Y11 2025-26 Results Day and Next Steps

DD is finding maths challenging after easily topping the class throughout GCSEs. According to her teacher, she is still doing well but she wants to not make silly mistakes in tests. So we are looking for a tutor for her.

Is Mytutor the best platform to find a really good tutor?

Thanks in advance!

DS has tests straight after half term but no idea on exams. His room is covered in notes, which makes me feel the tiniest bit better about the litter pick I had to do yesterday to keep it sanitary.

DD likes to finish what she stsrted so planning to do gold. Useful to know it dont matter for unis.

No idea on external exams

When do yours have year 12 internal exams? Ours are straight after Easter so we’ll be avoiding booking any holidays for then.

Also is anyone else doing ocr history? When do they start the NEA?

@Stowickthevastif you put the details of what courses/type of Unis you’re considering into AI, it will generate a calendar for you which you can then cross check for more details
In terms of jobs, lowly babysitting can be the start! We had a 15yo neighbour who was struggling at school but was brilliant with the DC when they were in the early primary years. He was always reliable, did anything I asked of him (eg put fishfingers in the oven!) and was really enthusiastic. He was saying one day how broke he was so I mentioned that the local primary were looking for staff for their after school club and to name me as a referee. I wrote him a glowing reference and he did that for 2yrs. He then spent 6mths of his gap
year as their deputy manager. He went to Uni and continued to do similar work throughout his degree. He is still planning on making it big in the film world but has spent the last 2yrs as a 1:1 TA and is now planning on doing teacher training in Sept. DD has picked up a regular Wednesday evening 2hr babysitting slot which fits in around her school & sport commitments. That will have to do for now as she just doesn’t have the time for anything else, well, not if she is wants some form
of social life.

I don’t think DofE is the answer for all but if done properly think it’s really good. Having to give up time for others, apply themselves to learning a new skill & challenging themselves physically is great all round.

No DoE but dd is doing World Challenge!

DS1 did bronze , DS2 didn’t even finish his . I think there are plenty of alternatives and supra curriculars are much more important at this stage

DS has firmly refused to do DofE, with mixed feelings from me. Dragging him through Bronze was painful but I think it would be good for him.

Agree completely re gold D of E - know lots of YP from DS1’s year who went to top RG unis for a variety of subjects and not a D of E achiever among them!

With gold DofE I would say that if the YP will enjoy it (the volunteering and the expedition) then great, go for it. And the volunteering if done well can be added to CV and might even lead to a long-term role.

But it’s not needed in life and won't be considered by unis at all. I'm saying this as I have met YP who have been told by their schools “if you don't do DofE gold you will never get into a top uni” which for sure is not the case.

Like I say, if the YP wants to do it then yes I would encourage, as it can be a positive experience in that case.

@TheGodWorm Your ds started gold d of e early my dd just got the forms starts after half term. Alot of her friends have decided nio to do gold.
Feel like its going to be a real juggeling act soon. She also signed up to do mentoring at school.

I have never used this platform, but "superprof" allows under 18s to sign up as tutors. If she's cheaper than other tutors in her subject, she might have more success getting tutoring clients. Again, I have never used this platform so I have no idea whether it's good or not or what is involved. I literally just googled it.

@XelaM Not in London but thanks. No idea about riding schools. I will have a look though, but I guess they would probably want people with a little bit of horse experience at least! I hadn't thought about the shop window idea, now everything is online it just hasn't crossed my mind! I will pass that tip on to her. The tutoring ideas too. Thanks

I think there are a few things that might be contributing to it being tricky for her. We are in a small town with few opportunities in the town itself. The nearest city is close enough for her to work in but I guess that all the jobs there are getting a lot of applications because of everyone who lives close to them.

We have expanded the search to places I could drive her to up to 30 mins away (although that's 2 hours driving to take and collect her!) even if not on bus routes.

I also worry a bit that she looks very young for her age. I think that might go against her when she goes into places with her CV. She's very small and looks a couple of years younger than she is. I guess that wouldn't be a barrier to getting interviews which she doesn't get either though! But it is something that I wonder will be a problem.

