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Secondary

  1. Exam Pressure

    “She’s got so much revision to do. I wish she would settle down and do it.”

     

    If you feel worried for you children about exams and the marks they might get, try to think how overwhelming it can be for them.  Then, once the exams are finished, it’s a countdown to the results which can be equally stressful for everyone.

    As a parent you can really help your children through this time, just by being there for them and encouraging them to talk about their feelings and fears.  You can also ask for help from the school itself. Here are just a few ideas to make exam time that bit more bearable:

    Family Lives Top Tips

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  2. Family Lives Top Tips For Exam Results

     

    Stay calm. Be ready to celebrate success, but also have an action plan if the results are not as good as you expect.

    Have a conversation today with your son or daughter to make sure you both have the same expectations going into Thursday, and give them the reassurance that whatever the results, you are proud of them and will be encouraging them in the future.

    If your child is applying for University, arm yourself with information about how to use the clearing system for UCAS (the admissions system for university) as there is expected to be a lot of competition for places. 

    If your child is hoping to go to college or sixth form, make sure you know who to call and have numbers to hand in case the grades are not quite what you were...

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  3. University finances

    It's useful for your child to start planning early on what their key expenses are going to be at university.

    Student loans

    Student loans are to help to pay for living expenses such as accommodation, food and course materials.

    These are not commercial loans like those offered by high street banks or building societies. They are cheap loans, and the amount you repay is directly linked to your income once you have left university and are earning over £15,000 a year. That means the more you earn, the more you pay back, the less you earn, the less you pay back and if you do not earn over £15,000 then you don’t pay back a penny. Someone earning £20,000 a year will only be paying back £8.65 a week.

    You apply through your Local Education Authority (LEA) at the...

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  4. Exam Results

    Immediately after the hard work and pressure of exams, parents and young people may feel relieved and relaxed.

    This may soon give way to an even more stressful period - waiting for and dealing with exam results. This stage can be more uncomfortable than the exams themselves because parents and young people feel helpless. Before or during the exams they could at least do something but now they can only wait.

    Children may get caught up in endless repetitions of regret and recrimination, going over what they did or failed to do and how they might have done it differently.

    Parents may be uncertain as to whether it would be better to discuss what to do when the results arrive or leave well alone. Everyone may walk around 'on eggshells' and when the results do come out...

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  5. The results are back, what happens next?

    If your child is one of the many 15 -18 year olds who have just received their GCSE or A level results, it is likely that they will be going into some form of further education or training. Nearly 80% of young people stay in learning after Year 11 and this is likely to rise because young people are worried about the recession.

    One in five of 15 to 16 year olds have changed their mind about leaving school to find a job and more than two in five are thinking more carefully about the subjects or qualifications they choose. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever that your child knows what options are available to them so they can make the right choices. There is a broad range of exciting qualifications and learning routes available for young people to choose...

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  6. Parents chat with our guest expert from ACE about their 'back to school' worries

    Jennifer: I'm at my wits' end with my 15 year old daughter. She absolutely refused to attend school at the end of the last term and is now saying she won't go back this week.

    ACE: I'm sorry you are having problems getting your daughter to school. You don't say what you have tried so far so I'll give a few suggestions for how you might deal with this. First of all you need to try and find out by talking to your daughter if there is something or someone causing problems at school - is there a particular lesson that she is having trouble keeping up with, a teacher she doesn't get along with, bullying or falling out with friends. These are...

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  7. Violence in schools - where can parents turn to for support?

    Youths leaning on a wallFamily Lives recently held discussion groups with parents to find out the truth about violence in and out of schools and, if they have experienced it, how they have dealt with it. One of the issues discussed was how supported families felt when they were affected by violence.

    It emerged from these groups that many parents had little faith in support groups and organisations when this happens. Some told us they didn’t know of anywhere to turn when they needed support. For parents like this, contacting the Family Lives helpline...

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  8. Establishing a Good Routine – Secondary School

    School exam

    The move to high school can come as a shock to both parents and children. You may feel your child isn’t ready to take the responsibility for what is probably a longer journey to school, perhaps using public transport. They will usually have a large amount of books and equipment to carry around and may find it difficult to organise themselves. As the school will be expecting your child to take greater responsibility, you should try to continue this at home as much as possible, but that can be easier said than done.

    Here are some tips parents find useful:

    • At this age children start to want more privacy when they’re getting ready. Organise a schedule for the bathroom in the mornings so no-one is made late by waiting!
    • Try and resist the temptation to do...
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  9. Exam results : supporting your child

    Immediately after the hard work and pressure of exams, parents and young people may feel relieved and relaxed. This may soon give way to an even more stressful period - waiting for and dealing with exam results. This stage can be more uncomfortable than the exams themselves because parents and young people feel helpless. Before or during the exams they could at least do something but now they can only wait.

    Children may get caught up in endless repetitions of regret and recrimination, going over what they did or failed to do and how they might have done it differently. Parents may be uncertain as to whether it would be better to discuss what to do when the results arrive or leave well alone. Everyone may walk around 'on eggshells' and when the results do come out, can feel too...

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  10. Supporting your child at school

    Two boys in a school classroom

    Children can achieve well at school when their family and friends take an interest in their school and schoolwork. Getting involved, even in the simplest way, shows that you care about their education. Often, the more supported a child feels at home, the more effectively she or he will learn at school. Whatever your lifestyle, or family situation, it is never too soon (or too late) to start helping a child develop a positive attitude towards learning. Here are some ideas:

    • Give encouragement and show appreciation of the child’s achievements, whether great or small.

    • Allow them to make mistakes and to learn from them.

    • Give feedback rather than criticism, eg saying ‘that didn’t seem to work’ rather than ‘you got it wrong’. This helps them think...

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