Daughter melts down in exam conditions GCSE exam revision advice / suggestions?

[Shippou-Sensei]

It should be possible. Not sure about schools but colleges do most of their recruitment at the end of August after GCSE results come back.

I think schools probably want to work out rough numbers earlier to start planning and seeing what courses are viable.

 

[trashpony]

We have until February to submit post GCSE applications in Kent.

is she planning on staying at the same school?

 

[muscovyduck]

Where are you based? You'll get different answers depending on whether you're in London or somewhere in the wilderness

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

We have until February to submit post GCSE applications in Kent.

is she planning on staying at the same school?

Probably. Almost certainly in fact.

Where are you based? You'll get different answers depending on whether you're in London or somewhere in the wilderness

London. Croydon.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

ATOMIC SUPLEX, I'm happy to help with feedback/marking on any timed essays you do (Eng lang or lit) as practice. Though I'm currently only teaching up to Y10, I do know the specs.

I have one paper back from her last english mock. For homework the teacher has asked the whole class to redo the 40 point question because most kids in her class handled it really badly.
My problem is - her teacher hasn't actually looked at any papers herself, just the marks of the class overall. She has just blanket asked the whole class to 'do it again by tomorrow' with no other instructions. My daughter is not entirely sure what she did right, what she did wrong and what she could do to improve her score.
We both looked at the the marking paper but I don't think I really understand enough to give pointers.
So yes. I would be great if you could just have a quick look at what she has written. It would be a great help.

 

[maomao]

I have one paper back from her last english mock. For homework the teacher has asked the whole class to redo the 40 point question because most kids in her class handled it really badly.
My problem is - her teacher hasn't actually looked at any papers herself, just the marks of the class overall. She has just blanket asked the whole class to 'do it again by tomorrow' with no other instructions. My daughter is not entirely sure what she did right, what she did wrong and what she could do to improve her score.
We both looked at the the marking paper but I don't think I really understand enough to give pointers.
So yes. I would be great if you could just have a quick look at what she has written. It would be a great help.

I've PMed you.

Unfortunately 'group feedback' (where kids all get the same feedback despite having a range of different challenges) is standard practice in a lot of schools these days as it allows management to spread teachers a bit more thinly. It's shit though because even when it's done well it ignores the bottom and top of the class. When it's done badly it can actually result in teachers looking for work to fit preprepared feedback classes.

 

[clicker]

I have one paper back from her last english mock. For homework the teacher has asked the whole class to redo the 40 point question because most kids in her class handled it really badly.
My problem is - her teacher hasn't actually looked at any papers herself, just the marks of the class overall. She has just blanket asked the whole class to 'do it again by tomorrow' with no other instructions. My daughter is not entirely sure what she did right, what she did wrong and what she could do to improve her score.
We both looked at the the marking paper but I don't think I really understand enough to give pointers.
So yes. I would be great if you could just have a quick look at what she has written. It would be a great help.

Has she checked out the Mr Bruff you tube videos yet?
He was an English gcse and then a level teacher.
He has helped 1000's of students every year.
It is a totally free resource, that does exactly what you are asking for....he will take her through each question, tell her what's needed re the marking scheme.
It is up to date info, he'll have covered every book etc that is on her syllabus.
I can't stress enough how straightforward he breaks it down.
Rather than a bit of input from lots of people, just get the relevant help from a tried and tested method with proven results.
Even his voice is really listenable to. It is honestly like having the best English teacher ever sat in your room.

 

[maomao]

Mr Bruff is excellent. I use him to help me plan classes.

 

[clicker]

Mr Bruff is excellent. I use him to help me plan classes.

He's been consistently fantastic for a few years now.
I mentioned him early on in the thread. Not sure if it's been a tried resource. He is calm and to the point . Stops all the guesswork and faffing about.

 

[skyscraper101]

General question for those in the know...

I know you can get past papers, but can you also get past papers with perfect answers, so as a student you could get a grasp of what a textbook answer should look like? Specifically in stuff like English/History where it's about how you answer the question rather than a science/maths problem solving type right or wrong answer.

