Y11 2025/26 The Final Stretch

I don’t think we’ve even had a stationery list; we’re just going off a half-remembered list from mock exams I think.

No mention of rulers here! Supermarkets have clear cases for about £1

DS:s school said they need 30cm ruler. DS is adamant he is only taking 15cm so we have let him do that and a small pencil case. Definitely a picking your battles time and the size of the ruler is not a hill I am willing to die on.

DS just takes a 15cm ruler to school, so he has a small pencil case (well, it’s medium; Amazon claimed it was large).

I’m going to book me a break for sure. Feel like we’ve been on hold for weeks just trying to stay local and calm

Silly question but…. Obvs they need a clear pencil case but I’ve bought a small one and a longer one to fit a 30cm ruler in.

Which have you gone for??

@MayasJamas spa day is a great idea to save for - a couple of my close friends also have close gaps so I shall suggest it ( I think we’re in the career first kids late brigade 😂)

DS1 wrote alot too. He was worried about drama as he is weak in it. But he seemed quite bright about it all. He's hoping for a 4-5.

Drama was ‘ok’ today according to dd, and she wrote a lot. Which seems…. ok? Such a good feeling to cross the first written exam off 🥳

Omg @waitingquietly!

Drama exam went well, no Jasmine question (Last night's panic about Noughts and Crosses) she is happy. Now another week end of craming all biology, english lit, history with a side of maths...

Gah! You’ll be old hands at it by the end. I think you should put some money aside each month until the end of your ordeal, then treat yourself to the mother of all spa breaks!

Hugs and prayers.

(No, I mean it... )

Ours are only one academic year apart so we get four solid years of either gcse or a level - no recharging here 😂

Well technically history has 4 x 1hour papers (AQA), but they do 2 papers in each sitting.

Oh Lord- that had not even occurred to me. DS2 is 2 years below DS1. A-levels and GCSEs all at once- very hard indeed!

My DD has three for history. Perhaps it is different boards doing things in different ways?

Yes, one has 25 and one 26. Most subjects have 2 exams each, except Maths and Geography which have 3.
why geography has 3 I have never really understood when history and RE have 2.

Latin went ok this morning apparently. Which I’m very glad of as the poor boy was so stressed last night / this morning.

Our younger son is in year 6 and has SATs next week. Obviously not the same as GCSEs but he’s not very academic (yet!) and they are a struggle for him.

good luck to all xx

@FlyingPandas it is fun and games in our houseold with the 2 Yr gap. ALevels and GCSE feel DS is getting ignored doing ALevels as all time has been going on DD. But did spend a lot of time with him when he did his, printing papers, marking, just keeping him company and questioning him when asked etc.

Dreading next week as they both have exams.

Good luck to all doing exams today! Thinking of anyone trying to support younger (and older) DC as well-youngest is Y8 here and end of year exams are still relatively low key but it is a juggle. Luckily eldest is through uni and so is ‘done’ academically. Must admit I always desperately wanted 2 year age gaps but we ended up with much bigger ones due to fertility issues, and I’ll always be a bit sad about that-but I suppose it does at least mean we avoid the A level / GCSE double whammy.

DS2 is out of English lit paper 2, and seems happy enough. Big day for him on Monday with two exams in one day, one of which is one he’s most worried about, so it’ll be good to get those out of the way. I’ll be joining everyone in packing multiple snacks!

Same here @Funkylights . DS2 also in yr 9, also has assessments to determine classes for next year/after half term when the yr11’s don’t have classes anymore and also rneeds to pull his socks up. And I also don’t have lots of time/energy to “encourage “ him due to helping DS1. Really should have had my children further apart…..
2 exams for DS1 today which he was nervous about as the afternoon one he really wants to do well on and he is worried the morning one will wear him out too much. 🤞he is ok. Have packed extra snacks.

@Wincher your DS has done so many already!

DD has a revision session this morning before the drama exam this afternoon. She's had no breakfast and left with a pack of go biscuits and fruit tea... I'll try and get her to eat something at lunch but she skipped lunch yesterday and didnt eat the wraps I made her...

51 exams!! Is that between your DTs I hope?

@Wincher feel a bit the same; we are in exam zone now. They are all supposed to be in school but a lot are staying home to revise. Going to be a long 6 weeks still

I think today went ok - like someone else said the German listening was apparently good, the reading so-so, the citizenship pretty good apparently. Quite glad we have finally started! Drama tomorrow - he was also a bit disappointed with his coursework mark though it was still pretty good I think. I agree better not to know at this stage I think!