Y11 2025-26 - Trying not to melt and pushing through the final weeks

I don’t remember filling in any forms at birth. We were both earning over the amount to claim at the time (I think it was over £50k back then).

But we’ve moved several times since then anyway so how would they know where to send it?

I’m going to have to call HMRC I think.

As long as a person filled in the forms at birth it doesn't matter if they actually claim the child benefit or not the child will be sent their NI number. If no child benefit eligibility forms are completed at anytime then an NI number might not be issued automatically. Just means contacting them to get it issued and it doesn't delay getting a job etc at all as if necessary they allocate a temporary NI number while things are being sorted.

We don’t claim either but still got sent one. I chatGPT’ d it and it said everyone still gets one as it’s to confirm eligibility rather than actually based on whether people claim it or not.

My DS would rather do triple science and then aim high in chem / phy and low in biology. But he’ll have to do combined as in set 2 not 1. That’s rubbish

@Beachforever We don’t claim child benefit and DD automatically got sent her NI letter just before her 16th birthday. Might be worth a call to HMRC.

Wimbledon High (independent school) allows students to choose 2 or more sciences out of Chem, Physics, Bio and CompSci.

I wish more schools did that. DD would have dropped Bio like a hot potato!

Mr Salles in his substack (which was linked to a few pages back) wrote a very scathing article about AQA. They are basically a monopoly for English at least which is never a good thing. They charged schools exactly the same as usual in 2020 and 2021 despite no one actually sitting any exams!

Oh yes, they do! I’ll check that. Thank you!

@Beachforever do your kids have a government child trust account whichbtgey can't touch till 18.. If so the NI number is on that.

Ah, we don’t claim child benefit. Maybe that’s why we didn’t get sent one.

It should automatically be sent the only time I've known people not get it is if they weren't born in the UK and/or the parents never applied for child benefit.

Do they automatically get sent their NI number? Have I missed a letter somewhere??

@LattePatty same! My dd turns 16 in the last week of August so it all feels very soon!

Thank you.
I just did this via gov gateway as I have not received any letter about it.

You should have an email from the college letting you know the date for enrolment think my DS had till couple of days after results, staff where at college on results day so you could enrol then or discuss next options if results where better or worse than expected , he was asked to bring his results with him. This was 2 yrs ago so could have changed.

My DS also said it was hard and he is a good chemist.

Snap! DS is a July baby.

Both DCs also got their passports for my home country this week (they are dual citizens). I felt a real wobble when i saw their faces and they both look like young men. Their UK passports are about to expire so they were pre-teens when they got those!

I’d not thought about child benefit! I’m in denial that my son is growing up 😂 He’s young for his year and is still 15. He got sent his NI number recently and that gave me palpitations 😂

You can also log on to your Government Gateway account anytime from now and get it done and out the way if you are like me and file letters away in the to do pile that never seems to get done.

Re child benefit you’d get an automatic letter sent with a QR code to action an extension if you’re eligible.

I stayed at my school for 6th form and my oldest son did an apprenticeship so I have no experience of leaving school at 16 to start college.

Can anyone help with what happens on results day? Do the college get told the results or do we have to contact them and tell them? Will he have to go to the college to enroll or is it all done remotely? Will this be on results day itself or some point between results day and September?

Oh also reminder to everyone (apart from those whose kids are doing apprenticeships) to apply to extend your Child Benefit if you claim it.

Physics and Further Maths on Monday then it's all over until 20th August...

@XelaM you can take combined science as foundation tier as well. But I agree if one science is stronger than others (or one is weaker) it can make sense to take separate ones. Then you could do (say) F tier physics and H tier bio and chem, ending up maybe with 4 in physics and 8 in bio and chem, lining up A level in those two more easily than with a 6/6 grade in combined. I guess it's less common tho to do worse in one? But there is a perception that triple is only for more able candidates which I agree is not always helpful.

@ShowDownTime it’s honestly not as simple as IGCSEs are harder and AQA GCSEs are easier. The spec varies so much – IMHO the speaking exam for Edexcel IGCSE MFL is a lot easier to prep for than AQA GCSE – which may make it easier? But the written exam is challenging as all questions are in TL (for obvious reasons). IGCSE English lang and lit I think can include CW which some may see as an advantage. And so on.

State schools cannot offer IGCSEs. Some used to in some cases (my old school found the Edexcel Eng lang IGCSE more accessible for weaker candidates). The reason there are multiple boards is basically historic which I agree is not a great reason. It does offer schools some options in spec tho (topics in history or geog or RE, texts in Eng lit, structure of exam overall).

Dd2 is off for her competition tomorrow - the socialising is as much of a draw as the competition, she really needs it.

dd1(25) came around with sweets and a hug and stories about her disastrous physics A level and a reminder she still managed to get a masters in earth science from a top rate uni & has a proper job now and all is really not lost &, nicely, get a grip. They’ve arranged to go to Thorpe park next week.

She’s still a bit tearful. It’s hard being the 3rd child when your older siblings are seemingly settled in life & younger sibling is one of those charmed kids who seems to find everything easier. I must be a terrible helicopter parent because I find their disappointment so painful - saying all the right stuff about resilience, head down keep going etc. Cursing iGCSEs.

College induction day next week - the day after her final exam. Not sure what I think about that!