Year 13 -2025/26 - Support, discussion and looking after each other (new thread from y12)

So sorry to hear about your MIL @bluefineliner thats really tough.

Had parents evening for DD this week, just maths (they only arrange appointments if they’re concerned). Was really useful I think, teacher seemed lovely and they formulated a plan for extra revision. I think DD dyslexia is making it more tricky, teacher thinks she sometimes makes a mistake in methodology and then has to relearn a different approach fairly often. On a good day she’s an A student on a bad day she’s a D.

@gingercat02 sorry about Leeds for your DS, sounds like he has good alternatives though. I agree about mocks seeming late if done now. DD did hers early Jan which now seems like ages ago!

@temperedolive London sounds like a fabulous temporary distraction, have a great time.

@Ventress If I clash with DD leaving things is the best way to resolve as it just escalates if I try to tackle too much head on. You know your DS best, and need to think about your own health too.

DD now has an offer from Lancaster so 3 in total, just waiting for Liverpool decisions later this month. I think it will be Newcastle/Leeds for firm/ins or vice versa but plenty of time for her to choose. Unfortunately MIL (after her stroke in the new year) is now on EOL care so we are staying with her as much as possible while she is in her final days. DD finds it too upsetting to see MIL atm so she is carrying on as normally as she can, which I am encouraging. She has got used to grandma not being around (she lives with us) so has been gradually adapting to not having her near for a while now.

Congrats to your daughter, @bluefineliner ! That's a wonderful achievement.

I'm sorry for your son's disappointment, @gingercat02 but how lovely to have three other offers to choose from!

Very happy mocks arr done as well. Going to take the while family to London for the weekend for some shopping and a show before they have to settle into the grind for actual exams. We need to look at the BIoJ as well, as DC2 is thinking of applying to their apprenticeship program for after she finishes her gap year.

DS got turned down by Leeds yesterday. He knew the grades would be a push, but he was still disappointed.
He thinks he will firm Northumbria now as its the best course from the 3 offers he has.

Glad mocks are done, very late to have them imo, the actual exams are only 2 months away 😲

Glad mocks are over @AuntyBulgariahope the two offers come in soon!

we have OHD this weekend in Durham. I shall leave DH and DS to it although I’m looking forward to seeing Durham.

Hopefully they will do something about the interest rate and way plan 2(at least) is worked out for students @JustHereWithMyPopcorn- it does seem really unfair to them.

I’m not sure what to do about DS. His form tutor, and I, are both ill and I’m not sure whether we should just ignore it or grab the bull by the horns and attack it full frontal or ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist! He got a detention from not going to Pshe the other day (he is year 13 for goodness sake!) I think I will just leave it for the time being.

Well mocks are over today. The feedback I'm getting is less and less positive after each exam. I don't know whether he is just bored of my questions or whether he found them hard. (Probably both!)

Still waiting for offers from two places - it would be really helpful to get them and then DS can make a decision and then really focus and visualise his next steps.

Well done on the final offer @bluefineliner

DS didn't really get much from the Leeds OHD, 5 of them went on the bus at 7:30 and they weren't home until after 8pm, so a v long day, but think they had fun anyway.

DS has got the distinction in Applied Business he was hoping for, so he won't have to do the Sumner exams, which is such a relief.

He can now concentrate on History and Geography.
The dreaded NEAs are printed and handed in too.
Slowly getting there.

Well done on your DDs offer @bluefineliner !!

DS1 is on Plan 2 @Ventress he'll start paying back soon as he's moved jobs where he will now be in the payback salary. DS2 will be on Plan 5 which is actually going to be much worse than Plan 2 according to Martin Lewis and he wants that looked into as well. Don't be grateful for Plan 5, no-one should be charged interest on a loan to educate themselves.

well done to your dd @bluefinelinerthat’s great great, really takes the pressure off! I hope the OHD goes well next month.

let’s not think about the A levels!

thank you @JustHereWithMyPopcorni have been reading some of the articles about plan 2 and l
plan 5, and I'm very confused! I think I should be grateful that DS is plan 5. I’m guessing your DS 1 is on plan 2?

