Seven in 10 parents have taken time off work to revise for their kids' GCSEs
A study of 500 parents with children taking exams this year found they actively started getting their own heads GCSE-ready three months ago.
An astonishing seven out of 10 parents have taken time away from work to hit the books alongside their children preparing for GCSEs, reveals a study of 500 parents with kids facing exams this year. It turns out they started to revise some of the subjects three months back, in an attempt to get their head around the curriculum.
Despite their best efforts to familiarise themselves with the current GCSE syllabus, half of all parents polled have struggled to get their heads round what their children are supposed to be learning. While 69% admitted their kids are stressed about the weeks ahead.
In a bid to be supportive, nearly half made up a study schedule, 16% delved into 'An Inspector Calls', and 12% endeavoured to memorise 'Macbeth'. A third have been companions during study sessions, 16% turned to audiobooks, while 12% have pulled all-nighters.
This insight comes courtesy of a study conducted by MyEdSpace, an online education portal now offering free 'Exam Cram Courses' complete with live three-hour tutorial sessions, set to prime students ahead of Maths, English and Science exams.
Co-founder of MyEdSpace, Sean Hirons, said: "Understandably, parents just want to help their kids when it comes to exam season – especially those intense few days just before a big test. But that doesn't have to mean pulling all-nighters themselves or learning Macbeth off by heart."
"Right now, the best thing parents can do for their kids is keep calm, give them some space and make sure they're not forgetting to do the basic things like eating regularly or getting a good night's sleep while they prep."
"We don't want any students, or parents, to be feeling overwhelmed or unsupported during this extremely stressful time of year."
'Math-fluencer' Neil Trivedi, who is part of the MyEdSpace team and has streamed revision classes, reaching more than 43,000 students, said: "Bedding in knowledge evenly across the year is obviously the best way to learn.
"There are ways to optimise the revision process. One way to try and solidify your knowledge is to try and explain your work to a peer, those who study together, succeed together."
Parent's efforts to help manage their kids through this daunting period are welcome for the most part as 65% 'actively' want their mums and dads to help them with revision. Although the research, carried out through OnePoll, found 19% would prefer it if they didn't.
Reasons why include wanting to be independent (46%), thinking they can revise better on their own (36%), and 28% wanting to prove themselves (28%).
Kharis Yanakidis, co-founder of MyEdSpace which aims to defuse the stress of exam season, understands the pressure, stating: "GCSE season can be overwhelming for students and families, so making revision fun and enjoyable can make all the difference.
"That's why our team is made up of expert teachers - many of them previous examiners - who last year helped MyEdSpace students achieve grades 7-9 at more than double the national average."
DON'T SPEND HOURS REMEMBERING FORMULAS:
I've never used a formula booklet in my life, I was able to learn all the relevant formulas from practicing questions, you too will naturally remember them with practice. Even better, you learn to recognise which problem they should be used for.
TEACH TO REMEMBER:
Teach a friend, sibling, or even a stuffed animal a concept you're struggling with - it forces you to consolidate your knowledge.
EVERSE ENGINEER EXAM PAPERS:
Start with the answer, then work backward to understand how to solve the problem.
FOCUS ON PAST EXAM PAPER QUESTIONS:
Textbooks are fine to practice specific mathematics skills - however, during exam season it is most important to gain exam specific exposure. For written subjects, study mark schemes to see exactly what your exam board is looking for.
