English shock

J went back to school on Weds. Thurs was parents' evening. Boy who bullied J in Year 9 was going round just ahead of us. A lot of earnest discussions going on with teachers and he didn't look all that happy. His parents looked like they wanted him to get on better. Forced myself to pray for him. 'Love your enemies' not always easy (or ever easy??).

Anyway as for J - in most subjects teachers very happy - aiming for As. We were just quite shocked (and I actually felt like crying) after seeing the English teacher. I was expecting that after J's not very good exam result last summer she would be able to tell us what she's done to bring him on where he's at now and what she expects in his mock. However she didn't know. She hardly seems to know him very well at all, looking quite stressed she just said 'Try and do your best J'. She really has no idea how he's going to do in the mock. She also told us that whereas last parents evening in June the exam was worth 40% of the total marks it's now worth 60%. Yikes! She told us several others did just as badly in the summer exam like it was reassuring. It wasn't.

Ok I don't blame her, she has a lot of pupils and the government has messed around with English GCSE so much they don't know whether they're coming or going. I wouldn't be surprised if half way through the exam they're interrupted and told some more changes have been made. It must be incredibly difficult for the teachers. But I've no confidence at all that my son is going to be ok in this exam. When I ask him what level he's working at he doesn't know.

Sooo... I got in the car, texted J's German tutor and asked if she knew anyone who did English. She put me in touch with an agency and J starts lessons with someone next week, much to his disgust. I just want him to give it a try, if he gets an A* in his mock (or even an A or B) and his tutor says he's so brilliant that she can't help him then we'll give up, ok. 

If he's tutored up until the exam it'll cost us £500, on top of already paying for German, piano and skating lessons. Kids don't come cheap. He has to pass English though.