Finishing year 13 in 2017

DD also starts next Wed, then Fri. She is getting pretty stressed now - lots of eggshells being trodden on!
No lack of clothes here as DD online shops to cheer herself up

Thanks Mirabelle! Your DD sounds so independent - very exciting and just proves how they dont all have to go down a set, traditional route.

Just smiling as I was imagining our dcs travelling across Europe spotting the offspring of Mumsnetters by their lack of clothes.

Ono40 I am in the same position. Ds off on holiday straight after exams and needs clothes that fit too. I have told him that unless we go shopping this weekend he will be spending the week away in his pyjamas!
Next exam is chemistry on the 12th.
Good luck to those who have exams next week .

Dd has her first exam on Wednesday next week. She's been working really, really hard - has Oxford offer - and is very stressed!

Thanks Mirabelle - and best wishes to your DD! Mine has already had a couple of her exams, 8 more to go -reasonably spread out, no clashes like gcses.

Just popped in to wish you all luck as assuming they get going next week? Hope you're all bearing up ok. DD off tomorrow to Europe for a week then off Japan for a big chunk of the summer armed with her Art Foundation summer project brief so all good here. I'm much more chilled out about it than I was when she went after GCSE's and really excited for her.

Well half term is nearly over, DH is just about to embark on his three week jolly work trip abroad and it is sunny....which can only mean one thing - exam week is just around the corner - eek! DS kicks off next Friday with History. Anyone else get going next week?

He has been working hard all week and I have been testing him in the after lunch slump zone so his brain keeps ticking over. No shopping here as he hates it but I have told him that he will have to go on holiday in his pants as none of his clothes fit!

How is everyone doing?
Dd is feeling a tad neglected as my priority is getting my 12 year old thru' Common Entrance next week.
But I did take her to Tk Maxx and buy her a pretty necklace and chandelier earrings to go with her ballgown,plus a bikini.She is going away for a week with her friends to somewhere hot and sunny and needs bikinis and shorts!She has promised to pay me back,but it never materialises .

DD is working hard, though we took most of Tuesday off to get her holiday clothes - we leave a day after her last exam and we haven't had a sunshiny abroad holiday for 3 years so she really did need to get some new stuff. Surprisingly successful, still got to find some boardies - sensible ones for windsurfing and sailing in.

DH had a very unpleasant A level maths exam nightmare last night, poor lamb. possibly a tad overinvested.

Lol Errol - DD and her mates went into a shop near her sixthform dressed in their old school uniforms on Friday. Not an eye was batted when they bought wine, Desperadoes and god knows what else. And certainly no ID was asked for.

aging I thought DS was a little quiet after all the leaving celebrations.

I think with him it's kicking in that this is IT...!

DD said her last day was surprisingly emotional for her. Afterwards she went to a picnic in the park. Lucky for them to have such nice weather.

DP and I got a bit emotional ourselves later on after a glass of wine or two I am really grateful that she has had such a good education.

DD had a lovely last day too. The leavers' assembly included a song written by one of the girls so apparently everyone was in tears 'it was a mess'Then a nice afternoon with her pals, followed by getting dressed up (thanks to friend's mum for beautifully taming DD's unruly mane!) and on to the ball followed by sleepover.

They decided to share a bottle of wine beforehand, which DD bought to see if she could. The shopkeeper eventually accepted that yes, it really was her genuine provisional driving license proving that she was over 18 but then doublebagged the bottle and asked that one of her friends carry it as he didn't want to be accused of selling alcohol to a child. (Last year on holiday she was offered the children's menu at one place, and the kids' activity sheet at a museum... she would have been a bit surprised if she hadn't been queried!)

DD also had a lovely last day - partying in the park after fun amd games at school - just the small matter of the exams now!

Ah yes Lineyy, just those!

DS home with his Year Book. Aaaah, my 'baby' looked so young in Year 7!

Just those pesky exams, juggling ...

DD had a really great last day today (can't believe I'm writing that!) with a lovely leavers assembly full of funny anecdotes, and a few other little quirky things through the day like adding their hand print to the wall in the art room and with a friend carving their names onto the walls outside

It's been such a great school for her - lovely teachers, great experiences, and so many good friends.

But she hasn't really left just yet has she?!

Hello, so please to find you all!

No leaving do for DS at his sixth-form college, but he is going to a mini-festival thing tomorrow with a friend.

He is re-taking AS maths to try to improve his marks, as last year was a bit of a clock-up, and he's doing A level maths, physics and biology. He is hoping to get into Warwick.

Jeez, 88% for an A. WTAF.

Any alcohol involved Bebumba?!

A bouncy castle and teenagers, what could possibly go wrong?!

HSM - let's hope they have risk-assessed that bouncy castle!!

BTM, DS is doing English (AQA where marks are out of 25) and has been told that he would need 22/25 for an A which is 88%. I don't think the teachers are setting the grades a bit high, I think they are just passing on what they've been told at training days run by the exam boards. With the combination of learning two years' worth of material, harder exams and higher grade boundaries, it is all a bit worrying. And the government wonders why our young people have mental health problems??

Hope all the last days/dinners, etc went/go well.

DD was a bit down yesterday with 2 practice English essays - she got 25/30 for both (which I worked out to be 83% which I thought was pretty bloody good) but she said her teacher said 27 was an A, 29 was an A* and she really wants to try for an A. Does anyone know if he is setting the grades a bit high?