Continuing Year 13: January 2016

Ds's last ever day of school today. How bizarre. The school years - well, all years - have flown past.

Glad to see that about the Meningitis jab. The last jabs I found out about accidentally - it turned out ds's name had been left out of the system when I rang to ask. We'd never have known except that ds's friend was complaining that his arm hurt.

Thanks Secrets and everyone for the Meningitis info. I rang our surgery who said the formula kept changing for who was supposed to have it and we would have to wait and see when he was sent for. Very helpful! So I will have to put it in the diary to remind me. I'm with you on this remembering business Ellen. Have also put Warwick accommodation in diary for next week but someone please post when it's online!

Secrets do they apply for insurance accommodation in advance as well???!!! I'll never get ds to do that!

Ellen and Bethan Not sure if both of yours have Warwick as first choice or insurance but for what it's worth DS1 had it as insurance and still got his second choice of accommodation which was great. The accommodation allocations weren't sent out until about 5th September though.
Which reminds me DS2 hasn't yet applied for accommodation at his insurance.....

Great resource, this thread. Not that I couldn't just google it, but would I remember to.

1. Must check Warwick accommodation next week.

2. Must book in DS1 for meningitis jab.

No more exams until after half term. DS1 found the M3 paper hard but thinks he did OK, seems to agree with answers discussed on the student room, that lauded example of accuracy and reason.

Booked DD in for the Men jab today. Made sure it was after exams have finished!

Ooh useful heads up about the Men jab. Had no idea.

Live the idea of frying bacon on Bunsen burners!

Just looked on Warwick website & they're saying accommodation application will open next week.

DS had meningitis jab a few weeks ago at school. Most of them were unwell for a couple of days afterwards, a few had temps, he had a really painful arm.

M3 & S3 out of the way now (M3 paper ok but knows he made a mistake with one question, S3 went better). Just 11 more papers to go.

'Leavers' Day' tomorrow. Seems a bit unreal & sad but like others I feel a massive sense of achievement. We've had many hurdles to cross as a family & his progress through the education system has been far from smooth but thankful that we've made it this far.

Dunlurking I'm not sure if they will all be called up - here's a link. It says Students going to university or college for the first time....should contact their GP to have the Men ACWY which suggests it's not automatic.

I had a bit of a battle last year trying to get it for DS1 last summer as it's only available for freshers up to age 25 and not for second years.

Thanks for the reminder. last time I asked at surgery they weren't booking far enough ahead but no issue with stocks. Will probably leave it for a few weeks.

Secrets I've been wondering about the Mengingitis jab. Do they call them automatically? I realise I have no idea what the system is. Thanks for the warning about the fever as well.

buckingfrolicks I know what you mean. Didn't we all just make it up as we went along, this parenting thing? Your house will feel very different when they both go off in the autumn.

Slightly off topic but DS has been called up for his Men ACWY. It's very important they have this before going off to uni as there has been a rise in cases of meningitis W among students. Just a word of warning though, don't book it just before an exam or holiday. DS1 had it last year (I had to pay privately as he wasn't eligible on NHS). Wfe were warned by the clinic that side effects are common and he was quite unwell for two days with high temp / shivering.
We will wait until after exams for DS2.

Ds going to be frying bacon on Bunsen burners in last chemistry lesson tomorrow. On Thursday social evening for parents students and teachers but sounds a bit poncey with suits/ posh dresses so u think I shall give it a miss!

DS1 still has to wear uniform to exams, so I still feel he's not quite left yet! He's got a job starting in July for the summer. That seems really grown up. He'll have to get himself up while DS2, DS3 and I are on school holidays. We're going to need a bigger and louder alarm clock.

I think I'll be more emotional when DS3, my PLB, leaves school, tbh.

Which I mean humbly, as I was convinced I'd make a right hamfisted balls up of the whole enterprise.

Yep I'm feeling sad at this being the last week of school for my DTs. Can't believe it's over. That flood of ironing uniforms and sorting out lunch money, of parents evenings and homework . . . Dried to a trickle, two days left.

Yay. Im so proud of my kids and TBH of me and their dad for having all contributed to their growing up so well-ish.

DS1 has been on study leave for nearly two weeks now. I need to give him a wake up call mid-morning or he'd sleep through most of the day. I'm sure he's becoming nocturnal!

Second exam tomorrow, M3, then nothing until after half term. His friend is doing 3 A levels, all essay type subjects and only has 3 exams, two of which are on the same day. Very different from DS's 9 exams and some on this thread with even more.

Last day of school ever (well, apart from exams!) for DD today. Feeling quite emotional!

An AS resit for my ds tomorrow as well. Good luck to yours LIZS.

Final week of school here. One AS resit on Wednesday.

Hi Kitkat - the pressure on them is awful isn't it? I was quoting Edexcel for the M2 grade boundary last year. Hopefully this year will be lower! DD needs 1 A* and we are hoping that she will get this in maths. She is only taking the AS in further maths as her school didn't offer it so she is self studying it alongside her A2s. I presume your DS has applied for a maths degree if he needs Step? Good luck!

DS needs A in FM and A in either physics or chemistry, plus grade 1 in step 2&3, so he really can't afford to drop a ball anywhere. YIKES!

I think for the M2 paper last year you needed almost 95% to get 90 ums

In OCR (non mei) M2 you needed to get 66/72 or 88.8% . This year I think it will be way lower!