First term of yr12 over - working at grades / workload /much holiday work?

Because I have learned through bitter experience that things can happen, in the blink of an eyelid, practically, that can have devastating consequences for people. I see incredible smugness and assumption that shit doesn't happen to the likes of 'me' in MN in general, but sadly I know from my own life and the lives of others that shit can happen, unimaginable shit, and if my Dd1s school suddenly became like those take no hostages schools described in the article linked to, and some shit happened to her, then what then? I once knew a girl with a glittering future ahead of her, amazing results, real talent, Cambridge....she got smashed up in a car crash and her whole life changed (although she didn't in fact have to leave Cambridge just repeat a year - but that, together with the physical and psychological effects of what had happened to her had far reaching (not good) consequences.) That girl was me. Shit can happen, shit does happen (at the worst possible times) and schools that don't make an allowance for that possibility are terrifying. Doing well in November, December of one year doesn't mean you can't have something bad happen to you in subsequent months. Only a fool or an incredibly lucky person would think so.

"I'm not aware of Dd1's school behaving like that. It's something that terrifies me though."

Why does it terrify you? You said earlier that your dd is doing well.

I know at DD's school, a few pupils have already dropped their 4th subject as they were struggling - a couple of these were doing maths. At least this way they may get 3 decent grades. 1 of DD's friends got a U in a recent physics test so will have to redo it - any one scoring less than a D in any of the tests has to retake. They are giving them as much help as possible with afterschool clubs in the subjects - normal state school.

I'm not aware of Dd1's school behaving like that. It's something that terrifies me though.

OUr school don't do it to be ruthless ( and indeed they do make exceptions for maybe 1 or 2 students a year who fight their case and convince the HT to let them repeat Y12)
But sitting A levels it is not like a fruit machine, where you might get lucky next time.You will only perform significantly better if something changes
There is no kindness in allowing a student to continue wasting their time on something they either haven't the ability, or the work ethic to pass.THey are better transferring onto a less academic course where they have an opportunity to do well.However grammar schools by their nature do not run these courses

Yes selective schools keep their results impressive by ruthlessly weeding out those who don't do well.
This article was entitled "we shoot a few just to encourage the others".
It's about how many selective and independent schools maintain their position in the league table.

The average sixth form college will bend over backwards to help the students, including allowing some to re take a year if they have slipped up.

My DS1 finished A2s this year.I know modular exams have gone now, but when they were in existence his (grammar) school never put any AS/A2 physics students in for January sittings because they just weren't ready.THey said that it began to 'click' in January /February and that was certainly true for DS and his circle of friends.Hopefully it will be the same for your DC
When you looking at previous A2 level grades, do be aware that the school will most probably turf anyone out with less than 3Ds at the end of Y12

Circular - your DD is effectively at school 6 days a week which must be very hard. As webwiz has said, my DD also has a mocks week in feb - hopefully your DD has too.
All our DCs seem to lead very busy lives and I think it is important to keep a healthy balance. DD has done revision all day today but we are off to a party tonight and she probably won't do much tomorrow as we are seeing family. She seems quite mellow at the moment but the stress will begin next week with a unit 1 mock in chemistry.
Have a good New Years Eve everyone!

I have mixed feelings about the removal of the jan modules - they definitely worked as a wake up but they give students so little time to get up to A level standard. If you didn't understand something in maths or a science subject straight away it was hard lines because you were going to be tested on it after just one term. Actually having a bit of time to sort things out can be a good thing if it means a concept falls into place or a later topic helps with the bits you didn't get originally.

DS has a full set of mocks after the feb half term which is something that his school have never done before. I suppose that's to show them how much work they still need to do to get good marks in the summer. DS got really jaded with all the exams and controlled assessments he did for GCSE so I'm hoping that as it will be a full year since any external exams that he'll find it easier to revise properly without being fed up before he even starts.

DS is lucky that we live a 30 minute walk from school so he doesn't have any travelling time. I just pick him up once a week when he has play rehearsals and they go on forever. Sometimes when they do a lot of different things it helps them to be more organised with their time and they get on with things without as much procrastination (I'm the same give me a day to do something and I'll take all day to get round to it but if only have an hour I'll just do it ).

DS does lots of things karate/guitar/prefect/school council/acting but he is using some of them as socialising time. He has karate friends and most of his group of friends at sixth form are in the school play as well. He quite often does something with friends on a friday night or a saturday afternoon but won't go to everything that's arranged, he had some friends round yesterday but today he's just been reading. He bought a kindle with some of his Christmas money and it arrived today so he's put a ridiculously ambitious number of classics on it for free.

I'd be worried OP.
This time last year DS was revising for the January modules. They have now been abolished.

Many, many of his friends who had wall to wall A* at GCSE got dreadful grades in those January exams. Apparently that was very common, they just don't realise how much extra work they should be doing above set homework. DS did well but not as well as he expected.
Last year they were able to pull their socks up and re-sit the exams in the summer. This year's Y12s won't have that luxury, and if they bomb in the June AS levels they will, at best, have to repeat a year.
Now in Y13 DS has put some hours in every day of the holidays so far, doing past papers in all subjects, watching lectures and some homework.

DD1 seems to be strikinga happy medium with school vs extracurricular vs social life. Goes to a concert band and ensemble group plus lessons in 2 instruments; Volunteers at a local uniform group; Meets up with friends on Friday and/or saturday; Tutors 3 youngsters in musical instrument for earning a bit of money; Helps out with a year 8 maths class once a week during a free. She is studying every night and weekends too. She went to the 6th form Xmas ball and she is loving the 6th form - and has matured so much since September!