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.

Checking in. So far DS has come home saying better than expected and super confident, he has a habit of saying what he thinks we want to hear, so who knows what’s actually happening! He’s aiming for 4-6 in most subjects, but hasn’t got a 4 in maths, science or history in mocks. He said he liked the AQA history yesterday and that iGCSE maths was ‘really good actually’ (he’s doing foundation paper). At least he’s not panicking I guess, he’s a very laid back kid.

@clary .. will certainly prime mine

Im coming to the conclusion that it seems to be a much worse experience for the kids wanting 9s than it is for the middle of the road kids .. @wonderstuff - I’d imagine my DS2 is in a similar place and is telling me these exams just feel like mocks and while he is trying his best he doesnt feel stressed

I bumped into a young man recently who is now in his early thirties. We had a lovely chat about when I taught his class and what he's doing now.
My current students find it highly amusing that I've taught some of their other teachers.

Agree it’s worse for the kids going for all 9s. Unfortunately for my dd, she has been happily middling for her entire school life, and now seems to have fallen into the trap of defining her self worth by grades 🤦🏻‍♀️

My DS is going for all 9s, but realistically knows he won’t get them. He should get some but as the poster who’s husband says Cambridge treat 8 and 9 the same apart from for maths he’s been hearing that message for years. I think that has made him quite a lot more relaxed than he might otherwise be. He’s also quite a relaxed character anyway so this week has been better than it might have been

Ohh interesting that Cambridge treat 8s and 9s the same. Is there a reason for that?

DD yd me teachers had to wait 48 hrs to see the exam papers. One of her teachers went through done of it with the class.

I’m a little surprised that they have been encouraged to aim for all 9s . dS1 grammar like to go for all 7 and above ( a lot DS1 included got a right ole mix 8-4) , only a couple got all 9s .

Definitely worse for the high achievers so little margin for the 9s. DD was hoping for 9s in all stem subjects and Geography then 8s for rest except English a 7.
Was so easy with DS just wanted a pass from English some 7s. He got better than expected in all but Spanish 😂

An 8 and a 9 are both equivalent to A-star which is still the norm in Wales for example. Also if any uni insisted on all 9s, contrary to what you might read on MN, it would never fill its first year places even if every candidate who gained all 9s went there; bc as noted that figure is usually around 1200. Oxford takes 3,000 students a year.

Most unis for most subjects are only bothered about GCSE grades in Eng and maths and then usually a max of a 6. Unless going for Oxford or LSE or such, or looking at med or vet med, your DC are totally fine with a mixed bag.

I agree with a PP, not sure it is a good idea to aim for all 9s. Some of the GBs are very high.

I disagree it is worse for those going for all 9s.

For them it is self-imposed stress. Nothing actually counts on it (and actually 'failing' at it may help them with not being perfect for A levels and uni).

Whereas for those desperate to get 4s or 5s or the odd 6 or 7 to meet the grades for their preferred course (or to not resit) so much more rests on it.

So it might feel worse to the academic perfectionist kids, but it isn't, it is just they aren't used to 'failing'.

(But I would say that, I had a DD who had to work massively hard for her Bs and Cs, and another who had resits getting in the way of college courses. )

I know of 5 kids who got all 9s at my eldest's school. It's highly selective indie - with kids who turned down grammar and super selective schools. It's a weird bubbly as to carry on at sixth form, kids need something like 7 x 7s and 8/9s in the subjects they want to take at A-level!

Great for those on the top of the heap but impossible pressure - and can lead to low self confidence - for those in the bottom 25%.

I know one girl who got all 9s who is now at Oxford.

DS has all 8s as target but I think he’s going to come out with 7s, maybe an 8 in English and then maths I do not care as long as he passes!

My daughter is targeting 9s in the three sciences (although seems unrealistic now after Biology paper 1 according to her 😬) and Russian, maybe also Food Tech (although NEAs weren't that stellar), but definitely not in English - would be delighted with a 7. Maths is also a strange one. Could go either way. Art she got an 8 (if grade boundaries don't change) - was also targeting a 9 so isn't happy 😬

DS school said they never predict 9s as such a tiny percentage get them. (State school in a county free of grammars).
The kids with all 9s in the paper on results day are inevitably from one of the local private schools.
DS1 did get several 8s and was very happy with that.

I completely agree with you and I say that as someone who has a DD going for all 9’s.

Regardless of how the next couple of weeks go for DD, she will easily have good enough results for A Level and any degree she wants to do. Straight 9’s is just vanity and has no baring on her future opportunities.

Whereas there is a lot of pressure on some kids to push themselves to get the minimum grades needed for their next step.

But practically getting 8s rather than 9s makes no difference to their options or next steps. As the pp has said, it’s self imposed stress and completely unnecessary.
The kids who are working their socks off to get the minimum grades they need for the next steps and who desperately want to avoid maths and English resits are the ones with huge pressure because so much is riding on it.

Hummm I’m looking at my previous post thinking I might have typed something off - I wasn’t trying to diminish the struggles of those just trying to pass at all . Twelve months ago that was DS2 - it’s still possible now he won’t pass everything

At Dd's school, the pressure for 9s is definitely coming from the students themselves (and possibly parents) rather than from the school. They need 6 grade 7s to stay, with 7s in all their A level subjects other than further Maths where you need an 8.

DD said she'll be happy with a mix of 8s and 9s, I've told her just get good grades in her A level subjects.

Agree with others that it's worse for those who need to get passes, and are unsure whether they'll get the grades to do A levels/Btec etc.

The whole system needs an overhaul I think. The application process for 6th form and uni just puts even more pressure on them.

I wholeheartedly agree with this post and hear hear to it! I’ve found this thread generally really supportive but it seems to have been very skewed by the amount of parents with children targeting all 8’s and 9’s lately which is great for them but as PP said it’s an entirely self imposed pressure. The kids hoping for 4’s in English and maths (and not completely confidant in getting them) is where the real and actual pressure lies because they have to get it mostly to move on. My eldest currently doing GCSE’s whilst not getting 8’s and 9’s which likely do very well but my next child in a couple of years is where we will really see the pressure for her just achieve a pass grade (dyslexic along with a number of other things).

Hope everyone is having a low stress weekend and the dc are enjoying some down time. DD has done 1.5hrs of chem revision and is now back FaceTiming her friends. Trying to walk the fine line of encouraging some revision without causing last minute panic as she is easily overwhelmed and has SEN.

The game is on here. Chemistry and history clash (history board seems obscure, CAIE) Monday morning, and then eng lit of course Tuesday morning. Three more papers covering Weds and Thursday and then, finally, half term!

Apologises if I started the debate should have said was my experience. Just had DD in tears again, school does not help really pushing some kids, yes might be self imposed stress unfortunately does not make it any better.

I genuinely thought it would be easier this year with DD, than DS when we worried about him passing I spent many hours with him studying.
It was English that he failed in mocks we had 3 plans for after gcses depending on grades.
I was not putting down anyone else's kids struggles sorry if it came across like that.

With DS I had breaks with DD it's full stress before and after every exam.

It’s annoying when schools choose random exam boards that result in clashes. All my DD’s Latin (WJEC - we’re not in Wales!) exams and English (Cambridge) exams clash meaning full on days those days with 3 exams.

I think the stress of exams can hit any child regardless of ability.
And for parents dealing with a stressed out child of any ability is difficult.
But if you / your child are also seriously worrying whether your child will get the required grades then you also have that stress that adds on?