Y11 2025-26 Exams have started - chat, support & drink of choice if needed here.

[UncomfortableSilence]

New thread for all of us with lovely Y11s to support them and us through the coming weeks.

@Garble economics is quite essay heavy if that is (or is not) his thing. But if he will get 8s in maths and physics then A levels will be grand.

Thanks - it was AQA - Medicine

Our local sixth form minimum requirement to do A levels or equivalent is 4 x grade 5 or 5 x grade 4, then specific subject requirements eg 6 in maths to do economics. So worth investigating options for people who are not sure dc will get the grades to stay at their current school.

sounds like a very similar situation for our DDs - she is also “the creative one” among her group of super-academic friends. I’ve been trying to build her up saying that it’s not about the quality of her artwork but just the hoops the exam board want you to jump through and I do think that’s true. Also, I keep pointing out that her academic grades are still good and as long as she gets what she needs for college, that’s all that matters. Good luck to your DD - what is she planning to do next?

Has anyone else’s DC really struggled today? Mine had 6 exams last week, ending with history on Friday morning. They’re still in school so went straight from that exam into really hardcore lessons (a full past paper in silence and then two further lessons). Today they’ve been so exhausted they’ve hardly been able to move or eat. Did two 30 minute revision sessions but didn’t take anything in. Haven’t had the energy to do anything that might help (a walk etc). I’m really hoping that they’ll get an early night and wake up feeling better but I’m really struggling with not knowing how to help. We’ve tried favourite foods. Watching a bit of tv. Leaving them to chill in their room with music.

She wants to do Art A Level, then Art Foundation, then an Art degree… so being disappointed with her Art mark has knocked her back. I told her the same - that it’s not about her talent, just about hitting the AOs. Just really hoping she doesn’t let it put her off her dreams. How about your DD?

She was set to do Art Alevel but has now decided to do a UAL level 3 extended diploma in Art and Design, so again not ideal to lose confidence in her art abilities, since that’s the only thing she’s planning to study next year. Hopefully they will both regain their confidence with a bit of time.

@Curlyfrizzball it is indeed the silly hoops that the exam board want you to jump through for art. My dd did gcse art a few years back and was aiming for the highest grade. Her teacher went through her portfolio and said for a 9 they want you to link your artworks together in some way, to show a thread from one to the other. He suggested an easy way to do that which would tick the box was to incorporate a piece of the previous piece into the next one… so if the previous page had a crab, you do a little crab in the corner of the piece on the next page. He said that would literally get her up a grade. Now if anyone can’t see how ridiculous that is, and how unrelated to the actual quality of art, I despair. But just shows how stupid and formulaic the mark scheme is. I think once you get your head round this as a parent and student, hopefully it will help to shrug off the final grade. My sister is an illustrator and she says literally no one in the art world cares about your grades or even what uni you went to. It’s about your portfolio and prior work. That’s it.

@Roseyposeypie it’s so intense. DD had night off last night and bits of study today between doing leavers shirt etc. She study solidly for 7 weeks..

@BurnoutBee your son has an obvious talent for English. Eng lang esp hard, my children go to a very good state school in a well heeled area and only 4 of the 169 kids who sat English language last year were awarded a 9. 7 kids an 8. So your son sounds like a legend

@ShesRunningOutTheDoor

Thank you for your kind words. Good to hear of some real world comparisons. 😊

This is brilliant. You must be so proud of your boy!

DD having a meltdown about English Lit, she’s knee deep in poetry at this hour.

She has Chemistry on Monday, her worst subject by far. Major teaching issues, lots of subs and she has zero confidence in it. Her school of thought is to forget about it, and focus on her strengths, which is English Lang/Lit - She has the ability to hit an 8 in these.

I don’t know if this is the right thing to do? I still feel she should be focused on Chemistry, even though she won’t be studying anything Science related going forward, nor pursuing a career that requires a deep understanding of scientific subjects?

@VillageFete

Thank you. Yes I am very proud. We had a similar dilemma. He was in the triple science GCSE group but had no chem or biology teacher for the whole period. He was quite stressed overall so he dropped to the combined science like everybody else. A few peers in his class had tutors in the end to fill the gap. Hoping he can at least get a 4, but he seems to just focus on the English. He isnt
going to pursue a science career either. Best of luck to your daughter 👍.

