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.

Honestly, if your daughter is studious I think tutors quite often are a waste of money (going by my 11+ experience 🥶). My daughter finds it much more helpful to revise using YouTube and past papers. I just got her an English tutor, which was her weakest subject, but not sure how much added value that will prove to be. My dad (Phd in Maths) tried to help her with Maths and sciences, but she found it to be a waste of her time 🤪

Won't hear from DD until after 3 and the second exam is finished but good to hear it was COMH as that was one she liked. The inspector calls questions seem ok too. Unseen poems seem quite accessible but I predict she will say that but went badly (as she generally hates that part).

30 mins into second exam now - just 1 hour and I hope she'll feel a weight has been lifted (until Thursday as she desperately doesn't want to resit English language)

To be fair, subject knowledge doesn't always translate into being able to help with revision.

I learned not to ask my PhD Chemistry dad for help with homework fairly early on. A simple question about translating shapes on a graph turned into several hours of discussion on step changes and raised eyebrows from my teacher, who said my year 8 homework was what he would expect from a student taking their Masters. My dad's a lovely man but very passionate about his subject.

Haha that's exactly what revision with my dad is like! 😂 My daughter says any mention of a formula leads my dad to tell an hour-long story about how it was developed in the 15th century and many such tangent tales (my dad also LOVES history). This is why my daughter prefers YouTube 🤣

Similar with DH. He's an over-explainer as it is, and then veers off into segues so DS runs a mile before asking for help now.

As for me, I tend to just throw questions at him for my specialist subject (History) and try and act out all the voices (my JFK is pretty good) so he runs screaming from me, too.

Really pleased it was checking out me history. The kids were all revising Tissue due to rumours abounding on the internet

My DD was doing Pearson (is that EdExcel?) And I can't see anyone anywhere mentioning the things she had today!

She had Jekyll and Hyde followed by Sonnet 43 and an unseen poem about whales.....

Seems less upset than with chemistry yesterday so that's good.

2.15 is such a long stint! I wish they were on study leave and could come home for a rest after.

@NotDarkGothicMama that's exactly what DH who is the scientist does. I'm the go to for arts so tend to ask vaguer questions.

DD said she very nearly messed up AIC as saw responsibility and wrote an essay plan without properly reading the question. Luckily she checked it before she started her intro bout Mr Birling and realised it was about women. Her other main feedback was that it was too long, and after writing 2 essays, the last thing she felt like doing was a third on the unseen. Relieved that it's over and is now on the sofa.

Haven’t checked in for a few days, need to catch up.

Chemistry wasn’t the shit show that DD predicted, she said it was “Ok” So, hopefully with the wind behind her she’ll scrape a 4 - she REALLY hates Chemistry and Physics.

She is ecstatic about today’s Eng Lit. She predicted what the questions would be, so got very lucky in her revision choices, and was over the moon with COMH - She’s confident of an 8 in English Lit. I like her confidence as she wants to study it at A level and at Uni!

RE tomorrow, Eng Lang on Thursday. Praying Eng Lang goes equally well for her. She has her heart set on 7/8 for Lang, and an 8 for Lit. I feel incredibly nervous when I think of her opening the results- i’ll be devastated if she’s disappointed!

I am literally watching the clock for DS to come out of school at 2.55. I want an update!!

Haha, lots of enthusiastic scientist parents here! DH is also a scientist. He was in his element homeschooling over lockdown. I dread to think what chemicals we have lurking in drawers from those experiments.

School doesn't kick out until 4pm here. The waiting is endless.

Urgh he said he didn't finish - he's still predicting himself 7/8 though hilariously

dd was thrilled with her AIC answer - said it was the best of the two papers and poetry great too. English Lit done until alevel now!!

Same for my DD, she got 2 in the mock after doing lots of work. She’s basically given up on it but really wishes she’d chosen a different option!

I'll be so upset if DD is disappointed too because I know she's worked so hard. I actually think I much preferred sitting exams myself. More control!

I really wish there was an option for students to drop their least favourite subject (obviously not core subjects) so as to focus on getting better grades in the ones they do care about. 10 GCSEs is a lot, they don't really need them all.

And the thing I'm worried about is that sitting this exam will knock her confidence in the others. There's nothing worse than having to sit through the time in an exam you just can't do.

I work with young people and one told me she had more tears than marks on one of her GCSE papers (yes, she did fail that one) and I don't really see that benefits anyone. With all the talk of student 'mental health' you'd think they'd consider this as an option just to reduce the pressure a bit.

That’s it, isn’t it - when you’ve seen them work their socks off and you know they deserve to see a reward for all of that work, but you have zero control over it - it’s horrid!

I love his confidence and hope that what he did manage to do was so spectacular that he hits an 8!

Someone tell me why still having a normal timetable at school to revise is a good thing again? DS1 just home. 2 teachers forgot to turn up to his timetabled revision lesson, he spent half another lesson admiring another teachers new baby (I’m jealous there, to be fair), and another lesson playing card games with a therapy dog? In the remaining time he did about 2/3 of a past paper that is 1h 30 min long. I mean he might as well have stayed home! Only saving grace is he seems a bit more chilled but still. He has 2 more exams this week! 😤

My school sent us all a very strongly worded message in the newsletter - apparently lots of year 11s are having their parents turn up to collect them and leaving school due to 'illness' once their exams are done (including I'm going to admit DD one day - she claimed a headache which I'm sure was true after a very long morning exam). I understand why they need to have the option to stay in school but my DD has also said the 'lessons' are a bit pointless and I can't see why they're so fixated on 'attendance' and not on what is best for the children as it's stressful enough as it is.

DD says she gets a lot more revision done at home.

You couldn't write it :-( My daughter sustained an injury because of another pupil knocking/ramming into her just before the exam in the corridor. I dont want to write too much info on here bur I am so upset for her as this was her strongest subject.

I assume you've had it confirmed that they'll apply for special consideration. If not, follow it up.

Oh no! Definitely raise it with the school and ask for consideration

Happy DD, English went very well, happy with the poems. Computer Science was also very good although she did say quite a few in her class found it hard.

French and RE tomorrow.

Being in school all day is really adding to her tiredness I’m not sure how beneficial it’s been. There’s been a couple of targeted sessions before exams but other than that it’s just been their own revision. I do think having that social time at lunch with their friends is a good release though. Thankfully only 2 more days of this then nothing Friday and study leave from half term.

Hope everyone’s DC have had a good day and if not sending a hug it’s bloody relentless.