what she wants to study before she goes to them so she can look at the right things.

Then it will be mocks.

Then it will be Christmas already. Y11 goes really fast.

HonoriaBulstrode · 29/08/2025 12:27

With past papers, read the questions carefully, so that she understands and answers what is actually being asked. In essay subjects, look out for words like 'describe' or 'compare'.

It's not just about learning reams of stuff, she has to show that she can select and apply what she has learned appropriately.

If she's looking at past papers, treat them as if it was an actual exam - read the instructions at the top and follow them, so it becomes automatic - eg answer one question from Section A, one question from Section B and so on.

Teachers should be dinning this into them.

MissyB1 · 29/08/2025 12:46

Don’t worry about the social side, my ds doesn’t have any close friends at school, he’s just finished year 11, did fine in his GCSEs, and is staying for 6th form. Year 11 is a busy year anyway so ds wasn’t bothered about the parties etc that people were having. He’s in a football club and that took up his spare time anyway, does your dd have any hobbies or clubs? There will be a lot of movement in terms of schools / colleges etc after the GCSEs so friendships can all change then. This year she just needs to focus on getting the grades she wants.

TeenToTwenties · 29/08/2025 12:51

Have plans A, B and C for post y11.

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 14:42

MissyB1 · 29/08/2025 12:46

Don’t worry about the social side, my ds doesn’t have any close friends at school, he’s just finished year 11, did fine in his GCSEs, and is staying for 6th form. Year 11 is a busy year anyway so ds wasn’t bothered about the parties etc that people were having. He’s in a football club and that took up his spare time anyway, does your dd have any hobbies or clubs? There will be a lot of movement in terms of schools / colleges etc after the GCSEs so friendships can all change then. This year she just needs to focus on getting the grades she wants.

Easy for someone to say who isn’t actually spending most of their lives in an environment with either no friends or even worse, no friends and bullies. I wonder if your son is so chilled about not having a social life at school

MissyB1 · 29/08/2025 15:46

Itchyoureye · 29/08/2025 14:42

Easy for someone to say who isn’t actually spending most of their lives in an environment with either no friends or even worse, no friends and bullies. I wonder if your son is so chilled about not having a social life at school

Show quote history

He chose to stay for 6th form. He fills his break times and lunch times helping with clubs or in the school gym. That way he’s got to know kids in other year groups. He sees school at this stage as a stepping stone to get where he wants in life, he made a strategic decision to stay as this school is very strong in his particular subjects. And his life outside of school is busy and sociable. He is chilled because he’s always known you don’t have to be popular or in the cool gang to be happy. If he was being bullied we would have got it addressed or withdrawn him but that has never happened 🤷‍♀️

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 30/08/2025 21:27

TeenToTwenties · 29/08/2025 12:51

Have plans A, B and C for post y11.

This...

Check open evening dates this weekend, some only have 1 in mid-late September.

Check application deadlines and minimum requirements.

Get names of good tutors and their contact details from last year's Y11 and keep them handy for when you are panicking post mocks or Easter.

Amazon are great for all the supplies you will need: see through pencil cases, see through unlogoed water bottles etc. They even sell pre-made exam packs.

They also do revision books.

Buy a nice bottle of gin... you will need it.

Good luck! I am very thankful to be out the other side 😂