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

Good luck to all doing exams this week. DS has three exams done a mix of study seeing mates and gym this weekend. I am just leaving him to it hoping he has done enough revision.

@Fabfabfab, yes Exeter insurance here and that’s a really good point. We haven’t looked yet but we definitely should. How would booking private accommodation work for insurance if you then don’t need it? Presumably there would be a deposit that you would lose, or would you have to find someone else to take over the rent?

At the moment, it’s hard to get DS to think about anything other than the exams, as he is head down with revision. He hasn’t even applied for Warwick accommodation yet (although thankfully there is no rush as they say they treat everyone equally who applies by the deadline). Finance application was a very last minute rush!

@BlackBean2023 I thought accommodation was ok for students with Exeter as their firm? I know they might not necessarily get campus based halls though. As insurance, it's definitely rather problematic and it sounds as if you are saying this could be the case for firm offers as well. Have you looked at any of the private options? There are some quite nice ones near campus which I'm thinking of booking just in case. DC is still hopeful he'll get into Durham but thinking it might be a good idea to have this sorted in case it doesn't work out like that.

@Fabfabfabmy DC has Exeter as firm and we’re worried about accommodation. It’s almost overshadowing the worry that she won’t meet the grade requirements of her offer!

@Ventress @ComingInByAnsible If I remember correctly, your DC also have Exeter as insurance. Have you booked private accommodation in case they end up missing their firm? I'm thinking about it as I have read it's really hard to find something good/something that isn't a whole year's contract if we don't book ahead of time. Apparently it's really difficult to find university halls but some of the private halls are next to the campus. Is there anyone else with Exeter as insurance in this group who have thought about this?

@Countrylife2002 two exams in one day sounds really tough. What subjects is she doing? Hopefully not two essay based exams. DC has two more exams this week, then a break until after half-term. He's busy studying today but was really tired yesterday and I found him asleep in the middle of the day poor thing. I've just been down to the shop to pick up lots of snacks to keep him going!

I’d vote for you @MamOfTwo

We are looking forward to half term @Countrylife2002. My sister in law is visiting next weekend so we’re planning a bbq. I’m hoping DS will take some time with us. I think the exams he’s not looking forward to most are this week. Be good to get these out of the way.

Good luck to all of our dc for this week 🤞

DD is back into it now thankfully. I’ve been taking time off work to be able to fully support and have a few days off next week as she has 3 exams including 2x3 hours on one day! After this week she’s halfway through but they’re much better spaced so it should get easier . I’ve suggested she take next weekend fully off and we do something nice , maybe cinema and meal out / walk etc. I’ve pointed out even in a full time job you get days off! She’s not convinced but I think she’ll agree come next Sat!

I called into Boots after work today and they said they had Men B stocks back in so will book online. If YP have the NHS app, they should be able to see which vaccines they have had on there if anyone wants to check if all up to date.

Continued good luck to all. If I was in charge, I would not allow exams on consecutive days!

😀@gingercat02

I’ve booked the vaccination for DS at Boots. Thanks for the tip @JustHereWithMyPopcornit does feel too close!

Re the Men B vaccine, I have taken DS for it after the Kent outbreak, he had his second dose about ten days ago. His cousin is at Reading Uni and, similar to Ventress, we know several people at Henley college, it’s a very popular sixth form choice from where we are so feels a bit close for comfort. I’m so sorry for those poor teenagers and their families, just awful.

I actually came on to say, I have discussed Men B vaccs with DS, he feels there is no need. We may need to revisit that after exams!

We may run out of fred before the end of exams @scandinavianyellow, certainly before results day.

Ah, understood, thanks @SilverBlue4

I’m sorry, I realised I’ve said most of my post twice! My friend’s daughter had meningitis in February half term and seriously scared her parents and friends. She is fine now but it was a night in A&E, monitoring and antibiotics.

The GP won't be able to give the men B to your son as it's not on the schedule for young people of their age, only babies which started in 2015.

You need to book it privately.

Thanks @JessyCarr. We are very close to these latest outbreaks and my sincere condolences to the parents of the student at Henley College. It breaks my heart what they are going through.

We actually viewed Henley College when we were looking for 6th forms for DS . His rugby club is right next door to Reading blue coat school with some players from Highdown school. All too close for comfort.

I always had a trip to the doctor to check his vaccinations as one of those summer jobs. It’s certainly risen up the “to do” list to the top now though.

The psychology exam sounds mixed and challenging. DS’s ex girlfriend was having a panic about it last night. I’m quite proud of DS saying “not my problem” after about an hour of trauma and he went to the gym.

P.S. Bear in mind you need at least 4 weeks between Dose 1 and Dose 2 of the MenB vax.

DD didn’t continue with Psych (her 4th A Level) after Y12, but one of her friends was so upset yesterday having got the timing all wrong and not attempting a big 15 or 16 mark question. So tough.

Regarding MenB: stocks of the vaccine have recovered somewhat after the rush prompted by the Canterbury outbreak. DD (with inherited thrombophilia) is particularly prone to the worst outcomes of MenB, so we haven’t waited until the end of exams and she’s having her 2nd dose over half term. We have found decent availability at Boots.

We are also shocked by the death in Henley @wonderstuff. DS knows pupils at all of these schools/colleges. So incredibly sad. Making sure vaccinations are up to date is on my summer to do list.

I’m glad your daughter had a good psychology exam!

@Fabfabfab- I think English lit is such a difficult one to call. Certainly very different from a STEM subject. This drives DS a bit mad as he’s very attached his AOs and formal structures! You can find the grade boundaries for last year online, I’m just rubbish at attaching links 😀

Am I glad it’s the weekend! Dd says that psychology was okay yesterday, I think as she spoke to me she got reliability and validity confused, I bit my tongue, she’s done it now! She says she felt good about the longer questions, who knows, she needs a B ideally.

She’s actually been much calmer than I thought she’d be, we had tears last week, but she’s been fine since.

I know way back there was conversation about Men b vaccine, outbreak in Reading feels pretty close, thinking about getting both of my kids vaccinated over summer, my youngest is (hopefully) heading to a very large 6th form and DD hopefully heading to uni…

@gingercat02 I think it feels a bit confusing with all these different leavers events as they are in the middle of exams. At DC's college they seem to have lots of them and although they started a few weeks ago, they don't finish until June after the exams which is quite good in some ways I guess. He starts study leave on Monday but is still going in some of the time for revision clinics. Thankfully he has a car now. I recall GCSEs and driving backwards and forwards to pick him up at times when I should have been working!

@Ventress thanks for sharing last year's grade boundaries. Although DC felt he did really well in English, and liked the questions, it doesn't necessarily mean he will end up with the grade he wants as the grade boundaries are so high. A bit of a worry really but I just have to trust in him and his perception of how it went and hope for the best. He 'only' needs an A so hopefully he'll be ok. His English teacher told me once that the marking can be quite subjective compared to science/maths subjects where it's a lot clearer.

Glad he’s back, and at least got a hair cut! Hope the exams are going well @gingercat02

That's indeed where he was. He's home now for some food before going out again.
He did get a hair cut and a leavers hoodie.
I wasn't actually worried.

@gingercat02 he’s probably at the pub celebrating the end of school! 😄. Do you have anyway to see his location?

DS seems to have disappeared (joke) Leaver's assembly at 11:30, asked for cash for a haircut (his bank account seems to have no cash facility 🤣)
Not seen or heard from him since.

Hope the first week has gone as well as it can do for everyone.