I can't remember the resources we had at school, but I remember certain things like this which helped us understand what they were looking for in an answer.

 

[clicker]

General question for those in the know...

I know you can get past papers, but can you also get past papers with perfect answers, so as a student you could get a grasp of what a textbook answer should look like? Specifically in stuff like English/History where it's about how you answer the question rather than a science/maths problem solving type right or wrong answer.

I can't remember the resources we had at school, but I remember certain things like this which helped us understand what they were looking for in an answer.

For English lit and lang there are model answers for nearly question ever asked on Mr Bruff.
He breaks down both papers in each exam.
The CGP books, on the relevant set books, also helped as a quick visual reminder of what is required.

 

[skyscraper101]

For English lit and lang there are model answers for nearly question ever asked on Mr Bruff.
He breaks down both papers in each exam.

Oh nice one. For me, that would be the key to understanding what to and what not to write.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

For English lit and lang there are model answers for nearly question ever asked on Mr Bruff.
He breaks down both papers in each exam.
The CGP books, on the relevant set books, also helped as a quick visual reminder of what is required.

Oh thank you. I didn't see the mention earlier. We will look hard at this tonight.

 

[clicker]

Oh thank you. I didn't see the mention earlier. We will look hard at this tonight.

Hope it helps. Just be methodical and start at 'how to answer paper one question one'. Then work through from there.
She'll soon see , the exam is just a list of questions, about her set texts etc. The format will become familiar and weirdly enjoyable.

The reason I say just start from the beginning , is because the 40 mark question will be the final question.
It is the students chance to show and use all the techniques they have demonstrated in the previous questions.

They need to know how to answer the previous questions, before even attempting the 40 marker.

English lit and lang examiners want students to show they know what literary devices are used, why they are used and can they now demonstrate this by using them in the 40 marker .

Regardless of the texts, the literary devices are a constant. Practise makes them easy to spot and analyse. Understanding why something is written in a particular way, can breathe life into even the most seemingly dry/boring text.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Hope it helps. Just be methodical and start at 'how to answer paper one question one'. Then work through from there.
She'll soon see , the exam is just a list of questions, about her set texts etc. The format will become familiar and weirdly enjoyable.

The reason I say just start from the beginning , is because the 40 mark question will be the final question.
It is the students chance to show and use all the techniques they have demonstrated in the previous questions.

They need to know how to answer the previous questions, before even attempting the 40 marker.

English lit and lang examiners want students to show they know what literary devices are used, why they are used and can they now demonstrate this by using them in the 40 marker .

Regardless of the texts, the literary devices are a constant. Practise makes them easy to spot and analyse. Understanding why something is written in a particular way, can breathe life into even the most seemingly dry/boring text.

OK good good good. This is obviously great. My daughter had a 'oh my god' moment. After the first two videos she said it was better than anything her English teacher has ever taught her about exams.

Does anyone do the same for History? I've been looking back at past papers (she's doing EDEXCEL for history) and they have been identical for all the years I can see. The questions only change ever so slightly.

Thank you everybody. This thread is really very helpful. I am 'beginning' to feel more positive.

 

[friendofdorothy]

My daughter is a good kid and pretty bright across the board. All the teachers seem to agree that she is a model student in terms of behaviour, diligence and work in school.
Her history teacher uses her work book as an example of how other students should be working and generally where course work still exists I am told it is of excellent quality.

However when it comes to the mock exams she has performed terribly in every subject except art. I do quite a lot of revision with her at home especially in history and science, where she really knows her stuff well . . . but she just crumbles in exams.
Externally I don't see her being actually nervous about taking the mocks, but something is not working, (she seems to be leaving huge blank spaces or just writing bursts of gobbledegook for instance).

I have tried to address this each time after every mock but the results have not changed. I know there is no magical solution, but does anyone have any experience or advice in this area?

What happened to coursework in schools?

I was at school doing O Levels before when course work did count. I was rubbish at school generally and panicked in exams. After getting terrible results in my mocks I wasn't allowed to sit English Literature or French. There was a lot of pressure to do well and, like your daughter in the final exams, I crumbled.