ADDRESS EVERY MISCONCEPTION:
Do not accept incorrect answers without explanation - if you get a question wrong, make sure you fully understand where you made mistakes and what to address. Do the question again to prove to yourself you have understood your mistake.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
White working-class pupils behind in all but 21 of UK's 3,400 secondary schools, shocking figures reveal
White working-class children are falling behind their peers in all but 21 schools across the country, shocking official data has shown. It means only a tiny fraction of more than 3,400 secondary schools across England see such pupils doing as well as their peers. Last night Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warned that white working-class children were being 'betrayed' and left behind. In what has been seen as an attempt to take on Nigel Farage 's Reform UK, Ms Phillipson has launched an inquiry into why such children are failing. She said: 'Across attendance, attainment and life chances, white working-class children and those with special educational needs do exceptionally poorly. 'Put simply, these children have been betrayed – left behind in society's rear-view mirror. They are children whose interests too many politicians have simply discarded.' The proportion of white working-class pupils getting grades 5 or above in English and maths GCSE was 18.6 per cent, substantially below the 45.9 per cent national average, according to the data. But critics said Labour was only paying attention to the issue to counter the threat from Reform. Tory schools spokesman Neil O'Brien said: 'Everything Bridget Phillipson is doing is disastrous for white working-class kids. 'Her trade union-led Schools Bill is smashing up 30 years of cross-party reforms which have raised standards in England. 'Phillipson has axed support for able pupils in mathematics, physics, Latin and computing because she sees them as elitist. 'She has axed the behaviour hubs which were doing so much to improve discipline and standards in schools. 'School funding formulas still tend to heavily favour urban areas. While 40 years ago, London was an education disaster zone, today it is the highest-achieving part of the country and the lowest levels of achievement are found in shire and coastal areas.' At secondary school, white British pupils on free school meals perform around a grade and a half worse in each GCSE subject compared with the national average. Officials said the drivers of low attainment among white working-class pupils included a lack of parental involvement or aspiration. According to the research, white boys from disadvantaged backgrounds and workless homes have the lowest aspirations of all groups. But white working-class girls also fell in school attainment at a faster pace than their peers over the past five years. The inquiry will be led by Sir Hamid Patel, who runs a number of outstanding schools across Yorkshire, the North West and the West Midlands. Former home secretary Sir David Blunkett will also sit on the panel, alongside school standards tsar Sir Kevan Collins. It will look at why white working-class children perform worse across measures including behaviour, attendance, mental health, attainment and life chances. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: 'Since the early 2000s, white working-class pupils have fallen behind their peers at every level of education. 'English and maths GCSEs are the bedrock of education and opportunity. 'The Government must develop a strategy to close this attainment gap and ensure this group are no longer marginalised. 'Labour must dispel the ongoing narrative around white privilege, as well as intergenerational disadvantage, geographic inequalities and disengagement from school, if they are serious about improving outcomes.' Announcing the inquiry, Ms Phillipson said: 'We'll look closely at what's working in the tiny number of schools that the data indicates may have cracked this problem for white working-class children. 'My message to parents is that we will create a school system where every child, in every classroom, has the support they need to achieve, and a fair crack at making a success of their life.'
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Disposable vape users stockpile nine week supply ahead of UK ban tomorrow, survey reveals
As of June 1, a UK-wide ban on disposable vapes will come into effect, making it illegal to sell the throwaway vapes. A survey has revealed that a quarter of disposable vape users have been stockpiling the soon to be outlawed product ahead of the UK-wide ban set to come into effect on June 1. From 1,000 respondents, it was found that users have managed to gather a nine-week supply. According to the survey, over half of users have expressed being worried about the ban, with 38 per cent fearing that they may experience withdrawal symptoms. On top of this, 42 per cent have admitted that they are 'likely' to turn to the black market to purchase vapes once they vanish from stores. The survey also revealed that disposable vape users have been spending an average of £41 per month on the smoking alternative. They are also said to be using up around 13 devices a month, reports the Express. However, not all respondents were in opposition to the ban. While 36 per cent said they were against the new law, 40 per cent revealed they were in support of the decision. The UK government has chosen to ban disposable vapes for two reasons - two deter young people and children from vaping, and to protect the environment. Since the vape ban was announced back in January 2024, 47 per cent of users said they have tried to cut down on their usage of the disposable product before they are removed. However, 15 per cent of people confessed that they were "unsuccessful" in their attempts. A representative for übbs Pouches, who commissioned the research, stated: "For those who use disposable vapes, there's no getting away from it, and while many of those polled have stocked up on supplies in anticipation of the ban, they won't last forever. "For those worried about transitioning away from disposables there are plenty of alternative options which are regulated – but unregulated options should be avoided." With the ban looming closer, many respondents shared that they tried out alternatives