Year 10 Help

[itbemay1]

I am wondering if anyone can give us any good help or advice on how to support our year 10 with some self directed summer study, his school haven't been hugely proactive and he is only in school for 2 hours per week from this week until the end of term.

I have discussed with him continuing on his studies over the 6 weeks holidays and I have spoken to his school, school have said no and to let him have a break, however I feel in order to catch up or keep the knowledge he does have he should be doing some work and is happy to do so. We've negotiated 2 hours per day.

I was going to look at all the GCSE work and purchase the workbooks for him to go through but does anyone else have any top tips or can point me in the direction of some good resources? Preferable physical written work as he is very easily distracted with online resources

Thanks in advance.

To be honest I don’t think studying in the summer between year 10 and 11 is necessary or advisable. Year 11 will be an intense year when he really will need to be studying hard with lots of evening and weekend revision.

I’d let him have the summer off but before he goes back help him to plan a revision and study timetable that starts on the first day back and make sure he sticks to it. I think 2 and a half hours per weeknight and 4 hours on one weekend day (comprising revision and homework) is a good place to start.

Over the summer I would also try to gradually wean him off technology as much as possible, as this is the one thing that can really damage DC’s chances of doing well in year 11. Ideally by the start of year 11 he should be in a position where has to earn his TV, gaming and phone time by sticking to your study expectations- so he should be doing his revision and then asking to go on his phone or console rather than assuming he’s allowed. And you shouldn’t give permission if he hasn’t done his 2.5 hours.

Completing the hours of study you have set him needs to become non-negotiable and just a part of his daily routine.

Thanks @SkyscraperStreets that's really good advice.

I agree. My own dd was lucky to get an hour a night of free time in year eleven. It will be a big change to go from lockdown with all the time in the world to year eleven.

We didn’t have workbooks but my dd used the CPG study guides and the flash cards for maths. You have to know the exam board before you get anything though.

There are plenty of things he could be doing but I would stick to reviewing what he’s already done.

Whether he needs a break or not rather depends on whether he has been working hard in lockdown, surely. If he has not been putting in a few hours work a day then he doesn’t need 6 weeks off and could manage with a couple at the end.

If his school have been slack, he will still be competing in his GCSEs against kids whose schools have not been slack. CGP workbooks are a good idea if you don’t want him online.

Thanks both I've just had a look at the CPG website and there are lots of things on there we/he would find useful.

He has been working in lockdown daily but as his school are not marking all of the work it is difficult to tell how he is doing.

I agree with both @SkyscraperStreets and @noblegiraffe. I think it's really important to have a good study routine in year 11- 2.5 hours on weeknights and then 4 hours on a Sunday is a good place to start and that can then increase closer to exam time. DS1 did GCSEs last year and we ultimately expected him to be doing 3 hours of work a night and 10 hours over the weekend from the March of year 11.

I think having to earn screen time and ask permission can be really effective for DC who struggle to self-regulate. DS used to be stuck to his phone and Xbox but we made him hand over his phone when he got home and he then could ask to go on it and his xbox after completing his study hours. He actually got into a really disciplined routine as he knew he wanted to earn phone and gaming time.

Both of the above can be quite difficult to implement overnight so I would start easing them in over the summer- a little hard work won't hurt him and it would help him develop the disciplined and focused mindset that really helps in year 11.

So I'd get him into the routine of giving you his phone and asking permission for screen time after doing his 2 hours' work. It would also be really useful for you to sit down with him at some point and discuss what his aspirations are in terms of his results- you can then help him develop a target to aim for. This should be ambitious but achievable, and it should help him stay motivated.

Thanks @BostonCheers great advice there too

Making revision cards / mind maps for topics covered so far might help?

Good idea @TeenPlusTwenties thank you

DS has been given summer homework books for year 10-11 transfer, I can have a look at the English one and see what is in it if you want.

ds is doing Scottish Highers, this summer we are going to encourage him to read daily and practice vocab for french a few times a week. He'll have a break from science and maths. The school have told him what their text will be for English and have asked them to do some basic background research on the theme, so he will do that too and read the short text a couple of times in preparation..

If your ds isn't familiar with studying yet I would spend a little time with him just before they go back looking at ways to revise, the importance of taking and how to take good notes, how to organise himself (Thomas frank youtube videos are good for ideas). Research, buy and become familiar with subject study books/sources and an overview of his course content, get him folders etc and a place to study so he can hit the ground running when they do go back. We did this with ds before his Scottish NAT5 last year with positive results.

DS has been working during closure as I think his school have been pretty good at providing work.

He has said he is going to continue with 5 a day Maths and will just read so his mind doesn't flop. They need the time off. His school go to a 6 lesson day in Year 11, and they've already been told that some subjects will have additional lessons too, so it will be an intense year.