I was in a panic one night after the first few days of exams where I knew I had failed (I'd done all the classic mistakes, answered the wrong number of questions, didn't finish etc). My mother piled on the pressure by reminding me how important getting good results was - I was sobbing and tearful. My Dad said the best thing anyone has ever said to me. He said it doesn't matter. I love you no matter what. That whatever happened, whatever work I ended up doing, I would find something, I would be ok I would have a happy life. That if necessary and if I wanted, I could go back to study later in life (night school, open university)

He was from a poor area and the limited education he had was interrupted by wwII, he was ashamed of his writing skills, he worked in a factory. He had done some occupational related studies at the local tech and read anything he could get hold of from the library. He was a happy man and proud of his family. His love for us was unconditional.

It calmed me down. It stopped the panic.

I passed the exams that I sat after that. I was able to resit the ones I failed in the 6th form. I went to art school, then polyrechnic and got a 2:1 Hons degree.

 

[equationgirl]

Always take mints or similar in

and a drink.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I was in a panic one night after the first few days of exams where I knew I had failed (I'd done all the classic mistakes, answered the wrong number of questions, didn't finish etc). My mother piled on the pressure by reminding me how important getting good results was - I was sobbing and tearful. My Dad said the best thing anyone has ever said to me. He said it doesn't matter. I love you no matter what. That whatever happened, whatever work I ended up doing, I would find something, I would be ok I would have a happy life. That if necessary and if I wanted, I could go back to study later in life (night school, open university)

He was from a poor area and the limited education he had was interrupted by wwII, he was ashamed of his writing skills, he worked in a factory. He had done some occupational related studies at the local tech and read anything he could get hold of from the library. He was a happy man and proud of his family. His love for us was unconditional.

It calmed me down. It stopped the panic.

This has been a particularity helpful story tonight. My daughter is really stressing out and the teachers (all of them apparently) are constantly drilling into her (and all the kids) that this is her only chance, and that her whole life will be a failure if these exams don't go well.

Some of the teachers are just racing through subjects because they have to teach everything on the curriculum and it is a crazy amount to cram in. Science especially. When I look at the amount the kids are supposed to just know (everything in the flash cards) it's absolutely insane. Right now my priority is just keeping her calm. . . looking at it all as a whole is unbelievably daunting . . . then being told "it's your only chance in life" well that's a lot to put on the shoulders of 15 year old.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

and the teachers (all of them apparently) are constantly drilling into her (and all the kids) that this is her only chance, and that her whole life will be a failure if these exams don't go well.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Some of the teachers are just racing through subjects because they have to teach everything on the curriculum and it is a crazy amount to cram in. Science especially. When I look at the amount the kids are supposed to just know (everything in the flash cards) it's absolutely insane. Right now my priority is just keeping her calm. . . looking at it all as a whole is unbelievably daunting . . . then being told "it's your only chance in life" well that's a lot to put on the shoulders of 15 year old.

Some teachers will prioritise content that a class is more likely to get than waste weeks going over something that's never going to sink in and will in any case only be one question on one exam. You have to do that on the sly though because if SLT finds out they'll airlock you for it.

E2a: Electrolysis. There's no reason 99.99% of humans need to understand it and those that do could puzzle it out for themselves in an afternoon. But it's even mandatory for foundation level GCSE. And what gets pushed to make room for eight lessons on electrolysis? Scientific thought and the scientific method, which although it's on the curriculum is never on the exam so it gets ignored. Even though if taught well it would provide a framework of understanding that helped make sense of all of the other stuff that is on the test. Bah.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

E2a: Electrolysis. There's no reason 99.99% of humans need to understand it and those that do could puzzle it out for themselves in an afternoon. But it's even mandatory for foundation level GCSE. And what gets pushed to make room for eight lessons on electrolysis? Scientific thought and the scientific method, which although it's on the curriculum is never on the exam so it gets ignored. Even though if taught well it would provide a framework of understanding that helped make sense of all of the other stuff that is on the test. Bah.

