Parenting can be a thankless task at times. Sure there are great bits to it, and on balance we wouldn’t be without them. Well, not all of us, and not all of the time. But there are aspects of the role that can be unwelcomed. The disciplinarian or enforcer role. The “have you done your […]
Our guest this week is Darren. He’s dad to two teens: a girl who is in the first year of A Levels and a boy sitting GCSEs in 2022. Darren talks about his experiences of supporting teens when they live half the time with him, half the time with his ex-wife. We cover the difficulties […]
Jenny is mum to two teen girls. One is taking her GCSEs in 2022 and the other the following year. Both are incredibly sporty and keep Jenny and her husband busy with matches and practices in addition to the usual teen activities. We talk about how to manage hectic schedules and hope to keep on […]
This week listen to Head of Sixth Form, Gillian Walmsley talk about life beyond GCSEs. Gill reflects on her daughter’s A Level decisions a couple of years ago as well as providing expert advice for parents and students. We talk about choosing an institution to go to, things to consider when selecting subjects and also […]
Meet Carol, mum to GCSE-taking teen Poppy. This is a truly honest take on the position our teens find themselves in. And also the toll that it takes on us, their parents. Carol has an elder daughter too and reflects on the very different experiences her girls have had in the run-up to the exams. […]
In this episode, you’ll hear from Kate. Kate is in the unenviable position of having both her children sitting exams in 2022. Tabitha taking her A Levels and Jude, his GCSEs. Tabitha, like all other A Level students, was the first year of cancelled GCSE exams. Kate tells about the impact that has in addition […]
In this episode, you’ll hear from Barbara and her experiences with her teen daughter, Laura. Barbara and her family moved to England from Portugal in 2013. You might think that cultural and language issues feature among Barbara’s concerns for her GCSE facing teen. Well you – and I – would be wrong! The issues that […]
The Study Sessions is back on the air for a third season. Join us as we explore ways of helping parents to support their teenage exam-facing teens. Not just surviving the exam period, but thriving in preparation! At least, that’s the dream! Throughout season 3 we will focus on the real experiences of parents, students […]
Well, that was quite a year! It might not have panned out as any of us expected. But, one thing is for sure, our young people have shown themselves to adapt well to the changing circumstances and, in the overwhelming majority of cases, resilient to the setbacks that 18 months of a pandemic have thrown […]
“Studying’s boring. I’ve already done enough. The test’s not for ages. The teacher told us it wasn’t important. What’s the point, I’m rubbish anyway?” I could go on with the list of typical student reactions to the prospect of revision. Not only have I heard them from my own children and other students, but I […]