How much GCSE revision did your kids do?

[Readingisgood]

How much GCSE revision did your kids do and when did they start?

DC is doing the core subjects, maths, English Language, English Literature, Combined Science, plus 2 other subjects.

DO school stop before for revision?

Thanks

Why so many exams for each subject was my question,

4 English
6 Science
3 maths

etc

DS was always very academic and hard working during GCSEs. He was predicted high grades so we tended to let him to get on with it, with minimal cajoling.

I had assumed he had been doing a lot of revision but it turned out it was nowhere near as much as I thought.

He ended up getting nearly all 9s but for A levels I'm going to be a bit closer to him to ensure he doesn't slip up as he'll need very high grades for the unis he wants to apply to next year.

Hard agree. Competition is massive now. It’s not a case of getting what you “need” for the next stage. Employer/Uni etc may want to see the full picture. Some consider GCSE a better marker of ability as you’re studying a larger number of subjects.

DS started "revising" during the February half term, not too much, just an hour or so most evenings and 2/3 hours on Sats/Sundays. Ramped up over the Easter holidays to 2/3 hours per day on average inc weekends. Then continued upon return after Easter, alongside attending normal school lessons, another couple of hours in the evenings, then maybe half days Sat and Sun. Then once exam season started, he'd do probably 5 hours per day on "days off" between exams and weekends. Got mostly 9's so the time paid off. Key is to start early and be consistent. No need for 8/10 hour days nor "overnighters" if you start soon.

But he'd also done a lot of revision in Nov/Dec for his mocks which were early January, so he'd got quite a good "recap" of the course anyway. (He got mostly 8's in the January mocks!)

So six science is two for each of biology, physics and chemistry – not really that much, two per subject.

Four English again is two each for Eng lit and Eng lang, two very different subjects,

Three maths – well I guess again to show the breadth of knowledge and cover all topics. Also means that if someone has an off day they can still get a decent grade on the other papers. Genuinely I don;t see it as an issue. No way could you cover Shakespeaere, a novel, a 20th C text and 15 poems in one two-hour exam.

I agree, never understood it really. Life is ALL a competition. It's no good thinking you "Only" need grade 6's at GCSE or grades C at A level for your chosen further education or degree course, because it's a numbers game. If the college/Uni can fill their spaces with kids who've got way over the "minimum entry requirements", they will, maybe leaving those who've just hit the minimum without a place.

People need to aim for the best they can achieve, not the minimum they think they'll need.

My DS did barely any revision and it was certainly reflected in his grades. However, he really wasn't suited to academia and at 23 almost 24, he's a builder. He did the 2 years after school at college, first year mechanics and second year construction and he hated that too. I was so glad when his education years were over, probably just as glad as he was.

They are only 16; and is success measured only by exams results?

It is not. But it depends what they want to do, and what their competition looks like. A non-academic route then fine, chill all you want. An academic route? Well get ready for the ride……