to the disposable vapes, including refillable vapes, nicotine gum, nicotine patches and nicotine pouches. Conducted by OnePoll, the survey revealed that the three main factors for people's use of disposable vapes were convenience (61%), flavour variety (53%) and taste (49%). A spokesperson for übbs Pouches added: "The vast majority of disposable vape users have taken steps to move away from throw-away options. "And with a range of viable substitutes legally available, hopefully the ban won't be too much of a shock for them." Once the ban is in place, if suppliers are found breaking the terms of the ban, they can face hefty fines or prison time. In Scotland, local authorities will take the lead on enforcing the ban, while the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are responsible for prosecuting offences under the regulations. When someone is first caught breaking the ban, enforcement officers have the option to issue a fixed penalty notice as an alternative to criminal prosecution. For a first offence the penalty amount will be £200, but this can drop to £150 if it is paid within 14 days. For any offences thereafter, the penalty will increase by £200 each time the supplier is caught. However, if suppliers do not accept the fixed penalty notice, or if the enforcement officer does not consider a fine an appropriate penalty, then the offender can be fined a maximum of £5,000, sentenced to two years in prison, or both. In England and Wales, sanctions such as a stop notice, a compliance notice or a fine of £200 can be applied if someone is found selling or supplying vapes. If the rules are continued to be violated, the offender can be charged with an unlimited fine, an up to two year prison sentence, or both. However, in Northern Ireland there will be no civil actions. Anyone caught breaking the rules could instead receive a fine of up to £5,000 on summary conviction in a magistrates' court. On further conviction, illegal suppliers of disposable vapes could face a prison sentence of up to two years. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Seven in 10 parents have taken time off work to revise for their kids' GCSEs
A study of 500 parents with children taking exams this year found they actively started getting their own heads GCSE-ready three months ago. An astonishing seven out of 10 parents have taken time away from work to hit the books alongside their children preparing for GCSEs, reveals a study of 500 parents with kids facing exams this year. It turns out they started to revise some of the subjects three months back, in an attempt to get their head around the curriculum. Despite their best efforts to familiarise themselves with the current GCSE syllabus, half of all parents polled have struggled to get their heads round what their children are supposed to be learning. While 69% admitted their kids are stressed about the weeks ahead. In a bid to be supportive, nearly half made up a study schedule, 16% delved into 'An Inspector Calls', and 12% endeavoured to memorise 'Macbeth'. A third have been companions during study sessions, 16% turned to audiobooks, while 12% have pulled all-nighters. This insight comes courtesy of a study conducted by MyEdSpace, an online education portal now offering free 'Exam Cram Courses' complete with live three-hour tutorial sessions, set to prime students ahead of Maths, English and Science exams. Co-founder of MyEdSpace, Sean Hirons, said: "Understandably, parents just want to help their kids when it comes to exam season – especially those intense few days just before a big test. But that doesn't have to mean pulling all-nighters themselves or learning Macbeth off by heart." "Right now, the best thing parents can do for their kids is keep calm, give them some space and make sure they're not forgetting to do the basic things like eating regularly or getting a good night's sleep while they prep." "We don't want any students, or parents, to be feeling overwhelmed or unsupported during this extremely stressful time of year." 'Math-fluencer' Neil Trivedi, who is part of the MyEdSpace team and has streamed revision classes, reaching more than 43,000 students, said: "Bedding in knowledge evenly across the year is obviously the best way to learn. "There are ways to optimise the revision process. One way to try and solidify your knowledge is to try and explain your work to a peer, those who study together, succeed together." Parent's efforts to help manage their kids through this daunting period are welcome for the most part as 65% 'actively' want their mums and dads to help them with revision. Although the research, carried out through OnePoll, found 19% would prefer it if they didn't. Reasons why include wanting to be independent (46%), thinking they can revise better on their own (36%), and 28% wanting to prove themselves (28%). Kharis Yanakidis, co-founder of MyEdSpace which aims to defuse the stress of exam season, understands the pressure, stating: "GCSE season can be overwhelming for students and families, so making revision fun and enjoyable can make all the difference. "That's why our team is made up of expert teachers - many of them previous examiners - who last year helped MyEdSpace students achieve grades 7-9 at more than double the national average." DON'T SPEND HOURS REMEMBERING FORMULAS: I've never used a formula booklet in my life, I was able to learn all the relevant formulas from practicing questions, you too will naturally remember them with practice. Even better, you learn to recognise which problem they should be used for. TEACH TO REMEMBER: Teach a friend, sibling, or even a stuffed animal a concept you're struggling with - it forces you to consolidate your knowledge. EVERSE ENGINEER EXAM PAPERS: Start with the answer, then work backward to understand how to solve the problem. FOCUS ON PAST EXAM PAPER QUESTIONS: Textbooks are fine to practice specific mathematics skills - however, during exam season it is most important to gain exam specific exposure. For written subjects, study mark schemes to see exactly what your exam board is looking for. ADDRESS EVERY MISCONCEPTION: Do not accept incorrect answers without explanation - if you get a question wrong, make sure you fully understand where you made mistakes and what to address. Do the question again to prove to yourself you have understood your mistake.