Finally DD heard from Newcastle, she has an offer for med!! Very happy and relieved all round as it was her favourite. So now she has both NCL and Leeds the pressure is off slightly as the other two choices are less important. NCL offer holder day on 14 March to look forward to now.

It's been a very long journey but the end is in sight, just a few A levels to get now 😂.

If anyone is interest in a parliamentary debate on dropping interest on student loans then it might be worth signing
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/756832

DD is mid mocks. And very stressed...possibly due to not doing enough revision. She also has to get her textiles practical finishes soon. She is going to have a trail driving lesson once mocks are over, as she is very anxious about the idea of driving...

Hi all,

@ComingInByAnsible DD loved her OHD at Leeds yesterday. She had taster lectures and sessions on venipuncture accompanied by the resources they provide students which really showed her the support she could expect which seems very good. The learning style suits her and as we are already very familiar with the city it is looking good.

@Newlease DD is still waiting for her other 3 decisions and should hear this month so at least the end is in sight now. Med applications are very drawn out and having no decisions at this point is so hard, I'm just grateful DD has one.

I have no experience of oxbridge but it must be hard to advise your DD but she sounds like a very sensible person weighing everything up. I guess your advice of concentrate on A levels is the best for now.

@Ventress Hope you enjoy Durham, but distance is a consideration so hopefully and OHD will clarify things more for your DS.

NewLease - we have been to one OHD and tbh, we didn’t find it any more useful than the Open Days. We won’t be going to any more. I guess if you have specific questions about the courses it maybe worthwhile because the sessions are more in depth, but we wanted to get more of a vibe for the Uni and look at accommodation and the OHD didn’t tick either of those boxes.

@wonderstuffReading uni is in quieter area of town, and I agree the town centre is a lot crowded and not very welcoming.
But so far it’s been good for both my kids, since start of secondary. I was going through the courses from the booklet DD bought from one of the career fest last month, she says many kids form her school join Reading uni. I don’t know much about accommodation though. Good Luck, they will end up in nice place where ever they decide to go.
Are OHD better than open days, some e told DD to attend all, I feel like that’s not necessary ( expensive in the first place and also many are during school time) But then in her situation, I guess she would want to check minimum three.

@Ventresslovely to hear that the driving is going well, DD just got her provisional need to look at booking lessons. We are late to the party, I am a very anxious driver (passed test in one go,but not happy to jet off myself) that’s probably affecting DD too. We had mocks after FEb half term so was leaving everything for until after.
@bluefinelinerhope OHD went well for DD, and hope other offers would come soon. I kept on asking DD about her best friend(knowing you have offer) but she haven’t had any offers yet. So I guess all meds are waiting?
I haven’t been on this thread for sometime, DD normally a hardworking person now doubt about going to Cam. I am not even sure what to say, so leaving it to her. It’s stemming from a friends brother who just finished his com degree and not got a job yet. So her point is, there is no point in putting all extra efforts(if she lags behind, she won’t get to do masters) if the job opportunities are same/similar with other unis. Job market for anyone is tough, and no one can predict the future, but I also want her to trust the process and see what the interviewers saw in her and the application!! I can’t even talk to anyone else, didn’t want to ask here either, I know there are many ppl on the other side. I just told her to focus on Alevel as the offer is for two Astars and if she doesn’t meet that, then she doesn’t have to decide anything herself!
@AuntyBulgariaI admire your son’s confidence, hopefully he will get good marks as he expected.
@temperedoliveThat sounded like a nice festive experience for all of you, they definitely would miss it next year and would want to come home too. Like you say they grow and fly the nest, we are just leaving the helipad open for them 😁
@Muchtoomuchtodo and @ArchitectureMum
well done for getting good Mock results, ALevels are fast approaching ,l feel like I am not prepared enough. Had a difficult start of the year health wise, nothing too serious, but took a month and had for both of us as parents to get back on our feet. @Muchtoomuchtodo Further Maths mocks were very difficult for DD and she say, others found the same. After all these, we still are “not seeing” question on last page, not finishing exams in time… and all sort of stuff.

