2015 Yr 12 support thread

And yeah, I have no idea whether Cambridge will be the best place for her. Dd1 is at grammar school and has an Oxford offer, along with a happy go lucky nature and seemingly undentable self belief. Dd2 never even wanted to apply to the grammar, is much harder on herself, much lower self-esteem, and has gained loads of confidence from being one of the best students at a good comp. I have talked to her about applying to Oxbridge has to involve being prepared to not get an offer (as most don't), but she compares herself to dd1 so much that not even applying would probably be worse for her. Bloody sibling rivalries. But I do think the smaller college environment might be good for her - a normal university might be overwhelming. Basically I just worry about her!

Yeah, she seems to be chanting "average of best three AS's" like it's some kind of mantra. French and Spanish speaking assessments next week.

Leeds2 - for the science practicals, the schools can choose between an EMPA which is externally marked or an ISA which is internally marked (so more like a controlled assessment).
DD2 is also trying get high ums ....just in case...but in all honesty I don't think either Oxford or Cambridge are for her as I think she would prefer a less pressured environment,

DS (another learner driver) has his EMPA next week. Some kind of Biology practical as far as I can ascertain.

AtiaoftheJulii we had the obsessing with UMS with DS1. Important as very high UMS tends to at least secure interview for Cambridge.

Revision going well, for dd2 at least - in fact two of her teachers suggested this week that she slow down/have a break from working! She's in "I'm going to fail everything" mode tonight though She wants to apply to Cambridge, so is obsessing about ums. She works so hard, I so hope she gets what she deserves.

Mine too, hells. DD has a very busy summer.

Can I ask what a EMPA is? DD does chemistry and biology, but I have never heard her use that expression. She has done practicals for both though, if that is the same thing?

DD2 has her written biology EMPA tomorrow and has been doing lots of work for it. Both DDs are working very hard but DD1 is starting to get a bit stressy (which is normal for her). We also seem to be in exam mode every year!
DD2 is loving her driving lessons which are providing a welcome change from revision but looking at her plans for voluntary work, summer school, uni prep, work experience etc., she seems to have a lot on from now until September.

So how is the revision going?
This will be the fourth consecutive year of exams in this house (DS1 did GCSEs in 2012) and several more to come.....

Yes ds had a good time and bumped into his year group from his old school. When I mentioned to the teacher we were there on our own because college hadn't organised anything she said if she had known, ds could have gone with them. She is going to email me the ucas gumph she sent out to the 6th form parents. He'd already whittled it down to 7 institutions so my role as a walking suitcase who must not speak to anyone important because it would be too embarrassing, wasn't too painful

Physics EMPA for DS today. A week ago I had no idea what an EMPA was! He seems to think it went OK, but then he has been known to say that when the result has been less than OK, so I'm staying calm!

eatyourveg hope you find the UCAS convention useful. DS did. You'll need a strong rucksack for all the brochures!

Ucas convention with ds tomorrow - his college haven't organised a trip so I'm taking him myself. All rather strange as the list of stands includes his college!

No study leave here. DS was bemoaning the fact that he will have to continue Physics lessons after exams even though he is determined to drop it. Having said that, once exams are over, I am told there will be a lot of days out to uni visits.

Yes sciences here as DD hates writing! She has completed the practical EMPAs but has her first written EMPA paper on 1st May, 2 more the following week, then study leave from 8th May, last exam on 5th June, then starts back in lessons on 8th June. Then after results day, she will possibly drop down to 3 subjects (and may do AS Further maths as well which she has already been self-studying for).
I am very organised as I have a wall chart above my desk with everything on!....I can't cope otherwise

My kids are back tomorrow too. Dd2 has her first written exam in three and a half weeks, but she has two MFL speaking exams to fit in before then. Her school don't give them study leave (not that she'd have much time for any!), they just carry on doing revision at school.

DD back on Tuesday. Think she's looking forward to it as a break from solitary revision!
Seems like things are going well but it's a bit difficult to tell with Arts/Humanities subjects I think. When DD's marking past papers she only really has the 'indicative content' on the mark scheme to go on. Think she's intending taking some of her practice essays in to school to ask her teachers to mark them (they offered to do this).

Back to school tomorrow - our County seemed to have different holidays from the rest of the country. DD2 having her 1st driving lesson today so a welcome change from revision.

Morvah - DD is finding physics the hardest out of her subjects.
Secretsquirrels - DD has chosen her Headstart course based on the fact that she wanted one that was quite practical! She ruled out the Oxbridge ones as they seemed more lecture based. I hope she enjoys it.

Well done to Atia and hellsbells' DDs!

Back to college today. DS has done a maths paper every day of the holidays and now feels pretty confident on C1 and C2, but is now worrying he has neglected his physics! He's worked pretty hard and he seems relieved to be going back to college and away from me nagging him!

And lots of piano, guitar, singing, skateboarding breaks!

DD1 (yr13) is doing approx 6/7 hours a day and DD2 a little less. But we have just had a few days away where they didn't do any. They are trying to study in the day and meet up with friends in the evening.

I thought their 12 session/6 hour plan was a bit ott! DD2 probably averaged 4x40 minute sessions a day last week which I thought was hugely impressive. (DD1 set a low bar, hence I am easily impressed :) )

DD2 is only just getting up so I don't think she will fit all those sessions in today wink
I am working from home today so unfortunately for the DDs, I can see what they are doing!

Copying something I just posted on the y13 thread as it's about revision and could also be helpful here

Dd2's school had a revision skills session from an external company, and they also did one for parents but I couldn't go, but they emailed us a summary afterwards.

I've copied a bit that seems relevant:

"It is better to work for less time in a concentrated way than to work for longer with less focus.
The optimum time a student should spend revising without a break is 25 minutes. We recommend that students complete three twenty five minute sessions in the morning with a five minute break between each session. This should be followed by up to three further one and a half hour blocks (with five or ten minute breaks every twenty five minutes) in either the afternoon or evening. Students also need to plan “days off” and “treats” within their timetables.

The first 60 seconds should be to work out what they are going to achieve in their session and the final three minutes of each session should be spent simply re-reading the notes they have just made."

Dd2 said that for her 25 minutes is too short, she's just getting started, so she tends to do up to 40 minutes, but the plan is similar - two or three shorter sessions with little breaks, then a longer break, then repeat. She's also making sure to get outside each day.

(Today's excursion is a trip to school for a history revision session!)

hides in corner and wishes I was choosing a nursery Ah those were the days.
DS2 has a Headstart course which he will be very nervous about.
DS1 went on one in Year 12. I think it was less academic than he had hoped, more emphasis on careers and uni life whereas he would have preferred more subject content. He was most miffed when one lecture was cancelled in favour of a trip out. He got the impression the vast majority were only there to tick the box and have it on their UCAS statement. The most challenging part for him was the journey which involved 4 changes of trains .

DS has been working quite hard over the last two weeks. Even went a few days without switching on his computer although he did have the cushion of phone, iPad and tv.