Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s Parental support is 8 times more important in determining a child’s academic success than social class. You are here
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s To make a real difference: You don’t need to be an expert in all their subjects You don’t need to give up your life and responsibilities You just need to spend the time you have in the best way
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s Attendance is key If they are at school, they are in lessons They can attend intervention after school They can be given homework – which they need to do! ½ a day a week off = 1 GCSE grade Last week 37 Year 11 students had ½ a day off or more
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s All students are different Some are better at organising themselves than others That is where you come in – Support Encouragement Interest
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s Agree a balance Stick to the agreement but be flexible They can fall behind or lose motivation – don’t berate or threaten them Talk through the issues, acknowledge their feelings Use the 80/20 rule Teenagers are often all or nothing ‘catastrophic’ approach
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s Revision should already be underway – the sooner they start the less they will have to do each day, the less they will be Stick to start and finish times Provide plenty of breaks and healthy snacks Provide plenty of water
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s Shelve the battles that don’t need winning just yet Help prepare you child for the exam – talk with them about when it starts, how long it lasts for, what are the main topics that might come up. Don’t ‘over egg’ this – they may have worked all day and have come down stairs to relax
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s The BIGGEST mistake students make is not allowing enough time for revision. They then get demotivated as the task seems too big If they tell you they have left it too late – It is never too late – until they enter the exam room
Parent/carer guide to surviving GCSE’s Before the exams