Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known?

Discussion and advice on GCSEs

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Octsmum
Posts: 345
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:21 pm

Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known?

Post by Octsmum »

Hi

My DD is heading into year 10. Her school has already started some GSCS material in the summer term just gone. Just a couple of weeks until we're back to school....so what do you wish you or your DC had known / or would have done differently?

She's already been & bought some files / wallets to help keep material sorted neatly...anything else?

Any suggestions gratefully received!
Tinkers
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Location: Reading

Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by Tinkers »

I guess in these days of Covid etc we’ve all learnt to make sure they know that every piece of work and every test may count. Not that they should stress about them as such but just to make sure they take it seriously.

Even in pre Covid times, no one had a crystal ball and you don’t know what might happen that means they can’t take the exam or won t be performing at their best.

If they are getting overwhelmed with work, tell the teachers, head of year, form tutor etc, earlier rather than later. If the school don’t know, they can’t help and can’t adjust deadlines etc. Sometimes teachers all set work at the same time and it’s easy for students to be snowed under.
OverEagerDad
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Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by OverEagerDad »

I’ve been thinking of this, just a by the way thought. But is there any benefit in making flash cards now whilst working through the course rather than at the end?
Tinkers
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Location: Reading

Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by Tinkers »

If doing languages, then quizlet is a good idea.

DD took the Vocab list from the exam board curriculum and imported it directly into quizlet, rather than having to type it all in. ( not sure how she did it, but she did say it was straightforward and quick to do).

For other subjects, it’s probably worth doing after each topic, as doing them is revision in its own right and they are bound to have end of topic tests.
Octsmum
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Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:21 pm

Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by Octsmum »

Thanks both for those suggestions, much appreciated. I think one of the lessons from Covid is you never know so yes we will be focusing on the work throughout...

She's planning on doing revision notes / flashcards for the topics already covered to date this holiday & so will be good if we can keep it up! Hadn't thought of Quizlet for vocab but I think it will be good use for a phone other than TikTok!

Thank you
KS10
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Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by KS10 »

I am a fan of revision cards as you go along as long as they’re fit for purpose. I remember DD used to love making notes but it became clear that that was all she was doing. She seemed rather reluctant to move onto planning answers to questions or attempting timed questions. What we told her and others was that any notes made needed to be good enough for Year 11 mocks so that they weren’t making the same notes over and over again. We also told them to use the spec for each subject and to tick off topics revised if they felt they knew them well.

A history teacher at my school would actively teach students how to revise. First of all she would give the class about 20 mins to make revision notes on a previously covered topic. She would then give them about 7-10 mins to commit as much as possible to memory. Next they would have 3-5 mins to write down as much as they could remember. Finally, she would set them a question related to the work they’d just revised.
Octsmum
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Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:21 pm

Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by Octsmum »

Thank you KS10. I think that's a valuable insight - how to make sure notes help you craft an answer rather just for 'notes' sake. She has generally had end of topic 'test's so I think we need to do the revision notes as prep for that & then use in practising questions for those.
2childmum
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Location: S E London

Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by 2childmum »

DD found that one or two teachers really didn't seem to know what was covered in the spec (music and RE spring to mind, neither of whom came anywhere near covering the material) This was the first year of the new GCSEs so if i was being kind I might say that was why!

So she would say print off and keep an eye on the spec and if it looks like stuff isn't being covered, or time is running out, buy textbooks/find websites etc and be proactive about making sure it is all covered.
Sorrel
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Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:56 am

Re: Starting GCSEs - what do you / your DC wish they'd known

Post by Sorrel »

Good thread, thank you, taking notes! I didn't know that about Quizlet
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