Year 11 support thread - keep on keeping on!

oh no :( commiserations to anyone still in exam mode

Product Design is on the 26th I think? Poor things hanging on for that :-(

Prom is 7th July for us.

is that GCSEs finished for everyone now?

dd has just left for the pre-prom party!

All finished here. DD seemed quite happy with P7, although, she said some questions weren't clear.

DD is still having to go into school as she's having music lessons due to a music exam in the offing. She had a lesson after her exam, went off to see friends. She's then meeting up with others later on - this'll be the last time as the group won't meet up until September - if she goes to her chosen Sixth Form she won't be able to attend so it is the end of an era in more ways that one.

DD has lots to look forward to now - Prom, away with friends, family holiday, camping holiday, plans to see friends, catch up on reading etc.

Yay! All over now. BBQ with friends of family tomorrow, Wonder Woman and lunch out Sunday.

DD2 still has internal end of year exams and is feeling a bit hard done by. However, the prospect of BBQ ribs is a great consolation.

P7 was "fine". Out at a party tonight. DS1 finishes his A levels on Monday, then we are done! Yippee!

Whoop whoop! It's all over here too.Physics OCR was hard according to DD but she is so happy to be finished I don't think she cares. We have ripped her school trousers in a tug of war that felt absolutely wonderful but she insisted on keeping her sweatshirt for sentimental reasons. Now she is prepping her skin(?) for the prom slap. I'd better get revising my youtube hair tutorials!!!! Have a great summer all! We made it.

Congratulations to all those finishing with physics today. May the parties commence....

livalot - it really is the end of an era isn't it. Although not as bad as if he was going on to a college. He's staying at the school for A levels so I''m sure after the last one of those I will be in bits!

DD finished this morning. What a relief! she has come home saying some of the questions in Physics were a bit strange ( badly worded) but on the whole, she said it went well. I am so glad she is home. She fainted when she came out of her exams the other day (low blood pressure) Wednesday was a horrible day for her.

Anyway, she is going to relax now and go out celebrating with friends later this afternoon. Yippee.

Thanks for all the help and support this thread has given all us poor parents.... I don't know about anyone else, but I feel I have been through an emotional rollercoaster with her during her exams and aged 20 years! I felt so sad this morning, still a bit weepy now..... because I'm never going to see her in uniform again. End of an era..... my baby has grown up and reached the next big stage in her life

That's lovely, castle. It's great to see them enjoy themselves after such a long slog. I'm sure dd is having great fun at her friends now quite glad they are there not here

P3 was 'ok'. No eyes though, which she was an expert on!
Now have at least 5 pairs of shoes at the front door with more expected. Lots of laughter (forgot what that sounded like).

It's done!!! :) :) :)

P3 was 'easy', apparently. That's not always good, is it...

I can't believe they're over with. What a huge relief! Hope all the other dc got on well today.

Thank you so much to everyone on this thread, it's been a lifesaver over the last couple of months. See you all August 24th :)

You are allowed, in men's clothing, to have long legs (inside leg 36" needed, so e.g. Next XXL size). However, you are NOT allowed to also be extremely slender - Next XXL are available only in waist sizes 34" and upwards.

We still have 2 more years of shirt ironing (DD)... and although we shed the blazer, there is a sixth form dress code that invlves regulation polo shirts 9choice of colour) and jumper.

And some mythical 'smart black trousers - not jeans or chinos'. Well, that's going to be fun - the carefully-hoarded, bulk-bought BhS extra slim extra extra long aged 15 (pull up elasticated waist, trousers 15-20 cm longer than the standard age 15 ones) are now shabby and rising off the ankles. I know I can get jeans and chinos that fit him - just - by special order of outlandish sizes from places like Burton's / Topshop. But smart black trousers for a stick insect with abnormally long legs?? Summer project starts now....

Ha skirts! Dd is now wearing non-reg skirt as 'it is more comfy for exams'. We couldn't find it earlier in the week. Nuclear meltdown. In the end I found it wrapped around a pair of tights being washed. It's so small and scrappy I thought it was pants.

DD's about to sit her last exam. It's feels really strange. We can't get rid of the uniform yet as she's still going in for music lessons, just hope it'll last another couple of weeks, her blazer is really scruffy and skirt tight.

Me too! Currently having a quick bath before cleaning bathroom and Dd bedroom as apparently several friends coming over.
Physics cramming after 25 other exams was painful. But only an hour to go.

Last day! ☺️

I also can't wait to chuck out the uniform. It has become very tatty over the last few months and I saw no point in replacing it. I think a ceremonial chopping of garments sounds a plan.

Dd straight off to a friend's for the night after physics so I won't see her but have told her to text me to tell me how it went. May or may not hear from her...

Good luck to any doing p3 or anything else today.

Can't believe it's over.

I am the family ironer. It was very odd ironing my last horrible polycotton school shirt-I've been doing it for 10 years!

I cannot wait to rip my DD's uniform to shreds! That sounds extreme and it is. Her school updated the uniform last year, DD didn't want the new one so carried on for the last year then lost a sweatshirt so has been wearing the same one (quite faded now)and only wears one pair of trousers that are awful. I will happily take the scissors to them tomorrow!

I doubt DD did any revision today, but she did a 5 hour session at school yesterday. And tbh if she doesn't know it now, she never will.

Tomorrow is her last day in uniform - it feels strange. But she is very relieved.

Giddy - blimey! Makes me glad I've got a boy. Bought a suit....sorted!

However, I have 3 girls to follow (including twins!) so that will be fun when their prom time comes. NOT!!!!

I washed my last ever pair of boys school trousers today. 12 years of washing them, end of an era...

Glad the heat is fading, all very hot and bothered here with prom prep and Physics revision. I do wish her school had planned this a little better. DD is frothing about how is she supposed to revise and get everything sorted for prom?She has a point. Of course it is me that has ended up running around trying to find the right multiway bra and party feet insoles for sky high heels! I have watched that many youtube messy up-do tutorials I have started to speak like a vlogger! She has finally decided that she will not be going to 'other' school's induction day as it's highly unlikely she will decide to go there. Glad she finally made a decision and did it without my input.

Echoing other lurkers to say thanks for these Year 11 support threads. It has been SO helpful to read these questions and conversations, and see how everyone's experiences have been different and challenging in their own ways!

I suspect the help so kindly and freely given on the threads has been of much benefit to our kids, and I wish every one of yours success and happiness come 24th August.

My own DD has been fairly ok through the process, though it has seemed to last for such a long time! She seems to think she has done worse than she had hoped in some subjects, and better than she thought in others. She is hoping for mainly As, with the odd B and odd A* (with targets of 8's for maths and english, but predicted 7s).

She said she has been stressed, but I'm not sure that translated into better, more effective revsion, but we will soon see. Lots of lessons learnt in advance of A levels though.

And now, relax

Ifonly, dd is the same. She keeps procrastinating. She's just been making smoothies to 'help her revise'. Looked in on her and she was slumped in a chair, physics book on the table, face utterly blank and obviously bored out of her brain. She's so had enough now. Not sure any actually useful revision will get done today.