That’s interesting . I tend to agree with the town centre but there is a lot of work on rejuvenation going on so perhaps that will help? I’m glad your dd liked the campus. DS is thinking about staying in Reading for year 3 and can do Reading to Paddington by train in 40minutes which is impressive. I was talking to a friend about the new line between Reading and central London yesterday and we agreed it isn’t as good as it’s made out (unfortunately) we think it will get better. I’m not sure about accommodation but there is a lot of in town and nearby towns. I hope Liverpool goes well 🤞Are either usually in clearing? How much time will she spend in the town centre?

I hope the final couple of weeks of mocks goes well @AuntyBulgaria

Well done to your DS on this mock results @Muchtoomuchtodo! I hope you get that Warwick OHD and offer from LSE. The paucity of offers is one reason why DS only went for one London university.

I have decided that there is nothing I can do for DS except wander along muttering gently under my breath. We will go to the OHD next month at Durham and then let DS decide his firm and insurance choices. He has his five offers now so can just decide- thank goodness.

OHD at Reading today, which was really good, nice to see the uni when there are students around. It had a really nice vibe, dd was hesitant to apply because she doesn’t love the town centre, but the campus was really lovely and much bigger than we expected. Still close to town, you could walk in, and so pretty close to London too. Plus less than an hour from home so that gives options. The lecturers seemed great, definitely a step up from Brighton, and they are offering her BBC which is very doable. Plus they had lots of accommodation options, seemed quite easy to stay on campus after the first year which is unusual I think?

Going back to Liverpool for their OHD next month, it’s likely she’ll put that first (although she could decide she prefers reading), but they are offering AAB which is definitely a stretch target!

@ComingInByAnsible thanks for remembering! Still one more week of mocks to go.

He is resitting his maths a level this summer (took the exam in year 12) so is sitting the mocks having not had any formal lessons. But he tells me that having done further maths for a year they are super easy and he is finishing the papers almost 45mins early! Hmm we shall see whether he is just being over confident and cocky (he has form) or whether he is on track to improve his grade.

Hope your DS' exams go to plan. I agree the point is really to kick start revision with so little time left it's all getting real now.

That’s fabulous mock results, @Muchtoomuchtodo! Hope LSE recognise your son’s brilliance!

DS has nearly finished his mocks now, just macroeconomics to do on Monday. He thinks they might have gone better than he feared (he is mostly worried about disappointing his teachers), and they certainly gave his revision a big boost which is their main purpose. How did the mocks go for your ds, @AuntyBulgaria?

How was the Leeds OHD, @bluefineliner? Hope your DD hears about her other interview outcomes soon.

Wow, those mock results are brilliant @Muchtoomuchtodo sounds like the offer holder days are coming together too. Come on LSE - it is horrible waiting. Lots of great options though.

We’ve finally had ds’s formal mock results - they were taken just after Christmas but one teacher has been very sick (they teach maths and FM) so they were marked by another and delayed until they were well enough to check them!

A⭐️, A⭐️, A so a slip in one subject but very close to the grade boundary so he’s on track and feeling positive.

Well done to your dd @ArchitectureMum that’s very reassuring

ds is just doing a final check of his Welsh Bacc project and then that will be submitted which will free up 3 lessons a week for revision. They’ve covered all of the curriculum in one part of further maths so are revising in those lessons too.

we’re going to an OHD in Warwick in a couple of weeks and then Bath during the Easter holidays. He’s not done anything about Manchester and didn’t get to an open day there either so he needs to get sorted if that’s a real contender as I think he ought to have been there really before going!

Still waiting on LSE…..

Mock results are out finally and DD did reassuringly well, thank goodness. Good to have a confidence boost at this stage. We have organised a weekend visit to Edinburgh in lieu of the OHD which clashes with her Art exam. The EPQ presentation will be done this week. Currently, it feels like things are falling into place.