Can you move classes in Year 10?

Savvy_Sue

74jax wrote: »

One of the questions was something like 'Pete has ingredients to make 8 cakes, he wants to make 12, how does he get the correct ingredients' DD said she was so muddled she couldn't answer........ Is this her just being a stubborn 15 year old or should I try and take it further?

I think all of my boys would have struggled with that, and they were all good at Maths!

DS1 would be wondering whether the question was asking about the mechanics of getting the extra ingredients, where does he get the money from, how far is it to the shop. Or would it be "why are you asking me, you're the examiner?"

DS2 would give a choice between making the cakes smaller or buying 50% more.

DS3 would want the recipe, say it was a ridiculous question and wonder why his mum hadn't been more organised if she knew he wanted to make 12 cakes.

ValHaller wrote: »

Perhaps a few exact examples of questions she struggles with (and some she does not) and there may be some insight. The arithmetic behind this one is trivially simple, but the question is verbal and is asking for a process - which is again verbal. The trivial nature of the arithmetic may prompt teacher to say "Don't be stupid, girl". which will be no help if she struggles to identify the form expected for the answer.

Precisely. Of course we may not have the exact wording, and it may be more obvious what the form is. But I can understand her confusion.

**professor~yaffle** wrote: »

well, pete could make 12 smaller cakes, I suppose :rotfl:

Arithmetic based on those hypothetical scenarios used to throw me off course a bit, as I'd find myself thinking things like: "but why would someone be doing that..?!"

Yup!

Lunar_Eclipse

I am appalled at the school's response. I would make an appointment with either Head of Maths or Head of KS4/Year to discuss your concerns. It is very unusual for someone on track for an A grade to be struggling to this degree in less than a year, especially at your daughter's age. (I'd want to understand a little more about that though, because the sample question you posted does indicate her finding Maths extremely difficult.)

There are some fantastic revision guides available that could help enormously. Perhaps she could spend an hour a day working through one over Easter?

Lunar_Eclipse

Dunroamin wrote: »

But as a year 10 question it's appalling - like something you'd do at primary school!

Agree. It's not a question mine have had at secondary level. Maybe the OP's daughter is confused because the Maths is now 'too easy'?

I think the answer wanted in this case was 'he needs 50% more ingredients.' Maybe encourage her to trust her gut instinct for a while and see how she gets on? Tell her just to go for it without over thinking?

chrisv24

74jax wrote: »

My DD was always quite good at maths and sciences (she soooo gets that from her Dad). On entering Year 10 (first year of GCSEs) she hated maths, REALLY hated it. Said the teacher had it in for her, wouldn't explain things etc etc.

I totally understand 15 year olds can say the world is against them etc so about 3 weeks into the year (Sept) I spoke to her head of year and asked for a meeting with her current maths teacher and her previous maths teacher. I was told on the phone this wasn't allowed and to give my DD time to adjust to Year 10. I could, to be honest, understand this. She now has loads more work than previous years and can be 'lazy' in homework etc so told her to knuckle down and concentrate. Which she did do - in all subjects.

Since then, I've had tears - not the ridiculous 'world against me' tears, but the ones of frustration when she just can't 'get' something. Her teacher told her to go back to KS1 Bitesize and start from there.

I've tried calling the teacher, but just get notes back. I've wrote explaining DD is finding it hard. The teacher keep replying that DD is to go to afterschool maths and lunchtime maths where she can do more work. But the problem is the WAY in which it's taught. An example is DD didn't understand something in class, told the teacher she didn't, so teacher gave her 20 questions to stay behind and do after school. But DD doesn't understand the questions.........

My last letter was 3 weeks ago (again after no call back from a voicemail I'd left) explaining DD was concerned about her mocks and was needing some extra help.

Cue the mocks and her mock result of a C - to be fair, from the year we've had with Maths I was amazed at the grade C she got..........

I've just found out 2 other parents have wrote in to the school following the results and their child has now been put in the class with the teacher they had in Year 9. When I asked this back in Sept I was told categorically no class moves were allowed.

I don't know the circumstances of these other moves, but surely if I've raised concerns from Sept and am still doing so, my DD should be given the same opportunity.

Are there any heads of year or teachers on here who could recommend my next step?

It's sad to see someone who was predicated an A in maths for years, to now struggles so much that she has now just 'given in' in a subject she loved.

One of the questions was something like 'Pete has ingredients to make 8 cakes, he wants to make 12, how does he get the correct ingredients' DD said she was so muddled she couldn't answer........ Is this her just being a stubborn 15 year old or should I try and take it further?

I am open to all replies, so if you think she's just being a teenager, please tell me - I certainly don't have blinkers on when it comes to her and school........ I just don't want to regret not pushing this IF this something that the school can help with.

I had a similar issue at school for business studies. In GCSE I had a great teach but at A-levels I had an NQT who just wasn't explaining things properly. I spoke to the head of sixth form and he told me to just knuckle down and work harder..... but the issue was the teaching style. I then threatened to talk to the governors of the school and was moved to a different class It could be worth you suggesting something similar and saying you are not satisfied with the way they have handled the situation.

MrsAnnie

I can't comment on how to deal with the school but I agree with the private tuition suggestion.

My daughter had an hour lesson once every two weeks, which was recommended by the tutor, so that DD would not get bored with it. He gave her short homework to complete in between sessions.

The tutor was a part time teacher at the school so he knew what was expected of her and could liaise with her maths teacher when needed.

DD hated the fact that she had a tutor, nevertheless she went from floundering in class to top of the class in tests within one term. And she was moved up a level :j.


Emaths is also a good site for practice tests.


Hope it all works out.

SmallL

I wouldn't take mock results very seriously, I can remember when i took a mock exam to get placed in my maths 'set' (there were 4 in total) i got a D which placed me in the bottom set.
However within 2 months i was moved to the 2nd set as i was simply in the wrong set and the mock test wasn't indicative of my ability to learn.
I ended up getting an A in maths.
Perhaps your daughter is a fast learner rather than someone who can problem solve, i could learn rules and ways to solve maths problems, but present me with a new problem and i would find it difficult.

TimBear

I guess every school is different, but at my school I experienced similar issues when I got into year ten with my Spanish teacher.

I spoke to the head of languages and it was agreed that I could move sets for Spanish (despite being in the higher set and having to move down!), and I really enjoyed the subject again after that.

Sometimes one method just doesn't click from one teacher.