I had to email head of year 11 last week and informed her I was pulling DD out of lessons and will be focusing on exams. Her school has carried on with normal lessons in between exams or on days they are no exams. We have weighed the pros and cons and decided it was better for DD, she has come home after morning exams had some food, decompressed then did her own revision until about 8. It has also helped that I have taken bits of time off work to be at home with her. She is an only so don't have any experience of this just doing what I think is best for mine, there is a month to go yet so will see how that goes.

@VillageFete good state comp here. Majority of kids I know are focusing on the 667 grades they need for their A level & college choices now. Playing tactical with all others.. not revising as much for those subjects where a 4 or 5 will do. They typically have 20+ exams so just can’t do it all at 9 level

Yes, I’ve just been looking at the timetable for next week and considering the same. The thing is he’ll probably want to be there for some of the lessons where it’s a subject with an exam coming up soon and a teacher who’s helpful and supportive. I think I’ll just have to see how it goes.

here are some facts on GCSEs. Can’t remember who said that MN (lots of grade 9s ) was disproportionate on this thread but they are absolutely correct.

(Note these do not have igcse data in them at all, only private schools can do igcses now and I can’t find the stats for them. Igcses have coursework in them which was banned under Michael goves reforms for state schools at gcse. Igcses normally have better outcomes due to coursework and due to private schools.)

https://analytics.ofqual.gov.uk/apps/GCSE/SubjectCombinations/ number of students getting a certain grade across 3 subjects. A gcse salad as many have mentioned is far more common

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infographic-gcse-results-2024/infographics-for-gcse-results-2024-number of students getting all grade 9s

https://www.bstubbs.co.uk/gcse.htm. Percentage of grades awarded in each subject for every gcse for every year GCSEs have been sat.

Is your dd my dd?! Loathes chemistry but favourite subject by miles is English lit where she’s aiming for a 9 and an 8/9 in language. She got a 5 in her chemistry mock so would be delighted with a 6. She had a whole day of lit revision yesterday but tells me today I’ll be testing her on chemistry. Can’t wait.

@Ifonlyonedaythankyou . Interesting to see only 40% take 9-10 GCSE and 40% take only 7-8
that suprised me

@Funkylights

6-8 at my sons school. Only around 30 in the year group are put in for a language exam. All mine have loved Spanish though.

Their reasoning is the majority fail and the cohorts need less to focus on their core subjects. Behaviour particularly awful in MFL.

Deprived school.

What do the other 20% do? We’re doing 9 here. Started with 11 (inc FM which isn’t actually a gcse but still) but it was far too much

Do they legally have to be in school now as lots have study leave?

My DCs school have sent generic letters saying it’s compulsory to attend up to mid June & they won’t be allowed to go to prom if attendance falls below 95% (there is an exceptional circumstances clause).

School seems to put so much pressure on them as there’s also (optional but strongly encouraged) evening, weekend & school holiday extra study support sessions.

DS’s school is saying something similar here - compulsory attendance, minimal study leave.

I think it suits him TBH. He hopefully does a decent bit of revision at school, and he gets to see his friends as well. I’ll keep him off if this changes though.

Oh, DS is doing 11 I think, including FM. It does feel like a lot.

I have done a deal with dd1 - she’s going in as normal this week. Friday is leavers day which is traditionally late start/dress up so something of a day off.

then post half term technically it’s usual school until the 5th which I think is insane. She is going to go in on the Monday (no exams, catch up with her maths teacher and physics teacher), the Tuesday she has 2 longish exams so in anyway then the weds to Fri she will go home after exams and study at home. She can go to the gym or study with her best mate (as they do actually study) but not her other friends or boyfriend. Dd2 quite likes being in school so up to her:

dd1 was very flat yesterday and I was a bit concerned. She went for a walk with her best mate for an hour and did her nails whilst watching Eurovision but there is boyfriend trouble as well as exam stress. She did quite a bit of chemistry and some English. So more of both for both today once they get up and a family trip to the gym