Yeah, my daughter is great in lessons with problem solving and scientific thought / method. . . but they just don't do that anymore, probably not done it for a year now. . . it's just cramming for exams. No coursework anymore which is such a dreadful shame because my daughters school work is exemplary in pretty much every subject.

 

[Winot]

Some teachers will prioritise content that a class is more likely to get than waste weeks going over something that's never going to sink in and will in any case only be one question on one exam. You have to that on the sly though because if SLT finds out they'll airlock you for it.

E2a: Electrolysis. There's no reason 99.99% of humans need to understand it and those that do could puzzle it out for themselves in an afternoon. But it's even mandatory for foundation level GCSE. And what gets pushed to make room for eight lessons on electrolysis? Scientific thought and the scientific method, which although it's on the curriculum is never on the exam so it gets ignored. Even though if taught well it would provide a framework of understanding that helped make sense of all of the other stuff that is on the test. Bah.

You could say the same about any subject at GCSE though. If you’re not going to do it at A level then there’s no point learning a lot of the content. I didn’t do A level French so learning the conditional tense (at O level) was pointless. But I did A level chemistry (and a degree) and so electrolysis was worth learning.

 

[friendofdorothy]

This has been a particularity helpful story tonight. My daughter is really stressing out and the teachers (all of them apparently) are constantly drilling into her (and all the kids) that this is her only chance, and that her whole life will be a failure if these exams don't go well.

Some of the teachers are just racing through subjects because they have to teach everything on the curriculum and it is a crazy amount to cram in. Science especially. When I look at the amount the kids are supposed to just know (everything in the flash cards) it's absolutely insane. Right now my priority is just keeping her calm. . . looking at it all as a whole is unbelievably daunting . . . then being told "it's your only chance in life" well that's a lot to put on the shoulders of 15 year old.

Glad it was helpful. It certainly was the best thing that anyone ever said to me.

ATOMIC SUPLEX in ten years time I doubt your daughter will remember anything she learned in school. But she will remember that she has loving parent.

The bit about it's your only chance in life is just untrue. Yes if you don't pass these you will miss these particular set of opportunities (bizarrely autocorrect wanted me to say 'oppressions' then- how apt.) Especially now that no one offers jobs for life and people rarely work in one field or one specialism all their lives. School never taught me that confidence, charm, listening and emotional skills count as much as anything. In fact I'd say that none of my life's valuable lessons were taught in school. Certainly school didn't give me any skills in coping with difficulties or overcoming failures - it made me feel I was a failure. It sucked all the pleasure out of every subject.

Fashion and fabric was my best subject but I failed the A level. Best thing ever! if I had passed I might have gone into the fashion industry, and knowing what I later learned, I think I would have hated it. As it was, failing that made me rethink, do a foundation course and change path. I still love sewing.

I had no idea what I wanted to do in school a lot of people don't, and often people end up doing degrees that don't really interest them or getting jobs that they don't enjoy. When I was forty I changed careers. I did enjoy that first career, but life happens and we can change our minds. There isn't just one chance and one chance only.

I wish your daughter well.

 

[SpookyFrank]

This has been a particularity helpful story tonight. My daughter is really stressing out and the teachers (all of them apparently) are constantly drilling into her (and all the kids) that this is her only chance, and that her whole life will be a failure if these exams don't go well.

I'd say this sounds like a particularly crap school but tbh they're all like this. In fairness to the teachers, they themselves will get constantly leant on and badgered by management about how GCSE results = opportunity = success. In reality it's success for the school they're interested in and the kids are just an obstacle to that.

That's an explanation for why the teachers might be hard on the kids, not an excuse. There is no excuse.

GCSE's get you into college, where you can do what you like, and you don't need straight A's for that you need a few decent passes. Beyond that they're irrelevant.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Not the solution to the current situation but I'd advise looking for a BTEC course or similar for FE. That's how I noped out of exams after GCSEs and still ended up very highly educated. In a lot of subject areas depending on the uni and course BTEC students are at a massive advantage above students who do A-Levels.

