DD and GCSEs

[molliepops01]

I wondered if anyone had any tips on how to get my DD engaged in school work and realise how important the next few years are?
DD is 14-15 in September and is currently in year 9. We are just going through the process of choosing options and she goes to a very good grammar school. She is very smart and does well just coasting along but when she can be bothered, does very, very well.

Year 8 was a nightmare year, she was an awful teen both at school and home, with her bad attitude, bad behaviour and a lot of pushing boundaries. Due to this her school work suffered, however toward the end of the academic year, she really turned it around and came out with really good end of year exam results. So far, in year 9 she has been good- doing all homework, not getting sent out of class and being disruptive and equally has been great at home.
We have just received the GCSE options recommendations and we were both a bit disappointed with what the school recommended and after being all defensive at first and taking no responsibility for the results- blaming the school, her bad year in year 8- she eventually broke down and admitted she hadn’t been working as hard as she could. We had a long discussion about how important the next few years are and that she may not get the options she wants or may have to persuade the teachers to let her take them but I can’t help but feel that she hasn’t really taken on board what I have said.
Am I worrying for no reason? She is only 14 but at the same time, she has a habit of knowing that she can pull it out the bag at the end (as she normally does on her end of year exams) and therefore sitting back and just coasting until it’s gcse time!
How can I get her to be a bit more engaged with school? Or is it something that comes as she gets older?
We have a couple of meetings with the school over the next few weeks so I will be talking to the teachers too.

You've said that she's been doing better since the start of the academic year. Why not focus on praising her for what she's achieved, rather than condemning her for what she hasn't?

she... admitted she hadn’t been working as hard as she could.

She's 14, Year 9 isn't that big a deal, so that's how it should be. You'll probably find that the school will be putting plenty of pressure on her over the next few years.

I appreciate you want her to do well and some kids do need a rocket every now and then. I just don't feel that this stage of Year 9 is one of those times.

She is being praised for what she is doing well and that seems to be working well for her and us. I guess I was trying to figure out if it was a big concern in year 9 or not. Or if I was worrying too early/unnecessarily as she is likely to mature and realise the importance over the coming years.

I wouldn’t worry too much. My two are also in grammar schools (year 8 and 10 - but year 10 dd is only a couple of months older than yours!). Your dd has the advantage that she’s old in her year so she will be more mature by the time it matters.

Dd didn’t work very hard last year really - but probably a bit harder than year 8! This year the pressure has kicked in from school and she’s been trying much harder. There’s still a way to go and she’s definitely not as conscientious as some but she’s getting there. The important thing is that she’s taking it more seriously and wants to do well. She knows it matters now - that’s not really true of year 9.

I do believe in balance though. She tries to have the weekends off and get homework done in the week, which I support - I know it will be different from the second half of year 11, but this is a long game and there’s more to life than top grades.

What is the school suggesting that’s disappointed you? Is there something she can’t do that she’d like to?

Good to hear that there is Hope crazycrofter!!
Like you we have a balance in our house and all homework is done in the week also.

The school have a scoring system 1-4 with 1 strongly being recommended as an option and 4 not being recommended. Apart from food tech ( which she scored 1) and RS (which as 2) all other subjects were a 3 which is and I quote
“ **Some aspects of this subject at GCSE may not suit the skills or aptitude of the student”
This just makes me think what is she doing there if they don’t want to put her forward for any subjects?! So really the only option is food tech and RS?!
There is a careers night next week and then parents evening in feb so I can speak to the teachers. She consistently scores high in vocabulary translation, written and oral tests in languages test hasn’t been recommended one

If I’m honest it feels like they don’t have faith in her and have given up.
Or maybe I’m just over reacting?! I get that there is a need for the school to make sure that their results are the best but I can’t quite help but feel a bit disappointed.

That’s a strange system, I’ve not heard anything like that before! What subjects would she like to do? RS is a good subject to do - it involves essay writing etc and is interesting. And Food would be good as a change from the academic subjects. So there’s nothing wrong with those subjects, and if she’s recommended them that presumably means she works hard in them/quite enjoys them which is half the battle! How many options does she have?

If she's at a grammar school I'd expect her to be able to pass any GCSE she put her mind to (tech subjects aside maybe).

I wonder if the teachers mean 'she's lazy and I don't want a lazy child in my class as she'll bring my average results down'?

ds is 16, and in year 11.
In year 8 he coasted, and again in year 9. He is also in a grammar school, and really, just did the minimum to keep school off his back.

In year 10, he started to realise that you have to work a bit for GCSE and now in year 11 he is actually working, just enough still, but working.

So, I wouldn't worry too much about year 9, I think the grammar school will make sure she picks up the pace through year 10 and 11.
It really does help to talk about th efuture, work back from what you want to what you need at GCSE. Ds doesn't know what he wants to do, so we talk instead about keeping options open, and especially the importance of Maths and English.

WRT options, I personally would ignore those 3's. Unless she has an area where she struggles (eg maths/languages) then any student at grammar school should be able to get the GCSE in any of those subjects. I suspect the grading system is partly to help students see where their strengths and weaknesses are, and partly because the school wants high results, so they will steer kids towards the ones they will get highest grades in. You don't have to follow that.

molliepops01
Pretty sure my DS is at the same school from info you've given. I am hoping that it all becomes a bit clearer at the option evening next week. Not sure if there will be a chance to discuss individuals until the parent's evening in a few weeks, but will hopefully be a bit of a pointer. I wouldn't think the school have given up, but by putting her scores a bit lower for suggested subjects, maybe hoping it will have the desired effect.

Thanks all, I am a lot more calmer today!!!
From what you and others have said, there is a good chance that she will mature in year 10 and take it all seriously.
I have. Also been thinking about the core subjects and she is in set 2 out of four (1 being the highest) for maths and science so on the whole she can’t be that bad!!
I guess all the subjects with 3 aren’t ruled out she just has to speak to her teachers to find out the areas that she is struggling in.
I need to understand where the school are coming from as the recommendations she got so not reflect her test results. That said as long as she is doing well, which she is, in the core subjects then that’s the main thing.
Thanks all

What subjects do they use the 1-4 system for?