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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

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Original poster

Any other Y11 teachers stressing?

19 replies

PumpkinPie2016 · 29/01/2018 21:32

My Y11 class are generally a nice bunch. They are middle set are we are doing the new science GCSE .

I am so stressed about preparing them with only specimen papers and it being the first year of the exam.
I know everyone is in the same boat but I can't help panicking.

The kids don't seem to be seeing the urgency either - I set a revision hwk this week and 4/28 did it. Another colleague said similar.

Part of me wants to stop time and part of me just wants May to come so they can do the exam!

OP posts:

mnahmnah · 29/01/2018 21:35

Mine have just done their mocks. Awful. Just awful. Like they’ve slept through the course so far! Read them the riot act this morning. One response was ‘Urgh miss, you’re so harsh, some teachers are rubbish but we don’t tell them that’!!! Aaaggghhh

Original poster

PumpkinPie2016 · 30/01/2018 06:00

Right there with you about the mocks - highest grade in the class was a 3

And instead of applying themselves in light of such poor results they don't bother with the revision hwk

I am only 31 but I feel like I may be grey and wrinkles by May!

OP posts:

mnahmnah · 30/01/2018 07:06

Expectations at my school is that they all meet or exceed their forecast, which is the highest FFT band (can’t remember what it’s called!). A lot of pressure. I do usually get amazing results, but this lot are going to be a dip for sure. It’s like they just don’t get how much work they need to be doing. The effort it takes.

mnahmnah · 30/01/2018 07:07

I have students forecast an 8 or 9 and they got 3 or 4 in the mock!!!

MaisyPops · 30/01/2018 07:11

First year through is tough.
I'm English so our y11 are our 2nd year through the new spec.

I've got a lovely bunch but some of them are firmly in denial mode after their mocks. I've seen an increase in low level distuption and generally not paying attention to basic exam technique. Theu are fed up with me being on at them at the moment.
Current working levels are largely 4-6 targets are 5-6 (i think abiut 6 will get 7s+). I'm sure them feeling close to it means they are prioritising other subjects but it is bothering me seeing stupid mistakes creep in.

MsAwesomeDragon · 30/01/2018 07:18

I'm stressing too. We've at least had one year through already as I teach maths. We found last year that the grade boundaries were lower than we expected and the actual papers were slightly easier than the specimens (not really easier content, just passed in a more accessible way). Our results still dipped from previous years slightly. That's not to say that will happen in other subjects though, and I'm not sure that was the case with all exam boards.

CarrieBlue · 30/01/2018 10:33

The results matter far more to the teachers than to the kids - it’s our livelihoods, they can always take resits

CatAndFiddle · 30/01/2018 17:51

Remember that the grade boundaries will be set so that the exact same percentage of the national cohort get an A,B,C equivalent as achieved those grades last year. Grade boundaries are going to be LOW, if our mocks are anything to go by. There is so much of the new spec, like the quant chemistry, that is just not accessible to the majority of the kids.

sakura06 · 30/01/2018 20:18

I am so worried about Year 11. The apathy and lack of work ethic is unreal. Some of them work hard in class and at home, and do well, but many are doing no homework and not enough class work. The new GCSE in my subject is really, really tough, so I do have sympathy for them. Trying my best to do all I can, but it's never going to be enough if they don't care.

Acopyofacopy · 31/01/2018 19:03

I’m stressing. The fact that my bottom set are planning to cram everything in during their study leave and therefore clearly do not need to work now is not helping...

Matildasmum13 · 31/01/2018 19:49

As a teacher and a parent of a bright year 11, the struggle is real. She is freaking out over the amount of homework and feels she cant revise enough as she has 3 pieces of homework every night - each subject pushing their stuff. I'm telling her that her homework is 'revision'. Ive never seen her so stressed and this is for her third lot of mocks- not even the real thing. Her teachers must be under such pressure😞

UniversallyUnchallenged · 31/01/2018 19:55

oddly glad to hear others teachers woes. Same boat, it’s sinking, while year 11 look balefully on

UniversallyUnchallenged · 31/01/2018 19:56

Sorry matildasmum - obviously not all year 11 🙈

Original poster

PumpkinPie2016 · 31/01/2018 20:28

Thank for all your replies! Makes me feel less alone at least!

Last couple of weeks have been so stressful - hoping half term will help me to recharge for the final push!

OP posts:

Theimpossiblegirl · 31/01/2018 20:35

Hang on in there Y11 teachers, you are doing a fabulous job in exceptionally difficult circumstances, but those kids really need you.

DD just came home with her PPE/mock results (not too shoddy, we'd be chuffed if they were the real thing) and we are so grateful for the help she has received so far. She is just one of many, I know, but she could not do it without her amazing teachers.

BlessYourCottonSocks · 31/01/2018 20:42

I'm not stressing, and frankly I'm not entirely sure why, because our Mock results were shite and I'm a HoD.

I am doing my best. I always do my best for my students, and I can't do more. This new GCSE is badly thought out, no one knows what grade boundaries are, etc. Exam board have been little to no help. There is FAR too much content to cover (4 textbooks in 2 years!)

I think I've just resigned myself to the fact that they will achieve what they achieve and I don't feel they'd have done any better with anyone other than me (if that doesn't sound too arrogant). Targets are mostly completely unrealistic - far too many will apparently get a '9'. I don't believe any of them will actually achieve this grade, never mind several!

TheSecondOfHerName · 04/02/2018 09:08

I'm the parent of a Y11 who is doing triple science (AQA) along with 7 other academic subjects (and a further maths certificate). I'm worried that he is working too hard.

In the middle of Y10 he started doing an hour of revision each day on top of set homework, and he has continued that daily, even through the summer holidays at the end of Y10. He revised on Christmas day. He stepped up the revision for mocks.

In order to do the A-levels he wants to do, he needs 8 in Maths, A* in F.Maths, 7 in Chemistry and 7 in Physics.

In the mocks (I think they used a specimen paper?) he got 87% in Physics, 79% in Chemistry and 67% in Biology.

He has ASD so is finding it difficult to cope with the uncertainty of the new course, especially the lack of past papers.

TheSecondOfHerName · 04/02/2018 09:11

In the maths mock he got 204/240 which I don't think will be enough for an 8. In paper 2 he spent too long on the early questions and then ran out of time.

MaisyPops · 04/02/2018 09:44

TheSecondOfHerName
It may well be.
Our maths department said the boundaries last year for them were shockingly low. I can't remember which board they do though.

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