I really thought something would come up before Xmas.

Another suggestion something like tutoring within school - DS1 tutored year 7s Maths .Getting involved in school societies too can be useful if subject relevant . At the end of the day they are all things to mention on a personal statement and a CV - the all illustrate that your young person doesn’t just lie on their bed on their phone !

Another thing my daughter has tried and had a bit of paid work from was making a small poster and putting it up in local Costa shops or supermarkets (on those boards where loads of people advertise). She did it to get some painting commission work, but you can do that for any type of work like babysitting etc.

Has she tried local riding schools/livery yards? They are often looking for staff.

If you're in London, I can pm you soft play centres to try apply to where I know teens are hired, although I'm not sure if they have current vacancies.

She can also try tutoring via an online platform. I'm not sure which are best, but she could set up a profile on one that accepts 16+ tutors and build up a clientele.

All these recommendations for how to get jobs feel like things she has already tried! Except the sports stuff (which just genuinely wouldn't be right for her) she's applied for tons of jobs on indeed, lots through employers websites, gone round places with her CV. Had a couple of tip offs from friends but nothing has come from any of it. I reckon it's close to 100 jobs since the GCSEs finished. It's really depressing actually. One interview from all that and they didn't even have the decency to get back to her.

Honestly, it just makes me feel worse about it to hear about it being important to build her CV. She has a fair amount of stuff on there (volunteering, DofE, extracurricular stuff etc) but without any paid work she just can't get a break. I've looked over her applications and CV and I don't see anything obvious that would put people off her.

DS2 is at a top indie but has been working since the start of September - first helping with marking at a local tutoring centre and now he’s just got himself a Christmas job at John Lewis (extremely good pay!). He’ll he doing quite a few hours at the weekend, but it’s only for 3 months and he has a long half term and Christmas holidays.

No ‘ins’!

He can cope with weekly work but my DD needed to focus on her studies at that age, so only did Christmas and summer hols work.

It’s definitely harder for them to get work now, but it’s also perfectly possible if they are genuinely keen. Starbucks etc take staff from age 16/17 as do McDonalds - these places are in every town. Most of DS2’s friends have some sort of job, one helps clear up in a pub, one works in a local bike shop and one pours pints (but can’t serve them!) at big hospitality events.

I very strongly encourage getting some sort of paid work during sixth form if at all possible. Gives them extra money, but is also wonderful for personal development - and as others have said, really helps if they get on the ladder now. Will be harder to start at 18, and then 21.

My daughter has a part-time job at a soft play centre. She had no "in" as such but her teenage friend also works there and told her to apply because they were hiring. She's currently back for the weekend from her boarding college and working there. The manager appears to be very nice and gives daughter shifts when she says she has some availability, so she can work when she can but it's not an ongoing weekly commitment if she doesn't have time or is away.

Worth checking with any friends of your kids who have jobs if their places are looking for new staff.

I think soft play centres are a good shout to approach and it gives them customer-service experience but isn't as onerous as working in a pub I think.

My DS is also not looking for work. He's way too busy with school work. I agree that it would look good on a CV to have done some part time work, but he is doing DofE Gold currently, which is a decent commitment. He's also a young leader in Scouts. I hope that those things carry some weight on a CV

@BeasKnee recommend they check indeed regulary. Some pt jobs are only on for a day or 2 as they get so many applicants. Dd tried going round with cvs no luck as timing was wrong. Both of mine got pt jobs from indeed.
Good luck to those applying for jobs it is hard. Our supermarkets seem to have more elderly working in them than teenagers.
@NotDarkGothicMama hope the talk helped. Life guarding is a good one, tried to get dd to do it in the summer but the courses clashed with competitions.
Are many kids doing d of e ?

My DC and their mates are also acutely aware of how AI may reduce numbers needed in some careers. AI can not lay bricks, give a physio massage, attend an accident etc

my two DC both ref and do volunteer work as part of DofE. They are acutely aware of CV building and developing skills that will make them employable. Younger is almost 15 and can see it for himself.
Mine aren’t heading for medvet or Oxbridge so more mid range degrees which mean CV and demonstration of work skills will be key