I'm a bit late to this, but the idea was seeded to my yesterday about doing a BTEC in art and design. No information was given to my daughter about this, even from her art teacher (she is doing very well at art and enjoys it).
We looked at and applied for sixth form back in November. I didn't hear anything about BTEC college courses.
I quickly looked it up at croydon college but is it too late now to apply for 2023?
Can you (if need be) take a year out after GCSE and still do two years of BTEC after that? Are their costs involved? Would she have to do it in Croydon catchment area?
Arrhh so many questions. I feel like I have not been fully informed about any of the options.

My daughter has definitely had it drilled into her somewhere that art is fun and relaxing, but not a proper job, just a useful hobby and she needs a proper A level education.

Knowing there was a BTEC art option would at the very least take some pressure off the exams. I'm sure she would still study, but just perhaps not melt down as much.

 

[muscovyduck]

I'm a bit late to this, but the idea was seeded to my yesterday about doing a BTEC in art and design. No information was given to my daughter about this, even from her art teacher (she is doing very well at art and enjoys it).
We looked at and applied for sixth form back in November. I didn't hear anything about BTEC college courses.
I quickly looked it up at croydon college but is it too late now to apply for 2023?
Can you (if need be) take a year out after GCSE and still do two years of BTEC after that? Are their costs involved? Would she have to do it in Croydon catchment area?
Arrhh so many questions. I feel like I have not been fully informed about any of the options.

My daughter has definitely had it drilled into her somewhere that art is fun and relaxing, but not a proper job, just a useful hobby and she needs a proper A level education.

Knowing there was a BTEC art option would at the very least take some pressure off the exams. I'm sure she would still study, but just perhaps not melt down as much.

Hands are cold so bit of a disjointed reply:

Probably not too late, I'd contact the college for more info. Colleges do later sign ons iirc. Art and design definitely is a proper job, a lot of effort gets put into convincing working class kids otherwise because it suits the narrative of the people giving them the advice - ie, if art and design was an option, it might have been an option for them and they don't want to think about what they missed out on. There's 1000 ways to have an art and design career.

Don't think you have to stay in the catchment area for college.

A lot of art studios have open studio events, and exhibitions have these things called private views where you can go and meet the artist. Might be an idea to have a look and go along to some of them and chat to some of the people working there?

You can take a year out but I'd think carefully about this. If your kid's had a hard time with GCSEs once they're out the education system they won't want to go back. And you'll have less wriggle room to try again if the BTEC goes wrong.

Big thing to watch out for with art/design education are the degree courses, because it's not a regulated job or industry a lot of the courses are bullshit courses that don't teach anything. But that's fine if you know to watch out for it. BTECs can vary in what they teach but imo are mostly the same quality and it doesn't seem to make too much difference what modules you do in terms of what art course or career you want. A BTEC will give a head start in art/design that A-Levels won't

 

[muscovyduck]

ATOMIC SUPLEX if you're thinking of this angle one random bit of gossip/info I have is that stone masons (those people who carve things from stone) are worried about the knowledge being lost and there's funding available for apprenticeships but only for young people. So you'd want to track down local stone masons and see what your kid thinks and if the mason would be willing to take them on.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

ATOMIC SUPLEX if you're thinking of this angle one random bit of gossip/info I have is that stone masons (those people who carve things from stone) are worried about the knowledge being lost and there's funding available for apprenticeships but only for young people. So you'd want to track down local stone masons and see what your kid thinks and if the mason would be willing to take them on.

Er, yeah I think that's a bit too random. I will ask.

More worried about if it's too late to apply for am art BTEC this year, and how far afield my daughter can go.

 

[muscovyduck]

Er, yeah I think that's a bit too random. I will ask.

More worried about if it's too late to apply for am art BTEC this year, and how far afield my daughter can go.

Great, then you can refer to my previous response, in which I said probably not too late and you're probably not trapped in your catchment area.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Great, then you can refer to my previous response, in which I said probably not too late and you're probably not trapped in your catchment area.

Oh. I didn't see that. Thanks.
Page just leapt to the second post. Apologies.