Hayley has learnt the results of her mock GCSEs and they’re not what she was hoping for…
Thursday evening after school
“Well I did good in some and, um, not great in others…” Hayley sounds overly bright as she hands me the slip of paper bearing her mock GCSE results.
A glance at her downcast face before scanning the results tells me I’m not going to be excited about what I see.
She’s got a C for art, a Pass for a BTech subject and the rest range through E, G, a few Fs and for good measure, a U for Drama. This is bad. I didn’t think anyone got a U for Drama.
“Well done on the first two,” I reply equally overly brightly. “Still lots of work to be done but it’s good we know that at this stage so you can put the work in where it’s needed.”
Hayley’s very disappointed and knows that even though these grades don’t take account of her coursework, in which hopefully the grades are better, she’s still way off course. Success measured in five A–C grades may even be outside the realms of possibility for her now as I seem to recall a teacher saying it’s unlikely anyone could go up more than a grade at this stage.
Again I despair about the lack of support Hayley’s had over the years, not for want of me trying. Despite me banging on for years about how she is struggling, trying to get her assessed for an SEN statement, there’s never been the help she’s needed.
“She’ll be fine”, “just lacks confidence”… I’ve heard these phrases over and again, but the truth is that as well as her deafness, Hayley has various problems including word retrieval difficulties and slow processing skills.
So now my fears are materialising, but of course there’s no triumph in being right. Just fury and frustration at how Hayley’s been cheated of an equally flying start to her peers. The education system has badly let her down.
And understandably she’s become really quite demotivated, which isn’t going to help. It’s been creeping in during Year 11 as her subject teachers have heaped on the pressure make the huge leap to catch up to where she needs to be. She’s massively behind with her coursework, doesn’t understand a lot of what she’s being taught or set for homework – and is overwhelmed and beginning not to care.
“I’m rubbish, Miss hates me, she only cares about the A* students” is becoming a familiar refrain about every subject.
All we can do is keep trying to motivate her, get her working harder still and take full advantage of the sudden battalion of sixth-form mentors being wheeled out to help her with everything from maths to organising herself.
And there is some good news that’s cheered her up and hopefully will serve to inspire her. She had an interview for college where she’s applied to do a Diploma in Hospitality and Catering. They’ve made her a conditional offer on her getting five grade Cs but if she doesn’t make the grades they’ll take her on a lower level instead.
Still, a lot of hard work lies ahead over the coming months. Seatbelts fastened for a bumpy ride…
Sounding Off! 
Hi TigerMother and Hayley
First of all don’t panic – be practical. My daughter is doing GCSEs this year, so I know you have just time to turn it around. I think we have about 9 weeks before my daughter’s exams start, so you’ll have a similar amount of time. I went up 2 grades between most of my mocks and GCSEs (well O-levels, GCSEs came in a year later- I am so old!) so ignore that info from a teacher – depends on the determination of the student (and mum!).
You could perhaps focus on the 5 grade C’s (or BTEC pass) needed for the Diploma in Hospitality and Catering. Target the best/most interesting 5 subjects and aim for a C (or BTEC Pass) in these. Make a really big timetable with all the days on until the date of the last exam and plot what you are going to revise (for the best 5 subjects) on each day. Just a little bit each school day and bit more at the weekends wil help. Ignore the other subjects – it’s their own fault – they shouldn’t be so boring!
I’m sure you or the school will already have done this, but if not, get any extra time you are allowed for the exams/practicals organised too .
Good luck – let us know how you guys get on. My daughter is hearing, but my son is moderately/severely deaf and will be facing all this in a few years time.
I have got fingers and toes crossed for you. xxx
Hi Sue, thank you for your good wishes and all your supportive advice – very down to earth and practical and we’ll definitely be following your tips! Good luck to your daughter too, and your son as he follows on – we’ll keep everything crossed for them too 🙂 xx
Omg my daughter has gone through the same.
She has had support to late. Her grades a way lower than the school lead us to believe she would get.
She would like to board at post 16 deaf school and go to college that is closely link with it but our local athiorities won’t fund her. Margaret
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for your post. I’m really sorry and frustrated for you both, it’s just not right that deaf children don’t get the support they need, and now she can’t get to the post-16 school and college of her choice. Can you appeal it? NDCS are great with giving information and support around these issues? Please let us know how she gets on.Best wishes, Tiger Mother 🙂 xx
God That’s sounds like my daughter’s results….and the very situation we are in now….I’ve been to the school, dragged, her deaf CAMS. Councillor in, so I’m hoping they’ve listianed to what we’ve said, and put things in place for her real exams, because like your daughter, she’s deaf not stupid…and if she received the right support, she would have the same grades as her peers…..fingers crossed for you and for me..during exam time and results in August….because my daughter doesn’t do failure…..her words…xxx
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your post and your good wishes. I do feel for you and your daughter, it’s so unfair and I think we’re amongst many who experience the same letdown and failure of the school and authorities to give them the support they need. Like you say they’re deaf not stupid, all that’s holding them back is lack of proper support they are entitled to so they can access education equally.
I really hope they’ve listened to you this time and they pull out all the stops. ‘Doesn’t do failure’, love it, with fighting talk like that I’m sure she will do brilliantly, fingers crossed. Let us know how she gets on. Best wishes, Tiger Mother xx 🙂