Y11 2025-26 Results Day and Next Steps

Hahaha! Probably safer - apparently I snore.

How about a 46 year old woman who can pay for her own hotel room? Asking for a friend…..

If it was allowed to take someone else's kid and we didn't have to share a hotel room, I'd offer it out to someone who'd actually be grateful for the opportunity.

No but that sounds fantastic.

Wow that sounds amazing @NotDarkGothicMama, can't believe he's saying no. No work experience mentioned as yet here which is lucky as DD is clueless about what she wants to do. She did a stint in an architect's office in July and decided that the office manager had the most interesting job!

Is anyone else having to sort out Y12 work experience? DS already did WE in Y10 but his new school does it this year. They can either do it in the last week of Y12 or at any point over the year. I offered for DS, who wants to study economics, to come to China with me to compare the foreign investment incentives offered by different trade zones, but apparently he's "too busy". I've concluded that he's spoiled to death and I wash my hands of any responsibility for organising something worthwhile.

Inspired by PPs, I got AI to mark DS's English papers. It couldn't read his handwriting so I've spent the evening typing them out 🙄 He went up 1-2 grades, depending on whether I told AI to be harsh or not, so we've decided to put in both Language papers for a re-mark and Literature paper 2. Fingers crossed. I'll kick myself if he goes down!

DD only went to look at Uni as school was pushing her to join an extra class for getting ready or something to apply to top unis !

Ha Ds is doing physics, chemistry, maths and further maths which we tend to call maths, maths and maths.

This is a useful reminder I forgot about earlier applications to Oxbridge.

Yes Dd has stayed at school (same school since year 2!) so that’s probably helped but we’ve got three universities (and hotels / train tickets as a result) booked for this term and we’ll do another set in the summer.

Aargh! Put in the email request today for 2 papers - worrying now though!

Biology - teacher said they think there's one extra mark in one of the papers and she's only one off an 8 so thought it was worth it as a possible uni subject.

Chemistry - it's 3 marks off and teacher thought only 2 marks available in one paper but that's the one she got a 6 in and doing for A level so we've put it in to try. Looks like she'd need to drop another 18 marks to go down a grade and we've only put one paper in so I think low risk 🤞

it would also be far too soon for DS… he needs to settle at sixth form first. It might be different if he’d stayed at his school but we are one step at a time.

We’re also not looking at universities yet. Dd gets very stressed at the idea of thinking of the next step already - starting college is enough for her for the moment. I think for some kids, going to open days etc helps them to feel more in control of their lives (or if they want o apply to oxbridge or wherever, which I believe has a whole process that starts before regular UCAS applications) - but for my daughter, it gives her the heebie jeebies thinking about it

Ha yes that’s true! Tho at least your dd might now lock in for A Levels if she has it out of her system!

She wants to do law so it’s just about hitting top grades rather than specific subjects - though she does have two facilitating subjects locked in.

I think it’ll be a good choice for my DD. I don’t think she would have been happy doing all Maths / Science so good for her to do something that is completely different alongside Maths and Biology. Hopefully she’ll enjoy it

Hope you don’t have to resort to coin tossing - sounds stressful!

DD has gone to a small college where she doesn’t know anyone. She has made one good friend very quickly and has talked to lots of others and started to form a bigger group too. She’s not a party goer yet but it could all change!

We won’t be looking at unis any time soon as she’s not sure that she wants to go, and I think for her, it’s far too early to try and get her to think about it when she’s only just chosen what to do at college.

Dd is loving sociology! Still a toss up between it and English lit though to drop. I swear I’m bored of her constantly reeling pros and cons. We really will be flipping a coin.

DD has finally decided to drop Chemistry for Sociology so hopefully she’ll be settled with her A Levels now. Not really sure what she’ll do at uni, seems to be thinking about Social Policy or Neuroscience, but she’s got time to think about it now,

The park drinking seems to have calmed down now that the holidays are over, but she was out with friends last weekend, has plans tomorrow and there’s a party next weekend so socially she’s happy. Takes a bit of getting used to for us as her big brother didn’t go out much at that age.

the DC at her college often travel fair distances in to it so that will be different to yr11! Suspect first parties of Y12 will be with old mates

No parties here yet, but his football friends at the same sixth form are a party crowd so I'm waiting to see what Halloween brings.

You are very fortunate to only just be having this problem now. DD started that phase in year 9! Thank fully she doesn’t really drink any more but she’ll still chase down a party any chance she can get.

There are some uni’s/ courses that only accept the A-Levels done in year 13, I’m sorry, I can’t remember which ones.

I know this because our school advised us of the uni’s when explaining why Maths is taught to those doing FM in year 12 only, but they don’t sit the exams until year 13.

@Drivingselfmad
DD went to a huge college knowing no one. Has made one good friend already and seemingly another couple groups via another subject and sport. Has found a couple people she does know too... seems to be in contact with her closet old friends who ended to in diff places too.. I think she’s too fazed by long days and workload to think about partying yet. (Unlike in June)