Y11 2025/26… come and join

The good thing is that they're more spaced out in the summer and there's half term in the middle too.

I always think it’s when they know more they know what they got wrong my and what they missed out. DS has had two weeks of mocks with two exams to go. I got him back in the swimming pool last night which is his main hobby, I could see him physically relax!

We’ve finished the first week of mocks here, one more to go. Dd is exhausted. There’s only 14 exams for mocks compared to 24 in the summer- terrifying!

Thank you for this....I have tried to say they have to make it a bit harder to ensure all students get a bit of a reality check and get their heads down and start taking things a bit more seriously.

I always worry when DS2 says this - as I tend to think he’s missed the point ! - it’s a hangover from 11+ work as I was a lot more actively involved at that point … and that was an absolute blood bath

@helenafalco if it’s any consolation, it’s my students who come out of exams saying ‘yeah that was easy that, Miss’ who I worry about more than those who say it was hard!

DD came home this afternoon looking defeated, had mocks and thought they were extremely hard. She is expected grade 8s and 9s. Trying to be supportive, telling her to brush it off onwards and upwards.

@ScreenagerI’m a teacher too but infants. Kudos to all secondary teachers!!

Thank you!… It does feel relentless going from school to home. I’m just so knackered in the evenings and he has very little motivation.

@Screenager it’s can be so hard when you are a teacher as well as a parent - the feeling of guilt when your own child is not where they ‘should’ be, and the sense of responsibility to work as hard for them as we do for the kids at school… sending lots of empathy.

Thank you! I’m a geography teacher, and teach a bit of history. I understand how content heavy history is, but i still felt guilty because I feel like i have failed at helping him.

I didn’t bother going to the last parents evening. Which sounds awful, but I’ve asked them and spoken to them numerous times. And we get the same old stuff.

I think t levels would be best. I just hope he gets the grades. He has mocks in 2 weeks time.

thanks again

@Screenager I think history in a year sounds really tough - there is just so much content … DS1 had a 9 prediction but only just managed a 6 because of it .. defo concerned about DS2 and that subject ( amongst most of the others !) sorry you are worrying - I know how hard it is ( DS1 just started yr12 so only just done it and now all over again with DS2 ).. there is little we can do apart from listen , feed them well , encourage them to sleep well and get them where they need to be on time with the right kit

Gosh I'm surprised they do history in a year @Screenager. The amount of content is so much to take in. it's very tricky when they don't know what to do.
Have you had a parent's evening this year? May be worth asking the teachers for guidance.

@Screenager T levels are a good option as often more relevant to those with a more practical bias.

Please can I join? I’m getting very anxious and I’m trying really hard not to pass it on to ds…. But he just seems way too chill!

He’s targeted 5s & 6s across the board, but his end of term assessments put him in the 1s-3s grade range.

He did a 1yr gcse in history last yr and although he was targeted a 6, he came out with a 3.

I sat with him for weeks revising, yet he still failed 😞… I’m so worried that this is going to happen with all of them!

On top of all of this, he has no clue what to di at college… and is reluctant to decide just incase he doesn’t get the grades.

T levels have a mandatory work experience element so there needs to be an agreement with local employers (eg hospitals for the health one). This also limits the number of places available. But I'm surprised a large state sixth form isn't offering them at all.

If you are trying to decide between staying at school and sixth form, find out what their pass rates (and A / Astar / B grades are for the subjects you are interested in ), how this compares with national rates and also their added value.
All the local state schools have a worse added value score than our local state sixth form.

Ah that sounds interesting. Thanks for the explanation. We’re in Surrey. Dd is staying at her Indy sixth form which only offers alevels. We did look at a (state) college which is hugely oversubscribed but that too is only alevels.

Where are you? I thought they were National but obviously not. It's a more technical qualification but does involve some exams. Also a 45 day work placement that is assessed and counts for 20% of the grade. You can earn UCAS points and equivalent to 3 A levels, the top T level grade is equivalent to 3 A levels at A*

We have no option to stay where they are. Only a small handful of schools have 6th form and ours inst one of them.

@Littletreefrog we are also looking at a BTEC at a college where I know t levels are available . My preference is to keep DS2 where he is though - I moved him at the end of yr8 so a bit reluctant to move him again . Like the idea of the BTEC which is coursework heavy and might suit DS2 better

Ive not heard of T levels before. They’re not offered around here. Are they equivalent to alevels?

We’re Loreto or Xav too!
Not T Levels, but my dd is looking at doing a Level 3 BTEC in Early Child Dev alongside Art and (hopefully, if she gets the grade in Maths) Psychology A Levels. I’m all for it.

DS is looking at a T Level in Health with the view to Paramedic Science at Uni. We have a lot of College options here so have been to about 6 open days so far. He has a favorite so just one more to go to and then time to apply.

We are heading to Manchester college on Saturday to look at T levels in media to see if my dad is interested. Other than that it’s Loreto or Xaverian. We are lucky to have such great options in this part of the country.

It seems we are in the minority again over here. Last time I was on a Year 11 thread my oldest was going onto an apprenticeship post 16 and it seemed like the world and his wife were doing A levels. This year youngest is going to college to do a T level and again it's seems most of the talk is about A levels. Any fellow T level parents about?